Hermano is watching you...

There's a funny episode of "Arrested Development" where a main character is looking for someone named "hermano" and keeps punching guys until he finally figures out that "hermano" means "brother" and isn't a name so much as a title. :)

Mexico is used to "big brother" watching them. Many Mexicans do live "off the charts" because it's pretty easy to avoid paying income taxes, and also pretty easy to live without an address. Think hermit in Montana, times 14 million, all squished into a tiny polluted valley and you've got Mexico City.

Well, big "hermano" is now watching out for Mexicans, too. The Mexican government, in an attempt to persuade criminals and other annoying persons from using pre-paid phones, has passed a law that all cell phones must be registered with the government. This will be like a yellow pages of cell phones, except that since Mexicans don't have an address, their cell phone number will be listed with their CURP - the Mexican equivalent of a social security number.

Important background information: Currently, most US cell phone users have a contract tied to a credit card, which is tied to a bank account and a permanent address. Most Mexicans have a pre-paid cell phone tied to nothing. US police can subpoena to access those phone records if there is a warrant for your arrest (I think - that could only be on Law & Order, I'm not exactly sure). Mexican police can call your number and see if you're stupid enough to answer.

Anyway, since I am not Mexican, I don't have a CURP. I'm not going to get one, either. It's against the law. But, I still need a "registered" phone, because unregistered phones are going to be cut off from service. Basically, until I register it, the phone company doesn't know I'm a foreigner, so they have to assume I am just a Mexican with a procrastination problem.

Mexicans with this special ID number can just text it to the company to register their phone. I have to take my passport to a very special elite phone service center and ask politely for them to register my phone.

Except, now that I have moved into an apartment on the poor side of DF, registering my phone actually went something like this:

Buying a new phone card: $200pesos
Going to the mall twice(4 bus rides, 2 taxi rides, a car ride, and a long walk): $150 pesos + 4 hours
Finally being able to make a call to the U.S. without a Spanish error message: priceless

Got to love Mexico!