Tia Rosa/Wonder Route

For the next two days following the plant tour, I was on a Tia Rosa/Wonder Route ride.  Unlike the Bimbo and Marinela routes, there is only one vendor who delivers all products; bread and cake.

Before heading out there was a Union Meeting with the vendors and supervisors.  They hold these meetings whenever there is new information they need to know.  Joe and I were not allowed to sit in on the meeting because the information was "Top Secret".  I am pretty sure it wouldn't have mattered if I was in the meeting or not.  I think they highly over estimated how much Spanish was I was going to be able to understand.  At the end of the meeting, they all do this cheer.  It was very Wal-Mart esque. 

I started out on a route with this guy named Marco.  However, after only 2 stops, another truck pulled up and had me change routes.  I guess Marco's route is in a pretty rough area and the supervisors decided they didn't want me going there. 

So I ended up being with Julio.  Right when I got in, he told me he likes to work fast so he can get done early and get home early.  He told me "Buen y Rapido" (good and fast).  I was not complaining.

Right off the bat, Julio was letting me do everything; putting the orders together and breaking them down, checking in the product, and merchandising.  He basically just collected the payment from the owner.  It was more like he was helping me rather than me helping him.  

 A couple places we delivered to were definitely not in good areas.  We were basically in the projects.  Julio made me put my phone and wallet away in the truck.  At one point, I looked over, and there was a guy running around with his baby goat.  I really wish I could have snapped a picture of it.

I really learned a lot riding on the Tia Rosa route.  Julio was a really nice guy and tried to take the time to teach me how things are done.  He showed me how to do the orders on the handheld and let me put all the orders together.  This helped me learn the products a lot better than on the other routes.  He was asking me what I had learned since I have been in Mexico and was interested in what I was doing.  Julio also spoke slowly and, when I didn't understand something, he would try to say it in a different way so I would.  We even stopped by his mom's house and he introduced me to his mother and brother.  I enjoyed being on that route. 

 

Me in my Wonder Uniform.  Don't judge me.....