Monday, February 23, 2009

Attitudes

I like the attitudes of Mexican people. I like their attitude towards children, the elderly and each other. They take people at face value. If you are a good person then you are accepted and they seem to have the ability to look deep into your sole to decide if you are a good person. Men hug in Mexico. It felt strange at first but I like it. You meet friends for lunch and everyone hugs with the men giving each other a slap on the back as they hug.

Family is much more important here than it is NOB. Young children seldom cry as they are looked after by parents and older siblings. It is not at all unusual to see a teenager out on a date with a younger brother or sister in tow. City squares or Centros are alive with families at night. They sit, laugh and walk together. Just like a family. It is nice to see.

I like the Mexican attitude, at least what I see of it,  towards gays. I may be wrong but gays do not seem to be treated any differently than anyone else. Some of us may consider ourselves “enlightened” but there is a noticeable difference between what happens here and in the States and even in Canada (where even more of us consider ourselves “enlightened”) when gays appear on the scene. Here, no one even seems to notice. Heads do not turn. They are just people and are therefore subject to the same “good person, bad person” test as the rest of us.

I do detect a difference in the way Americans are treated compared to Canadians. I think this is a result of the way Mexican people have been treated in the USA. I hope this will change with Obama in the White House. I feel it will as Mexicans are hopeful of the new Administration. This difference in treatment does not seem to extend to the expatriate community. Maybe Mexicans feel that people who have moved to Mexico have given up any of the unpleasant attributes of their nationality. They moved to Mexico for a reason and are being given a chance to start anew.

Mexican people are not as respectful of the rich and their wealth as many would like. Park your brand new half million dollar bus in a grocery store parking lot and it just may have a parking lot ding in the side or a buggy against it when you come back. “Things” and “stuff” do not mean the same down here as they do NOB. Even Mexicans who can afford a new vehicle do not seem to mind letting their kids sit on top of it to watch a parade. It is just “stuff” and the roof can always be repainted cheap. It is far better to have happy kids than a pristine roof. Not a bad attitude.

1 comment:

  1. Croft:
    Got this in a forward email today. Reminded me of your comments.
    Bill

    Keeping your eyes on the prize?

    A boat is docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist comes along and compliments the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.
    - "Not very long," answered the Mexican.


    "But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.
    The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

    The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
    - "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life."

    The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat. With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge enterprise."
    - "How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

    "Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American
    - "And after that?"

    "Afterwards? That's when it gets really interesting," answered the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!"
    - "Millions? Really? And after that?"


    "After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."

    Know where you're going in life ... you may already be there.

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