One recent class discussion came upon the influence of God in different cultures. A comment was made regarding suicide rates in countries following fatalist religions. In such religions, followers believe that both success and failure are a result of divine intervention of some sort. Meaning that when a person fails in life, there is less fault upon the person, and an increased sentiment that it was what God wanted. As such, suicide rates in many latin american and other fatalist countries are very low. Consider Dominican Republic at 1.8/100,000 and Peru at 0.9/100,000. In comparison, Canada sits at 11.3, and countries generally known to be secular are much higher. Russia, for example, sits third highest at 32.2 with Lithuania in the top spot with 38. And despite recent media coverage, Japan's suicide rate is only 11th, with 23/100,000. On a side note, the rate in Nunavut is 79.
But there is also the comment that many of these fatalistic Latin American countries, despite being long established, lack prosperity and progress on account of generally unmotivated populations. If God will do it for you, why would you do it yourself? These ideals, although generally breeding the lack of drive often seen in Latin American countries, also breed contentment with life no matter how poor it may be.
I would say that lessons could be learnt on both sides... fatalist countries may need a religious-endorsed boost to begin to pull their citizens out of poverty and corruption while more secular countries should learn to be more content with their lives - God given or not.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Mexican Drug Problem
You may have been reading about the recent issues in Mexico surrounding the drug war. International governments have posted warnings about spring break travel and flights to the Yucatan are plumeting in price. The United States has even gone as far as to declare it a "failed state", a country with a shattered social and political structure, putting it in the ranks with Pakistan, Myanmar, and North Korea.
In the past, the bulk of the violence happened in the border towns. Many people travel to try to cross into the States, but are rejected by officials and end up living a life of poverty and crime near the border. More recently though, the Mexican army has infiltrated cities across the country in an attempt to restore order - last year over 6000 people were killed in drug related murders. One mother commented on how her son was killed with several others in a giant vat of acid. Local police forces, already culturally corrupt, are under the complete control of the cartels and cannot be trusted. Locals, however, are angry, saying that the soldiers are raping civilians and stealing from their houses without offering any protection from the cartels. Protesters have taken to the streets, but have later been exposed as employees of the cartels.
On taxi driver said that there are two rival cartels. Right now the drug war is a huge problem, but if the two rivals join forces all hell will break loose. Between the two of them they have an army of 100,000 men. The actual Mexican army has 130,000 with an unknown number of those soldiers who have already been bought out by the cartels. With the culture of corruption and bribery finally catching up with the population, honest citizens are thinking about leaving for the States. The peso is at an all time low and people are beginning to get frustrated.
The problem is, its hard to fight back. The new president is running a campaign to clean up the cartels, but with their widespread infiltration, controlling them is next to impossible. Just today there are reports of two upper level police executives being kidnapped. In January, they bombed a tv station where a reporter was investigating their operation.
For the time being, all we can do is wait, and get ready to head south...
In the past, the bulk of the violence happened in the border towns. Many people travel to try to cross into the States, but are rejected by officials and end up living a life of poverty and crime near the border. More recently though, the Mexican army has infiltrated cities across the country in an attempt to restore order - last year over 6000 people were killed in drug related murders. One mother commented on how her son was killed with several others in a giant vat of acid. Local police forces, already culturally corrupt, are under the complete control of the cartels and cannot be trusted. Locals, however, are angry, saying that the soldiers are raping civilians and stealing from their houses without offering any protection from the cartels. Protesters have taken to the streets, but have later been exposed as employees of the cartels.
On taxi driver said that there are two rival cartels. Right now the drug war is a huge problem, but if the two rivals join forces all hell will break loose. Between the two of them they have an army of 100,000 men. The actual Mexican army has 130,000 with an unknown number of those soldiers who have already been bought out by the cartels. With the culture of corruption and bribery finally catching up with the population, honest citizens are thinking about leaving for the States. The peso is at an all time low and people are beginning to get frustrated.
The problem is, its hard to fight back. The new president is running a campaign to clean up the cartels, but with their widespread infiltration, controlling them is next to impossible. Just today there are reports of two upper level police executives being kidnapped. In January, they bombed a tv station where a reporter was investigating their operation.
For the time being, all we can do is wait, and get ready to head south...
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Winter Sports in Monterrey
Living here in Monterrey, a city where the sun shines everyday and the temperature is always warm, I never expected that I would ever utter the words...
I miss winter
But I found out today that a part of me, albeit a small part, does miss the ice and snow. Today my roommates, two mexican friends and I went to one of three skating rinks in the city. We rented skates and hit the ice.
Mexicans trying to skate is possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen. There are essentially two types: 1) Those who do laps around the rink without ever letting go of the boards, and 2)
Those who underestimate the slipperiness of ice and decide not to use the boards, promptly falling on their first step out. There are a few who have mastered it enough to skate slowly around, but I must admit, I felt pretty talented despite the ice being of lower quality than your average shoveled lake and skates that have likely never been sharpened.
I thoroughly enjoyed showing our Mexican friends "Canadian games" ie how to make snow with your skates and put it down someone else's shirt. Hours of entertainment... But the best part was, by far, getting to ride in the mini-zamboni...
I miss winter
But I found out today that a part of me, albeit a small part, does miss the ice and snow. Today my roommates, two mexican friends and I went to one of three skating rinks in the city. We rented skates and hit the ice.
Mexicans trying to skate is possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen. There are essentially two types: 1) Those who do laps around the rink without ever letting go of the boards, and 2)
Those who underestimate the slipperiness of ice and decide not to use the boards, promptly falling on their first step out. There are a few who have mastered it enough to skate slowly around, but I must admit, I felt pretty talented despite the ice being of lower quality than your average shoveled lake and skates that have likely never been sharpened.I thoroughly enjoyed showing our Mexican friends "Canadian games" ie how to make snow with your skates and put it down someone else's shirt. Hours of entertainment... But the best part was, by far, getting to ride in the mini-zamboni...
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The Light and Dark Sides of Monterrey....
Did you know that over 20 million Mexicans live on less than $2 a day? Unfortunately, in Monterrey, it's easy to forget that 40% of the population lives under the poverty line when you can shop in designer boutiques like Prada and Gucci and go to expensive upscale clubs.
So in order to fully understand Mexico, it is imperative to understand that Monterrey is not real Mexico. While most Mexicans struggle to pay for repairs on beat up volkswagon bugs, it's normal to see a caravan of Mercedes roll into the campus parking lot before class; the neighbourhood in which the school is located is not only the richest neighbourhood in city, it is also the richest neighbourhood in all of Latin America. Gated communities line the mountainside protected from the outside world by security guards and cement walls. This is where the white people live.
Many foreigners are unaware of the impact of race in Mexico. The bulk of people are a heritage mix of Spanish and Indigenous of some kind (Mayan, Aztec etc.), and as such, there are no specific divisional racial issues in the same way as the blacks and whites in the States. There is, however, a form of shadism that is hugely relevant- the lighter skinned you are, the more likely it is you will be rich and get a good job. This is apparent when noticing the difference between the general population on the street and comparing it to the students who study at Tec or, to a greater extent, at EGADE. There are few, if any, dark brown people there. It's a circular problem... you're much less likely to be given a leg-up if you are dark skinned, and subsequently, it's much harder to get farther in life and improve your well-being. Skin whitening products are sold in drug stores and on bad TV infomercials. Here we are trying to get a tan when so many people are just trying to get respect...
So in order to fully understand Mexico, it is imperative to understand that Monterrey is not real Mexico. While most Mexicans struggle to pay for repairs on beat up volkswagon bugs, it's normal to see a caravan of Mercedes roll into the campus parking lot before class; the neighbourhood in which the school is located is not only the richest neighbourhood in city, it is also the richest neighbourhood in all of Latin America. Gated communities line the mountainside protected from the outside world by security guards and cement walls. This is where the white people live.
Many foreigners are unaware of the impact of race in Mexico. The bulk of people are a heritage mix of Spanish and Indigenous of some kind (Mayan, Aztec etc.), and as such, there are no specific divisional racial issues in the same way as the blacks and whites in the States. There is, however, a form of shadism that is hugely relevant- the lighter skinned you are, the more likely it is you will be rich and get a good job. This is apparent when noticing the difference between the general population on the street and comparing it to the students who study at Tec or, to a greater extent, at EGADE. There are few, if any, dark brown people there. It's a circular problem... you're much less likely to be given a leg-up if you are dark skinned, and subsequently, it's much harder to get farther in life and improve your well-being. Skin whitening products are sold in drug stores and on bad TV infomercials. Here we are trying to get a tan when so many people are just trying to get respect...
Monday, February 23, 2009
Mexico Personified
I have officially been in Mexico for over 7 weeks now, and as the halfway point of my semeter approaches, I've had a better chance to experience and evaluate Mexican culture. The best way I can think to describe my experiences is as though my interactions with Mexicans fall under one of two personifications: the dead-beat dad or the big sister, looking out for you as you make your way.
My frustrations with Mexicans and their culture are primarily founded in their desire to make you happy. Although this seems like an odd sentiment, it is truly the most infuriating cultural aspect I have encountered in all my travels. Mexicans are so determined to see to your contentment that they will tell you whatever you want to hear -or better- regardless of whether it is founded in truth. Hence, the dead-beat dad persona; a culture full of empty promises and undependable assurances. Never have I been so excited and so disappointed so often in such a short period of time. My cross cultural management professor gave her own example of this phenomenon as she was crossing the Mexican/US border. Worried about the line of cars waiting to be let through, she asked an American family how long it would be. "Over 2 two hours" they said. She was shocked... she was not expecting it to take that long and her disappointement showed. A nearby Mexican couple ran over and said "oh no... it won't be any longer than half an hour!" She was estatic - this was wonderful news! The crossing took four hours, but for the Mexicans, it was better to know that they had helped my professor and made her happy than to know they had given her the correct information.
My experiences with this began with people giving wrong directions because they wanted to help you by giving you directions even if they didn't know where your destination was. I became increasingly frustrated when my laptop died and I was continually told dates it would be repaired by. Thursday by 7pm, Friday by 6pm, Saturday by 2pm, come back to the shop by 4pm closing, go back at 3pm, shop is closed, Monday morning, then finally... Monday at 6pm when they returned it to me... unfixed. Thank goodness for my real life dependable mom and dad who mailed me my old one. My most recent experience involved lost airline luggage - an enfuriating process even in Canada... now imagine it with the added flair of Mexican culture and the repeated extention of times when the luggage will arrive at the airport, then be delivered to your house, only to have it arrive ten minutes before you leave on another flight from the airport. This is the dead-beat dad of Mexico... the excitement you experience thinking that he will finally be able to deliver on that promise and the inevitable disappointment that follows when you realize that, despite once again giving him the benefit of the doubt, he has let you down again.
The good news is that all Mexicans can't be classified into this category. I like to say that 99% of front line employees fit, but on the whole, Mexicans are good people. They are incredibly proud of their country and are willing to share all its best secrets. But most importantly, Mexicans value family and friendships and they take care of one another... and while we are here, we are taken care of too. In the same way that a big sister or a best friend looks out for you, Mexicans are always there to help. Although I have many examples of this, including a professor investigating the best place to get pants shortened in my neighbourhood, the best example can be credited to a Mexican named Nina. After getting incredibly down on myself for pulling a "rookie mistake" in the world of traveling - leaving my wallet in the back of a cab- I was getting ready to start the process of getting new student cards, new health cards, and most importantly new bank cards, which would mean I would have to restart the visa process (see previous post). Just before heading off to bed to sleep away my sorrows, I checked the internet one last time. Someone had left me a message on facebook... maybe that would cheer me up. Introducing Nina... the girl who found my wallet on the ground in a parking lot, added 20 Anne Connellys to facebook in order to find the right one, and then met me the next day on campus with my wallet... with everything as it was when it fell onto the ground. You cannot imagine the relief and my newfound love for the Big sister persona of the Mexican people.
As I continue to integrate into the Mexican culture I'm learning more and more about this new group of people to which I am trying to belong.... and I can only hope that as I continue, I get along well with the rest of the family.
My frustrations with Mexicans and their culture are primarily founded in their desire to make you happy. Although this seems like an odd sentiment, it is truly the most infuriating cultural aspect I have encountered in all my travels. Mexicans are so determined to see to your contentment that they will tell you whatever you want to hear -or better- regardless of whether it is founded in truth. Hence, the dead-beat dad persona; a culture full of empty promises and undependable assurances. Never have I been so excited and so disappointed so often in such a short period of time. My cross cultural management professor gave her own example of this phenomenon as she was crossing the Mexican/US border. Worried about the line of cars waiting to be let through, she asked an American family how long it would be. "Over 2 two hours" they said. She was shocked... she was not expecting it to take that long and her disappointement showed. A nearby Mexican couple ran over and said "oh no... it won't be any longer than half an hour!" She was estatic - this was wonderful news! The crossing took four hours, but for the Mexicans, it was better to know that they had helped my professor and made her happy than to know they had given her the correct information.
My experiences with this began with people giving wrong directions because they wanted to help you by giving you directions even if they didn't know where your destination was. I became increasingly frustrated when my laptop died and I was continually told dates it would be repaired by. Thursday by 7pm, Friday by 6pm, Saturday by 2pm, come back to the shop by 4pm closing, go back at 3pm, shop is closed, Monday morning, then finally... Monday at 6pm when they returned it to me... unfixed. Thank goodness for my real life dependable mom and dad who mailed me my old one. My most recent experience involved lost airline luggage - an enfuriating process even in Canada... now imagine it with the added flair of Mexican culture and the repeated extention of times when the luggage will arrive at the airport, then be delivered to your house, only to have it arrive ten minutes before you leave on another flight from the airport. This is the dead-beat dad of Mexico... the excitement you experience thinking that he will finally be able to deliver on that promise and the inevitable disappointment that follows when you realize that, despite once again giving him the benefit of the doubt, he has let you down again.
The good news is that all Mexicans can't be classified into this category. I like to say that 99% of front line employees fit, but on the whole, Mexicans are good people. They are incredibly proud of their country and are willing to share all its best secrets. But most importantly, Mexicans value family and friendships and they take care of one another... and while we are here, we are taken care of too. In the same way that a big sister or a best friend looks out for you, Mexicans are always there to help. Although I have many examples of this, including a professor investigating the best place to get pants shortened in my neighbourhood, the best example can be credited to a Mexican named Nina. After getting incredibly down on myself for pulling a "rookie mistake" in the world of traveling - leaving my wallet in the back of a cab- I was getting ready to start the process of getting new student cards, new health cards, and most importantly new bank cards, which would mean I would have to restart the visa process (see previous post). Just before heading off to bed to sleep away my sorrows, I checked the internet one last time. Someone had left me a message on facebook... maybe that would cheer me up. Introducing Nina... the girl who found my wallet on the ground in a parking lot, added 20 Anne Connellys to facebook in order to find the right one, and then met me the next day on campus with my wallet... with everything as it was when it fell onto the ground. You cannot imagine the relief and my newfound love for the Big sister persona of the Mexican people.
As I continue to integrate into the Mexican culture I'm learning more and more about this new group of people to which I am trying to belong.... and I can only hope that as I continue, I get along well with the rest of the family.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Carnaval!
After a week of midterm and project craziness Ryan came for a visit and we took off to Veracruz, a port city on the Atlantic coast. It being 9 days before Ash Wednesday (and 98% of Mexicans being Catholic), Veracruz is celebrating Carnival, a festival full of music, dancing, and parades! The extended week starts off with the burning of the effigy of bad humour - and from there the fun begins!
We got to watch the parade for the crowning of the King of Happiness... a young, good looking Mexican who fends off more screaming girls than Brad Pitt. It reminded me of the way Canadians would cheer for a famous hockey player- except that this guy is decked out in bright red spandex with gold sparkles, humungous golden wings, and is loved for his ability to salsa dance. My favourite part of the parade was the float carrying past kings of carnaval. Men in their 70s and 80s danced salsa wearing their original crowns from back in the day. Although this carnaval pales in comparison to the original version in Brazil, it was still a great time to celebrate with Mexicans from across the country!
Monday, February 9, 2009
The Kissing Capital of Mexico
Mexico has officially taken PDAs to a whole new level:
In an effort to quell outrage following the introduction of anti-obscenity laws banning kissing in public, the mayor of Guanajuato has reversed his decision and named his city "the kissing capital of the world". This is a significant upgrade from it's actual meaning, "hill of frogs". But regardless of whether you're there to kiss your true love or find your frog prince, the city's romantic history is will certainly set the mood.
Just as fair Verona has its Romeo and Juliet, Guanajuato has its Callejon de Besos, or Alley of Kisses. As the story is told, two young lovers, Carmen and Luis, were forbidden from their romance by Carmen's father. She was locked away in her room and destined to marry a dirty old man from Spain. In desperation, she sent her maid to tell Luis of the news. He was, of course, devastated... but knew that somehow they could be together forever. In a burst of ingenuity, Luis buys the house next door from an old widow, where on the very top floor, the dormer leant out just enough that he could kiss Carmen through her window from across the alleyway. And that is how it became known as the Alley of Kisses. It could have also been named the alley of horrible fathers... as once he discovered their secret he stabbed his daughter to death with a dagger. Pleasant.
In an effort to quell outrage following the introduction of anti-obscenity laws banning kissing in public, the mayor of Guanajuato has reversed his decision and named his city "the kissing capital of the world". This is a significant upgrade from it's actual meaning, "hill of frogs". But regardless of whether you're there to kiss your true love or find your frog prince, the city's romantic history is will certainly set the mood.
Just as fair Verona has its Romeo and Juliet, Guanajuato has its Callejon de Besos, or Alley of Kisses. As the story is told, two young lovers, Carmen and Luis, were forbidden from their romance by Carmen's father. She was locked away in her room and destined to marry a dirty old man from Spain. In desperation, she sent her maid to tell Luis of the news. He was, of course, devastated... but knew that somehow they could be together forever. In a burst of ingenuity, Luis buys the house next door from an old widow, where on the very top floor, the dormer leant out just enough that he could kiss Carmen through her window from across the alleyway. And that is how it became known as the Alley of Kisses. It could have also been named the alley of horrible fathers... as once he discovered their secret he stabbed his daughter to death with a dagger. Pleasant.
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