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.