Mexico Week IV

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES PART I

Q: What did the mayonnaise say when someone opened the refrigerator?

A: Close the door I am dressing!

In reference to the joke above, the first cultural difference I will mention is that ALL the mayonnaise in Mexico has lime flavor added to it. Whyyyyyy??? Also, the pictures today are completely random and really have nothing to do with what I'm writing about. Just so you know. 

My Verbs II kids class. (From left) Viviana, Jussi,
and Alan. They're super-smart and their smiles
are oh so deceiving. I'm glad the school only trusts me with three of them :) 

Perhaps more than anything else, the most interesting part about living away from "the home country" is getting used to cultural differences. Some of the differences, like the spoken language, are immediately obvious whereas others do not reveal themselves except through time and observation.  I’ve been keeping a list of these differences as I come across them and so far there are enough for at least two or three posts. Hence, Cultural Differences Part I. Enjoy! 

Jussi (yes, his name is JUICY) still needs work on the
present perfect tense, but the last sentence made
me smile! Aww, shucks. 

 One of my favorite things about Mexican culture is the right-cheek-kiss greeting. Whether you’re meeting someone for the first time or saying hello/good bye to an old friend, the cheek kiss is the standard. As you might know, they do this kind of thing differently all over the world. For some places in Europe, it’s three cheek kisses. Hello, sexy Swiss men!! No, I don’t mind smooching your stubbly face, being close enough to smell your cologne, and getting to touch your bicep of steel. I personally think that the cheek-kiss greeting is a custom that Americans should adopt. It automatically makes you feel closer to the other person, regardless if you’re able to speak their language or not. Americans have the hand shake which (when you become used to a warmer greeting) seems distant, firm, and impersonal. No doubt, it is something to get used to, but I say the more besos the better :-)

Carlie and I with our co-teacher, Heather from Canada,
celebrating Mexico's Independence Day on the 15th.

Next, there is what I will refer to as “the water issue”. This is not so much a cultural difference as it is an environmental problem-o. You always hear people telling you not to drink the water in Mexico. Before coming here, I never knew if that was something you really shouldn’t do or if it was some kind of stereotype. But really, don’t drink the water here. Not the stuff that comes out of the tap at least. Bottled water is fine, and there is an ample supply wherever you go. All homes and businesses have water coolers. Being a big water drinker, the first time I heard that the water thing was real, I instantly envisioned myself crawling through the Sahara, tongue hanging out, withering like a prune. What was I going to do without my 64+ ounces/day??!!  Luckily, I have yet to die of dehydration and am pretty positive it’s not going to happen. I still drink my typical supply of water. It was just a matter of training myself to not get it from the tap which probably isn’t the best water to drink even in the States. 

Our tequila bottle, Juan. Because "Juan" shot
of tequila is never enough ...

Some wild creatures getting way too close to people
at the pyramid at Tepoztlan. 

Last cultural difference for Part I: LAVANDERIAS. Can you guess what it is??? Here are some hints - we have them in the States, you take your clothes there, you need more quarters than is reasonable to carry around in your pockets to use one, and sometimes there is a weird man watching you fold your undies down the way …. Yep, a laundry mat!!!  Here in Mexico, only very wealthy people have washers and dryers in their homes, so most people take their clothes to a lavanderia once every week or two. The difference is that Mexican laundry mats are magical.

Brenden (a Spanish student from GA) and Carlie in front
of the Lunar Temple/Pyramid at Tepoztlan.

Imagine this scene: You drop your big mesh bag with two weeks’ worth of sweaty, smelly clothes off to a smiling, long-eyelashed man behind the counter. There are blue bubbles painted on the wall. How delightful! He cheerfully weighs the load like he’s genuinely thrilled that he gets to wash your soiled clothing and charges you accordingly per kilogram. You tell him if there are any special requests for your clothing (no drying the dress, etc.) which makes him smile EVEN MORE!!! G-dang, he loves his job. Your laundry will be ready within 24 hours. When you pick it up, it will all be folded into the most perfectly symmetrical squares you’ll ever see. It will smell like how you imagine that creepy bear, Snuggle, would smell. And it will only cost you between $50-$80 pesos. Luxury. 

Quesadilla de Chapulin. AKA quesadilla de grasshoppers.
A unique and crunchy experience reminiscent of
soft-shell crab. I'd totally eat it again.  

"A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he gets to know something". - Wilson Mizner