All Good Things

Well, here I am at 30,000 feet heading back to California. I think in the past couple of months I've learned a lot about some specific places in Mexico. For the past 3 or 4 decades, I had seen very little of "Mexico." I had traveled to beach resorts in Puerto Vallarta, Ixtapa, Acapulco, Puerto Aventuras, Akamal, but these places are often not Mexico. They are international beach resorts inhabited by international tourists eating international cuisine. Encounters with Mexico during these trips were kind of few and far between.
One couple told me they had flown to Cancun to take advantage of a cheap airfare. At the car rental desk, the people were lined up to get their cars and the agent was asking them all what hotel they were staying at in Cancun. When it came this couple's turn, they said they were going to Merida. "Oh," said the agent, "you're going to Mexico!"
As has frequently been my experience, the smaller the town the friendlier the people. Even in those places which are thick with gringos, like Oaxaca, when you leave just a little ways from the city center, you can encounter Mexico and warm and friendly people.
I learned a little of the amazing diversity of Mexico. Each state is so much different than the other states. Each has its own language expressions, its own cuisine, etc. Even cities are very different from other cities in the same state. The people are all quite proud of their own little area and can give you lots of reasons why it's better than other places in Mexico.
I learned sadly how many families are divided. Thirty seven million mexicanos live in the the states, many of them fathers estranged from their families. I've learned that this custom has infected the rest of Mexico as well. It's common for Mexican men to work far away from their families even though still in Mexico and fly or take the bus home for the occasional long weekend.
I've learned that although one million gringos live in Mexico, a great many of them don't really live in Mexico. They live in gated gringo communities, speak only English, interact only with other gringos. They are there strictly for the temperate climate and have simply re-created Gringolandia in Mexico. It's kind of ironic. The mexicanos do the same thing when they live in the states. They form their own little neighborhoods, go to mexican food supermarkets, speak only Spanish, etc.
Like Germany, like England, like any country there are both good points and bad points in living there. I hope in my blog I've been able to be somewhat balanced. The one overriding impression I've come away with is the wonderful friendliness of the people. I look forward to the day when I can return. I hope you've found this blog to be entertaining and perhaps a little bit helpful. Que les vaya bien!