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Posted from Puebla, Mexico at 11:39 PM local timeInitial Impressions of MexicoAfter little more than a month in the country, I've found that Mexico differs from many of the expectations I had when I arrived. First, I've found travel here to be easier than anticipated. Bear in mind that I've spent a great deal of time in Asian countries in recent years, many of them far less "developed" than Mexico. Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised to find the buses comfortable, roads smooth, and schedules met. But they are. The buses in Mexico are a great value, and while there is no network of trains as in Europe or India, it's almost better that way. Since it's the primary mode of transport, there's almost always another bus going in the direction of my next destination. I've generally traveled in and around (i.e., within six hours of) Mexico City thus far; things are bound to be different the further I get from the capital. Still, I've been surprised. It's easy to get around. Plenty of maps in the metro, decent bus stations, frequent departures - it eliminates some of the stress that normally accompanies travel planning. (The only exception to this thus far involved Carnival, where my traveling partners and I had to wait several hours in the bus station before departing for Veracruz.) I avoided cabs in Mexico City altogether, as they're said to be unsafe. In Puebla and other places, I've had no issues. Such observations are relative, but I've been surprised how clean the cities are in Mexico. I spent much of 2005 in India and have seen my share of dirty places in other parts of the world. I've come to expect extreme filth at times, yet what I've seen in Mexico demonstrates once more that poverty and cleanliness need not be mutually exclusive. There are some very poor pueblos in Mexico that are well-kept and clean. (My hunch is the difference in parts of India is due in part to the sheer numbers of people the cities support. There are cultural factors at work in all of this as well, but most people would rather live in a clean environment than a dirty one regardless of socio-economic status.) Mexico City, quite honestly, shocked me. Other than the hazy sky, it was as clean as any other cities I've visited (outside Switzerland of course). Air pollution is a problem in el D.F., as the locals call Mexico City (el Distrito Federal). But it looks like the Rudy Giuliani consultation and funding from Carlos Slim did wonders for the Central District. I say that at least partially in jest. Who knows where the homeless people ended up when el centro was spruced up - and there's no lack of controversy swirling around Mr. Slim. Perhaps the problems have merely been pushed to the outskirts of the city, which seemingly extend forever. To a casual traveler, however, Mexico City is pretty clean. I've also developed a perception of a healthy middle class. Perhaps I'm demonstrating my ignorance by making such observations - but coming from the United States, we often think of Mexico as being poor. While I've visited fewer than a dozen cities, those I have seen seem to support a fair number of middle-class citizens. There isn't as much poverty as I'd anticipated - especially in relation to other countries I've visited in recent years. Unlike some of them, the roads in Mexico are full of cars - and not animal- or human-powered transport, bicycles in droves, or makeshift vehicles pieced together with wire and rope. Puebla itself is one of the wealthier cities in the country, in part because Volkswagen has a mammoth plant nearby. My sample is admittedly skewed, but Mexico isn't as poor as I'd envisioned. One of the things I've gradually come to acknowledge in my first month here is that my expectations were shaped in part by the lives and experiences of Mexican-Americans. I've come to see an important distinction between Mexicans who've left for the U.S. and those who remain in the country. And I've just stated it: Mexican-Americans left home. They left for one reason or another. Those who are here did not. Either they didn't have a reason to emigrate or they haven't had opportunity to do so. I think this plays out in several ways. First, the cultural struggle Mexican-Americans endure is largely absent from the lives of those who remain in Mexico. Immigrants in the U.S. struggle to adapt to American culture while at the same time maintaining the customs and beliefs they know and love. That's no small task, and I think it heavily impacts the lives of new immigrants. One result is that I don't see the same cultural tension here that I see in the lives of Mexican-Americans at home. Yes, modernization is impacting Mexico. Like other countries, there's a constant struggle between old ways and new, conservative and liberal attitudes, etc. But the struggle isn't the same here. The English/Spanish dilemma is a non-issue in Mexico, yet it divides Mexican-American families and communities in the States. Mexican-Americans who endure the struggle should be admired - yet certainly that struggle takes its toll and has a real impact on many lives. A second and perhaps more obvious observation is that first-generation Mexican immigrants in the U.S. either lacked opportunities or became unhappy with the political or economic conditions in Mexico. It was bad enough to leave. Many of them find what they were seeking, but a fair number do not. The U.S. is no panacea, despite what many in less developed nations have come to believe in recent years. But, oh, do they learn quickly. The mice leaving Europe in the Disney movie believed there were no cats in America. I'm not sure they'd even arrived before they discovered the truth. Mexicans are often happier and better off than I'd envisioned - in part because my perceptions were based upon how Mexican-Americans fare in the States. In expensive, consumer-oriented American society, they can be poor. They can be overwhelmed. Many of them were unhappy and desperate enough to leave - and some discover that things aren't always easier or better in the States. I'm drifting into topics that deserve more formal analysis than I can possibly provide here. These are personal, rather casual observations. The bottom line is that I've learned my perceptions of Mexico were a little off because the Mexican-American experience is not identical to the Mexican experience. My feelings about the immigration issue which has risen in prominence in the States have been impacted as well. It seems to me that a reasonable (though admittedly difficult) way to manage the influx of immigrants is to really and truly aid emigrant nations. Some leveling of the playing field not only benefits those in other countries; it slows human osmosis and ultimately helps achieve stability at home. As long as our economic and trade policies are heavily skewed to our own benefit, the disparity will remain. Mexico isn't a bad place. In fact, it's a great place in many ways. If conditions are right, people won't be leaving in droves. It is home, after all. Shore up the borders and create un-American legislation to keep people out, or put the same money and effort into living up to our ideals and helping all humans attain freedom, opportunity, and basic rights? It might sound far-fetched, even impossible at first. But which is the better long-term solution? Which puts us in better standing with the international community? Which is the unselfish approach? Which gives us an opportunity to learn a few lessons from other nations? (America may be richer, but it's people aren't always or even generally happier. Much of what I've said here is personal opinion. That observation is a fact.) Hmm, back on topic - a few more initial impressions of Mexico... The people speak Spanish here. Imagine that! Oddly, I've become so accustomed to the locals in Asian nations attempting to address me in English that I was somehow surprised to be addressed in Spanish here. Even in the beginning, when I could barely interact, very few people - including those in hotels and tourist-friendly restaurants - switched to English. I think it may have happened twice in a month. So yeah, big news - Mexicans speak Spanish! The weather has been great. I've been a bit surprised by the lack of humidity. The heat is yet to come, but so far I have been comfortable nearly 100% of the time. After enduring the humidity in Asia, this has been a welcome change. I have on several occasions been able to wear the same shirt twice between washings, a feat unheard of during my travels in Asia. Another pleasant difference between Mexico and many parts of Asia is the honesty of the street vendors. I have not had a single instance of a vendor attempting to fleece me. Sure, they may tack on a little extra here and there - but in parts of Asia, vendors will start by trying to extort you for ten times the regular price of an item. That simply hasn't happened here. (Make no mistake. I love Asia and find it more endearing in certain ways, but I appreciate not having to worry about being taken advantage of here.) This might be due in part to the higher socio-economic status of Mexicans in relation to vendors in Asia. It might reflect the more subtle differences in appearance here between the locals and me. (I am without question a foreigner in Asia. That I can speak a bit of Spanish and see people on the streets with similar coloring leads me to believe I'm not so obviously different here.) There might be cultural factors involved as well. Regardless, it has been a nice surprise. There's a little haggling that goes on for certain items, but it's not a requirement. In parts of Asia, if you don't haggle, it's your own fault if you end up paying ten times the value of the item. And don't think they don't size you up either. I've spoken with vendors (in Asia, that is) who have different starting prices based upon your country of origin. One fellow admitted to me that Americans received his second-highest asking price. Highest? The Japanese. (If you've traveled in Asia - how often have you heard the question, "Which country?" after greeting a stranger on the streets?) I've been pleasantly surprised by the art in Mexico. Mexico City has some amazing museums - and the public murals by the likes of Diego Rivera, José Orozco, Rufino Tamayo, and David Alfaro Siqueiros are scattered throughout the city. While there are cities in Europe with great art at every turn, the mural experience in Mexico City was a little different - and one I very much enjoyed. I was surprised how much I liked Mexico City. In addition to quality art and museums, the city has fine architecture, great food, and pleasant parks. (I could wander the Bosque de Chapultepec for days; if you visit, be sure to find Mozart being pumped into the forest behind the castle.) It also didn't seem nearly as shady or unsafe as its reputation suggests. The Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes) is thus far my favorite building. I'm hoping to catch a traditional dance performance in the theater next week when I return to Mexico City with Pat. The churches are beautiful everywhere, with Puebla's cathedral and the gilded Capilla del Rosario topping my list thus far. I've found the mixture of Catholicism and indigenous beliefs fascinating (as I generally do whether we're talking about Christianity or any other major religion). Another of my favorite churches, Iglesia Santa María Tonantzintla near Cholula, combines typical Catholic images and colorful indigenous gods. Very unusual - and beautiful as well. There are more pyramids in Mexico than I'd anticipated - and a lot more PDA (that's "public displays of affection"). I knew there were great Aztec and Mayan ruins, but for whatever reason I wasn't expecting pyramids (which in my head had been relegated to Africa and the ancient Egyptians). As for PDA, well, I guess I was expecting conservative Catholic Mexico to be a little less liberal with the passionate kissing in public. It seems that beside each of the major cathedrals is an area designated for affection-swapping. Food has been good thus far but heavier on the meat and carbs than I'm used to. My Asian excursions have left me craving stir-fried vegetables and rice at times. The food is often rich, Puebla's two most famous dishes being prime examples: mole poblano and chiles in nogada. I hate to say it, poblanos, but I didn't care for camotes. Favorite dish thus far: pescado Veracruz. Micheladas - I'm a Negra Modelo fan - have been downed too often. Agua de Horchata, when it's not too sweet, is different and good. One final observation about my experience in Mexico thus far: The people have been wonderful. I hinted at this above, but there seems to be a genuine warmth among the Mexican people. Some cultures have a rather "confrontational" feel. Mexico isn't one of those places. While I witnessed a half dozen fist-fights during a one-month period in India last year, I have hardly heard a raised voice here. (I used the word "hardly" to qualify that statement in part because I've witnessed Mexicans in their cars. Demeanor often changes on the road.) People go out of their way to help - providing directions, tips on the buses, etc. We'll see how it goes in other parts of the country, but Mexicans have been accommodating and helpful thus far.
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