La Gente De Guadalajara

10-3-2012

14:53

Mexico City




The people of Guadalajara were the first Mexicans in Mexico that I met. I didn't really know what to expect, but I guess I was tainted by a few American-bred stereotypes. Kinda like how all Japanese tourists want to see a cowboy on a horse - I kinda wanted to see at least a couple of full-blown sombreros, panchos and regal mustaches. But maybe I'll have to go to the country for that. Here in Mexico they would call that person a "Naco". In America we have a word for that, too. We call 'em Rednecks. They're everywhere, people. Learn to love 'em.

In all honesty, I'm darker than a lot of the people here. The Mexicans here in the country are mostly "Metzizo"; a mix of old Indios, Spanish Conquistadors and ultimately, their Arab conquerors before them. Tracing that genetic lineage gives you the whole picture when you see this group of people. You start to understand how it is that they came to be so... And I say this in a completely objective way... Hairy. Who made the Arabs so hairy, anyway? They live in a DESERT.

All in all, I'd say that Guadalajara is quite diverse in its own respect. People from all over find their way here. They don't have a lot of black people (I saw two, most likely from Cuba), but they do have a fair amount of Chinese and Koreans. And guess what? They pick a new Mexican name here just like they pick American names in the States. People span the genetic spectrum from short to tall, really dark to see through; just like home. I did, however, have to go to an "all you can eat" buffet to see my first REAL obese person, and I had to go to Walmart to see my first Mexican ginger. I call them "Gingicans". Other than that... The average person here is about my height (5'7"), slightly tan with dark hair and dark eyes. Generally, the taller you are, the whiter you are, and the bigger the car you drive - the richer you are. Not unlike home, either. You do see the occasional set of blue eyes,though. And when you do it'll throw you off a little. I noticed an increased population of these in the significantly wealthier parts of town. You can't miss it.

I didn't see a stroller the entire time I was in the city. Kids are either small enough to be carried or big enough to walk. In a town where everyone rides the bus, a stroller only slows you down. And since the only language really spoken in Guadalajara is Spanish the best way to make heads turn is to speak English. Although not many people speak it well, they're imbued with American culture and television. They wear Led Zepplin T-shirts and have Iphones, too. They know what English is and they definitely stare.

ANOTHER thing that they stare at is the way you dress. Or... The way I dress to be specific.  I'm pretty content wearing beat up clothing. Holes are like scars; each one has a story. It might not be a good story, but it least it's got character, right? I had actually intentionally worn a few items of clothing more than average intending to beat them up. I was a little afraid of getting robbed and I wanted to look like a road-worn traveler; not a rich American tourist. Well. That didn't go over so well. Mexican men almost never wear the following:

- Shorts
- Sandals
- Bandanas

Guess what I wear?.. Exactly. I got a LOT of stares. Cute girls would all look at my face, next the shorts and then make an "oh my god" face as their eyes reached my feet. I didn't want to blend in entirely. I was still me. But I was also attracting more attention than I was comfortable with. A quick trip to Walmart (yes, they have it here, too) remedied that. I bought a pair of cheap jeans and cheap shoes and wore those for a few days. Eventually I said, "Screw it all". And I went back to my original style. Chacos, but no shorts. I fucking hate shoes. And clothes for that matter. But hey, it is what it is.

I took an educated guess at this fashion reasoning. There had to be something behind this vehement short shunning. This is what I think. I think that even though it's much warmer here and wearing climatically appropriate clothing makes sense to me, wearing shorts and sandals is the American equivalent of seeing a young girl in public sporting a pair of pull-ups and only a pair of pull-ups. No shoes, no shirt and possibly covered in something sticky. We would think, "White trash, with no class and completely unkempt." Indigenous people here do wear sandals and maybe a knee-high tunic. People from the city probably think less of these people for holding onto their "savage" ways. There's prejudice everywhere. Mexico is no exception.

The women here are completely beautiful. And it's not just me. People from all over Mexico will tell you that the women of Guadalajara are exceptional. I agree. Whatever's in that slurry, they've hit the genetic jackpot. They're asses start somewhere around the backs of their knees and go all the way up to the bottoms of their shoulder blades. It's incredible. It doesn't stick out at an angle so much as it embraces and embodies the center of their Latina sass. I feel a little weird talking about it but it's certainly something you can't easily ignore. By the way, staring here is pretty much encouraged. Getting "caught" staring in the U.S. is a pretty good way to get your ass kicked. Here, two dudes can share a nonverbal agreement, "Not bad, huh?" I could delve further, but I won't. Just trust me. These girls are smoking.

The current western fashion trend is "Hipster". I'd describe it as a cross between Rock-a-Billy nerd and a Tattooed Biker. I don't know if you've seen the TV show Portlandia, but that's basically the epicenter of this poked and pierced retro inspired style. Before heading out on this adventure I was living in Albuquerque and I think it's fair to say that the trend took pretty good root there. That's why it's strange to be here where everyone dresses and looks fairly conservative. I rarely see a man with long hair and I've only seen a woman with short hair three times so far. There are not a lot of big guaged ear piercings or tattoos. Although, one quick trip to the Museo de Antrolopogia will show you that the Aztecs and Mayas poked some pretty big holes in their ears. As with any population, veer towards any college campus and watch the dreadlock counts skyrocket. Hippies. Yes!

The Mexican people truly are communal. They would probably rarely go out to a pub with just one other person and probably never alone. There are always at least three or four people hanging out. Anything less is just... Well, to them - awkward. It makes for fun gatherings. It's easy to round up a couple of people to do just about anything. People are a priority and my experiences here reflect that. Although, timing is a little slow. Welcome to Mañana Land! Where everything happens... Eventually. I noticed that even my regular walking pace is light years ahead of a lot of people on the street. "Why are you rushing?" I hear them thinking. It'll stress you out if you let it. I have to try to let go of it all and just live in the moment.

The last thing that I'll share with you is that leaving your mother culture for an entirely different one is the only way to truly understand your own. Culture is like an accent. You don't have one until you're somewhere else. So this last part has to do with a specific cultural difference: being cheap, to be exact. Nobody likes a cheap-o. And nobody wants to screw anybody else over. So allow me to impart on you some fairly hard-earned knowledge.

Americans hate people who are cheap; so do Mexicans. We do, however, differ almost entirely on how we define it. Understanding this difference may save you and your immediate group of compadres some awkward social tension. I'd like to objectively go over these differences now.

Americans will go out of their way to buy something for another person. I think deep down it may be rooted in the desire to show hospitality but also to demonstrate affluence. "See, I can afford to buy this thing for you." This is especially true with regards to an impromptu meal, a beer at a pub, or a cup of coffee. You get the point. While not entirely expected, it would be customary for the recipient of this gift to eventually reciprocate a similar act; especially if that tab began to sway dramatically in one direction. Americans (and I'm speaking for myself, here) don't like to feel indebted to anyone else.

(I'm actually finding this ironic as I type, considering the amount of credit card debt most Americans foster.)

The best example I can think of here is exchanging turns buying rounds at a bar. I buy two, you buy two, I buy two, and so on. By buying two you're implying that the other person will buy one for you. It's not completely expected. Sometimes you just want to buy someone a drink. But you wouldn't let someone buy you three in a row without stepping in. Unless you're a girl receiving drinks from an interested man. That is a different story that I will not be covering.

As far as I've experienced, Mexicans are the same way. Here's the difference and here's how "being cheap" is differently perceived. 

In America you would be considered cheap if you let someone buy you drink after drink without offering to buy them one. In Mexico, it would be perfectly appropriate to allow someone to buy you those drinks as long as there was no prior agreement to split the cost. 

In America - A cheap person is a doesn't offer to help pay.
In Mexico - A cheap person asks others to help pay.

Two completely different, yet entirely sensical perspectives. So take note. If you're traveling to Mexico and you want to buy something for someone do not expect them to feel obligated to reciprocate the action unless you have a prior agreement. If you're a Mexican and you're traveling to America understand that when someone buys you something you may want to see if they would like you to buy them one, too; even if they initially refuse. It's kind of a tricky trap of implications. But that's a big part of culture. And knowing is half the battle.

Overall, I've found the Mexican people to be extremely hospitable, communal and resourceful. Everyone here is an entrepreneur; forever seeking out other possible income streams. I've seen street stands selling anything from poached DVDs and body piercings to pumpkin seeds. I don't think they're making a fortune, but they're making it work. People here take almost nothing, work very hard and manage to make something. But infrastructure is much different in Mexico. This system would not work under current U.S. legislation. Vendors here can get away with pretty much anything as there is very little regulation. Vendors in the U.S. would have to jump through at least a couple of hoops just to get a food permit for a hot dog stand.

It's really changed my perspective regarding the larger social questions. I used to feel pretty good about giving money or food to panhandlers. Now I wonder why they aren't trying harder to come up with something for themselves. Part of it definitely stems from the difference in culture; most Americans would not appreciate the cluttered look of street markets. But I think most of it comes from personal pride. Some people just expect things to come to them, and as long as they are they have no reason to make an effort otherwise. I understand that not everyone is granted the same opportunities in life. I'm not saying that people don't need help sometimes. What I'm saying is I have seen both ends of the spectrum now and the conclusion I'm coming to is that Mexicans seem to be exhibiting the creative tenacity Americans once held so dear. We've become lazy, and we will need to tap back into this resource if we intend on keeping up.



Next up: La Comida!