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Mexico As A Concept And Not A Reality Part 3
ased on my going-on five from seeing the changes in San
years of expat experience Miguel as something good. It
in the city of Guanajuato, prevents me from seeing the
Mexico's Heartland, I do not Gringos in San Miguel as
think the current expat guides expatriates. What that city has
such as Howell, Merwin, and become is a playground for the
Luboff, apply here. It is so rich Gringo. The Mexicans in the
stark in fact, that the town live to serve the Gringos.
difference between Guanajuato and That is something with which I
San Miguel de Allende is almost take great exception. However,
like comparing apples to oranges. for most Americans, living in
Here are two cities, two Colonial Mexico would be impossible
Mexican Heartland towns, so without a town like San Miguel
close, and so different. What's whose entire infrastructure has
changed it? The Gringo presence been redesigned and functions to
and the Mexican's subsequent serve the American who wants to
adaptation (subjugation?) to the live there. I cannot argue with
Gringo presence. the fact that what San Miguel now
is, is what it is, and there's no
Is this a bad thing? Is it bad going back to what it was. The
that the Americans have swept ultimate sadness is that the
into towns such as San Miguel de town's Mexicans I am not sure
Allende and with their money ever had a choice in the matter.
effectively changed it from
uniquely Mexican to something all Mexico as a Concept
together different? My view is
that it is a bad thing. My So, what is the Mexico as a
traditional understanding of Concept that draws Americans to
expatriation, one about which I towns like San Miguel de Allende
feel passionately, prevents me or any Prime Living Location in
Mexico? What is the Concept of through America hoops and be
Mexico about which the popular "just like us." I've often
expat guides, online websites, wondered if Americans would be so
newsletters, seminars, speak? willing to move here if they knew
What Concept or Image of Mexico in advance that there is not
is attracting the American who someone "just like me" under that
wants to leave the U.S. to live Mexican's mestizo skin.
here?
Do not think me glib or
Primarily, Americans think they disrespectful here. This American
can come and live here because woman in Guanajuato was once
Mexico and her people are just telling me how the Gringo Charity
like us. I mentioned this in our to which she belonged was here so
first book, The Plain Truth about that they might help these
Living in Mexico. I tried using "little brown people." At first I
the phrase, "Don't forget, Mexico thought I had misheard her until
is not America." throughout the I asked my wife in private who
book to try get across the point had also heard this hideous
that is very much lost on remark.
Americans: "Mexico is not
America." Americans typically do I remain convinced that Americans
not hold any depth of cultural think they can come to Mexico to
awareness and too often think live because Mexicans are just
that all that is necessary to like Americans, only in a
live with Mexicans is throw some different wrapper. That seems to
money or technology at them under be the extent of America's
the guise of "Now, we gringos are cultural awareness. I cannot
here to help these poor begin to count how many times I
third-world Mexicans" charities have heard the following two
and soon the Mexican will jump statements from the mouths of
American expats: camping in Reynosa, can say "Yo
quiero Taco Bell," that they've
1. I know they understand what I pretty much mastered Mexican
am talking about and are culture and living in Mexico will
pretending they don't. be a cinch. Americans (and don't
forget those Texans) delude
2. If they are going to work for themselves into thinking they
me, they are just going to have know Mexicans. They are more
to adapt to me and assimilate my willing to admit that there are
ways, including speaking English. vast language and cultural
differences between themselves
I really wonder if Americans and the Chinese than they do with
would come here if they really Mexicans.
knew what lies deeply layered
underneath the surface of the They are convinced they are
Mexican mind? cultural experts when it comes to
Mexicans and therefore willingly
Americans, and especially Texans, pack it up and move here based on
think that because they've eaten this delusional Concept about
tex-mex, attended some Mexico: Mexicans are just like
cross-border festivals, have us; Mexico is just like America.
driven across the border to go They can handle it, they reason,
shopping, worked with a few because after all, they are just
Mexicans in a construction Mexicans and are just like us.
project, screamed at a few of
those projects' Mexican workers, NEXT: Mexico As a Concept and Not
had a few Dos XX beers while As a Reality part 4
About the Author:
Learn why most gringos move to Mexico based on a Concept and not a Reality: Notes From South of The Border - Survival Tips To Maximize Your Expat Success
Read more articles by: Douglas Bower
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