Since September I went back to Ecuador, 3 times to Malaysia (I’m here now) and Fiji... While I owe Malaysia one blog (coming soon), the one on Fiji under coup will wait tom me been back there...
However I spend time in Mexico until last week... and Mexico kind of picked up my slack on writing again...
Mexico it always been appealing to me, so I jump on the opportunity for a job there.
Besides that I have a good friend living there, Alejandro whom I work in the Philippines (see earlier blogs) so it was great to stay at his place and see the city with his eyes...
You see, when you grow up in Latin America there are traditionally two cultural (movies, music, writers, dance, etc) poles, Argentina and Mexico.
Brazil is a odd case as it generates perhaps more than the other 2 combined, but the fact that they don’t speack Spanish makes a big deal of difference... but they are their own cultural market and they “export” a lot of it ... over he last few years Chile has raised its profiles by the hand of economical stability.
But Mexico is culturally so powerful that it has generated its own kind of universe, and you don’t see a lot outside Mexico and Latin America to a lesser extent. The recent “outings” of the Mexican movies and directors (Amores Perros, Y tu mama tambien, Nicotina, Babel, Charlote’s web, etc) is a welcome change, but even so... who in the non Spanish-speaking world has not heard about México?
And I guess that that exposure is as many things in Mexico part of the love-hate relationship with their northern neighbour... the US.
Mexican history is so amazing that it is almost bizarre... not going to elaborate... but as tastefull sample... how many places in the world can go from astonishing aboriginal cultures (and many of them!) to being briefly part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, via indigenous uprisings, revolutions, courtship with the French, and bloody scuffles with the “Gringos” (That have not finished yet!).
Mexico is so varied that I struggle on how to keep going...
Just think on Mexico City... “el DF”... at least 18 million people (and not just people... 18 million Mexicans!) all living in one place
Crossing the city on a good traffic day via the motorways takes 3 to 4 hours.
It generates (and consumes so much) so much that is just like being in a “tripping” constantly... the place just doesn’t stop...
What you want? Flying Indians, ranchero hiphopers, glam rockers doing bolero covers, dwarf mariachis, Tijuana electronic dance music... just to name a few that I had access... is all there... and there is way more that I have not seen for lack of time and/or cowardly excuses!
Is chaotic but it works... is madness but somehow is organised... and realising that trough the experience of being there is fascinating... and the best thing is that there is a constant soundtrack! There is always music... wherever you are! Is like being in a movie... but in reality... wherever you stop... you hear some music coming from somewhere... is just fantastic...
The job was cool but frenetic... I had to give seminars on Market Access Requirements and Sustainability in 7 cities in 7 days... with no much time in between them but was cool enough to give an idea of the idiosyncrasies of each state (Mexico is officially called “Estados Unidos Mexicanos”) and a good sample of the food... (Which comes second to the history in terms of variety and bizarreness...)
At the end of the day, besides the amiability of the people and in particular of my mate Alejandro, two things got branded in my mind
One is the Colour... it is just so much colour everywhere everything they do has (and needs colour)... I inundated my family with presents from Catholic Virgins frame in motorbike chains to full on bags with strident images)
The other one, which is more fascinating for me is that “repellent symbiosis” that they have with the USA...
Their lives and economies are so intertwined as their dislike for each other... the music, the arts reflect that so strongly... that impossible to ignore... The “Gringo go home... and take me with you” is such a present paradox...
While being such a proud and hardcore people (I saw a guy with a huge tattoo in Spanish meaning “Praises to good because I’m Mexican”) on the other side everyone has some one on the “other side”...
And for many to get there is to “having done it”... then there is two roads... denial of your origin by adapting your names and forgetting your roots (many names like Mick Rey where original Miguel Rey and so on).
Or a fight for rights and a “re-conquer” the culture there before the Grigos took their land (California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas where all Mexican territory. And of course the “racism” by the American redneckism that wants them out... even if that means that Indians or (oh my god!) African Americans would have to do the jobs.
On the other side... there is a whole generation of “Gringo” kids growing up under the care of Mexican nannies... so it will be an interesting future... In terms of understanding about the other side.
The one thing that strikes me negatively... was the total love of “provincial Mexicans” with HUUUUUGGGGGGEEEE American pick ups (utes) and I mean really BIG... I was driven around on a F-250 double cab 4x4 6liter V8 monster... and there where many...
No surprise I had empty blank looks when I talked of environmental considerations, sustainability.... but blunt disbelieve when big bloke like me talked about pansy things like the carbon footprint that air freighted product has and the impact on consumer choice...
I guess having lived for so long with Europeans made me a bit soft in their eyes!
