When in Mexico, Do as the Mexicans Do [antikvár]

When in Mexico, Do as the Mexicans Dois meant to encourage curious travelers to live experiences that depart from their customary environment and to immerse themselves into a culture that geographically is so close, yet spiritually so far away. Cultural immersion in Mexico will guarantee an exciting roller-coaster ride through the heights of participating in unrestrained celebraciones, fiestas, y ferias, as well as the downs of commiserating with the daily struggle and abject poverty."!Como México no hay dos! (There are no two Mexicos!)" they may shout in exuberant moments when la pachanga (fiesta) is in full swing, but also mumble and sigh the very same words in the next moment when they have come to the end of their rope, all over again. Once the visitor recognizes how seemingly careless and mat-ter-of-factly the Mexicans shrug off hardship and take what comes, it quickly becomes obvious that pity or envy never belong or fit into that environment. "Carpe diem (Seize the day)" is the Mexicans' philosophy of life, la pura vida.The saying "when in Mexico, do as the Mexicans do" is an open invitation to an exciting adventure. It means, for example, strolling along the beaches of Zihuatanejo, squeezing into the overcrowded subway in Mexico City, sipping homegrown coffee on the zocalo of San Cristóbal de las Casas, riding a burro to get to that remote village in Oaxaca, enjoying the indescribably delicious aromas of a bustling marketplace, rolling up a tortilla to use as a utensil for scooping up black beans, spoil-ing yourself in a fancy restaurant in the Acapulco Princess Hotel, relaxing when the water supply runs out while you stand in the showerfully soaped, inviting you to a feast in the graveyards on the Day of the Dead, marveling at incredible landscapes, dancing to la música que toca y toca (the music that never stops playing), looking with excitement for just the right artesanía (piece of popular art) for your living room, and, finally, making you drunk with too much of everything, including life, and, maybe, tequila.The following glimpses of Mexico, its dazzling colors of life, culture, traditions, problems, and joy, hope to reduce anxiety and rash judgments based on unrealistic comparison with your own set of cultural values. These views of Mexican existence are intended to arouse your interest and curiosity to understand more of the Mexican way of life and help you appreciate more deeply the prevailing kindness of the people to strangers, especially when they recognize your desire to overcome barriers of language and differences in appearance, economic status, and nationality.And yet it takes foreigners a long time to blend in. They never will quite be indigenous. The mere fact of taking a leisure trip to Mexico and living or working there sets the traveler worlds apart from most of the people he'll encounter. But looking, listening, speaking, and trying to do things as the Mexicans would do them will open many a door to an unforgettable and genuine Mexican experience.XV