Living In Mexico And Being A Gringo

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

After having spent 1o years living and working San Antonio, a city with a 68% Hispanic population, I thought I knew everything about being Mexican and learning the language. Wow, it was a real culture shock. There is a big difference being a tourist and resident, living in a small Mexican town, big city or rving around the country and living in an American enclave. None are bad and none are better. After twenty years here, I have a whole different attitude.

For most Gringos, living the Mexican dream is white beaches, blue waters, and Margaritaville. It exists but it isn't a reality.

When it comes to living in Mexico, language is a big barrier. Imagine my grandfather when he first immigrated to the U.S., coming from a small farming community in what is now Yugoslavia. It was harder then than now, I think.

My first months here I was always by someone's side to help me get through the day. My work was easy to some extent because teaching English everyone had to comply with my rules. But out on the big streets of Monterrey, life takes on another scarier side. I do run into people at the Mailboxes, Etc. where I have my gringo mailbox and these people have come to Mexico with a large multinational company, have the good life as everything is paid for but they don't have any concept of Mexican lifestyle or culture. In some cases it isn't there desire. They live well, work easily and are treated like a gringo. But it must be a hard life not being able to strike up a conversation with any Joe on the street or get what you really want as a consumer. Learning Spanish fluently for me, was the biggest advantage in terms of work, leisure activities and all-around good living in Mexico.

Life in Mexico has been good to me. I have my "family" and friends although somewhat limited. That could be too because I enjoy my solitude. If I hadn't come to Mexico, I would have never been able to learn Spanish in a cultural sense, had the job opportunities which brought me travel and fame (within the English teaching arena in Central and South America) and the ability to rv in Mexico. (To my Mexican students, that is how you use a conditional statement).

I don't have my oil changed at a Grease Monkey, eat in franchise restaurants, or drink frozen margaritas, nor patronize places with English-speaking staff. I have been to CostCo four times (checking new solar products) in the last month and haven't bought a thing yet. Don't know what all the hoopla is about bulk buying and American products. I guess I have been here so long that I am accustomed to Mexican food products, Mexican wines, Mexican cheeses, even though the label isn't in French it is still pretty good to us.

There are upsides and downsides. Upsides, hey, I work 4 hours a day, I live in a nice house which we worked hard for and have wonderful neighbors. Most people here in the community know me, say hello and treat me with respect. I have made some friends along the way and some enemies too, but that's all in a days work. I don't pay 4 dollars a gallon for gas, I don't have to drive across a continent to go rving in Mexico because I am already here, and finding good Mexican food is a snap!

Downside to being a gringo; people think I have a lot of money, like to "try" and charge me more, think I won't understand them, and only go into deep conversations when no one else is around. The other day I went to the car wash and I was speaking to the car wash attendant (obviously in Spanish) and he said to me, "do you speak Spanish", I responded, "no, but your French is very good!

The Wind Blew It Away!

Last night around 6 p.m. a long awaited rain storm came leaving little water but a lot of strong wind. So strong that it took most of the patio furniture and the palapa away. We were able to salvage the patio furniture but the palapa got away.