When I got back from Mexico, I was feeling blue for the first 2 weeks. It wasn’t the lack of sun, because New York has a wonderful summer. It wasn’t adjusting back to the horrendous prices in America, because I can get used to that fairly quickly. No, it was an awareness of social differences and feeling lost when approaching American people and dealing with social situations. Latin warmth is something found in Spanish-speaking cultures. It’s what I’ve been missing ever since I came back to New York .
When in Mexico, the most impressive thing I discovered (aside from the food) was the great way I was welcomed by my friends and their families. To take in an almost complete stranger for the duration of 2 weeks takes a lot of hospitality. And tolerance. While I had met my friends for one night in Heidelberg four years ago (those good old student days), I hadn’t seen them ever since and only stayed in touch via social networking sites. How great was my surprise when being offered a home for 14 days, after such a long period had passed.
I was impressed by how nonchalant my friends took time out of their busy schedules and showed me around almost every day. While one was working, the other one was a student pursuing her degree, and both had busy schedules to keep. But did this come through even once during my stay abroad? Not in the least!
From day one, I felt invited, welcomed, and like part of their families. The endless invitations did not only come from them. Their friends suggested several good events (such as Las Luchas), in which they happily participated in. Parties thrown at their houses, spontaneous elote- and quesadilla-sessions, driving on top of a mountain to get a breathtaking view from the city – it was all too good to be true. And yet, it is a crucial component of the Latin culture, or rather, the Mexican culture – to be as warm and welcoming to guests as you can (even when they are practically strangers).
After leaving the rude and sometimes mean individuals of New York, Guadalajara showed me a different type of people. I’d somehow forgotten how to say “please” and “thank you”. But in the Mexican culture it is very important to keep repeating those two phrases until the conversational partner is satisfied. After one week I had gotten used to the “por favor” and “gracias” expression. To such an extent that my friend jokingly told me: “But don’t say it TOO often, otherwise the people will think you’re a Chino (Chinese)!”
Latin warmth – dealing with personas who are friendly, open, and welcoming most of the time – displays how happy Mexican people are. In fact, this article illustrates the disparity between Mexico being one of the poorer nations but also one of the most satisfied (judging by its people). It confirms what I saw throughout the streets: Happy, smiling persons, chatting with each other and not being too bothered by life’s circumstances (the inequality, the long working hours, the great gap between rich and poor). 80 percent of the country’s population practically earns nothing and yet they are not bitter, sour, or mad. They are quite the opposite. How can this be? You see rich European countries who are less satisfied than this industrial land. Mentality and culture play a role in these two circumstances.
Giving so much when you have so little – a mentality I wish I’d see more in Westernized nations.
This is why my heard was broken for a long time after returning from my trip. Because I left a warm country like this and committed to the coldness of New York.
German-American Abroad 
Italy is Western, too, but Italians are generally very warm. I am not sure if it has to do with the Mediterranean cultures, which Latin America inherited. However, warm countries also tend to have gangs of inconceivable scales. I am pretty sure it has nothing to do population density, because New York is quite crowded, too. My hypothesis is that people in those cultures tend to be taught to be warm from childhood, but some people couldn’t buy it. With a higher ratio of teen rebels, gangs benefit from easy recruitment. My take is, just be yourself and be happy, the American way. Overly complicated social rules are not good for societies. Well, I don’t have to be an American or a New Yorker to love the easy way out. Easy is always good. I wish a good weekend. 🙂
I also forgot to mention Japan, another G7 country with very warm people and huge gangs. The correlation seems to exist. It’s not a coincidence.
That’s an interesting thesis you have here. It’s true, Mexico definetely has a lot of underground Mafia and gang violence going on. But you can also find those in Germany, a supposedly cold country. Perhaps not to the same extent you would in Southern nations…
I agree, easy is always convenient and good. But New Yorkers are possibly the least happy people I have ever experienced, I kid you not!
I hope you have a peaceful week!
You need to come south, girl! We’ll welcome you and feed you and entertain you down here. 😉 I have also run into the same thing, the notion of the poor giving so much more because they are giving from their heart. I have probably learned the most about love and acceptance and loyalty from the people living in poverty that I’ve worked with here in the mountains. Such warm hearts. I feel ya. And I’d loooove to go to Mexico to experience their hospitality! xx Great post!
Aww, thanks girl! I’ve been hearing good stuff about Asheville and I really want to check it out. It’s great to see you have experienced similar things, makes me feel like I am on the right path of how to view these circumstances. You should certainly go to Mexico but I recommend speaking espanol (in case you don’t have anyone to show you around like I did!).