Before I left for Mexico, almost everyone I talked to about my impending journey was quick to inquire about Mexico’s dangers: the drug trafficking, the kidnappings, the murders, H1N1. And the whole world had plenty of advice for me about a country they only knew through the extreme lens of the media, or the beer goggles of a Cancun tourist.
To say that Mexico, in its entirety, is tranquil and safe, would be a lie. Of course danger exists here. Of course the propagation, transportation, and dispute over drugs is the cause of a whole host of problems. Mexico is home to the city that is currently the world’s most dangerous: Ciudad Juarez, and nearly every day we hear news of yet another murder, yet another kidnapping, yet another tragedy.
This is not all of Mexico. Yet, unfortunately, it is the only conception of this country that the media permits.
So what is Mexico? After four months here, I still cannot seem to answer that question- a testimony to how very inaccurate the uni-faceted, superficial, overly simplistic conceptions that most people have about this country are.
Out with friends last night, one asked me: “Ahora que llevas mucho tiempo aqui, ¿como son los Mexicanos?¿Como los describirías?” meaning, “Now that you have been here for quite a while, what do you think of Mexicans? How would you describe them?”
I thought for a while about the question, and came up with my response: the most overwhelmingly Mexican characteristic, in my experience, is fraternity. And I do not mean that in the sense of a bunch of college-aged guys with popped collars who live together in a big house and throw keggers.
No. When I say fraternity I refer to the place that relationships take in the lives of my Mexican friends. Family, friends, other human beings, are overwhelmingly more important here than they seem to be to many people in my country.
People here are willing to do just about anything for their mother, for their cousin, for you.
And I can’t say for certain where this beautiful quality comes from, but the more I learn about Mexico’s history, the closer I get to figuring it out.
Throughout its long history, Mexico has dealt with constant political change, and with an often corrupt and neglectful government. However, in spite of this neglect, the Mexican People remain resilient because family and friends rely on one another in times of hardship. As citizens of the United States in an age where independence is sought to the point of selfishness, Mexico has much to teach us about what truly matters in life.
The next characteristic I came up with is really in the same vein as the first: warmth and generosity.
Every friend you see on the street stops to greet you with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and to invite you to some event or celebration later on that day (see characteristic number 3). While it is completely endearing, it can also become problematic for American-minded individuals who still haven’t quite shaken the compulsion to rush to their destination in fear of arriving late. And it is especially problematic here in Guanajuato, where you can’t walk a block without running into someone you know.
This, I love. Anyone who knows me knows that I was born a terribly social creature, so despite my best intentions, I hardly ever arrive anywhere on time. But, fortunately, due to relaxed attitude toward time that predominates here, not arriving on time is the norm.
The last, and maybe the most defining, characteristic that comes to my mind is this: the fiesta. Mexican poet Octavio Paz said, “Las Fiestas son nuestro único lujo”…”Fiestas are our only luxury.” When I found this quote, I fell in love with it and its accuracy.
It is a fact that not a day goes by in this country without celebrations for a saint or for whatever other motive (and sometimes no motive at all): celebrations that include fireworks, dancing, music, and of course: tequila, lime, and salt. For goodness sake, there is a celebration for everything from flowers, to students, to death.

So this post is as much of an explanation as it is a plea. A plea to all of you who don’t know just how culturally rich and diverse Mexico truly is: do not base your idea of this country on the frightful light in which the media presents it. It is a fact that there is much to fear in certain areas of the country, but it is an absolute tragedy that people avoid travel to the entire country because of these isolated areas.
And if it is not fear that keeps people from visiting Mexico, it is disinterest; I think that most people perceive Mexico as its stereotype: a country that has cacti, sombreros, mariachi music, tequila, and tacos. But anyone who has this mindset is dreadfully mistaken. Although I am a bit humbled to admit it, I too suffered under this illusion before arriving here.
Since my first year of high school I knew that I wanted to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country, but I failed to even consider Mexico as a destination. I literally researched every other Spanish-speaking country in the world before realizing that I had neglected a very important one…
It was not until about two weeks before my applications were due that I realized how perfect Mexico truly would be for me. I am an Anthropology/Archaeology/Spanish major, and Mexico is a Spanish-speaking country with an extreme wealth of archaeological and cultural diversity that also happens to be a neighbor of the United States, and plays a pivotal role in our international relations and our existence as a country. That goes without mentioning the practical side of things: the dollar-peso exchange rate makes it an inexpensive place to live and the proximity of Mexico to the U.S. makes flights relatively inexpensive as well.
After nearly four months here, I cannot imagine having gone somewhere else. I’m not sure that I believe in destiny, but my study abroad plans certainly seem to have fallen perfectly into place. Living here has instilled within me an extreme passion for Mexico and its people, and I truly couldn’t be happier with my choice to spend a year in this incredible country. It has something for everyone: one of the largest and most artistically-rich cities in the world, beaches that are considered among the world’s best, an inexhaustible abundance of archaeological sites, jungles, deserts, mountains, delicious and diverse food, soccer, fiestas, and some of the most wonderfully selfless and loving people that you could find.
So, to all who are thinking of traveling or of studying abroad and have not yet decided where, it is my hope that you won’t make the same mistake that I almost made. Don’t dismiss Mexico. Set aside your stereotypes, and find out what it is really like.

Ciao pescaos!
Maddi