Forums > Areas > Jalisco's Lake Chapala Region

jckottler

Mar 24, 2011, 10:23 PM

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Cultural Differences

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(If you want to respond to this post, it might be a good idea to look at my post under the topic, Mexican Women, post # 11.)

There are real cultural differences between Mexicans and those like myself, originally from N. Y. C. I was waiting at an Ajijic bus stop one fine day. Like most New Yorkers, I was impatient. I kep stepping out from the curb, looking down the street to see if the bus was coming. Suddenly I noticed that none of the Mexicans at the bus stop were doing what I was doing. They all seemed content, leaning back or talking with friends. I was the only idiot who kept looking for the bus. I finally figured out that the bus would have gotten there just as fast had I never peeked down the street. In fact, if i had the patience of the Mexicans who were also waiting, time would have gone much more pleasantly for me. I must admit there was one exception, one Mexican young lady who later peeked down the street. I hope it wasn't my bad example. I might corrupt the whole country.

playaboy

Mar 25, 2011, 8:33 AM

Post #2 of 18 (4542 views)

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Re: [jckottler] Cultural Differences

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I travel all over Mexico and find that Mexico has many different cultures within its borders. The Yucatan is different than Sinaloa and that is different than the mountains of Chiapas.

It is the same as a NY'er being culturally different than a southerner or someone from Quebec being different from people that live in BC.

jckottler

Mar 25, 2011, 12:53 PM

Post #3 of 18 (4499 views)

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Re: [playaboy] Cultural Differences

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Good point. If anyone knows much about the different cultures in Mexico, I'd love to hear about it.

La Isla

Mar 25, 2011, 1:14 PM

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Re: [jckottler] Cultural Differences

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There are real cultural differences within Mexico too, fellow ex-New Yorker. In Mexico City, while waiting for the bus, people do get impatient when the bus is late though they may not step off the curb to check and see if it is coming since they might get clipped by a speeding car or taxi! Probably gringos like me still get more impatient than chilangos though I have calmed down a lot after more than 3 years of living here.

chinagringo

Mar 25, 2011, 1:23 PM

Post #5 of 18 (4482 views)

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Re: [jckottler] Cultural Differences

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An easy way to break your habit of checking on the bus - own a car and drive yourself on your schedule.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

La Isla

Mar 25, 2011, 2:56 PM

Post #6 of 18 (4463 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Cultural Differences

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In Reply To

An easy way to break your habit of checking on the bus - own a car and drive yourself on your schedule.

One of the many reasons I moved to Mexico was so I wouldn't need to own and drive a car.

Jinx

Mar 25, 2011, 4:17 PM

Post #7 of 18 (4450 views)

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Re: [La Isla] Cultural Differences

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If you moved from London to San Diego, from Milan to Minsk, you'll going to have cultural differences. Interesting, no doubt, yes. But the off topic aspect caught my eye.

I agree with La Isla.

As a retiree, it's your choice to have a car - 80% of the time, perhaps, a retiree does not need a car. You want a car. You could have set your retirement up to not rely on a car.

Riding the bus cuts your carbon footprint 4 X lower. Biking and walking is a zero carbon footprint. However, nobody cares about this planet to the degree of making a sacrifice. Have you noticed the pollution in Guadalajara? That is the world you are creating. Sorry to sound confrontational, but this is the truth.

As a by product, no car slows you down! You ride public transportation, less isolated from the culture. Feet on the ground, you see more than you'd think of the culture.
Life is a ballgame,
But you've got to play it fair.
- lyrics by Sister Wynona Carr

(This post was edited by Jinx on Mar 25, 2011, 4:21 PM)

chinagringo

Mar 25, 2011, 5:14 PM

Post #8 of 18 (4443 views)

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Re: [Jinx] Cultural Differences

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An interesting idealistic concept! BUT, if you may just be a retiree who refuses to accept the normal sedimentary lifestyle of a retiree, then you limit your options. I know from our standpoint, we have been traveling our entire lives and are simply unwilling to quit the habit. To give an example, I read all the time about people who live at Lake Chapala who treat a trip into Guadalajara like it is as much of a chore as a trip from San Francisco to New York City and wonder if they have any idea just what they might be missing on what Mexico has to offer from an education and cultural standpoint?

On top of that concept, I am not a good rider and I like being in control of my own destiny!
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Jinx

Mar 26, 2011, 11:35 AM

Post #9 of 18 (4361 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Cultural Differences

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Well, buses do travel Mexico if one wants to explore. My friend spent a whole year traveling in Africa from Cairo to Capetown on buses. You can travel without one, though, as you indicate, a car is so much easier. When one is in love with one's car, honestly, I wouldn't expect to pry one away from ye ol' precious status-gitty-up-vroom vroom. (Just joshing! Don't sweat it, almost everybody who can afford a car in Mexico has one: you're in, I'm out.)

On the other hand, I am here to say, minority though I be, I am glad to be the wave of the future, a wave which has touched cities such as San Fransisco and Portland, where as high as 25% of inner city households have no car by choice, because they believe in public transportation and know climate change is, sadly, not an urban myth.

http://www.carfree.mx/index_en.html The car free conference coming to Guadalajara in September.
Life is a ballgame,
But you've got to play it fair.
- lyrics by Sister Wynona Carr

(This post was edited by Jinx on Mar 26, 2011, 11:48 AM)

Gringal

Mar 26, 2011, 1:21 PM

Post #10 of 18 (4340 views)

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Re: [Jinx] Cultural Differences

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I have a friend in San Miguel who deliberately chose to go carless about ten years ago; uses the excellent and inexpensive bus and taxi system there and when she wants to travel the world......no problem; planes, boats and trains go everywhere on the planet.
We have enjoyed the bus trips all over Mexico much more than having to deal with driving. The big luxury buses with all the comforts of home save a lot more trouble than being "in control" is worth...to us.

We own an economy car and use it for shopping and short trips. However, we could live without it, too. We deliberately chose a house within walking distance of all our real needs as well as the bus line.

Some people also feel good about lowering their carbon footprint, and there's sure nothing wrong with that attitude. IMO, the way things are going, the earth probably won't be a fit place to live in a century (or maybe sooner). We won't be around, but I do feel sorry for our descendants.

Based on recent posts, there are "cultural differences" among former and present NOB people, too. Chuckle.

(This post was edited by Gringal on Mar 26, 2011, 1:22 PM)

chinagringo

Mar 26, 2011, 5:41 PM

Post #11 of 18 (4302 views)

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Re: [Gringal] Cultural Differences

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Your points are well made and I can certainly understand why people choose to go this route. If that is their personal choice and they feel comfortable with these various modes, I have no problem. That said, the model used for my makeup just doesn't find any fascination with riding by bus, no matter how luxurious they are. Regular buses remind me of tour buses and while I have crossed the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth, the S.S. United States and the S.S. France, all ships now remind me of cruise ships. We simply refuse to be guided, directed or herded when traveling! The truly memorable experiences and the expansion of our knowledge is best defined by the quest in our estimation. YMMV!
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

jckottler

Mar 26, 2011, 7:15 PM

Post #12 of 18 (4283 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Cultural Differences

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I'm starting to wonder if there are more cultural differences between the car owners and the non-car owners than between Mexicans and Gringos.

chinagringo

Mar 26, 2011, 8:25 PM

Post #13 of 18 (4258 views)

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Re: [jckottler] Cultural Differences

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At least we got you wondering!
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Gringal

Mar 26, 2011, 9:46 PM

Post #14 of 18 (4249 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Cultural Differences

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"We simply refuse to be guided, directed or herded when traveling!"

Has it occurred to you that some people might find that kind of statement condescending or downright insulting? Probably not. Some of us do. Perhaps you might at least think about it for a moment.'
I especially objected to the "herded". If you want to be an energy hog, that's your option, but it certainly does not make you either special or superior. Get over yourself.

La Isla

Mar 26, 2011, 10:52 PM

Post #15 of 18 (4240 views)

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Re: [jckottler] Cultural Differences

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In Reply To

I'm starting to wonder if there are more cultural differences between the car owners and the non-car owners than between Mexicans and Gringos.

Excellent point. I've only owned a car once in my life, back in 1969, and have never owned one since. The places I lived in the US were always cities with decent public transportation, and I live in Mexico City partly for that reason. When I would tell people in the US that I didn't have a car, I sometimes got strange looks : ).

chinagringo

Mar 27, 2011, 6:38 AM

Post #16 of 18 (4221 views)

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Re: [Gringal] Cultural Differences

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Gringal:

I apologize for the very poor choice of words! When I used the word "herd or herded", I was simply relating how we feel under those circumstances and really wasn't making social comment on those who choose that method of travel. I feel the same way in the airports these days when required/directed into lines for check in, then security check, then pat downs and then by the numbers to board a plane.

Going back to my original comment to "JC", it was merely a "tongue n' cheek" remark that was taken far too seriously.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Gringal

Mar 27, 2011, 9:59 AM

Post #17 of 18 (4167 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Cultural Differences

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Gotcha, CG. If your tongue was in your cheek or your hoof in your mouth.....stuff happens to all of us.

To expound a bit: It's not about car/no car etc. I'm no tree hugger, but I try to be aware of the ultimate effects of my choices. I enjoyed the good old days of tooling down the coast highway with hair flying in my very own gas hogging convertible as much as anyone. The world has changed.
Plane travel is herding indeed. Cruises aren't my cuppa, since there's no escape.

That lady staring out the bus window at the scenery may be planning her next work of art or literature and honestly prefer that to dealing with the suicidal driving habits of the average young macho Mexican.

Freedom exists within.

May fate never find you stuck on a tarmac for a long time with a bunch of Texans heading to a casino. (grin)

chinagringo

Mar 27, 2011, 6:30 PM

Post #18 of 18 (4109 views)

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Re: [Gringal] Cultural Differences

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Speaking of herding on airplanes, a front page article in USA TODAY last week suggested that there was a groundswell developing to have segregated cabins for screaming kiddies and those that insist on carrying all of the luggage into the cabin. How much of a contradiction is it that airline keep tacking on luggage charges but then complain that is takes too long to load and unload the planes?

We all have our own equations and personal preferences, I was simply stating ours and certainly didn't mean to imply that all should follow our careless ways!
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM