culture shock
(Dictionary.com Definition)–noun
a state of bewilderment and distress experienced by an individualwho is suddenly exposed to a new, strange, or foreign social andcultural environment.
Sure, every traveler is told before they depart to their destination that they will experience some form of culture shock. Did I really care? Not really. Does it actually exist? Very much so.
Coming to Mexico I thought that life wouldn't be so different. Everyone has to do the same things to live right? We all have to work, eat, and sleep. Sure the average Mexican does all that but what fills in the gaps is completely different.
Just Because We Eat Some of the Same Things Does Not Mean We Eat Them In The Same Way
Coming home from class the other day my host mom tells me very excitedly that we will be having shrimp for lunch. I love seafood and shrimp is one of my favorites. 30 minutes later my mom calls me down for lunch and sits down a nice bowl of soup in front of me. I saw thin red antennas sticking out of the soup and I thought, oh maybe she meant lobster but, no, it was shrimp. The whole entire shrimp. Shell, legs, tail, antenna, head, eyes, brains. My mom must have noticed my hesitation trying to eat it so she sweetly proceeded to pull a shrimp from the broth, snap off the head, slurp the contents of the head while accidently eating an eye, and shell the rest of the shrimp. I'm positive I ate some shrimp brains and eyes that lunch.
A Vintage VW Bug CAN Be Made Into A Chick Magnet
VW is the car of choice here. Not only is it popular, even slick macho men put their own spin on it. The other day while walking to school I heard cumbia music blaring from the side of me. I turned to look and saw two ripped mexican men sitting in the front seat of a vintage VW bug. The whole ten yards. Gelled hair, leather jackets, sunglasses, cigarettes hanging from their lips, gold teeth, chains. The back seat was converted into an intricate stereo system, flames were painted on the hood, and spinning rims were installed in the wheels. I've seen several similar cars since.
Not all Spiders Can Go Down The Drain
Oregon spiders are weak. They just slide down the shower drain at my house in the U.S. Not so here. Spiders here have the ability to hop. Yes, HOP. Other spiders can flatten themselves over the drain so they don't drown. Trust me, I've been attempting to drown the same spider for 3 days now. I'll get you spidey...
Car Horns Double As Turn Signals
Living in Portland I would often bike or walk where I needed to go and complain if a car cut me off or hugged the turning lane too tightly. In Mexico speed limits, lane markers, parking limits, turning lane only lanes, stop signs, and traffic signals are all suggestions. Although all cars come equipped with turn signals, honking your horn is just as effective here. Busses often drive completely over the curb when they turn. Pedestrians NEVER have the right of way. When you cross the street you better be 100% sure you can make it because no one will stop for you.
Aggressive Shopping Behaviors
Driving maneuvers spill over into the grocery store. I can't tell you how many times my toes have been run over at the supermarket. Everyone also has the right of way in a crowded store which generally means your mom will end up hitting about 5 people trying to get through an aisle.
Machismo
Men and women are treated very differently in Mexico. Men are expected to work but not much else. Women must also contribute to the family wealth, while cooking and cleaning as well. If you have enough money you can have servants clean the house but in general the mother always cooks. When a man comes home to eat he does not leave the table until he is done eating. The food and utensils come to him. Men rarely ever cook or perform domestic duties. Even if there is soup on the stove that just needs reheating a man will not touch it and wait for the woman to serve it to him.
That said women are expected to be treated like princesses by their partners or spouses. Women, especially as mothers, are placed in high respect, chivalry reigns, and men are expected to show "cariño" (affection) for their wives to express their appreciation.
However some things remain the same:
Love For Children
This is something that I love about Mexico. It is nice to know that even though I'm in a completely different country, love for one's children stays the same. Walking down the street you can always see a mom hugging or kissing her child and a father making his kid smile as they wait for the bus.
However Hard You Think You Have It Someone Else Has It Worse
Although the amount of water/water pressure is quite variable, my bed is as hard as a rock, I wake up with 3 new bug bites everyday and accrue them during the day, and I can never seem to keep my clothes clean from the streets, I know someone else has it worse than me. 10 minutes SE of my house there is a village that survives with little electricity and no running water. This trip is really putting American life in perspective for me.
In the end, culture shock is a pretty crazy thing to experience and you will never quite know what it is like until you attempt to live in another country. For everyone back home remember to appreciate what you have and keep in touch! -Minda
