So much is about our perspective! It was fun seeing yours and some possible flips of it. I live and love a place that many norteamericanos come and visit and DON'T want to live, because of it's challenges. I love living in Puerto Rico, and find the trade offs of lovely people, in a lovely culture, in a natural paradise well worth not having all the conveniences or English speaking of mainland US.
Yup, indeed all about perspective and what type of corrective lenses you're wearing 🤓! I'm happy that you are happy in Puerto Rico - I think it is a lovely place, too!
“There are a lot of people in Mexico who would certainly take offense to my un-vocalized but nevertheless felt-in-the-moment notion that Mexico is so much better because bat-shit crazy U.S. things don’t happen there.”
Mike, I can see you tooling along some CA highway, minding your own business, and some 'enforcer' decides you gotta obey his rules, by stopping short (can't help it but that Seinfeld episode comes to mind). Don't know what it is about Stateside but folks sure get an attitude. Your Mexico way of life however pulled you through. You did the requisite eye-roll, let the dip exhaust his built-up rage, and went on your way. Rage and pent-up emotions take so much energy. Whew. Must be exhausting. On another note, very true about cherry-picking nice spots down south. Makes me feel guilty. In our own way we've tried to give something back, probably not an equal trade off. I think a portion of long-term travelers (small?) try to volunteer or act responsibly. The world is one tough place. The opening quotation on my cartel novel is by Napoleon, "Geography is destiny."
"Geography is destiny" - I hadn't come across that one before! So, so true. I too cherry-pick - I think anyone going to a "foreign" place to live is going to do that, and pick the better places of course. It is the places that we are born into that are harder to de-cherry-pick (if you'll excuse that awkward turn of phrase). Thanks for the comment, and that great quote!
Thanks, Mike! This note is a good reminder to check our privilege. I live near the touristy areas, so a lot of my neighbors commute to Sayulita or Punta Mita to work in the hotels and restaurants. None of us can actually afford to live in Sayulita or Punta Mita...the locals got priced out of those areas long ago. It's a weird love-hate relationship. On one hand the tourists have ruined parts of Nayarit, but on the other hand the locals recognize that tourists are their livelihood. And look at me turning up my nose at the tourists, when to the locals I'm just another American interloper. I do have a teeny bit of another kind of privilege- my parents have lived in this pueblito for 20 years and my dad is a naturalized Mexican citizen who helped open a local restaurant. And everyone knows my Mom because she sponsors the local kids' soccer team. So thanks to my family I catch a little bit of a break. I'm still new here, moved to Nayarit permanently in November and still focused on making my house liveable. But I hope to someday be like my parents and use my privilege to make a difference in my community.
There's many facets of your article that speak to me, like learning that brake light behavior has a name, which I didn't know, just kinda thought of agro sin dulce I suppose, although I haven't seen it first hand in a long time.
The other thing is indeed you're right about the romanticism. Sometimes I read articles about a part of Mexico that's experiencing troubles, and I wonder how the regular folks cope. I also read about a place that stood up to the narcos and got their town back. More courage than most, I suppose.
And thanks for your comment, Victor. I always appreciate your perspective and additional insights - I had not heard about that town you referred to, but now I'm going to look it up! Take care.
I feel like I don't need to say anything. But I will of course. Great read! You know that I know that you know. I used to be a Cherry Picker Mexico know it all and went to all the Day of the Dead, marigold strewn, Yucatan fantasy, Oaxacan mole tinged, Puerto Escondido, Baja Sur mezcal tasting pueblo Magicos and it wasn't until I had a Mexican coworker in the US who called me out...that I romanticized Mexico too much! You treat it like a movie. Most of it sucks, he said. Ouch! And now, as we know, I live in a real SHITHOLE area of desert Sonora Mexico, not by choice but by chance and I'm well removed from things even real actual Mexicans put up with. No services, too remote, lousy food, no roads, no shopping, everything is a bootlegged version, ugly shacks, no views, no fruit. Definitely no margs. I'm here trying to save all the damn dogs but I'm worn to a crisp and it's likely because I'm soft, American, previously privileged, used to better mattresses and an array of bougie supplements and more agreeable weather. And there are days when I have to check myself and say, yea, and ALL these people have lived here FOREVER. It doesn't mean I don't want to find a van and relocate me and all these dogs. DAILY. But I wonder, why do I think I rate? For better Mexico, even? I'm no longer suited for the US. Likely never was. But as the only American here it'll be a long time before I get decent pizza or an expeller pressed green juice that's for sure. Not sure if that's good or bad.
I heard through the grapevine Lola that you found at least an acceptable Pizza! But yes, you know better than most that Mexico isn't all unicorns and rainbows. Here's hoping that a high-end mattress truck from Liverpool gets stolen and left abandoned with all its contents intact somewhere in Puerto Libertad.
For most of my years in Mexico, especially recently when my state of Michoacan started showing up on the US State Department red list, I have erred on the side of emphasizing the beauty and safety of Mexico. Your recognition of the other side of the coin is right on target. A June 2024 poll by INEGI (statistics arm of the Mexican government) revealed that 63% of Mexicans age 18 and older feel unsafe on public transportation. The same study states that in the avocado capital of the world, Uruapan, Michoacan (two hours from my home), 87% of the over-18 population feels unsafe.
Yes, Mexico has its hot-spots for sure. I know that some of those demographic statistics are skewed around the greater Mexico City area, which houses one-fifth of Mexico's population - and crime is always a bigger thing in larger cities. Which means that those statistics, although likely accurate, are also largely concentrated. But still - a lot of people don't feel safe in Mexico, and that is a problem. Take care there in Michoacan, Brian! I assume you feel safe and comfortable where you are (Morelia, I think?)
I feel safe here, your assumption is correct. Speaking of hot spots, Michoacan was definitely one a decade ago and there are still places I wouldn't visit in Tierra Caliente. Then the maña moved north to Guanajuato and especially Celaya, didn't see that coming. And now Zacatecas. At some point, it'd be nice to see it keep moving out of here, maybe into the Pacific Ocean! Don't see that happening anytime soon, though.
Today, I am giving you my 'heart' reluctantly. OK. It is a heart offered up by Substack to begin with. I am a Mexican who went seeking "a better life" al El Norte. And, when my feet touch Mexican soil, my heart swells with pride and joy. My actual heart. I appreciate journalistic impartiality and I like movies with happy endings. I very much agree with Michelle, who has staked out a bit of Substack real estate below, " So much is about our perspective!". I will embrace her words today. Thank you for yours.
Thank you, Elva! I am giving your words and Michelle's a big embrace too! I'm glad to hear that your heart swells with pride on Mexican soil - that gives me comfort!
It might be an interesting to write an article about what some of the do-visit and don't-visit places are. And, this phenomena seems to be true in most countires, as least the US and Mexico for sure. I recall living in Palo Alto decades ago, where the silicon valley well off folks are, most cars being above 50k in price. And one day I took a wrong turn and ended up in East Palo Alto and needed gas. I remember it so well because it was a shock to my system. I stuck out like a blonde person in high heels and mini skirt in calcutta India. I was afraid to get out of my car. It was like I had crossed a casm and it was literally 5-10 minutes away. This has gotten more egregious now in San Francisco with the tech bubble and the homeless. You can be in the tenderloin and walk 2 blocks and be around multi-million dollar homes. I hope our race figures out how to start reversing this as it is a sad part of humanity at the moment. The have and have-nots casm appears in US to be growing, though appears in some countries like Mexico to be shrinking. To me, this (having more wealth distribution and opportunity) is the definition of not just safety, but of humanity. Or at least, a humanity I want to live in.
So much is about our perspective! It was fun seeing yours and some possible flips of it. I live and love a place that many norteamericanos come and visit and DON'T want to live, because of it's challenges. I love living in Puerto Rico, and find the trade offs of lovely people, in a lovely culture, in a natural paradise well worth not having all the conveniences or English speaking of mainland US.
Yup, indeed all about perspective and what type of corrective lenses you're wearing 🤓! I'm happy that you are happy in Puerto Rico - I think it is a lovely place, too!
What a beautifully crafted sentence - wow!
“There are a lot of people in Mexico who would certainly take offense to my un-vocalized but nevertheless felt-in-the-moment notion that Mexico is so much better because bat-shit crazy U.S. things don’t happen there.”
Thanks, Opera Daily - I'll pass on your compliment to my dog-ear'd copy of Strunk & White!
It made me 😆 too!
Mike, I can see you tooling along some CA highway, minding your own business, and some 'enforcer' decides you gotta obey his rules, by stopping short (can't help it but that Seinfeld episode comes to mind). Don't know what it is about Stateside but folks sure get an attitude. Your Mexico way of life however pulled you through. You did the requisite eye-roll, let the dip exhaust his built-up rage, and went on your way. Rage and pent-up emotions take so much energy. Whew. Must be exhausting. On another note, very true about cherry-picking nice spots down south. Makes me feel guilty. In our own way we've tried to give something back, probably not an equal trade off. I think a portion of long-term travelers (small?) try to volunteer or act responsibly. The world is one tough place. The opening quotation on my cartel novel is by Napoleon, "Geography is destiny."
"Geography is destiny" - I hadn't come across that one before! So, so true. I too cherry-pick - I think anyone going to a "foreign" place to live is going to do that, and pick the better places of course. It is the places that we are born into that are harder to de-cherry-pick (if you'll excuse that awkward turn of phrase). Thanks for the comment, and that great quote!
Loved the post. And that quote, so true. Some lucky where born, others not. Yeah we definitely cherry-picked. Lucky.
Thanks, Mike! This note is a good reminder to check our privilege. I live near the touristy areas, so a lot of my neighbors commute to Sayulita or Punta Mita to work in the hotels and restaurants. None of us can actually afford to live in Sayulita or Punta Mita...the locals got priced out of those areas long ago. It's a weird love-hate relationship. On one hand the tourists have ruined parts of Nayarit, but on the other hand the locals recognize that tourists are their livelihood. And look at me turning up my nose at the tourists, when to the locals I'm just another American interloper. I do have a teeny bit of another kind of privilege- my parents have lived in this pueblito for 20 years and my dad is a naturalized Mexican citizen who helped open a local restaurant. And everyone knows my Mom because she sponsors the local kids' soccer team. So thanks to my family I catch a little bit of a break. I'm still new here, moved to Nayarit permanently in November and still focused on making my house liveable. But I hope to someday be like my parents and use my privilege to make a difference in my community.
Using our privilege to make a difference - yes! That I believe is one of the best things we can do. Thanks for your thoughtful comment!
There's many facets of your article that speak to me, like learning that brake light behavior has a name, which I didn't know, just kinda thought of agro sin dulce I suppose, although I haven't seen it first hand in a long time.
The other thing is indeed you're right about the romanticism. Sometimes I read articles about a part of Mexico that's experiencing troubles, and I wonder how the regular folks cope. I also read about a place that stood up to the narcos and got their town back. More courage than most, I suppose.
Thanks for the article, Mike.
And thanks for your comment, Victor. I always appreciate your perspective and additional insights - I had not heard about that town you referred to, but now I'm going to look it up! Take care.
It's not stealing (the title) it's finders keepers 😉
Good point, Nadine!
I feel like I don't need to say anything. But I will of course. Great read! You know that I know that you know. I used to be a Cherry Picker Mexico know it all and went to all the Day of the Dead, marigold strewn, Yucatan fantasy, Oaxacan mole tinged, Puerto Escondido, Baja Sur mezcal tasting pueblo Magicos and it wasn't until I had a Mexican coworker in the US who called me out...that I romanticized Mexico too much! You treat it like a movie. Most of it sucks, he said. Ouch! And now, as we know, I live in a real SHITHOLE area of desert Sonora Mexico, not by choice but by chance and I'm well removed from things even real actual Mexicans put up with. No services, too remote, lousy food, no roads, no shopping, everything is a bootlegged version, ugly shacks, no views, no fruit. Definitely no margs. I'm here trying to save all the damn dogs but I'm worn to a crisp and it's likely because I'm soft, American, previously privileged, used to better mattresses and an array of bougie supplements and more agreeable weather. And there are days when I have to check myself and say, yea, and ALL these people have lived here FOREVER. It doesn't mean I don't want to find a van and relocate me and all these dogs. DAILY. But I wonder, why do I think I rate? For better Mexico, even? I'm no longer suited for the US. Likely never was. But as the only American here it'll be a long time before I get decent pizza or an expeller pressed green juice that's for sure. Not sure if that's good or bad.
I heard through the grapevine Lola that you found at least an acceptable Pizza! But yes, you know better than most that Mexico isn't all unicorns and rainbows. Here's hoping that a high-end mattress truck from Liverpool gets stolen and left abandoned with all its contents intact somewhere in Puerto Libertad.
For most of my years in Mexico, especially recently when my state of Michoacan started showing up on the US State Department red list, I have erred on the side of emphasizing the beauty and safety of Mexico. Your recognition of the other side of the coin is right on target. A June 2024 poll by INEGI (statistics arm of the Mexican government) revealed that 63% of Mexicans age 18 and older feel unsafe on public transportation. The same study states that in the avocado capital of the world, Uruapan, Michoacan (two hours from my home), 87% of the over-18 population feels unsafe.
Yes, Mexico has its hot-spots for sure. I know that some of those demographic statistics are skewed around the greater Mexico City area, which houses one-fifth of Mexico's population - and crime is always a bigger thing in larger cities. Which means that those statistics, although likely accurate, are also largely concentrated. But still - a lot of people don't feel safe in Mexico, and that is a problem. Take care there in Michoacan, Brian! I assume you feel safe and comfortable where you are (Morelia, I think?)
I feel safe here, your assumption is correct. Speaking of hot spots, Michoacan was definitely one a decade ago and there are still places I wouldn't visit in Tierra Caliente. Then the maña moved north to Guanajuato and especially Celaya, didn't see that coming. And now Zacatecas. At some point, it'd be nice to see it keep moving out of here, maybe into the Pacific Ocean! Don't see that happening anytime soon, though.
Today, I am giving you my 'heart' reluctantly. OK. It is a heart offered up by Substack to begin with. I am a Mexican who went seeking "a better life" al El Norte. And, when my feet touch Mexican soil, my heart swells with pride and joy. My actual heart. I appreciate journalistic impartiality and I like movies with happy endings. I very much agree with Michelle, who has staked out a bit of Substack real estate below, " So much is about our perspective!". I will embrace her words today. Thank you for yours.
Thank you, Elva! I am giving your words and Michelle's a big embrace too! I'm glad to hear that your heart swells with pride on Mexican soil - that gives me comfort!
It might be an interesting to write an article about what some of the do-visit and don't-visit places are. And, this phenomena seems to be true in most countires, as least the US and Mexico for sure. I recall living in Palo Alto decades ago, where the silicon valley well off folks are, most cars being above 50k in price. And one day I took a wrong turn and ended up in East Palo Alto and needed gas. I remember it so well because it was a shock to my system. I stuck out like a blonde person in high heels and mini skirt in calcutta India. I was afraid to get out of my car. It was like I had crossed a casm and it was literally 5-10 minutes away. This has gotten more egregious now in San Francisco with the tech bubble and the homeless. You can be in the tenderloin and walk 2 blocks and be around multi-million dollar homes. I hope our race figures out how to start reversing this as it is a sad part of humanity at the moment. The have and have-nots casm appears in US to be growing, though appears in some countries like Mexico to be shrinking. To me, this (having more wealth distribution and opportunity) is the definition of not just safety, but of humanity. Or at least, a humanity I want to live in.