Manana in Mexico
May 26, 2009 11:58 AM   Subscribe

I'm going to Mexico for a year in September. Michoacan to be precise. I don't want to appear like a dumb tourist, so help me prepare culturally!

I'm going to live in a small village near-ish Morelia.
What are cultural faux pas i should watch out for? how open are the villagers to strangers, can i just approach them and start conversation? is it acceptable to give gifts? what music do people my age (young adults) listen to over there? what are luxuries i can live without in mexico and which ones should i take with me?

Those are my specific questions, but feel free to add anecdotes any other anecdotes!
I know the standard infos, like dont drink tap water, watch out for pickpockets etc (although i guess your body gets used to the water after a year)
posted by freddymetz to Travel & Transportation around Mexico (13 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
I don't think your body gets used to the water. I lived in Mexico for a semester with five Mexican roommates and not a single one of them drank tap water -- everyone did bottled water. Granted it was a pretty upper-middle-class university I was at, but no one just drank straight out of the tap. For cooking, though, washing dishes, or brushing teeth, it's okay.

Also, while you're in Morelia, TOTALLY go up the mountain to see the butterflies in December. It's one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.

To answer your other questions, it'd be useful to know more about what your living situation is. You refer to a "village" and "villagers", words which make me think low-tech and huts, but then ask about music, which you'd presumably play on modern technology. Is it just a small town outside of Morelia where you'll have computer access? Or are you roughing it?
posted by olinerd at 12:10 PM on May 26, 2009


Oh, though one random thing that screwed me up: in the vast majority of places, toilet paper does not go into the toilet. It goes into the trashcan that is usually beside it. If there is no trash can and you're in a recently built facility (like a mall) you can flush it, but a good rule of thumb is trash can only.
posted by olinerd at 12:13 PM on May 26, 2009


Response by poster: They havent told me which town ill be in, but its going to be up to two hours from morelia. Im guessing that it will be a bit more advanced than "huts", but im not expecting constant internet access etc! (Still contemplating bringing my laptop)

Good that you mention the butterflys, theyre on the list i compiled of places to visit!
If anyone's interested, it's here
posted by freddymetz at 12:18 PM on May 26, 2009


Do you know Spanish? Making an effort with the native language usually goes over well.
posted by 6550 at 12:38 PM on May 26, 2009


See this thread. In particular, perhaps, this comment, which takes exception with the toilet paper advice above. (I have no personal knowledge of this issue, I just think this is an area in which it would be best to be most circumspect.)
posted by bricoleur at 12:51 PM on May 26, 2009


Learning a bit of the language will help a lot - it shows respect
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:02 PM on May 26, 2009


(FWIW regarding toilet paper, I often saw signs at some venues -- small restaurants, etc -- requesting specifically not to put toilet paper in the toilet, as well as observing that all my roommates used the can. It has to do with the septic systems in some parts of Mexico, it seems, and like I said, more modern places you're probably okay flushing. The guy who posted the comment in the other thread actually lives in Mexico City, so sure he knows better, but seriously it was very widespread everywhere I saw.)

Things I missed while I was in Mexico include peanut butter (Jiff style. Though if there's a Wal-mart nearby you're okay) and books in English (or whatever your native language may be). I thought I was being all cool trying to only buy/read books in Spanish. Sometimes your brain needs a break in your native language, no matter how much you're trying to immerse yourself.

I think gifts of candy that aren't available in the area are pretty cool. My Mexican roommates LOVED Heath Bars, for example, and I liked bringing back BubuLubu to my friends in the US. I also took down some gear from my college to give to people (so somewhere in Mexico there's a guy running around with a sweatshirt from my college, which has only about 300 alumni).

Looking at your list, you should also visit Cholula (next to Puebla*, which is indeed a very pretty city) and see the underground pyramid there. Also, the only reason I'd ever go near Cancun again is to see Xcaret, this ecological park where I went snorkeling, swam with dolphins, went horseback riding on the beach around some Mayan ruins, etc. Beautiful. Palenque was my favorite archaeological site; good call there. If you have anyone to buy jewelry for, the town of Taxco is full of insane silver vendors for insanely cheap prices, and is just a really neat place anyway in the way it's laid out topographically.

*If I'm reading your profile correctly, you're German? You'll probably get a kick out of Cholula/Puebla, since there's a big Volkswagen plant down there and thus a lot of second- or third-generation Germans.
posted by olinerd at 1:28 PM on May 26, 2009


Response by poster: Wow, some awesome tips there! thank you. Yeah i'm German. I will add those to the list.
posted by freddymetz at 1:40 PM on May 26, 2009


Do you know Spanish? Making an effort with the native language usually goes over well.

Well, depending on where you are actually going, Spanish may not help you as much as you think. Most Michoacan villages are populated with Tarascan indians who speak the Purepecha language.

Modernization has definitely crept in. As you can see from this flickr photo I took, yes, there are still men with straw hats and burros but the photo itself was taken from the inside of a car - owned by one of the villagers. That was in Carapan, part of the Meseta Purepecha.

You can just start a conversation with most men, of all ages. Rules are a bit different for women. Victorian rules apply in the older villages. Don't touch or embrace people unless they do so first is a good rule to follow. Be polite. Be mindful when taking photos - its pretty rude in the smallest villages to just start taking random snapshots of people. Being a foreigner will let you get away with a lot, though. Even the most remote villages are used to foreigners - Europeans and Americans trekking through the countryside.

Thats a great list you have already. Some extra notes:
--This part of the world has an enormous diversity of fruits and vegetables, ones I guarantee you've never encountered before. Go crazy. Mmmm...chayotes and jicamas. The latter cut into pieces, sprinkled with lime and chili and sold by street vendors.
--Also try the food here, some of the best in Mexico. I recommend chicharrones, or tamales nejos (ash tamales) or churipo (a tomato broth), menudo, posoles, all the varieties of fried fish. Here's a lunch menu from a typical eatery in Morelia.
--You'll be surprised how much Internet there is. Even in small villages, I was able to give someone a couple pesos and get wired or wifi access for the Asus I was carrying around.
--Patzcuaro is gorgeous and historic.
--Tzintzuntzan is also the old Purepecha capital. There are some small unique pyramids there to see.
--Morelia is gorgeous and historic. Don't be afraid to see the inside of the cathedrals and just walk into the old monasteries. Morelia also has a candy market.
--You'll see little red and white taxicabs everywhere. People use them to go from one town to another. Use them if you want and be prepared to bargain (note: this is where being a tourist will be a huge disadvantage). They all have the name of their hometown on the side of the cab and will, of course, have to go back there.
posted by vacapinta at 2:50 PM on May 26, 2009 [1 favorite]


Not sure about the place you are going, so YMMV. But when I lived in San Miguel de Allende for 3 months, I noticed was how the dress code was more formal than in the states. So I never felt comfortable wearing the shorts or short skirts I brought with me (although plenty of other gringo tourists and tourists from Mexico City did).

Also, read up on driving peculiarities in Mexico if you are driving...i.e. a left hand turn signal sometimes means to the folks behind you that it is okay to pass, NOT that you are turning left. In some places, you have to pull into the right hand shoulder to safely make a left hand turn when all traffic is clear. This can be very dangerous if you are not familiar with this custom.

And as others have said, try to speak the language when you can. Nobody will laugh at you and your efforts will be appreciated.

Travel throughout the country as much as you can. The people are great and the country is beautiful. And first class buses are a lot nicer than in the states, so don't let that stop you.
posted by murrey at 3:32 PM on May 26, 2009


I'm the guy who posted the comment about the toilet in the other thread. As a sign of respect to olinerd and to make sure I'm not insane I asked around my friends and family in Mexico City -all pretty well-travelled- and the consensus is as follows:

"Toilet paper goes in the toilet unless a posted sign says otherwise. You will find such signs only in the most backwards, ancient and primitive facilities. Doing such a thing in any modern bathroom marks you as an unsophisticated and ignorant hick, devoid of education and lacking in the most basic social graces."

Regarding faux pas, Mexican culture is very, very tolerant of foreigners and you will not be held to the same standards people adhere to. Unless you do something monumentally stupid or insulting, you'll be fine. If you try to speak Spanish, try to enjoy the food, attend a couple of parties, and help someone with something you'll be the village hero in two months.

Good luck and write if you need anything.
posted by Cobalt at 8:22 PM on May 26, 2009


Fair enough, Cobalt :)
posted by olinerd at 5:26 AM on May 27, 2009


Wow, my family is originally from a small pueblo near Morelia. Last I was there: yes to paved roads, electricity, home phones. No to: cell phones, internet access, decent public restrooms, or any municipal utilities. But this was for a very small town 5yrs ago.

Everyone spoke Spanish; the values are old-fashioned so please be very respectful, especially regarding generational and gender differences.

Good luck and have fun!
posted by lychee at 9:26 AM on May 27, 2009


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