The Land & Its People

Mexico stretches nearly 3,200km (1,984 miles) from east to west and more than 1,600km (1,000 miles) north to south. Only one-fifth the size of the United States, its territory includes trackless deserts in the north, dense jungles in the south, thousands of miles of lush seacoast and beaches along the Pacific and Caribbean, and the central highlands, crisscrossed by mountain ranges.

Mexico has more than 105 million inhabitants, with perhaps 22 million of them living in greater Mexico City. Over the last few decades, the rate of population growth has been steadily declining, from 3.2% per year in the 1970s to 1.16% at present. Mexico City has the slowest growth rate in the country, at less than 1% per year.

By most measurements, the disparity between rich and poor has increased in the last 30 years. Cycles of boom-and-bust seem to weigh heavier on the poor than on the rich. The middle class also seems to have had a rough ride. And, as a result, the ranks of the poor grow while wealth becomes increasingly concentrated in the upper rungs of society.

But in the face of all of this, Mexican society maintains its cohesiveness. It is amazingly resilient, due in some part to the way Mexicans live. They place a high value on family and friends, social gatherings, and living in the present; getting ahead and the uncertain prospects of the future take a back seat. In Mexico, there is always time to meet with friends for a drink or a cup of coffee or attend a family get-together. The many high-spirited public celebrations that Mexico is so famous for are simply another manifestation of this attitude.

Social Mores -- American and English travelers have often observed that Mexicans have a different conception of time and that life in Mexico obeys slower rhythms. This is true, and yet few observers go on to explain what the consequences of this are for the visitor to Mexico. This is a shame, because an imperfect appreciation of this difference causes a good deal of misunderstanding between tourists and locals.

On several occasions, Mexican acquaintances have asked me why Americans grin all the time. At first, I wasn't sure what to make of the question, and only gradually came to appreciate what was at issue. As the pace of life for Americans, Canadians, and others has quickened, they have come to skip some of the niceties of social interaction. When walking into a store, many Americans simply smile at a clerk and launch right into a question or request. The smile, in effect, replaces the greeting. In Mexico, it doesn't work that way. Mexicans misinterpret this American manner of greeting. After all, a smile when there is no context can be ambiguous; it can convey amusement, smugness, or superiority.

One of the most important pieces of advice I can offer travelers is always to give a proper greeting when addressing Mexicans. Don't try to abbreviate social intercourse. Mexican culture places a higher value on proper social form than on saving time. A Mexican must at least say "¡Buenos días!" or its equivalent to show proper respect. When an individual meets up with a group, he will greet each person separately, which can take quite a while. For us, the polite thing would be to keep our interruption to a minimum and give a general greeting to all.

Mexicans, like most people, will consciously or subconsciously make quick judgments about individuals they meet. Most divide the world into the bien educado (well raised and cultured), and the mal educado (poorly raised). Unfortunately, many visitors are reluctant to try out their Spanish, preferring to keep exchanges to a minimum. Don't do this. To be categorized as a foreigner isn't a big deal. What's important in Mexico is to be categorized as one of the cultured foreigners and not one of the barbarians. This makes it easier to get the attention of waiters, hotel desk clerks, and people on the street.