Whenever I say the word “Mexico” I seem to articulate it with a smile across my face. The smile isn’t force or phony, it is a genuine sentiment that is expressed each and every time, even unwittingly. Maybe it is because at 32 I am living the life that many of my peers back home wish they had. They might make more GB pounds than me but they certainly don’t go as far… and they don’t enjoy the same freedoms I do here. Freedom in all senses of the word: Freedom to spend hours out of doors without taking a multitude of layers of clothing and paraphernalia, without the worry of ominous rain clouds ruining the day, smog congesting your lungs or expensive entry fees for attractions. Freedom to work flexible hours at a job I enjoy, take long lunches if I like, spend time with my daughter and never miss the important milestones in her life. No long commuter journey on a packed tube and no monochrome stampede to the office…and all this in my sandals!
I do find certain mentalities alarming, especially the lack of individual and collective responsibilities, but I think that the results of the last election have started a trend against this apathy that is going to be harder to break. Friends of mine are quick to complain about the litter strewn across the beach but would never pick it up themselves. If you want change, it starts with you. I’m interested to follow the evolution of the movement #YO SOY 132 to see where it can take the youth of Mexico.
Another collective change I would like to see is the celebration of success. I don’t mean more certificates and awards (reconocimientos), as there are far too many of those already, I mean the recognition of those Mexicans who succeed and do well. Not just in sports either. In business. In life. Mexico should be proud of the success of Carlos Slim and build on the entrepreneurial spirit that he created. This is where our nations differ. It is still hard for Mexican society to applaud real success, especially in monetary terms. The desire to see the successful make mistakes and fall isn’t a uniquely Mexican trait but it is certainly very prominent here.
Mexico is doing well internationally, its GDP is rising, exports and growing and there are signs of an emerging middle class. However, Mexicans do not see themselves in this light as a real contender on the world stage and that is such a shame. If you just analyze the chant used at sporting events “si se puede” (yes we can), it smacks of a collective lack of confidence in Mexico’s abilities. It is a chant for underdogs who defy the odds and win.
In terms of Mexican identity I would say that food plays an enormous role in the definition of what it means to be Mexican. Large numbers of national and regional dishes go a long way to distinguish Mexico from its neighbours. I’m not talking about cardboard Tex-Mex versions the world over; I mean the tortillas, the pozole, the cabeza tacos, the panela, the jocoque, the sopes, the mole and the enchiladas with huge servings of fresh spicy salsa. Not just the food itself but the ceremony involving food, the chatter, the family gatherings, the ingredients, the preparations, the smells and the flavors. All of this makes it hard for Mexicans to live abroad without it, and if they do, they do so with difficulty and dreams of hot steaming platters…. Good Italian, Chinese and Japanese is available anywhere in the world but good Mexican food is only available here.
Written by Sarah Elegorn for Caras de Mexico. Click here to read more articles examining Mexican identity.