modeeper

Why must everything be mentioned? Yes, of course, logically, if you are in a facility that caters to a lot of old and/or sick people use your sense. In that case use Alan's advice .. go to everyone in the line and ask, on a one to ten scale how sick are you, or how much pain are you in, or what's your DOA projection? Then say, I'm a 10 or I have this sneaking suspicion I'ma gona kick tomorrow. I was talking about the other 99% of Mexico's services, like the DMV, Telmex, Lottery window, CFE, ABC, DEF, and of course, the GHI.

Oh, she was talking to me? Yet another one who arrived without checking in her NOB culture in an airport locker. Go home pinche Gringo!

I'd have to say half the population hasn't the opportunity to work in the underground economy. Like these folks: According to the CDI, the states with the greatest percentage of indigenous population are: Yucatán, with 65.40%, Quintana Roo with 44.44% and Campeche with 44.54% of the population being indigenous, most of them Maya; Oaxaca with 65.73%of the population, the most numerous groups being the Mixtec and Zapotec peoples. That is unless those boys who wash your windshield at stoplights are underground. Or those Marias who sell peanuts and gum at the bus stop are underground. They don't earn enough to even be part of Mexico's economy. Drug dealers are underground. You are underground, unless you have permission to repair computers and pay taxes on your earnings. 60% of Mexicans don't pay taxes. Is that what you mean by, underground? Since there are so many maybe they should be referred to as, upperground. Mexico is awfully bureaucratic, so is Spain, Italy, Russia, China, Cuba and on. In some of those countries you have to wait 6 months to get a marriage licence. IMO it comes down to religious beliefs as religion is normally the foundation of culture. Protestants are Calvinistic, or as I prefer, anal retentives (victims of severe toilet training). They demand order and cleanliness. Personally I'd rather wait in lines than live under the thumb of anal retentives.

Ok, here's the rule around here. You walk into the place with the long line, you look around and notice the ages of the folks in the line. If you are the oldest you simply walk up to the front of the line. If something about this bothers you .. bring a cane with you and limp a little. Guaranteed, nobody will say a word. If they do, they're not Mexicans. This too will help us Gringoids maintain an image of not being so stupid. Cause if you're elderly (de la tercera edad) people will wonder why you are standing back there like a fool.

Sonia, thanks for the link. Everything I needed to know is right there.

I have this old hag alkie exfriend in La Paz BCS. See calls me, "Oh Mo, please come to my citizenship party tomorrow night. I did it! I passed, I want to show you my new passport!" So I went. Later on as she was starting to head for the floor with drunkeness. I threw her a fish hook. "Hey XXXXX, how much did you pay Lic Alverez (her sleazy attorney) for your passport?" "5000Pesos."

Oh yes sir, 10 posts. If you can't define racism correctly Google it. Thanks, I never knew what a reading comprehension test was.

^^^ It was all Greek to me, without seeing the choices. But consider this: If the exam is easy they want you to pass, i.e. they want you to be a citizen. If the exam is difficult ... well, you know. Study guide US citizenship exam: https://www.test-guide.com/free-citizenship-practice-tests.html

I agree with some of that. I think what you may not be aware of is the soul of a Mexican. Caballerismo rules here. They are forced by Centuries of culture to be friendly, kind, hospitable ... in face to face situations. What they say or what they think is something you'll never know. Our observations fall into what's called, the fallacy of visual knowledge. Dood, I've been here for more than half my life. Once a Mexican gets beyond my appearance they think of me as a Mexican. I know nobody wants to hear that sh*t but that's how it is. If you saw the Chapala video I posted a few weeks ago, the narrator, who spoke the clearest most coherent Spanish you could ever hope for, made some points. One was that only a small portion of the locals are native locals. Your locals came from all over Mexico looking for employment. Not much different than those who go to the USA. Why aren't street dogs human-aggressive? They're dependant. Get my drift? Doesn't matter what the people think of us, it's the analisis the government heads have decided what's best for them, not the nation, them. As much of the USA is worried about the browning of America maybe the government here is worried about the whiting of Mexico. The people want your cash and some want your cash and whatever you bring that would make their life better. Too bad they don't represent the ruling body.

In my years here I have seen much of the this: What the USA does Mexico will do too. It just takes them a few years or so to implement, like no smoking in public places, gay bashing, women's rights. When horific border stories of abuse come to the Mexican press, it's a matter of hours till the Mexican migra start gettinig in your face. If Mexico makes it as hard for you to migrate as it is for them to do the same, that should tell you that they want you as much as the US wants them. What's worse is to realize that even though you bring cash, education, support the local business', don't make trouble .. they still don't want you. Same in Thailand. If they require a monthly income of $3,000 and a bank account of 100,000 one gets the idea he/she's not wanted. The last thing the government a poor corrupt nation wants is an educated population. Although we don't educate pofolk in an academic sense, yes, we do edcucate them. We show them what we have, what they will never have. Who knows, they might start expecting or even demanding more from life.

Put up flyers with a large reward.

This is my plan. That my friends never call the authorities because the authorities will notify the consulate. That they haul me off to some hole in the ground and cover me up. That way my SS payments will continue to be deposited in my bank account where they will help my ex and my son for years to come. I don't want to leave a mess for someone to clean up nor a financial burden to bear on anyone.