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Where is Mexico Headed?


Ajijic

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I am impressed that many had the insight to buy 3 years worth of pesos back in 2009 with no concern that the peso might take off from 14 to 25. I will be happy to admit I only bought in for a years worth.... and then only as it turned down. To have the skills to buy so much at exactly the peak is impressive.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Because, many are rich in family, friends, outside activities and a climate which allows one to be rather comfortable; certainly never threatened by freezing or heat stroke.

RV, that weather report may well be true at Lake Chapala, but it's not true all over Mexico. We have deserts, snow, high heat and hard freezes...just not where you are.

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I guess RV has never been to Toluca or Tapachula in the winter, I would think it would be easy to freeze in one and have a heatstroke in the other. There are lots of States with rough weather in Mexico it is not all roses. Lots of unhappiness ,women and children abused and nasty families as well.

I guess we travel in different places and know different types of folks.

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In addition to the different and often extreme weather in various parts of Mexico, what bmh says about family life here is unfortunately quite true. Somehow foreigners have come to believe the stereotype of 'Mexican family unity', which does not exist here any more than it exists in other countries. Family life looks a little different here--I believe that there are more multigenerational households here than in the USA, for example--but unless you are allowed a glimpse below the surface, you will not be aware of the familial horrors that exist here as well as everywhere else.

One example only: we were invited to a quinceañera several years ago. The proud mother wanted to give her 15-year-old the party she herself never had as an adolescent. The family pulled out all the stops! A hall, a band, and a DJ were hired, the girl chose a pink froth of a dress, she, her damas, and her chambelanes (including her two brothers) took lessons for weeks in how to dance the vals, the family and neighbors prepared enormous quantities of food for the guests. The night of the Mass and party, everyone was smiling, laughing, hugging, kissing, and dancing. You would have thought that the family had never had a serious problem. If you are invited to a quinceañera, as many foreigners are, that is the visible, public face of the family. You won't know any other reality.

The mother of this quinceañera was our housekeeper. Over the course of several years, we had heard the family's many woes. The father, an alcoholic who severely abused both his wife and his sons. The older son, a secondary-school dropout who worked occasionally as an albañil. The younger son, age 8, the family caretaker who tried to protect his mother from his father's physical abuse. The daughter, a primary school dropout. Within a month of this coming-out party, the daughter disappeared with her new boyfriend--pregnant. The cycle began to repeat itself: he drank heavily, beat her, locked her in his mother's house, refused to allow her mother or brothers to see her, etc.

Naturally these situations are not unique to Mexico. Just don't be fooled into thinking that 'Mexican family unity' is anything but a lovely facade. The truth lies beneath the surface, and you may never see it.

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More Liana could not agree with you more. Another excellent post.

Weather... many extremes from snow to weeks of 100 F days and high humidity in a country where few Mexicans have heating or cooling. If anything more Mexicans suffer from weather extremes than Americans or Canadians simply due to lack of indoor temperature control. Even as close as Guadalajara there are many very cool nights and the concrete structures get cold and stay that way for some time. Here in SMA neighbours have no doors, no running water, take cold sponge baths, use outhouses and suffer greatly.

I see the same family dynamics here as one sees NOB "enhanced" by a male macho attitude. Daughters as you say often ends up in the same situation as their mother and the sons following in their father's footsteps. Poverty then compounds the situation making it worse. I am very connected to the Mexican culture through my wife and the many Mexican friends and relatives we visit.

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Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that the majority of Mexicans live in the most temperate zones. For example, only 10 percent live in the desert areas along the U.S. border.

Once in a while, the relentless negativism about Mexico of a few people here gets very tiresome. It amazes me that one could have a family and a business here and manage to spend so much time on a message board posting doom and gloom about one's adopted country. It makes me wonder if one regrets having left Canada and suffers from depression as a result.

I guess all those Mexicans I also see that seem to radiate happiness regardless of their circumstances are just faking it.

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Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that the majority of Mexicans live in the most temperate zones. For example, only 10 percent live in the desert areas along the U.S. border.

Once in a while, the relentless negativism about Mexico of a few people here gets very tiresome. It amazes me that one could have a family and a business here and manage to spend so much time on a message board posting doom and gloom about one's adopted country. It makes me wonder if one regrets having left Canada and suffers from depression as a result.

I guess all those Mexicans I also see that seem to radiate happiness regardless of their circumstances are just faking it.

If you're talking about me, I can't imagine what makes you think I am either Canadian OR depressed. Telling the truth about how things are in Mexico is not being negative. Refusing to look at the truth is simply about perpetuating ignorance.

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I guess all those Mexicans I also see that seem to radiate happiness regardless of their circumstances are just faking it.

Could be and I am also sure there are a lot of mexicans that you haven't met.

One example is the woman who cleans my house once a week. Her sons are still out of work after graduating - and she starts 2012 with not enough work and she has herself, one daughter in school and two recently graduated that she must support. She is a good person. She smiles. She laughs. She takes pride in her work. And yet, underneath all of that, she is sad and worried. Radiating happiness isn't an emotion that I have seen her radiate.

Have you met the parents of the 4 students from the Univ of Guad that were recently killed. Bet their parents aren't radiating happiness.

And the Guad Reporter had an article where as I recall, many people were living on as little as 33 pesos a day. Bet they aren't radiating happiness.

Maybe radiating happiness isn't what you really meant to say.

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If you're talking about me, I can't imagine what makes you think I am either Canadian OR depressed. Telling the truth about how things are in Mexico is not being negative. Refusing to look at the truth is simply about perpetuating ignorance.

If you'll read the sequence of posts you'll see that Mainecoons is talking about "Ajijic" who persists in posting negative things, usually using links. It's not about you who are always positive and helpful here.

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No, it what I meant to say. And I stand by my comment. You can find stories like this everywhere and no doubt some folks here, were they living NOB, would be spending much of their time on message boards there posting similar gloom and doom stories. Not obsessing on bad news does not mean one is unaware of same.

If the shoe fits, wear it.

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Maybe the 'doom & gloom' comes from a feeling of being trapped in Mexico; not able to move the family to Canada or to a more recent USA residence in New Mexico. However, I do wish we would see an appropriate screen name, to avoid new readers thinking that the poster is from Ajijic, instead of San Miguel de Allende.

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Some of us do not enjoy all of the personal snipping that the moderator seems to tolerate.

This board has a function that allows you to ignore one or more users posts. That is, the post will stay hidden. If you don't like Ajijic's posts, why not take a minute or perhaps 90 seconds to add him to your list of ignored users.

To add someone to your ignored user list, make sure you are logged on - and click your logon name.

A drop down box appears - and one of the selections is - "manage ignore prefs"

Just click "manage ignore prefs" and then add the user name you want to ignore - and "check posts" - and click "save changes".

It is easy to do. And if you don't read the post, you won't feel a need to respond - and many of us will be spared having to read your personal snipes.

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Mad-Max unfortunately one of the posters and moderator as you know are one and the same. You will notice when one does not agree with him on several topics he gets personal with not only me but others which is totally against his pinned guidelines. Sometimes he then shuts down the thread. The posts do not reflect on me but rather the poster. Also, they reflect on Coldwell Banker who is trying to sell real estate in a not so good market. I am sure Mr. Tingen would not be happy. To the several who have written me privately (and who posted positive comments on another related thread along with Peter's comments a few days ago) I say thanks and yes as you noted a few posters are akin to schoolyard bullies who are unable to post a different opinion without making it personal. Others rally behind knowing the poster is the moderator and they therefore will not be banned.

The last post above by Atlas says it all ... this is entertainmet ... to try and bully, call people names and attempt to intimidate. Again, it only reflects on him and those like him, some hiding behind a screen name or being the nmoderator and in "control".

I also privately asked the moderator, one of the one's turning everything into a personal comment, if a link is preferred vs the article being posted. He did not answer. Most web boards want a link to save space and band width. I was also asked by Francisco another morderator with a lot of common sense not to use anyone's first name so quit doing so. I am happy to follow the "rules" and ask that they be made clear and applicable to all.

I see the same mean spiritedness when Cindy posted about Lost Dogs. Without the facts the holier-than- thou go negative. Similarly here I stated the weather thoughout Mexico has a lot of extremes and that is considered negative? I noted here as have others the Mexican male macho attitude is not all that endearing. Yet, I am the one accused of being negative. Why can one not simply say ... here is another perspective without making it personal? Did anyone attack the person who posted that another Canadian was killed? So, show me all my negative posts vs those simply stating another perspective?

And, no I am not depressed, trapped or any of the other negatives. I am blessed in many ways and this is my "forever" home.

May 2012 be a great year for everyone.

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Perhaps if one was less negative, other posters might not wonder what the real agenda is?

And also perhaps it is time for folks living 4 hours away in quite another part of Mexico to find a local board there to be negative on and stop constantly loading same on this one. :)

I'd say that a nerve has been struck here. :)

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Perhaps if one was less negative, other posters might not wonder what the real agenda is?

And also perhaps it is time for folks living 4 hours away in quite another part of Mexico to find a local board there to be negative on and stop constantly loading same on this one. :)

I'd say that a nerve has been struck here. :)

Board Rules"

Posted 27 April 2010 - 02:22 PM
It seems some of us have forgotten that this board strives to be an informative, useful and interesting place for prospective newcomers, newcomers and old-timers to share information and get their questions answered. It is not here for the purpose of expressing one's personal rancor towards another poster.
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No rancor here from either RV or myself, just a shared observation about several here who seem to have little positive to say about their adopted country. If there's any rancor, I would say that it is in John's post and allegation. Maybe I shiould have used the plural of nerve though. :)

Clearly, though, it is time for this thread to go so I hope an actual moderator will soon close it.

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No rancor here from either RV or myself, just a shared observation about several here who seem to have little positive to say about their adopted country. If there's any rancor, I would say that it is in John's post and allegation. Maybe I shiould have used the plural of nerve though. :)

Clearly, though, it is time for this thread to go so I hope an actual moderator will soon close it.

No = you didn't hit a nerve - it is just that some of the posts appear to be at the level of childish behavior - with all the personal snipes. Guess I am now too in your crosshairs - but hey, I am will take my own advice and use the ignore function -

Geez. Many people I know refuse to post on this board - but got disgusted with the personal snipes - and they didn't have to be personal..

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