Miss Maps Goes Solo

I only spent about 11 days in Mexico and saw only the smallest part of it, but I still had quite a different experience to the last time I was here.

I actually enjoyed the mañana culture a lot more than I expected. My usual uptight Englishness didn´t seem to get in the way and waiting 45 mins for food to arrive didn´t phase me. Mexico seems constantly half finished, the buildings, the infrastructure, everything. But no-one worries about that, they still lie around on their hammocks in their half built homes without a care in the world. I don´t think anyone out here would stress because they hadn´t cleaned the bathroom, bliss.

The Mexican men haven´t been as intimidating as I expected either. They will always say hello and sometimes go on to ask why I´m on my own and do I want a Mexican boyfriend but they always take no for an answer and generally just want to know more about you. Apart from the ones who are drunk, and a lot of them are.

The Mexican women on the other hand will almost never say hello, they won´t even make eye contact when we pass in the street. I get the impression they don´t have much respect for gringas.

So how do I get in with the locals? This is still something that seems difficult. I did use my salsa on Isla Mujeres though, found the best dancer on the island and danced with him at the hostel. That helped so maybe that is still the way forward.

The past two weeks have been easier than I expected in terms of not so frightening. My time at Poc-Na on Isla was good but I had some very lonely times and having moved on I see that it was like the sixth form common room there, everyone forming groups relating to attractiveness and coolness. Travelling with these 3 guys makes me much happier, I feel at ease with them. I´ve noticed that I´m talking to peopole differently, much softer and more chilled. I´m not interviewing people anymore!

After all the anxieties I´ve realised that the vast majority of people are good and won´t want bad things to happen to tourists. Most people like the fact that you want to see their country.

Over the next few weeks I´m hoping to see some more wildlife in Belize and to see a totally different culture. I´m also seriously looking forward to Tikal in Guatamala. To see the ruins which rise up out of the jungle will be amazing. Tulum was fantastic, to think that the castillo has been sitting on top of that cliff for so many years and endured so many hurricanes is awe inspring.

I´m also looking forward to visiting the markets in Guatemala and learning some more Spanish in Antigua.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, October 23rd, 2005 at 10:11 pm and is filed under Mexico, Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.