Distinct to your home country
It is a mixture of many elements
Photo by Jorge Aguilar on Unsplash
The culture of Mexico is a consequence of time. A national identity was born as a result of two distinctively different cultures, native and Spanish, slowly homogenizing over time.
Although Mexican culture is broadly shared by most living here, individuals are influenced by more than just common traits and customs in Mexico. Family, gender, religion and social class also need to be taken into account.
Because of this, Mexico again finds itself today with two unique splintered cultures. One is swiftly ushering contemporary life in cities of Mexico that resembles the United States and Europe. The other, mostly concentrated in Provincia, is more conservative and is struggling to preserve traditional Mexican customs.
Common culture in Mexico
1. The official language is Spanish
Spoken by 80% of the population
A fourth of the population speak Nahuatl
Mayan is spoken by 14% of the populatiom
Another 7% speak Mixteco and Zapoteco
2. Greeting Etiquette
It is customary to greet women with a kiss on the cheek. It is hard to get used to and I personally find it weird to go around kissing people I just met on the cheek. I usually don’t practice this behavior until I have met the person at least a couple of times. And even then, it is still weird.
A handshake is more than sufficient when meeting a male. You can throw in a hug if you are really acquainted or have not seen each other for some time.
3. Religion
Mexico is a secular state
Roman Catholicism is Mexico's main religion
Practiced by more than 90% of the population
Second largest number of Catholics after Brazil
Idols are important
There is a saint for everything from criminals to travelers
La Santa Muerte is becoming more popular
You will find shrines all over Mexico City
Machismo is alive and well in Mexico
Let me explain my significance of masculinity before getting into more detail about it because it takes a different meaning in Mexico. Personally, I see it as a strong support system that family members can count on when looking for guidance.
I do not use it as a tool to intimidate others or to impose my will onto others because that does nothing except make me look weak. I guess this behavior is common among individuals who are unsure about themselves.
The latter is the type of masculinity you will encounter while living in Mexico. You will notice it, believe me, you will notice it. Especially if you look a bit “different”. For instance, there is a trend in Mexico I find very disturbing and I still struggle to wrap my head around what purpose it serves.
It probably won’t catch your eye at first because you will most likely brush it off as fashion. But it will become evident. What is this trend? Okay, here it goes. It is "their idea" to somehow relate the showcasing of male cleavage with masculinity. In what world is this okay?
Men here have made wearing half buttoned dress shirts part of the culture in Mexico. I really don’t know why this behavior is widely accepted, but I do not agree with it. They go around proudly showing their taco meat on their chest. Weird, right?
Even crazier is that it is common behavior in Mexico clearly visible in both big cities and small towns here. There is no age requirement and you will find all ages doing it. I think it has to do with a Mexican male's conviction that they can get any girl, anytime, anywhere. Duh?
And by the way, expect "cat calling" when the showing off of chest hair does not work. I’ve read that these remarks should not be taken seriously or seen as harassment because they are a sign of machismo. No one should ever be subjected to this behavior or accept this type of conduct towards them.
Once you do, you will open yourself up to more mistreatment. Machismo in Mexico is considered part of a man’s image and nothing should be allowed to tarnish it. Even if it means violence.
Being rude is becoming the norm in Mexico
I was taught not to talk back and to always respect my elders. All it took was a look from my parents and I would shake in fear. The power of the chancla.
Today, I see all the opposite going on in Mexico. Repeating the mistakes that led to the breakdown of society in the United States.
The younger generation is being raised as entitled. They no longer ask for things with “Please” or respond with a simple “Thank You” after someone does something for them.
I ask, why has our vocabulary usage been eroded to abbreviations? Everyone, from politicians to celebrities, have embraced this troubling way of expressing ourselves.
How about you just say what it means and stop cutting off words, like saying the Greatest of all Time instead of the GOAT. It is accepted as “normal” here in Mexico, but mostly in major cities.
You will find life in Mexico is full of fresas saying things like porfis, porfas, que oso, o sea, wey and so forth. Words that were unheard of 10 years ago. Usually more common among young individuals who want to put themselves out there as different.
I do not think that cutting off words is somehow going to save you from the stereotypes of Mexicans. You should embrace your history and show the world what you and only you are about. Not the image you want to reflect onto others.
Work culture in Mexico
Working in an office in Mexico will be different than what you are used to. For instance, did you know that working hours in Mexico are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. with a 2 hour lunch from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m?
Another difference is that the work week is Monday through Saturday with only Sunday off. I know what you are thinking. How in the world am I going to work on Saturdays? Take a breath and relax because most office jobs do not force you to work on Saturdays. It is more administrative to figure out salaries owed.
I also found that most employees never get to work on time. Some companies will have a “tolerance” of 15 minutes to discourage this behavior. Be careful if you agree to this because some jobs will try to dock your pay for the day even if you worked.
Besides being late to work, it is also customary for individuals to enjoy a 2 hour breakfast break before starting to perform their duties. OK, you caught me, an hour is wasted on breakfast and the other hour on greeting everyone with a kiss.
Furthermore, you will find that titles are important when addressing someone in Mexico. You probably will not be used to this, but anyone who has a college degree expects for their field of study to be mentioned before their name. For instance, someone with a business administration degree expects to be called a Licenciado.
I guess it gives them a false feeling of superiority by thinking that some title gives them a higher status. I am not superficial and do not judge people by their cover. Instead, I want to see what they bring to the table and earn my respect.
While on the subject of work culture in Mexico, you should know that everyone here wears suits, even the trash guy. Sorry, just kidding about the trash guy, an inside joke I share with my wife. I dress casual when in the office and wear jeans on Fridays. Otherwise the lack of a cooling system will have me swimming in sweat.
Also consider the possibility that some individuals will feel threatened by you and they might try to intimidate you through belittlement. Please do not let this happen. You can choose to shut them down by stating any fact you think they should be embarrassed about, like you making more than them, but that can lead to more friction.
Holidays and festivities in Mexico
Fiestas ravage Mexico City neighborhoods every weekend. It can happen in a tarp placed in the middle of the street with no regard to the flow of traffic or in a Salon de Fiestas rented with borrowed money.
Two must haves at fiestas are a traditional piñata and a priest. The piñata is to entertain the kids and the priest is to bless……well……I really do not know what the priest is blessing. I guess it is the people, the food. I really do not know.
I mean, at a Quinceañera I can see why a priest is needed, but I do not see the need for a priest at a child’s birthday party. Sometimes I wondered if the priest was there to take confession because seriously, most are just Catholic in name.
In April, Semana Santa is celebrated. Mexico City completely shuts down for two weeks. However, most working folks only get 2 days off, the Thursday before Good Friday and Good Friday itself.
Anther misconception and contrary to most beliefs is that Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day. It’s not even considered a national holiday. I mean, why is it important to celebrate the day you stopped the French from advancing to Mexico City? It's not like Mexico was just saved from losing its independence.
The actual Dia de la Independencia is celebrated on the 16th of September. There are big celebrations across all of Mexico on the eve of the 15th. The Zocalo in Mexico City gets very lively as people from everywhere show off how proud they are of their Mexican heritage. It is really beautiful.
It gets all decked out with patriotic decorations and fireworks are set off at 11 p.m. No division is shown that day, at least for one day everyone is equal.
I think that everyone should be part of this event and share the experience at least once. A little advice though, lines can get very long and capacity can reach a maximum way before 11 p.m. Make sure to come early so that you can enjoy the festivities.
The most important holiday, in my mind, is December 12th. It is the official birth date of La Virgen de Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico. Individuals come from all over the country to visit La Basilica of Guadalupe.
Some come in cars, others in bikes and some even make the journey walking. It all depends on the promise you made to La Virgen. An offering is usually made by Mexican citizens to La Virgen de Guadalupe in return for help with solving some problem. The same process that one goes through for La Santa Muerte.
One annoying thing from this cultural custom in Mexico is all the people everywhere. They sleep on the street and you will find trash scattered all over Mexico City after they leave. Anticipate that fireworks always accompany pilgrims through their journey to the Basilica.
Because of all the mayhem going on, schools around the Basilica usually close down for the day. You will see why If you go out on this day, frustration will overtake you as the idea of crossing La Villa becomes impossible. Best to just watch the festivities from the comfort of your own home.
Since we live about 10 minutes from La Basilica de Guadalupe, a plus for us this year was not being woken up by fireworks in the middle of the night. Whoopee!
A changing culture in Mexico
Life is dynamic in Mexico, and in turn, paves the way for change. Although it's not always welcomed. I have noticed over the years living in Mexico that certain customs are slowly being lost or are changing.
One in particular is posadas. I really enjoyed the nine-day celebration that re-enacts Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem. They take place from the 16th to the 24th of December. Each day celebrated is to remember a value: humility, strength, detachment, charity, trust, justice, purity, joy and generosity.
During this time, neighbors go door to door singing and carrying candles asking for shelter. Once they are let in, the party begins. The food that is served is delicious, from pambazos to the dishes of seafood. I personally love drinking the punch, it is flavorful. Even more so with tequila.
A seven point star representing the 7 cardinal sins is broken by a blindfolded individual, re-enforcing the fact that faith can defeat sin. All the goodies in the pinata represent the goodness of God for overcoming temptation.
Dia de los Muertos is also being replaced with Halloween. In no way are they anything alike. Dia de los Muertos is celebrated November 2nd to honor those that have died. While Halloween is a Celt tradition celebrated on October 31st to ward off spirits so as to not destroy their harvest.
You will find ofrendas decorating parts of Reforma side by side with kids in costumes asking for their calabera. It really brings an euphoric feeling to me.
A tradition I had not seen since childhood that most people no longer observe in Mexico is Dia de los Reyes Magos. It is celebrated on January 6th.
Balloons with letters are released into the air and hay filled shoes are placed outside the door the night before. Kids wake up to find gifts in their shoes instead of the hay.
Families with small children usually gift them clothes and necessities on Christmas. While giving them toys on Dia de los Reyes Magos.
A Rosca de Reyes is part of this celebration and is a custom that is going nowhere. It represents the infinite love of God and symbolizes the crown of the kings.
Several baby Jesus' are placed inside the rosca in hiding. The persons that find the babies buy tamales on February 2nd, El Dia de la Candelaria.
Leave your mark
The wonderful reality is that even though culture is constantly changing it is also a combination of behavior that individuals just like you have left behind.
We contributed by making new traditions with friends. For instance, every Thanksgiving I take pumpkin pies to the office to enjoy together during lunch. A few weeks before Thanksgiving the reminders grow louder to not forget the pies.
Unfortunately, not all habits are good. You can obtain a copy of my guide for help about living in Mexico or get a glimpse from reading my post on what to expect from individuals with bad manners.
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