What I have learned from traveling in other countries is that people are pretty much the same everywhere you go--they have the same basic need to survive. The methods and modes of everyday life are the same but done in a different language and are based on different customs.
One country is not "better" or "more advanced" or "more civilized" than another, they are just different. Judging a country by rumors or stereotypes is simply not fair. I believe that you have to live in the country for at least 6 months to fully experience the "life" of that country.
During the past 11 months, after visiting 14 states and over 30 cities in México, I feel that I experienced "life" in Mexico. Here are some of my thoughts that I recorded throughout the year and after I returned to the US. They are not in order, simply a "brainstorm of thoughts".
*I have seen people surviving in conditions in México that would "not be fit for a dog" in the US.
*I have seen people and kids selling or doing whatever they could to make enough money to survive.
*I have been in and seen situations I would never have dreamed of.
*I have been uncomfortable more times this one year than in the entire 45 years of my life.
*I have stayed in very "interesting" hotels and some very nice ones.
*I have become very accustom to taking public transportation (I had never taken a city bus before riding a "Ruta" in Cuernavaca)
*I learned to go slower.
*I learned that if a party starts at 3pm, it really means the guests start showing up at 5pm.
*I learned that I can survive for 11 months without a cell phone and a car.
*I learned that the Mexican people are very genuine.
*I learned that Mexico has the same amount of danger and bad people as the US, you just have to be aware of those areas and people and avoid them (as you do in the US).
*I learned that sometimes unfortunate ideas can get ingrained in a culture and no matter how hard people try to change them, they will stay the same for 100s of years if not forever.
*It is possible to make 'friends for life' in a very short time.
*At times, living in another country can be very, very difficult for a multitude of reasons BUT if you stick it out, can be very, very rewarding!
I could go on and on....
Thank you to all of you for reading my blog, commenting and "experiencing" the past 11 months with me. It was truly a pleasure writing all of these and I am sure I will enjoy reading them all in the future and be amazed (and probably shocked) at the experiences that I had! :o)
The final slideshow is pictures that I feel reflect the 'flavor' of my year (sorry, there are quite a few): http://picasaweb.google.com/regnor11/FinalThoughts#
Coming soon....maybe: Culture shock from being back in the United States
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