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Día de los Muertos

The Day of the Dead is a traditional Mexican celebration of departed souls that takes place on November 1 & 2. It is believed that, during this time, souls may return to Earth for a brief reunion that includes food, drink, and remembrance (Day of the Dead).

Many are familiar with this celebration but know little of its historic roots. This celebration dates back 3,000 years to the Aztec people. The festivities lasted a month and were led by the goddess Mictecacihuatl, known as the Lady of the Dead (Britannica). I highly recommend doing your own research into ancient Aztec mythology and it reveals a lot of why Mexicans have the values, customs, and celebrations they do today!

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Looking to practice your Spanish?

I recommend watching the following tv show episode in Spanish. The show is about a Mexican screenwriter in L.A. who falls out with his family and gets a divorce. Meanwhile, in Mexico, a woman who sings at restaurants thinks her boyfriend is going to propose to her but it's revealed the ring is for the woman he is cheating on her with. It ends with the screenwriter in Mexico visiting the same place the woman is.

English subtitles are provided but I suggest watching without so you can test your knowledge and see how much Spanish you understand. Enjoy!

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Mexican Art History

An important part of any culture's history is the art created by its people now and centuries ago. As long as 2,000 years ago, painting has existed as an art form in Mexico (SRE). Architecture, sculpture, and paintings in books and ceramics are representations of the culture of our ancestors.

We have access to paintings depicting ancient Mayan life such as those in the murals of Bonampak which are around 1,200 years old (SEC).

After the Mexican Revolution, art took a shift and gained inspiration from the Mexican people. It often depicted laborers, miners, and farmers. There are also many famous Mexican artists such as José Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, and of course, Frida Kahlo.

I highly recommend you look into Mexican art history as it is a beautiful step towards understanding the culture.

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To learn more about Mexico's history, I suggest watching the linked video. It covers most major events in this country's history and provides a good understanding of how Mexico's culture took shape.

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An end to a journey

Managing Differences: If I Were to Travel to Mexico

Our journey through the beautifully complex country of Mexico is coming to an end. In past weeks, we have learned about various aspects of the country including its education system, prevalent religions, cultural history, and much more. I’ve learned that I know very little about Mexico and pretty much every other country besides the United States. This isn’t because I didn’t study it in school but rather because it’s virtually impossible to fully understand a culture as an outsider, even when you’re immersed in it.

That being said, it is still completely worth it to make an effort to appreciate other cultures across the world. For this reason, I could see myself staying in Mexico for a week or two and having a successful trip. I imagine my initial reaction to Mexico would be culture shock. It would take time for me to adjust to being in a large city not only because I’d be surrounded by another language but also because I am from a small town and struggle when visiting a large American city. After the initial shock, I would expect to face challenges based on my race and my gender. In previous posts, I discussed Mexico’s history which includes struggles with colorism. I am Mexican African American and while I am not dark-skinned, I do have traditionally Black features. For this, I might experience discrimination or prejudice in a similar way to what I experience in America. I am also a woman and since Mexico has similar gender norms to America, I might also experience difficulties in the academic setting that I would expect to be in or when socially interacting with males.

I won’t only struggle with the perceptions others have of me but also with my own perception of Mexico and its citizens. To communicate effectively, I will need to employ intercultural ethics as a sort of guideline to ensure mindfulness. The first of these components is having respect for others and the norms of their culture. Applying this would take the form of not belittling someone’s beliefs, seeking to understand the reason behind cultural practices, and overall gauging what behaviors are appropriate. Intercultural ethics also includes being self-responsible. This means taking accountability for our own actions. So, if I were to insult someone when visiting another country, I should take responsibility for having offended them and apologize. While this may seem like common sense, it’s important to consider because the last thing you want to do is upset someone while taking advantage of their hospitality.

Another essential component to intercultural ethics is to seek commonalities in goals, hobbies, and personality traits. This is important because it requires you to strip away cultural differences and focus on the similarities. If I were planning a trip to Mexico, I would consider the different groups I should seek out. Studying in Mexico means I would be with other students around my age with interests in the social sciences. I could find cooking classes for tourists or research Catholic non-profit organizations because having a passion for cooking and being Catholic are great ways to connect with others.

While I likely will not be able to travel to Mexico any time soon, I can still find a way to connect with Mexican culture in the United States. One way I will engage with Mexican culture is by visiting a Hispanic Cultural Center to listen and learn from others. I will continue to practice my Spanish and try speaking to native speakers in my family and out in public. I could also try one of the numerous authentic Mexican restaurants and stores that sell traditional foods in my area. In the end, the simplest thing I can do is to genuinely appreciate that I am Mexican and that my ancestors lived in a culture that values family and loyalty and has survived centuries of hardships.

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If you could visit any country, where would you go?

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What is your favorite memory from elementary school? What do schools practice in your country that might seem weird to outsiders?

Photo by note thanun on Unsplash

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Education in Mexico

For most Mexican students, public education is free, mandatory, and secular. Children between ages 3-5 must attend preschool or jardin de los ninos. Grade levels are similar to those in the United States as students 6-12 years old attend primary school, those 12-15 years old attend junior high, and 15-18 year olds go to high school (Grade Levels). Over 90% of children in Mexico attend primary school (Education Attainment). However, this number decreases with higher level of education as only 45% finish secondary school (Education Statistics).

In Mexico, the school year begins in late August and lasts until early July. Schedules vary but most public schools begin the day at 7:30 a.m. and end around 1:30 p.m. (Education System). Some schools offer afternoon sessions which begin at 2:00 p.m. and end at 6:30 p.m. There are also evening sessions that begin at 7:00 p.m. and end at 9:00 p.m. Students go to school 5 days a week and have two weeks off in the spring and in the winter. They also have a summer break which is months long. The typical school day for a child in primary school is similar to what many Americans’ experience as there is time for recess and creative activities like drawing. An essential part of primary education is reading and writing so children will spend a good part of the day doing so in Spanish (Handbook).

Education after high school takes the form of universities, technological institutes, and teacher training colleges (Handbook). 33% of high school graduates continue on to college which is an increase compared to earlier years (Education Statistics). Only 32% of these students complete their degree. There are four major barriers to obtaining a quality education in Mexico including poverty, indigeneity, gender inequality, and shrinking education budgets (Barriers). A large issue is that even if a Mexican receives a degree, they still might perform badly on reading literacy and math and science tests. A lot of awareness has been raised around the issue and improvements are being made. However, until these four issues are addressed, it is unlikely that the quality of education will improve.

Topics taught in Mexicans schools are similar to those taught in American ones until a child reaches secondary school. At this time, they can decide to pursue an academic path which will eventually lead to higher education. They could also decide to take a technical or vocational path which focuses on subjects like agriculture, forestry or industry. Both paths include topics of Spanish, mathematics, various sciences, and an optional foreign language like English. Some subjects are state-specific as they relate to historical or environmental aspects of that area.

Overall, I think from the above discussion it might be easy to assume that education is not valued in Mexico. This assumption is unfair as we are not viewing it from the right cultural context. Even if education does not have as much importance in Mexico as it does elsewhere, it should not be seen as a negative thing. I look at this as quite interesting as it differs from my experience as a Mexican American. My parents and grandparents have always put education first, which makes sense because education is essential in America. Learning about and seeking to understand Mexico’s education system has only added to my knowledge of the country and its people!

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What has been your experience with healthcare services in other countries?

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

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Healthcare Contexts in Mexico

The majority of Mexicans utilize biomedicine and pharmacology practices. An additional belief system practiced primarily by indigenous, rural, or poor areas, is folk medicine which is a mixture of supernatural, religious and holistic perspectives (Health Beliefs). These culturally complex beliefs have influenced illness prevention and treatment. When visiting a hospital that practices biomedicine, patients and doctors will still use prayer, in addition to physiological treatments, as a tool to fight off illness. Common practices used by those who practice folk medicine include humoral imbalance, empacho, envidia, and susto (Traditional Practices). Another practice is mal de ojo or evil eye which is when someone looks at you with jealousy or negative intentions. This causes fatigue, severe headaches, and sleepiness. The remedy is passing an egg over the body of the person and having them sleep next to it. I remember my Grandma doing this to me when I experienced these symptoms as well as a fever. She did it just to be safe as I had already taken cold medicine.

Mexican culture’s view of death is like most of the world’s in that they mourn those who have passed away, but that’s about it. They are very different because they see death as a means for celebrating that person’s life. This is largely because most Mexicans are Catholic and believe in an afterlife. If they believe their loved one died and is now in heaven, why would they not have reason to celebrate? Funerals in Mexico usually take the form of 24–48-hour vigils where family and friends gather to pray, practice Catholic mass, and share memories before they bury their loved one (Mexican Funeral). Mexicans are also exposed to death from a young age (Embracing Death). I thought this was interesting as many Americans think it is wrong to discuss death with children or even teenagers.

If I had a friend who was considering taking a job with a non-governmental organization providing healthcare services in Mexico, I would have a few bits of advice for them on how to communicate effectively with the people there. The first would be to read up on folk medicine. I imagine this friend would be visiting areas of less population so they would encounter people who believe in supernatural, magic, or religious remedies. I think understanding their perspective might help you collaborate with them when it comes to treatment. For example, illnesses like stomachache or indigestion are thought of as a dislocation and called empacho (Traditional Practices). It is usually treated by rubbing oil on the stomach or pinching the spine. If my friend was aware of this, they could approach the patient proposing to both pinch their spine and prescribe them something like omeprazole for a short time. I am sure this sounds easier than it is but hopefully, they can adapt as they go. Another thing I would recommend they do is seek to understand the Mexican view of death. It might seem weird to an American that the family of the deceased is celebrating the day after the death. Of course, this is normal in Mexico and is a form of coping. Overall, my advice could be summed up as recommending the practice of cultural competence.

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Tips for Traveling in Mexico on Business

If you are planning on traveling to Mexico on business but are not familiar with the protocol & etiquette of the country, we have compiled the best tips for you! It’s important to understand the appropriate behavior for professional contexts to prevent offending anyone and to optimize your experience! We touch on many areas lightly so make sure to do some more research. If you are ever not sure what to do when greeting or interacting with a business partner from Mexico, it’s better to ask than to guess and risk conflict or confusion. Without further ado, let’s dive into Mexican etiquette!

Greetings:

If you are meeting a business partner for the first time, your relationship will be formal at the start. Address them by their title and first surname (their second surname is their mother’s maiden name). You can start using their first name when they invite you to do so (Formal Greetings). If you speak Spanish, be sure to use the formal ‘usted’ and not the informal ‘tu’ when speaking to others in a business context. Most greetings are a simple handshake. With time, it might turn into a hug between two men or a kiss on the cheek between women. At the beginning of the meeting be sure to share your business card which can be in English and should include your professional credentials and title.

Conversation topics:

After everyone has introduced themselves, you should prepare yourself for quite a bit of small talk. Before discussing business, Mexicans will talk about casual things such as the weather, culture, food, the city, and recent events (Small Talk). The conversation might even get personal as it is not unusual to discuss family and other emotional topics in professional settings. To ensure that you can uphold a conversation, I recommend researching the area you are visiting, famous figures in the area, popular sports like soccer, and suggest learning a few simple phrases in Spanish. You can also expect to be asked about the country you are from.

The last thing to keep in mind is that Mexicans use indirect language. They are hesitant to use the word ‘no’ so they might say yes and not mean it. To avoid misunderstandings, it’s best to make assumptions off of nonverbal behavior and consider the contexts. The best tip is to follow the flow of the conversation, show appreciation, and be prepared to talk for a long time!

Professional appearance:

The dress code for professional and business contexts is usually always formal. Men are expected to wear dark suits and a tie. Women typically wear conservative suits, blouses and skirts, or dresses (Dress Code). It is better to be over-dressed than under-dressed.

Gift-giving:

Gifts are not required but are seen as a nice gesture. Our advice is to keep it simple. Giving something of great value might be offensive so stick to small, considerate gifts (Gifting Norms).

Acceptable Gifts:

Something with your company logo on it.

Wine

Chocolate

Flowers (ask Mexican florist what is appropriate).

Souvenir from your country.

Inappropriate Gifts:

Silver (they place high value on these products).

Yellow Flowers (symbolize death).

Purple Flowers (intended for funerals).

Red Flowers (some see these as used in witchcraft).

Potential challenges:

Schedule: If you are from America, you might struggle to adjust to the Mexican business schedule. The workday may begin at 9:30 or 10 a.m. and end at 8 p.m. or later (Business Customs).

Mealtimes: During the week, many follow a five-meal schedule for mealtimes. The times and descriptions are below.

Desayuno-fruit or pastry before work at 7 to 9 a.m.

Almuerzo- something heavier like eggs or a local dish at 10:30 to 11 a.m.

Comida-heavy lunch or full meal at 2 p.m.

Merienda-evening snack

Cena-light dinner after 8 p.m.

3. Productivity: Mexicans and Americans view productivity in business meetings differently. Americans prioritize following a specific schedule, discussing tasks, and coming up with a business plan to follow. In Mexico, you’ll have to be patient in order to get down to business. Entire meetings can be spent on small talk, which is important as they value interpersonal relations over completing tasks within a certain amount of time (Business Customs).

Mexican Employees:

If you hire someone from Mexico, here are some strategies you can use to help your new employee and your existing employees navigate differences in cultural expectations.

Attitudes toward work: Mexicans have a very strong work ethic as Mexico has the longest average working weeks at 41.2 hours (Cultural Atlas). However, this does not mean that they have the highest productivity. Your Mexican employee may have a hard time adjusting to the structure of meetings, fixed schedules, and hard deadlines. Our advice is to make your expectations clear and communicate with them often, so they understand why something has to be done by a certain time.

Decision-making: In Mexico, decisions are hierarchal and the time in which they are made is flexible (Cultural Atlas). If you want a decision made by a certain time, let them know. As a higher employee, they might also ask for your opinion as they value and respect authority.

Conflict management: Your Mexican employee is likely comfortable with using indirect communication, values social harmony, and avoids confrontation. These qualities do not often lead to conflicts but when they do occur, we recommend using simple communication skills. Mexicans commonly express their emotions and get personally involved with their coworkers. Use informal talks and/or an intermediary to solve any serious issues (Conflict Management).

Conclusion:

We hope these strategies, tips, and more will help you manage and cultivate productive relationships with employees in or from Mexico! To read more about work culture in Mexico, we recommend the following article: https://nnroad.com/blog/work-culture-in-mexico/.

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Nonverbal Messages in Mexico

To address why it’s important to understand the appropriate nonverbal language of a culture when interacting with others from that culture I will refer to a scenario I wrote:

If I planned to meet up with a friend for coffee and they were an hour late, I would begin to worry something bad had happened or even leave the café after 30 minutes of waiting. If the same friend kept standing really close to me and held direct eye contact for a prolonged time, I would either feel uncomfortable or become genuinely concerned for them.

If you are like me, you might agree that a friend exhibiting this behavior is acting out of the ordinary. Showing up an hour later than planned is considered very rude in America as it exhibits disrespect for the other person’s time. Making direct eye contact with someone is acceptable and expected when having a conversation in America. However, if someone maintains eye contact (especially a man with a woman) it might be taken as staring and indicate aggression. This behavior, although peculiar to me, is acceptable and expected in Mexico when interacting with someone you know well (Cultural Atlas). So, imagine if this friend were from Mexico, acted this way, and I called them act for being weird. It would most likely hurt their feelings and cause confusion on both sides. If I had taken the time to consider that my friend might be coming from a different understanding of social interactions, it would save me a lot of worrying. Overall, understanding that people from different cultures will exhibit different nonverbal behaviors is essential to developing healthy relationships with them.

There might be some obstacles when trying to accurately understand nonverbal messages, the biggest being your own personal bias. It can be very difficult to switch our worldview on certain behaviors when we have viewed them in a certain way our whole lives. For example, my sisters and I have always marveled at the way our White friends spoke to their parents. We couldn’t imagine taking such a tone or even speaking back to our mom let alone in front of other people. With time, we came to realize that it is perfectly normal for them to express conflict this way but still would never do the same ourselves.

Paralanguage, such as speed, tone, and facial expressions, in Mexico are based on emotion (Nonverbal Communication). To show that you are engaged in a conversation, you are expected to express your emotions, so the other person knows what you are feeling. This expression does not apply to aggressive emotions or when it becomes impolite to do so (in the presence of others). Another aspect of communication that is different from American culture, is physical touch when greeting someone and throughout the conversation. In Mexico, men greet each other with a kiss on both cheeks and a hug. This is done to show respect and equality. To reject or make fun of this traditional greeting that holds a deep meaning will likely come off as offensive.

Mexico’s collective culture can be seen in their understanding of personal space. Although it varies with situations, Americans tend to keep a good distance from people whom they do not know well or who they aren’t romantically involved with. While we view space as an “I” thing, Mexicans see it as a “we” thing. By this, I mean that Americans feel more comfortable when strangers are at the very least not touching them when, say, on a crowded bus. Mexicans on the other hand feel comfortable when on a crowded bus and don’t mind touching others as much (Space Differences). I think some Americans, like those who live in urban areas, would not feel as uncomfortable in a crowded area or touching strangers as I do. I live in a rural area and being in crowded spaces is a rare occurrence for me. If I visited Mexico, I think it would take a while for me to get comfortable with the acceptable personal space there.

Finally, Mexico is a polychronic culture in that they view time holistically. Unlike America, the pressure is off when it comes to setting and finishing by deadlines. The textbook mentions that people in these cultures view time as having the purpose of maintaining harmony in relationships. They also multitask a lot more and are easily distracted by different tasks. Punctuality can have importance in business setting but overall takes on a more relaxed structure (Polychronic Time).

What’s important to consider is that all of the nonverbal norms I addressed are most appropriate when interacting with someone you know and are comfortable with. If you are visiting Mexico, you might have to research acceptable behaviors for tourists or business travelers. Understanding the acceptable norms of a culture you are interacting with is important not only to grow in appreciation of another worldview but also because it could be very dangerous if you disrespect the wrong person. Overall, if I am ever lucky enough to visit another country, I will take careful consideration of the appropriate nonverbal and verbal communication norms so my experience and others’ are as pleasant as can be.

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Here are some common Spanish words and phrases you can reference.

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Verbal Messages in Mexico

The official language of Mexico is Spanish, with around 93.8% of the Mexican population speaking only Spanish and around 5% also speaking an indigenous language (Statista). The most used indigenous languages are Nahuatl and Maya which are endangered because of the marginalization of indigenous groups.

Lingua franca refers to any language that is widely used to communicate among speakers of other languages (Dictionary). Using English as a lingua franca in Mexico will allow you to communicate effectively but only in certain areas. Overall, not a lot of Mexicans speak English with only 12% understanding it and 4% being fluent (How Widely Spoken). For those who are only visiting tourist areas, speaking only English is not likely to cause any communication issues as this is where most English-speaking Mexicans are located. For those who journey outside of tourist or widely populated areas, speaking Spanish to some degree is likely to go a long way as the locals might not understand you. Traveling with an interpreter is also an option to ensure that few misunderstandings take place.

I know quite a few common Spanish phrases. I think a wide range of Americans have been exposed to some commonly used Spanish terms whether it be from movies, media, or hearing people around you speak the language. I am also learning Spanish on a popular language-learning app and find it more efficient than the 3 years I studied it in high school. Knowing these words and several others before you go to Mexico is very important because if an emergency should arise, you would be able to communicate to the majority of the population what you need. Another major reason is to show respect. If you are visiting Mexico and are able to introduce yourself in Spanish I am sure it will come off polite or at least humorous if your pronunciation is off. If someone comes up to you speaking Spanish, being able to say you don’t understand them in their language is a quick way of ensuring they know you don’t speak the language. They might switch over to English and communicate using whatever vocabulary they know. Just knowing a few phrases and words used by the country you are visiting is essential is ensuring your safety and demonstrating cultural competence.

As technology advances so do the methods in which we interpret different languages. I tested Google Translate as a method with a short story written in Spanish called El pájaro y la ballena (The Bird and The Whale). The translation of this story was impressive. The only error I noticed was with gender pronouns as they referred to the whale with both she/he. It might be an easy children’s story, and a very beautiful one, still I was surprised that it translated so well because when I would use Google Translate during my Spanish course it would have a completely different answer from what was written in our books. Many translation technologies have their errors, but I think they serve a meaningful purpose in building a bridge across cultures.

I loved learning about how language influences our view of reality. As someone who has recently realized they know very little about other cultures, this idea adds on another layer to understanding another worldview. A quote from the textbook that stood out to me was that “worlds in which different societies live are distinct worlds, not merely the same world with different labels attached” (Samovar, 2017). When I first read this, I imagined every country as its own planet. When we visit these places, even if we know the language and cultural customs, the way in which its citizens think and perceive reality is inherently different from our own views. I love studying psychology and attempting to grasp why people behave the way they do. To ponder the idea that billions of other people on this planet experience emotions and thoughts differently from what I have learned is eye-opening on a deeply personal level. I hope to grow in knowledge of this concept and eventually learn another language to possess another soul.

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Here is a timeline of Mexican History. Can you think of any other important events that are not shown?

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Cultural History

Pre-Columbian Civilizations (250-900 A.D.): This era of time has an important role in modern Mexican values because for centuries these civilizations were seen as something to destroy and now, they can be celebrated. Many Mexicans with Mayan ancestry take pride in that “Mayans had the only fully developed language of the pre-Columbian cultures… produced spectacular art, as well as sophisticated mathematical and astronomical systems” (Pre-Columbian). Current-day Mexicans also take pride in having Aztec ancestry as they were arguably the most powerful indigenous civilization, controlling most of central Mexico until Spain invaded (Pre-Columbian Mexico). There are even research articles studying how ethnic pride can act as a psychological resource against adversity and provide a sense of belonging when adolescents experience change (National Library of Medicine).

Spaniard Hernan Cortes arrived in 1519 & conquers Aztecs in 1521: Spaniards came intending to colonize, enslave, and rape women. They did so which is the reason why Mexicans vary in skin tone. The colonizers also unknowingly brought with them the promise of generational white supremacy which appears in modern Mexico every day. In Mexico, your skin tone can affect job opportunities, the availability of resources, and your education (Colorism in Mexico). When the races of African slaves, native Aztecs, and colonizing Spaniards collided, it created a caste system with whites on top and blacks at the bottom. This system exists today but is not openly acknowledged. I hope one day this diversity brings celebration instead of pain.

Mexican Revolution (1910-1920): The Mexican Revolution was the first of many modern wars. In terms of values, this civil war started with the belief that “La tierra es para el que la trabaja” (“The land is for those who work it”) (Mexican Revolution). This motto is still representative of Mexico’s beliefs. It also led to a new constitution that involved the separation of church and state. It enhanced Mexico’s collectivistic values and at the same time set them up for involvement in World Wars which in turn increased industrialism, politics, and crime to the level that we see it today.