It has been a week since we have written from our recent arrival in Xico. We mentioned we were going to talk some gossip – which we will do.

But first an observation that was inspired from reading my Blogging amigo Steve Cotton’s entry today:

“Courtliness….And it is a trait I long ago associated with the Spanish. A trait that has been inherited — to one degree or other — in the Mexican culture.”

This baffled us as it most assuredly is NOT an inherited characteristic to any degree within the Mexican culture where we live – neither in Xico or Puerto.

Not to stereotype an entire country, but after living here seven years we feel we can write with some authority that rudeness is very much a way of life here. Much of it is thoughtless rather than premeditated, but rudeness it is. Take yesterday for instance.

We do not often venture to Xalapa as the traffic and lack of ease of getting around a very complicated street layout quite simply makes us want to avoid visiting. However there are things that plainly are otherwise unobtainable without heading into the BIG city.

We chose Sunday as the traffic is a bit less; however the shoppers are probably in greater force; which brings me to the point. In spite of visiting U.S. origin outlets like Home Depot, Sam’s Club and Superama (a higher end Walmart, owned by Walmart), where you might expect to encounter a higher-end group of shoppers, the rudeness and inability to manage what we will call proper shopper decorum permeated yesterday’s shopping experience.

Cart management quite simply does not exist in the Mexican lexicon. It is not just that they leave their carts blocking isles; it is as if they setup their carts in blockade fashion with full intent. Most often the operators of these offending carts are nowhere to be found. Of course this allows us a greater freedom to re-park their wayward carts, but it remains oh so frustrating and bewildering as to why they cannot figure out that others might need to pass? Or how simply maneuvering their cart in an orderly manner might help move things along for the collective shoppers.

Then there is the incredible gall of interrupting a conversation with a salesperson. More often than not while in mid conversation the Mexican shopper will simply angle his way in front of you and begin a dialogue with the salesperson as if you simply do not exist – huh?

They cut in line with the clever posture of avoiding eye contact as a means of not taking responsibility for such rudeness. To add to that irony other Mexicans in line do not complain. Apparently this is left up to the very frustrated gringo. We should add that they also use eye contact avoidance to do very stupid car tricks – we have filed that complaint herein several times.

The bottom line is proper shopping decorum left the building or never existed since way before the Calypsos invaded Mexican turf. You will get used to it or deal with bulging veins, most assuredly. This is not to say fighting back a little without much anger hasn’t satisfaction. Yesterday we moved an offending cart straddled across an isle in Sam’s Club noticing approval and a shared frustration from a fellow shopper (a Mexican national at that). Chalk one up for international relations.

Our aforementioned amigo Steve is on a world cruise; something the very green Calypsos would never do – or could we afford – would that be an inclination. We live this cruise vicariously through Steve’s wonderfully written Blog.

We commented back relating to his comment about Mexican courtliness: “Our differing parts of Mexico must be showing. We find the Mexican people particularly rude relating to letting the other guy go, giving way and courtesy in lines etc. Our experience is an ‘every man for himself’ and harsher conduct here in our parts of Mexico; virtually no refined behavior.
Oh and the way they operate their shopping carts! I’ll stop now.”

Now to the gossip which could very well deserve an entry on its own, but we do not like gossip much so it will get a dishonorable mention here: A lot has been written about Mexico cleaning up its baby act. They have improved their population increase numbers dramatically in the last ten years – this is well documented.

But we have to say here in Poor Man’s Shangri-La, in the Hood, the baby production is quite astounding and has to be skewing those numbers. Upon arrival we learned that a large number of the very young ladies are pregnant or sporting a new child – here we are talking children having children in a BIG way.

To really bring it home our very close friends here have a 16 year old son who we have known since he was 9. We well remember the little tag-along chimaco that our now 21 year old son played with early on upon moving here more than 7 years ago.

The boy now has a baby due in July. His new ‘wife’ is living with our friends (his parents) – one and a half more mouths to feed in a small casa supported by one hard working adult. The parents of the expected child are still attending the equivalent of U.S. high school.

Another of our son’s young friends is expecting, another already has a 4 year old. The cute little girl right across the street from us is now living with her ‘husband’; and is currently dealing with a nervous breakdown that has distorted her formerly pretty face. Her mouth has skewed to one-side. She went blind for a time and remains on heavy tranquilizers. We celebrated her 15th birthday just before we headed to Puerto six months ago.

Everywhere we look there are new babies. Mexico has reduced child production from seven something to less than two and a half.

Our friend’s son’s new baby will enter the world with a living great-great grandmother. An all too common circumstance here – do the math – children having children – four generations often living under the same roof. This saddens us. Stay Tuned!