I've got family down there and have been there several times. We drove from Amarillo to Acapulco on a three week trip one time - staying in different places along the way. It is a fascinating place with a fascinating history. To me, the contrasts between the USA and Mexico stem in large part from it's history. The Mexican indians were crushed and turned into slaves by the Spaniards. The Spaniards didn't want to work - they just wanted the spoils. The natives had most of their culture and means of making a living stripped from them. Their government has never really come to close to "getting it right" to foster free enterprise and justice for all like in the USA. Some of the bad: 1) cops & gov tend to be crooked which usually means they don't care or help you, but SOMETIMES means they'll draw a bead on you and then you better REALLY be careful. 2) a lot of the poverty is worse than anything you've ever seen in most of the US. 3) pollution can be worse - it's often hard to breathe in Mexico City. 4) petty theft like shoplifting or pickpockets or swiping your suitcase is much worse down there. 5) Gasoline/oil production and all gas stations are controlled by the state and it is more expensive and less quality than in the US. 6) Water quality is nowhere nearly as consistent as in the US. Some of the good: 1) Labor is VERY cheap - haircuts, body work on vehicles, very artistic construction work, anything like that that has a lot of labor in it, is way cheaper than the US. Even health care - we had about 6 family members in to a nice doctor in Mexico City for probably 3 hours. Treated everyone extremely well - spent a lot of time with each person, etc. It was $57 including medicine for everything. Nothing like the US health care that thinks there is no end to what people can pay. And in my opinion, we all got top notch care. 2) Most people there are very friendly and courteous - often they would come up and offer to give directions, etc... And seemed tickled to "show off" what little bit of English they knew. 3) "Family" and family time is very important to most people there - it seemed like more than here in the US - Americans laugh at "lazy Mexicans" and their siestas, but in reality, it seemed like everyone's real focus was relaxing and enjoying each other's company. 4) The bakeries are super - many of them will show off cakes and things that are more works of art than food. In some ways, life in Mexico seems more "real" than the US. Here an afternoon with the kids revolves around Mcdonald's happy meals and a trip in an air conditioned car with headphones and/or the in-car movies on to pick up some bags of Walmart fluff. There, it might be a half mile walk through twisty streets, drinking some corner stand fresh squeezed lemonade and munching on fresh pineapple slices, smelling the taco vendors grilling lamb, pork, beef, etc, etc... The market would have piles and piles of fresh fruit and vegetables just hauled in from the fields, and the guy with the fish stand might have anything from baskets of live crabs to a 6 foot shark still wet from the ocean. I'd suggest traveling down there for a while and stay long enough to really get the feel of it. Scout around different cities and parts of the country. It ranges from desert to rain forest and from mountains to ocean front. It's amazing how varied it can be in just a couple hours of driving. I love the USA, but I also believe most of the folks that complain about illegal immigration don't really have any idea of what Mexican culture truly is all about. If you spend a few weeks/months down there, you'll see what I mean. The more Spanish you know the better off you'll be!
Just my rambling 4 cents worth,
Howard
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