Before you retire in Mexico, read this humorous, practical e-book.
Welcome to Mexico Vistas
Mexico Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Mexico. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
Retire in Mexico and Every Day is Opposite Day: 2 Cultural Differences in Daily Communication
from: Julia Taylor"Yes" means "no." "Now" means "later."
My English student came by at the time of her lesson and
pronounced this carefully rehearsed question: "Will you give me
30 minutes?" I wasn't completely sure that she meant she needed
30 more minutes until the class started or that maybe she meant
she could only stay for 30 minutes.
"Do you want to have class now?" I asked, trying to clarify the
situation while still using English.
"Yes, now," she replied.
"Ok. Come on over," I gestured to my door.
"I have to eat first."
Do you get it? Why did she say "now" when she really meant 30
minutes later? When you first live or retire in Mexico, you
might be confused by this. After 4 years here, I got it right
away.
In Spanish, when someone says "ahorita" they actually mean "in a
bit." My student was using an English word to express a Mexican
cultural concept.
"In English now means right away, like in 30 seconds," I told
her, snapping my fingers to illustrate the point.
Of course this happens to us north Americans when we are
speaking Spanish. Forget whatever impressions you may have left
over from your high school Spanish class. Cultural differences
define the ways things are expressed in Spanish. If someone
tells you they will do something "ahorita" don't hold your
breath. It may take them a few hours to do it.
Another great opposite is "yes" means "no."
"No" is a taboo phrase, and is therefore rarely used in Mexico.
Instead people just say "yes," albeit more vaguely.
"How can this be?" you ask. Let me tell you, it can be a real
shocker when you first live or retire in Mexico. The real damage
comes in when you, as a person from a country where "no" is an
acceptable response, use the poisonous little word. I've flubbed
up on this one many a time and, let me tell you, people's faces
fall. They feel terrible when you tell them "no."
If you want to say "no" STOP YOURSELF. Try to say "yes" first,
then add something that keeps things very vague. If saying "yes"
feels too much like you will have to follow through on the "yes"
then just give lots of excuses, say "thank you" over and over
and leave the "no" out.
At first you will probably feel like you are lying, but if you
KNOW HOW TO 'NO' it will be much more comfortable for you. When
interacting with others tune in to when they are being vague and
take note of the hedge words they use. By observing others you
can build a "no saying" dictionary that will allow you to
maintain good relationships with friends and acquaintances.--jt
About the author:
Julia Taylor has been living in Mexico for 4 years as an
American expat. She shares her extensive cultural knowledge with
those who want to live or retire in Mexico. Visit her website at
http://www.home-sweet-mexico.com to learn more about cultural
differences, safety, making friends, setting up a home, getting
around, and much more.
 |
 |
Other Mexico related Articles
Mariachi Music - Origins
Vicente Fernandez
Do you want to contribute to our site : submit your articles HERE
Warning: file(http://www.searchfeed.com/rd/feed/TextFeed.jsp?trackID=P2127485710&pID=54656&cat=Mexico&nl=5&page=1&excID=) [function.file]: failed to open stream: HTTP request failed! HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
in /home/titanad/public_html/mexicovistas/datas/searchfeed.php on line 8
Mexico Specific links
Mexico News
Mexico cartels paid $4.5 million political bribes: court - Reuters
 WFMY News 2 | Mexico cartels paid $4.5 million political bribes: court Reuters By Isabella Cota | MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican drug cartels paid $4.5 million in bribes to buy protection and political favors in a state run by the country's main opposition party, US court documents said on Friday, as the party leads polls to win ... MEXICO: Thugs Just Want To Have Fun Mexico cartels paid $4.5 mln political bribes-court docs |
TV producer to be sent to Mexico in wife's death - CBS News
 Times LIVE | TV producer to be sent to Mexico in wife's death CBS News (AP) LOS ANGELES — A reality television producer charged with killing his wife while on vacation in Mexico is being sent from California to Cancun to await trial, a spokesman for his attorneys said Wednesday. The attorneys were notified that former ... 2 witnesses back defense theory in 'Survivor' producer's facing Mexican murder ... Ex-'Survivor' producer extradited to Mexico in wife's slaying |
Mexico travel warning increases for US citizens - San Francisco Chronicle
 Latin American Herald Tribune | Mexico travel warning increases for US citizens San Francisco Chronicle AP Police check taxis following an attack on four taxi drivers in the San Bernabe neighbordhood of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon State, Mexico on February 8, 2012. Three taxi drivers were killed and another injured in the attack. More than 40000 people have ... 10 Suspected Zetas Gunmen Arrested in Mexico |
US increases travel warning to 14 Mexican states - Boston.com
 ABC News | US increases travel warning to 14 Mexican states Boston.com The US State Department is recommending that Americans avoid travel to all or parts of 14 of 31 Mexican states in the widest travel advisory issued since Mexico stepped up its drug war in 2006. The department advises against any nonessential travel in ... Travel warning: Violence spreading in Mexico Spring Break Travel Warning: Mounting Drug Violence in Mexico Mexico violence prompts US to expand travel warning |
Mexico's Stocks Close Lower, Led By America Movil; IPC -0.2% - Wall Street Journal
Mexico's Stocks Close Lower, Led By America Movil; IPC -0.2% Wall Street Journal By Anthony Harrup Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES MEXICO CITY (Dow Jones)--Mexican stocks closed lower Friday, pulled down by telecommunications heavyweight America Movil and other blue-chip issues as new obstacles to Greece's bailout -- and some US data ... Mexico Stocks: Bolsa Mexicana Advances, America Movil Drops Mexico's America Movil profit sinks on weaker peso Mexico's America Movil says profit down 36.2 pct in 2011's 4Q, cites peso ... |
