Tag Archives: culture

in english

Handling uncertainty

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I hadn't noticed how flexible I tend to be regarding uncertainty, and how much of that is due to my upbringing.  Don't get me wrong: I don't like knowing whether my plans will work either, but I don't let it worry me, since I'm too busy doing those things I can actually do.

Maybe it has to do with growing up in a society where not everything is provided "as is", and you have to learn to improvise as you go.  The problem with Mexicans is that they (we) tend to improvise too much, while others are much more inflexible.

Makes things interesting, that's for sure.

in english

The gap between X & Y

I know that Wikipedia cannot always be taken seriously or as more than a gateway to further original references, but I found this entry that ties in with my previous post.  It attempts to define a gap generation that crosses the chasm between Generation X & Generation Y.  That's exactly where I am, as I was born between 1974 & 1985.

One thing that really struck me is that it mentions that the musical tastes of people in this category tend to match those of Generation X, but their attitude towards life, work and everything else tends to match those of Generation Y.  For most of those issues, I either declare myself guilty as charged or know plenty of people who fulfill that criteria.

Still my largest source of anticipation is how will workplaces cope with the differences in values between those currently about to retire and those currently entering the workforce.  The next 15 years will be very, very interesting.

I recommend to read the articles quoted as sources of the Wikipedia entry.

en español

Racismo y mercadotecnia a la mexicana

En mi clase de francés hoy nos pusieron un ejercicio en el que teníamos que conjugar en imperfecto y pretérito perfecto, para lo cual usaron un texto del cuento de hadas clásico de "Ricitos de Oro".  No pude dejar de acordarme de la publicidad de un shampoo para niños que no sé si aún exista que así se llamaba, cuyo anuncio en televisión tenía una canción bastante pegajosa que decía:

Ricitos de oro mamá
ricitos de oro papá
un tono rubio me da
y yo no vuelvo a llorar…

Como la conjugación ya me salía, mi mente empezó a divagar, y me puse a pensar "¿qué fregados tiene que ver que el niño no llore con que el shampoo le aclare el pelo?".  Alguna vez había leído algunos artículos donde los autores se quejan de que en la televisión mexicana los comerciales, las series y las telenovelas siempre tienen actores de tez clara y facciones de origen europeo, aunque la mayoría de la población sea mestiza y no corresponda con esos cánones de belleza.  Por eso en México se vende tanto tinte, y hay tantas cirugías de nariz.

Lo más raro del asunto es que ni siquiera nos damos cuenta del racismo que existe en nuestra sociedad cuando la palabra "indio" puede ser usada como un insulto, aunque la mayoría de la población tenga al menos algo de eso.

in english

French & Belgians

I have had very nice French co-workers in Finland, but I was surprised, after living in Brussels, how different is the Parisian temperament to that prevalent here.

First of all, the service tends to be very rude (which is, of course, something I'm sure you've heard before).  However, the good news was that I didn't have many problems speaking French.  Either my pronunciation has improved or they have gotten more used to foreigners badly mangling their language.

I was also really surprised, given that my co-workers were so easy-going, to confirm that Parisians tend to be rather proud.  That is quite a difference from Brussels, where people tend to be really easy-going, and a little bit on the humble side.

en español

Ahorita extrañé chilangolandia

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Estaba buscando otra cosa y me acordé que van a ser casi 2 años entre mi última visita y la posible próxima vez que esté en México, y en concreto la Ciudad de México otra vez.  Me dió un poquito de esa nostalgia que normalmente no me da, dado que ya llevo bastante fuera, y la verdad es que sí estoy bastante acostumbrado.

Creo que este video ya lo llegué a enlazar alguna vez, pero ahora hasta la letra les pongo.

Mi Ciudad

Mi Ciudad
Intérpretes varios (Guadalupe Trigo, Lola Beltrán, Luis Miguel)

Mi ciudad es chinampa
En un lago escondido
Es cenzontle que busca
En donde hacer nido
Rehilete que engaña la vista al girar

Baila el son del tequila y de su valentía
Es jinete que arriesga la vida
En un lienzo de fiesta y color

Mi ciudad es la cuna
De un niño dormido
Es un bosque de espejos
Que cuida un castillo,
Monumentos de gloria que vela su altar

Es un sol con penacho y sarape veteado
Que en las noches se viste de charro
Y se pone a cantarle al amor

Por las tardes con la lluvia
Se baña su piel morena
Y al desatarse las trenzas
Sus ojos tristes se cierran

Mi ciudad es la cuna
De un niño dormido
Es un bosque de espejos
Que cuida un castillo
Monumento de gloria que vela su altar

Baila al son del tequila y de su valentía
Es jinete que arriesga la vida
En un lienzo de fiesta y color

Es un sol con penacho y sarape veteado
Que en las noches se viste de charro
Y se pone a cantarle al amor.

in english

Differences between Belgians and Dutch

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  • Dutch tend to be louder, Belgians more subdued.
  • Dutch humour is in-your-face, Belgian humour is sarcastic-rebellious.
  • Dutch tend to be protestant, Belgians tend to be catholic.
  • Dutch like salmiakki (salt licorice), Belgians don't know it.
  • Dutch diet includes more frituurs, Belgian diet has more vegetables.
  • When speaking Dutch people in the Netherlands pronounce the G's like Spaniards and the R's like Americans, Belgians just speak with interesting and varied intonations. Or as they say, in Belgium Dutch is a language, in the Netherlands Dutch is a throat disease.
in english

Doing business in Mexico

A French friend of mine who worked for Air France Cargo in Mexico told me the following anecdote.

"When I started working, my boss told me: "Boy, there is a phrase that summarises what it is like to do business here: "Seguro mañana te pago" (loosely translated to "I'll pay you tomorrow for sure").  Once you understand these four words separately and what they mean together, you'll understand what it is like to work here"."

I couldn't stop laughing, not only at the phrase, but at the fact that it's actually very true and shows quite a few things of the typical Mexican psyque.

in english

Tips for Partying with Chinese

This is how the morning after a good party should look like
This is how the morning after a good party should look like

These observations at least apply to my friends from school and other previous situations.

  • They don't drink a lot of alcohol (has to do with lack of an enzyme needed for processing it).  So don't invite them to a happening where people will get inebriated.
  • They don't necessarily like dancing, and the further they've grown up away from the larger population centres, the less familiar they will be with Western pop.
  • Take time to build a relationship with them.  That way they will actually come to the parties you organise.
  • If the situation involves food and cooking, be sure they'll be there.
suomeksi

Tarina peilissä

Sattumaisesti törmasin Ulrikaan blogiin eilen.  Hänen tarina on niin kuin peilin toisella puolella: suomalainen nainen joka muutti Meksikoon.  On tosi mielenkiintoinen lukea minkäläisiä kokemuksia hänellä on ollut siellä, kun tiedän miten minulle sujui Suomessa, ja miten olen kasvannut sen jälkeen.

Hyvä oli lukea että molemmat voimme sanoa, että perisuomalainen- ja a la mexicana tavailla on hyvät ja huonot puolet, mutta tärkein on ottaa vaan parhaat palat niistä.