The Most Hated Gringo in the World - 26

It seems that when I have a hankering to harangue I come back to this blog. And, that's Ok. That's what a blog is. It is a venue, an outlet, a diary to say exactly what you want and not care one whit how it offends someone else. After all, a diary or log is your time, your opportunity, your chance to voice what ever it is you want and too bad for those who have a hissy fit when I write something they don't like!

So, trust me when I say, "I can not begin to tell you how much I do not care who thinks I am The Most Hated Gringo in the World" when I write about Mexico.

And so, here we are with yet another exciting installment of The Most Hated Gringo in the World part #26!

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One of the literally thousands of reasons I earned the The Most Hated Gringo in the World, is that I have written in response to the outrageously hyperbolic belief that because Mexico is a catholic nation that they know how to treat their fellow man better and with more respect. These Gringolandians actually believe that in Mexico you will not encounter anything like what I have called Gringo Gouging.

Now, what I have written in the past and for which I earned not only my dubious title but actual death threats (not to mention the foul and fetid name calling), is that when a Mexican merchant sees your Gringo face coming into their shop, rental housing, cabs, construction business, the price suddenly rockets through the roof.

As proof for this little bit of Mexican culture I have offered a conversation I had with a young woman named Erica. She told us, in the privacy of her own home, that she recalls being taught that the Gringo was to be Gouged as often and for as much as is humanly possible. This is the first time I have mentioned her name since all of my detractors, those whose Concept of Mexico is sinlessness with all righteous virtue that rivals Christ Himself, have accused me of lying about this encounter. I mention her now since she has left the country.

Can you imagine what these fruity Gringos would do if they could get their hands on my sources? If they threatened me for quoting these Mexicans, can you imagine what they would do to the sources of the quotes.

I say this because I really want to get through to my readers what they are dealing with in moving to Mexico and getting involved with the Gringolandians. A recent study showed that 1 in 4 Americans are so unbalanced, so off their rocker as to warrant a psychiatric diagnosis and need treatment. How many of those move to Mexico, I would just love to know.

I digress....

My wife just got off the phone with a lovely individual from our new church. We've finally found a protestant church with which to fellowship. They are trying to help us find new rental housing. This person reasserted to my wife not to try and contact this Mexican who has a home for rent because the price would with the magic word "GRINGO" shoot through the roof. In fact, three of the families who are helping us told us the same thing. Let them, Mexican to Mexican, find us housing and work out the rental details lest their fellow Mexican try charging us double the rental price.

Just what is one to say?

There are lessons here:

1. The Gringolandians who want to see me dead for daring to suggest that the angelic Mexican could not gouge a Gringo because in the Land of Milk and Honey Mexico nothing evil dwells........is bonkers! They cannot possibly understand the historical cultural relationship between Gringos and Mexicans. They cannot possibly speak Spanish. They cannot possibly be in their right minds (remember "1 in 4").

2. If you want to live cheaply in Mexico you are going to have to work hard at making contacts with the Mexican community. I am not talking about the Gringos who just recycle the same bi-lingual Mexicans throughout the Gringolandia. I am talking about getting involved in one of the Mexican social Groups which is, by the way, the only way you will ever be accepted as an equal and have them help you not to get ripped off.

3. On so many levels you are going to be deprived of the pursuit of happiness in this country if you don't learn Spanish and learn it well. It is satisfyingly hard but not impossible work. And, the main and most important level upon which you will be affected if you do not learn Spanish and learn it exceptionally well is your pocketbook. You will for however long you live in Mexico be ripped off if you don't.

Remember, Mexico is not paradise. It is just a country with good things about it and some things you might would rather live without.

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Don't forget my new book: A WALK THROUGH MEXICO'S CROWN JEWEL: A Guanajuato Travelogue.