Living In Mexico: Sugar And Spice But Not Always Nice Part 2 By Douglas Bower At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

The simple answer is if you are a Gringo, Mexicans perceive you as having riches galore. You won't miss any of all that money you have just sitting around and getting in your way. Do the well heeled and better educated Mexicans think that? Of course not. But, as none of the current expat guides point out, those moneyed and educated do not comprise the masses in this country. Therefore, if you want to move here, you will always be a target for the beggars.

I know of a couple of beggars in the town where we live that become very offended if you do not hand over your money. One of them, upon being handed ten pesos, get ready for this, has the unmitigated gall to tell you to your face,

"No! I want fifty pesos."

If you think that's brassy, get this one.

There is a woman who the Mexicans tell us owns several rental properties around town. Yet, she spends her days walking up and down the plazas begging money from Gringo tourists. I swear more than one Mexican has told me this story.

I write about this so often because too many Americans cannot seem to realize that Mexico is not America. They have this vision of Mexico as a Concept and not as a Reality. The Concept they have is that living in Mexico is just like living in the U.S. and that Mexicans are really a lot like us—nothing could be farther from the truth. Mexico, so near, yet so different.

There is a dark side to expatriating to Mexico. That's why I write about it. No one else does.

The worse reactions I receive through a deluge of hate mail are from Gringos who think I am casting aspersions on their expat experience. I am not. That is their perception and not my intent.

My motive is to be a harbinger for those planning on moving here in the near future. If they can get it right (learn what to expect, learn Spanish, learn culture), this could turn the tide and perhaps, if we are all lucky, remove the need for the existence of Gringolandias.

Just, maybe!

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