los muchachos

Although there are many stories I could include at this point, I´ve chosen to focus on one cultural aspect of Mexican life that I wasn´t exactly expecting: the men. We´ve been talking in class a lot about el machisimo, which is the idea of pride and macho personalities that is stereotypical of hispanic men, but is actually very prevelant in daily life here. Domestic violence is a huge problem, but not one that is very openly discussed in mixed company. It´s not so much the beat to a pulp sort of image you get in the U.S., but more of a slapping around to assert possession and power. (Note: none of this is from experience with my host family, merely class discussions and other observations.) Oftentimes, men see their wife´s job or other friends as potential hotspots for infidelity, and sometimes even prohibit their spouses from working outside of the home because of this fear.

But behind these tangible examples is a mindset that drives so much of the culture. Marriage, or even a committed dating relationship, is not necessarily a binding contract. Even when we are out dancing or just hanging out with some mexican guys our age that we met at the university, the idea that many of us have boyfriends or girlfriends is not seen as important to them, or at least not a reason to not get hot and heavy with someone else. It´s a mindset that if I want something, then there is no reason I shouldn´t be able to get it. I´m still working out why this happens and the larger implications for mexican society, but it´s a question that I don´t think is going to have an easy answer.