Has it ever gone through your mind the idea of traveling to the beautiful country of Mexico to
learn about its culture? If it has, I am here today to inform you a little about Mexico. More
specifically, I will begin by talking about its culture, I will then share with you some values and
beliefs, and lastly I will talk about some misconceptions that are linked to Mexico. Even though
some of you might have traveled to Mexico before, I can rest assure you that you have not seen
or experienced everything it has to offer. I as a Mexican have had the opportunity of traveling to
different states to learn more about my culture. Although each state has its unique way of
representing Mexican culture, there is a specific tradition that is celebrated the same way
throughout the country.
To begin with my first point, I will talk about Mexican culture and its traditions. One of the most
celebrated holidays is “El Dia de los Muertos” which means the day of the death. November 2nd
is the day when families gather together to remember their deceased loved ones. They do so by
making ofrendas, meaning that they make altars. Not only that, but families also go to the
cementery to spend time there, and decorate the graves. Another important aspect that represents
Mexico is its food. Some of the most common are tamales, tacos, and mole. All these dishes have
in common, chili. A very important ingredient for Mexico and its gastronomy. According to the
article “Gastronomy in Mexico”, the chile is presented in sauces on every table just like ketchup
is in the USA”. Which makes me feel a little ashamed because I am not really good when it
comes to eating spicy foods. But what I am proud of, are the beliefs and values Mexico has
inculcated me with.
On my next point I will share some values and beliefs Mexicans have. One of the most important
values is family and the foundation of it is unity. It does not matter if it’s a get-together, a
birthday party, or any type of celebration, you best believe the whole family will be there. In the
article “Mexican Family Culture” by Judit Covarrubias Garcia she states that family ties are
strong in Mexican culture and have been for centuries. With modernity comes changes, but
Mexican families will always be rooted to tradition”. Which I find to be very accurate, because
no matter how many challenges or struggles we face. Mexican families always find a way to
stick together and push thru. There are many beliefs that come with being Mexican. One of the
funniest and my favorite is the one that says that if you sweep a single person’s feet they will
have bad luck in love. Meaning they will have bad relationships and never get married. Not only
is Mexico known for its unique values and beliefs, but for some misjudgments that are linked to
it.
Finally, I will talk about some misconceptions that are used to describe Mexico. The one I
always hear is that Mexico is unsafe and some people are too scared to go. Although this might
be somewhat true, we can all agree that bad things happen all over the world, not just in Mexico.
Besides, many of the tragedies that happen are related to drug wars, not between regular citizens.
Another typical misconception some people have is that all Mexicans have dark skin. Which I
know I’m probably not one to talk about this but I’m just saying. I have family members that
would probably make you think, “Oh they do not look Mexican at all”, but they are.
