ON MEN, WOMEN AND FAMILY

     In the Pacific Northwest, you can run most errands without having any direct eye contact with anyone if you don't want to. For this reason it took me several days to realize that people here look each other in the eyes constantly. People passing in the streets, shopping in stores, walking along the beach, picking their noses, all stare at each other. Mexicans are excellent people watchers and are not embarrassed about about prolonged eye contact with us, or with anyone.

     Also noteworthy are the public displays of affection. Men and women stroll along the street hand in hand, or just sit for hours and talk while staring longingly into each other's eyes. Making out in public is many teenagers' favorite pastime. They see it as something to do while at the park, or at the store, or waiting for the bus, or waiting for school to start, or waiting to grow old. 

     I can’t help but wonder if all the this PDA has contributed to Mexico’s many small children. Most women of child bearing age are well-dressed in high heals, make up done, hair done and towing at least one small child. High heels and motherhood seem to go hand in hand here. Like a secret status symbol: the younger your kids, the higher your heels. The higher your heels, the more likely you will end up caught in a public display of affection... which leads to more small kids. It's a vicious cycle.  

      Since I'm noticing things, women appear to be procreating at an earlier age than most do back home.  Especially outside of the city women are often seen in groups, taking care of the children together or serving food to their families, or serving food to their pregnant bellies. Men do men’s work: fishing, farming, driving, negotiating and drinking. Women are not branded as second class citizens the way they are in some other countries I’ve been to. But they are noticeably more subordinate and family-centered than your average, liberal, Seattleite Selfie. In short, the duties of motherhood appears to be priority numero uno for most women here.  Most everything revolves around the capital F, Family.