MEXICO CITY: WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE THERE?
By Jim Johnston
I must admit I like telling people that I live in Mexico City to see their reactions. Since the place is often described as ‘unlivable’, why does one choose to live here? For anyone following my columns, you know the answers I have given (if not, visit my blog: www.mexicocitydf.blogspot.com). A surprising number of foreigners have chosen to live here, with more arriving daily. I spoke to a few of them to find out why.
Miki Nakai (37), a native of Osaka, Japan, moved to Mexico City in 2001 after several years in New York City. Part of a new wave of young entrepreneurs who are changing the face of the city at a surprising speed, I met her at the Bow Wow Deli, the city’s first gourmet restaurant for dogs (humans are also welcome), which she and her Mexican husband opened in Colonia Roma (Medellin 40, near Plaza Villa de Madrid, www.bowwowdeli.com).
Coming from a big city herself and having lived in New York, her family and friends were not surprised by her move. “They have an image (of Mexico City) as a big
and dangerous foreign city, but for them, there’s not a great difference between New York and Mexico. Some of my friends tried to stop me from moving here. They have a
kind of bad image of Mexico in general. I thought it would be much more inconvenient here, because I had an image of Mexico as a developing country. But in fact, I don't feel any big difference between here, New York, and Osaka, my home town.”
What do you like most about living in DF?
I like Mexicans’ easy-going and very flexible life. I don't need to
be very nervous about time, appointments, etc., because they are
accustomed to any sudden change.
What do you dislike most?
Some Mexican people don't feel bad to give information even
though they are not sure about it. Very frequently it is wrong
information and it makes me sometimes irritated. But Spanish is my big headache, it's very difficult for me
Have you had problems with the air quality?
The first few months I felt the air was smelling like
gasoline, and it gave me light headache. Now I don't feel
anything special.
Have you experienced any prejudice as a foreigner?
Fortunately not. Many foreigners live in Mexico City, so I think the
people are familiar with foreigners.
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Michael Parker-Stainback (39) is a recent arrival (May 2007)who has chosen, surprisingly, to live in the Centro Histórico, an area long disparaged as dirty and dangerous. He is a freelance translator and editor, specializing in art, history and culture. (michael.parker3@yahoo.com.mx)
Why did you come here?
After ten years in advertising in New York I found myself isolated from what had interested me in my youth: language, culture, and Latin America. I’d always dreamed of living in a foreign country, so I left my job and headed to Mexico City, which I knew well, having lived here as a college student.
What do you like most about living in DF?
I love my gracious old apartment in the heart of the Centro Histórico. I can get weepy about living where Moctezuma and Cortés once walked. The Centro is how I imagine Venice was 200 years ago, a fantastic combination of grandeur and squalor, and a magnet for odd souls who like that sort of thing. I’m from the South, so I love the daily courtesies, the señor and señora, the que le vaya bien, the bienvenido, caballero-- interactions here have a gentility that I appreciate. I love the old-fashioned things about day-to-day life here: returnable bottles, elevator operators in uniforms, open markets, outdoor smooching, freshly-prepared foods, hand-cranked printing presses.
What do you dislike?
The two worst things that ever happened to Mexico City are the automobile and the loudspeaker. I detest Mexicans’ addiction to their cars, where they seem to lose their usual sense of courtesy. And the less said about sound amplification on streets and subways, the better.
What about urban problems like danger and pollution?
I take the same precautions here as anywhere I’ve lived: New York, Los Angeles, even San Antonio, Texas. I hail cabs on the street, I walk at night, I trust people I meet until I have reason not to, which is rare. I have been mugged in the U.S., but never here.As for the damage to my lungs, it’s probably no worse than what I’ve inflicted on myself during twenty years in smoky bars and cocktail parties.
Has living in Mexico affected your view of the US?
Living here has offered me the opportunity to see more clearly what we love, as well as lament, back home.
Have you experienced anti-American sentiments?
None with which I don’t agree--just kidding! Seriously, though, the anti-American sentiments I hear are either singularly broad or so politely couched as to be harmless. Mostly, I find Mexicans too quick to admire the United States at the cost of their own culture. How else can you explain Mexico City’s Santa Fe neighborhood, which looks like Houston, Texas exposed to radiation?
Any comments about being gay in DF?
One of the best things about the Mexican character, in my experience, is its live-and-let-live attitude. I feel as free as I did in the US. It pleases me greatly to see the legalization of domestic partnership here.
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I spoke with Jim Saunders (67) and Judy Kugle (58) in Colonia Condesa, where their light-filled apartment is decorated with textiles and art from travels throughout Mexico.
Jim retired from his career in the oil industry and they moved to Mexico City two years ago. The couple had met in Houston in 1994 and soon discovered a mutual love of Mexico, a factor leading to their marriage in 1999. Judy worked as an interior designer with a top architecture firm, and planned to continue in their Mexico City office. Instead, a chance encounter lead to a job teaching design at the American School here. Jim studies Spanish at the University, taking full advantage of the cultural opportunities offered at one of the world’s largest campuses. They both smiled a lot when talking about their life in Mexico City.
How did family and friends react to your move?
Jim: “No one was surprised when we announced we were moving here, since we had both traveled so much in Mexico. I’d thought about New York, Chicago or San Francisco, but Mexico City won; the fact that Judy could find a good job here was one reason. The location is perfect for traveling around the country, and I love experiencing a foreign culture. My Spanish is getting much better, too, which really broadens my view of things. As my daughter said, “I know you are living your dream.” We’re very happy here.
Judy: “I come from an Italian family, and it feels similar in Mexico; big families, big parties, lots of noise. I love going to the markets here; the sense of a traditional culture is still very much alive, although sometimes the center of the city feels a bit too urban for me. The city is much safer than most people think, though. I take taxis on the street, I ride the buses and metro to work, and I’ve never had a problem. Air quality is better than it used to be. I don’t do well in jacaranda season, though, because of allergies; but I always wanted a sexy, cigarette voice, and now I’ve got one.”
How about life here?
Jim: “The health care is fabulous and we have great insurance through Judy’s work. I have no problems with the air quality, but I agree with Judy about the safety issue; I’m careful, but have never felt afraid here, even at night. If you use your common sense you’ll be fine. The worst problem is the traffic, or I should say, how people drive. There is a complete lack of respect for the pedestrian and a real competitive energy that you don’t see otherwise. And there is a certain lack in civic pride, for example in the way people casually toss garbage around; but I think that’s beginning to change.”
What do you miss? Do you imagine returning to the US?
Judy: “I miss my garden. We miss family and friends. And it would be nice to have better quality products here; all my students head right to Target when they visit the US. But we don’t lack anything important here in material terms. We sometimes think of living in another place in Mexico, but I can’t imagine living in the United States again; we’ve gotten too spoiled here.”
