I just had a whirlwind couple of weeks — my sister was here!
Because I’ve lived in Mexico for so long and we’re close, she’s probably been to Mexico now 30-plus times. She comes once or twice a year, typically. Even so, there are always plenty of things that take her by surprise!
What’s it like having guests from your home country at your home in Mexico?
It’s fun. And tiring. It also involves a fair bit of setting expectations (“What do you mean I can’t just hop in the shower and have hot water right away?”).
Let’s talk about it!
Language
If you live in a place where English is not as widespread, you’ll need to help your guests do pretty much everything when you’re out of the house. This includes explaining items on menus, ordering food, asking where the bathroom is, etc… They might also want to know what you’re talking about with others. This past weekend, we went to several museums, none with placards in English. I’m not saying they should have them in English, but when they don’t and you want your guest to know what they’re looking at, you yourself will serve as the guide and translator.
How things work in your house
I’ve lived in places from small rented rooms with concrete floors to, comparatively, virtual palaces. But as beautiful and spacious as it is, it lacks several major conveniences that my compatriots are used to. The most noticeable one is a lack of climate control. This is fine, as the weather here is usually pretty nice. Still, it can take some getting used to for someone who’s used to a precise 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Even if that were achieved, the houses aren’t sealed; some outside air is for sure coming in, as are mosquitoes, despite our best efforts at keeping them out.
Heating water for showers can also prove adventurous. At most previous places I’ve lived, it was a matter of turning on or up the water heater. Now I have an electrical shower, but a switch still needs to be turned on. Once it is, a choice must be made: water pressure or hot water? You cannot have both, because that’s just how it works.
Cars, streets, and infrastructure
“I’ve seen a lot of cars with at least one brake light out.” Yes. Yes you have. Honestly, I can’t help showing off a little when I drive with guests around here. Watch as I dodge that motorcycle passing on the right and go over this tope just so! And all in a stick shift!
Sidewalks around here can be equally crazy. A 60-degree wheelchair ramp that leads to nowhere but concrete steps? Why not? Cars parked on the sidewalks? Wherever you’re walking, you’ll definitely want to advise your guests to keep their eyes on the ground in front of them. Take no walking surface for granted!
Noise levels
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: you can’t be precious about noise levels in Mexico; it’s a losing battle.
I say this, but people don’t seem to really understand until they’re here. How loud could a residential place be, after all?
Oh, plenty loud. First, there are the approximately seven people per day ringing my doorbell. Then there are people shouting about the things they’re selling as they walk by. Behind my house, we’ve got a guy with one of those super noisy motorcycles, and unruly children who inexplicably don’t start playing outside until approximately 11 p.m. My neighbor across the street has a jam session with his buddies every Friday, too, and there are some neighborhood dogs who get very upset when others pass their houses. And this is a fairly quiet neighborhood, really.
If you need quiet to sleep, bring earplugs and maybe some muffs, too!
Creature comfort availability
One of the things we wanted to do on this last trip was recreate my mom’s famous pot roast. I have a slow cooker…What I don’t have is knowledge of how different cuts of beef are called. We wanted a “chuck roast,” but settled for a hunk of meat that was simply labeled “beef.”
Speaking of my mom, I remember a trip she took to see me back when I lived in Querétaro. We went to Walmart in search of a fan. “I’ll find it,” she said with confidence. “I know Wal-Marts, they’re all laid out the same.” They were not, and she was shocked to find only two to three models of fan available.
In terms of product selection at places like the grocery store, it’s comparable to the US’s normal selection back in the 1980s. This is fine, as we really don’t need 20 different kinds of Doritos, do we?
You want trash cans? Search hard
This might go under the “sidewalks and street” category, but I think it deserves it own. It’s hard to find a place to freaking throw away your trash when in public, something that annoys me endlessly about my own city. If you don’t want people to litter, make it possible for them to actually throw things away!
Bathrooms are another issue. Perhaps those from large cities have similar experiences, but the fact that bathrooms here are a “business” usually comes as a shock. “Five pesos for 10 squares of toilet paper and powdered soap next to a dirty sink? What can I get for 10?” Thankfully, bathrooms in places like malls and grocery stores are free, at least.
Everything is smaller
Especially for larger guests, fitting in — literally — can sometimes be a challenge. In the US, we’re used to gigantic everything now. Cars (and parking spaces), to go cups, things we don’t think about being big like bathroom stalls (see above). “If you’re really thirsty, you should carry around a big bottle of water,” I say to my guests, knowing the unexpectedly tiny glass of agua fresca they’ll surely get at a restaurant.
For all these reasons, hosting can be pretty involved no matter how unintrusive your guests intent to be. And that’s okay. For those of us who’ve lived here for a while, we know the drill. Clear your calendar and enjoy giving tours not just of places, but of the culture!
Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.
