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That’s what they call the United States, you know: Gringolandia. One of our favorite Spanglish words… it mixes Gringo, already a Spanglish word from *way* back and Disneyland, an American concept if there ever was one. And then a little Spanish ending to make it sing… as with many of the best Spanglish words, it has layers of meaning.
We call Gringolandia the Land of the Fearful. From the minute you step foot in a U.S. airport, everything from toilet seat covers to newspaper headlines to airport screening lets you know that people in the U.S. are just more afraid. We think it’s been sneaking up on norteamericanos for so long they don’t notice it much. But coming from the *real* Land of the Free, we notice it right away.
Here’s what we miss about the United States and our old home state of California:
-The smell of familiar plants like sage and eucalyptus, the way the sun sets, the way the birds sound, the dry grasses blowing in the breeze. Let’s face it… we’re in love with Coastal California… who isn’t?
-Starbucks. Hate to admit it, but it’s true. However, there is now a Starbucks in the Mexico City airport and so one in Merida is not far behind.
-Clean streets. Mayans for some reason haven’t quite figured out that plastic bags and coke bottles don’t disintegrate like banana leaves. They need a “Pick up your litter” campaign like we had in the States in the 50’s and 60’s (Remember Woodsie Owl? – Give a hoot, don’t pollute!). We’re sure it’s coming.
-Movies. There are more movie choices in the States. They do have a huge Cineplex or two here, a Blockbuster, cable TV and a theatre downtown that shows old art films, but unless you want to see the latest big budget action film, you have to wait awhile for it to make the theatres here or wait for the DVD.
-Family. no question. There’s no amount of money, culture, history or good times that substitute for family. Mexicans know this… and it makes missing ours all the more difficult.
And here’s what we love about our new home, Merida, and Mexico in general:
-Mexicans and Yucatecans in particular. Everyone says, “Buenos dias” when you walk by. People smile back if you smile at them, almost without exception. People in general really do seem happier here.
-The mix of indigenous people and us modernos. It seems to help keep the soul of the country intact and makes life so much more interesting.
-Mercados, street vendors and the spirit of entrepreneurship. You don’t need a business license to sell vegetables here. Any enterprising person can sell everything from homemade brooms to bags of dirt to fresh garden vegetables… and they do! The guy in the picture is selling bags of dirt off of his handmade cart, pulled by a horse through the city streets. He, and others like him, ride around yelling “Tierra!” and sell the bags for a few pesos each.
-History. It’s everywhere here! The layers of life that have been lived on each city block, in each little town… its fascinating, awe-inspiring and humbling.
-COLOR! People paint their houses purple, orange, blue… whatever! Streets in the States look so drab in comparison now.
-No one lives on the street. There’s a lot of poverty in Mexico, but everyone here has some family it seems. In our four years here, we’ve seen less than ten people sleeping on the street in this city of over a million people.
-State-owned gas stations. No worries about whether you are getting the right price or not. And there’s clean bathrooms and full service at every station. Go Pemex!
-Inexpensive real estate and practically no property taxes. You can buy a mansion here for $200K and still pay $50 a year in property taxes. Where can you do that in the U.S.?
We’re sure there is more… but these are the things that stand out today, two days after returning from Gringolandia.
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Gringo does not mean way back, it actually should be written : green-go. When the americans were leaving Mexico City after the US-Mexico war, people were shouting at the streets when the american soliders were marching out, green go!. They meant: Vayanse Verdes, “green” was the color of the uniform….
I have to agree, Yucatecans are “happier” than Gringos. Yucatecans are, in general, more laid back or content. Even the ones that live in poverty act like they are “happy to be alive”. Money doesn’t drive them like it does the people from Gringolandia. I think this is the reason Yucatecans have no concept of time. They will show up for an 8:00 dinner date at 9:00 and think nothing of it. For some reason, this laid back nature doesn’t carry over into driving. Most Yucatecans use their horn more than their brakes.
First I appriciate your site, its giving me some hope. This is not on subject, but was closer than most of the forums here. I live in the Washington state in the foothills of the cascades, I own a bussiness as a septic system designer and installer. The unfortunate thing for me is I and people in my class are paying for this country of once free america and my shoulders are getting tired. There are so many questions I have, for the Yucatan area, Taxes, personal, land and sales. Any zoning issues concerning Agraculture, start up bussinesses, restrictions on what type of bussinesses nonmexicans can own or run.
My wife and myself plan coming down in May to look at some land and try and get a feel of the region. So I expect to stop by the Merida english library to consort with the expatriots on many issues. So I guees I would appriciate some contact info , like best times to stop at the library, possible other contact info other than this forum style ect. ect.
Thank you and hope to be able to be a transplant before the mexican goverment decides to build a wall to keep us Green goes out.
Hey guys…
I just fell on your site while looking for land in Jamaica.
I’m interested to learn more about your area (Yucatan).
First I need to find it on a map.
Sounds nice.
Words from Massachusetts…
David
Hey, David…bienvenidos! (welcome)
The Yucatan is the Peninsula that forms the southern land border of the Gulf of Mexico. Find New Orleans on a map of the world, then head south towards the equator. You will cross over the Gulf of Mexico and land on the Yucatan Peninsula.
The major cities of the peninsula include Cancun in the East, Merida in the center and Campeche on the west coast.
Happy Discovery!
I have worked around Mexicans over the yrs.(in Calif) and have learned that a gringo is a American that is not respected… a fool to be parted from his mucho money.a tourist .. and a gavacho is a respected American… but this may be a modern day slang… i know when a American calls himself a gringo the Mexicans all smile ..and like it.. thinking that one does not think they are better than them… and yes.. the Illuminati owns the media so we do get mostly propaganda and not the true news.. this i do know.. and they are rolling on us hard nowadays… gas this week on the central coast was down to 3.57.. yahoo….arco..hw41.. hope all is well there… j
My father has retired in Merida, I am looking to relocate with my two children. Your site has been helpful as far as private schools that teach english any other information on making this kind of move would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
Hi everybody,
the word Gringo actually comes from “Green go !”
As far as I know, this expression was not invented in Mexico, but in the northeast of Brazil when foreign military powers (dutch, french) occupied part of the country.
When Brazilians were fed up with the foreign presence they started to say “green go !” “green” because of the green military uniforms. Local accents turned the “green go” into “grin go”. So yes, the origins of the word “gringo” had no positive flavour, however, these days, “gringo” is used all over LatAm as a denomination for any westerners outside of LatAm. That could be Europeans as well as Americans.