This Is Mexico: Tales of Culture and Other Complications

by Carol Merchasin

This Is Mexico is a collection of essays on the often magical and mysterious—and sometimes heartrending—workings of everyday life in Mexico, written from the perspective of an American expatriate.

By turns humorous and poignant, Merchasin provides an informed look at Mexican culture and history, exploring everything from healthcare, Mexican-style, to religious rituals; from the educational role of the telenovela to the cultural subtleties of the Spanish language. Written with a clear eye for details, a warm heart for Mexico, and a lively sense of humor, This Is Mexico is an insider's look at the joys, sorrows, and challenges of life in this complex country.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2015

Reviews

[Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and often amusing read. I enjoyed the author's lightly self-mocking humour.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

A "meh" book, and here's why:

"This is Mexico" would be more aptly titled "This is a White Woman Living in Mexico." So much was the focus honed in on the author, that any features of Mexicans or the Mexico beyond the cliché foreigner's bumbling experiences were reduced to the peripheral. The memoir is not without its merits: the reader does get an honest view of what living abroad as a gringo/a ex-pat would feel like to said gringo/a, flush with diarist thoughts and reactions to typical struggles and culture shock for someone who is new to life outside the U.S. (If I recall correctly, Merchasin may have mentioned in an early chapter having lived abroad before, but I find that very questionable. Every other chapter ends with the same sentiment: "Wow, Mexicans are so different from us! Different is good. I guess it was inappropriate of me to expect them to live exactly like Americans." This does not suggest someone who has actually been immersed in a new culture before the present.)

I do wish Merchasin could have shared more interactions with Mexicans apart from the hired help or people whose market goods she was purchasing. All of her encounters with Mexicans read like transactions--granted, there's more humanity, as she makes clear, with donations to the homeless and business loans to her gardener or cook. But all of them read more like Mexican caricatures! Did she ever have a real conversation with someone, someone who wasn't her subordinate and who didn't disappear at the end of the day to live a life apart from her? The absence of actual friendships is telling. We don't see what recreation looks like, what conversations with friends over meals or social gatherings look like. It may have to do with Merchasin's confession at one point that her Spanish did not extend beyond "laundry conversations." But then why write a book about living abroad?

This book could serve as a handy tool for potential tourists wanting to visit for an extended period of time. Great to know that doctors make house calls, that it gets hot, that there are fun festivals and color. But again, the amount of attention she devoted to introspection makes this, as I labeled above, a memoir instead of a book about Mexico. There's an entire chapter devoted to her bird, and another about her wanting to purchase ceramic plates at a souvenir shop (we gets lots of souvenir/tourist-y anecdotes), in which she parodies a telenovela of her experience coming to Mexico, as well as encounters with other Americans who are shocked she chose to live in Mexico ("*gasp!* Bedbugs!"). There are too many reminders that she was a lawyer, accustomed to U.S. banking systems, wanting to educate Mexicans on how things should be run only to discover that there's more ways to live life, yada yada. For someone who was looking to read essays about Mexico and its people--what I originally thought when checking this out--I would recommend searching elsewhere. With its repetitive anecdotes and even more repetitive, if not caricature depictions of poor people/hired help/good-looking Latino men who, of course, resemble Antonio Banderas--this book is skimmable at best.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not sure what to expect with this book. The author, who is from the United States has written an advisory for those contemplating moving from the USA to Mexico. All is not a bed of roses and the most significant difference is that in Mexico time does not mean money, which is basically the antithesis of the culture of the States.
The Mexican family and the extended family are the most important components of the Mexican culture. There is little money to spare , or earn, and life is arranged on a hand to mouth existence, but with each Mexican helping others, particularly within the family connections. Problems are solved in ways foreign to those in the States, but life is generous and rewarding in other ways.
The author, who lives in Mexico, takes us through her experiences of interactions with the culture and the Mexicans she employs, with those who live near her and the dad to day experiences that anyone moving to Mexico would encounter and would need to be able to cope with.
There is humour, sadness and factually useful information. I was surprised though that she and her husband still fly back to the States and utilise the services of the US whenever they need them, such as health care or particular purchases, none of which are available to Mexicans.

[Linda Crosfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Is Mexico is the perfect book to read if you want to know what spending time in this country (where I spend three months of the winter of late) is really like. Merchasin captures the baffling confusion that arises so often as we NOBs (North of Border folk) attempt to negotiate our way through daily life here. She delves into the medical system (with which I have personally had very positive experiences), the way of money, some history, and her essays bubble with humour and joy. Which is pretty much what Mexico is about. Never mind the 14 inches of rain we had a couple of days ago! Highly recommend.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

could not put it down.

I now understand the Mexican 'shrug' that so clearly demonstrates by physical example a mental acceptance of life verses time verses necessity minus money. Johnny Carson could not have delivered a better biting monologue.
A different world. Author is brash, hysterically funny, often poignant but always succinct. What a fascinating look into the parallel universe on the south side of the Rio Grande. Can't wait to meet San Miguel! Thanks!

[Karine Sarhadian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A treat! Great depiction of the Mexican people, the old and new, their journey and their quirks. As well as I thought I knew the culture, this book educated me further in really grasping the intricacies of the people, the land and the culture. At times I felt that I was present with the author on her adventure.

[Linda Sonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful cultural primer

The author’s love and understanding of Mexican culture shine through every line. I highly recommend this book to expats who are living south of the border.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful

This is so much more than an account of the author’s experiences in Mexico. The writing is clever and filled with humor. She recounts numerous frustrations with the cultural differences but in the end appreciates the differences that have led her to a different understanding of what is important in life.

[Jesse Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much of my time reading this book I was also shaking my head and thinking, "Really?" The extremely obvious fact that Mexico is different from the US in many ways didn't surprise me. I needed to suspend disbelief as I read the author's prior opinions and beliefs. And I also got tired quite quickly of her somewhat frequent, vaguely passive-aggressive and cynical jabs at American culture, beliefs, and values.

Additionally, when the author talks about the Spanish language, I usually cringed. Refusing to learn how to distinguish levels of formality in speech, thinking that 'se rompió' is a reflexive verb, and that ser and estar are always and absolutely distinguished by permanence vs. temporality.

All that said, there are interesting stories and enlightening lessons to be learned in the book.

[Catherine Li · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went to San Miguel because of this book! Staying there for only one day definitely not enables me to experience this much, but this book has opened my perspectives about Mexico. It gives me more thoughts about cultures as an expat. I like the thoughts on how to feel happy in a different culture with worse material conditions and efficiency. Material conditions are not determining happiness, it is one's altitude and how one can find inner balance. The book described how the author finds her balance in San Miguel. I personally take it as a good example for me, the thoughts and the writings.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of the 4 books I checked out on Mexico before going to Oaxaca, this is a memoir of an American woman who moves to San Miguel de Allende. She's a good writer with deep insights into the Mexican people and culture that added to my experience there. She's also heavy on statistics that were interesting, like 80% of Mexicans live in poverty and 50% are in extreme poverty. They work 10+ hours a day, while Americans work 8.25 hours a day, and yet they battle the stereotype of being lazy. Poverty perpetuates poverty, etc.

[Dory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this on my way home after a week in the Yucatan. A little beach vacation like that is barely a Mexican experience, so reading this book of essays was a bit of a window into Mexican culture as experienced by an American expat whose own foibles add to the depictions. Nicely written with obvious affection for her adopted country, there’s gentle humor and also solid statistics that help debunk some prevalent misconceptions about Mexican people and their rich culture.

[Coffeewithaview · Rating 5 out of 5]

A light-hearted educational trip on understanding why mexicans act the way they do and makes us all reflect on what is important to us in life. There are many things we can learn from mexico & its culture and this book has portrayed that in a straightforward, example-laden, & humorous manner. A delightful read!

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who has lived/ lives in Mexico, the author discusses many things that you probably have experienced. There were some sections of the book that I really liked but there were others that could have been replaced with something better.

[Tamara Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute but really all over the place.

Interesting and entertaining read but seriously all over the place. Also the author repeatedly states how she loves Mexico but then she complains non stop about it. That in itself was somewhat amusing. Still all in all not bad.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Mexican culture, traditions, beautiful colors, fiesta, etc. Never really considered moving as an expat to Mexico and after reading this book, I now know I am not of the temperament to do so! Good book, entertaining and I'm sure very truthful.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read!

Amazing, funny, insightful !! Anyone who travels to Mexico should read it. I'm recommending it to everyone. I was sorry to finish it v

[Debi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book delightfully readable, both light and very insightful. Merchasin has a great ear for both simple dialogue and beautiful descriptive passages. I enjoyed it so much!

[Janie O · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did not feel like a collection of essays but, rather, fit together well like chapters - a smooth, humorous read.

[Joseph Hirsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Americans have a very distorted view of life in Mexico: on the one hand they view it as a cheap tourist destination with great food and beautiful, albeit impoverished scenery. On the other hand, they view it like something from a neo-noir nightmare, a place where narco-terrorists basically cruise the streets with machineguns while brujas kidnap touristas for human sacrifice. You can of course get good cheap food in Mexico (very easily), get killed by a sicario (much less likely), or even end up a victim of human sacrifice (I know of only one case, many years ago, in Matamoros.) But for those who want a nuanced and very well-written book on what it’s like living in the real Mexico, here is “This is Mexico,” subtitled “Tales of Culture and Other Complications,” by Carol M. Merchasin. Señora Merchasin is an American expatriate, former lawyer now living in semiretirement in a small Mexican town. She clearly loves her life down there, but sometimes misses certain amenities and traditions she grew accustomed to in El Norte. She uses the merits and demerits of the tradeoff—mostly merits—to examine what makes Mexicans and Mexico different from Americans and America.
To this end, she visits open-air markets, joins religious pilgrimages on foot, and interacts with a small army of Mexican contractors and bureaucrats in order to get her house up to code. In those moments where she grows impatient—or even a little imperious—with the pace of life in her adopted country, she checks herself and interrogates the impulse. What lies behind it? What kind of hidden power dynamics are at work in these exchanges, what blind spots do both she and the other party suffer from at such moments?
If this sounds like some Foucauldian examination of postcolonialism when viewed through the lens of biopolitics or some other scholarly mierda in an overpriced textbook you had to read in grad school, don’t worry; it’s not that. It’s entertaining, amusing, and all delivered in a breezy and accessible style. There are no photos (unless you count the cover and the author photo), but that hardly matters. The picture la dama paints with words is vivid, and, like Mexico itself, rich with both technicolored garishness and muted with a triste blue softness. Recommended, both for those considering expatriating or those just eager to read something about travel that rises above the level of a brochure to become actual literature.

[Loni Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book. I really enjoyed the stories of the Mexican culture and how Carol and Senior Robert negotiated them.

[Kendall Concini · Rating 2 out of 5]

#readingchallenge2021 (my extra books!)

A very interesting read, in the sense a book can’t really be ‘right or wrong’ but that’s how I felt while reading.

What was right: it is a memoir, so the chapters presented real honest insights based on her varying experiences. She was brand new to life outside of the cushy US, and her writing didn’t shy away from explaining her pure culture shock. She provided insights into a lot of varying components of everyday Mexican culture (such as money, jobs, family & community connections) with a unique outsider perspective.

But…

What was wrong: The culture shock never really seemed to subside. The author’s encounters remained that of the outsider, no matter how many years they stayed in Mexico, what roles they took on, or whom they connected with. The conversations remained, “I am white you are not”. There was an absence of integrating into the environment- nothing seemed to become genuine; no deep friendships, no accepting customs. It felt more like a very extended stay tourist experience compared to becoming a local.