Are all Americans this confused?

I knew my students would have a lot of questions. And I scheduled a day in my Spanish lessons to discuss the cultural differences between daily life in Mexico and daily life in the U.S. This seemed like a somewhat relevant classroom discussion, as it's part of my job to impart this knowledge to future generations.

But when adults started asking me the same things, I started to worry.

Just in case you've been wondering, here are just a few questions (and their answers) about Mexico and our trip:

Are you living in a suburb of Mexico City? No. Mexico City can't have suburbs. It is geographically stuck within a ring of mountains. It can grow in population, but not in size. The concept of suburbs is totally American, and almost no other country has them. We are lucky to be living within miles of Mexico City, so we can drive there for things like organic grocery stores, American restaurants, protestant churches, and Kelly's job.

Do Mexicans make less than Americans? Will you be paid in Pesos? Doesn't it cost less to live there? We can be paid in pesos or dollars, it doesn't really matter since all companies pay electronically anyway. There are 10 pesos to 1 dollar, approximately. The avg. American makes $40,000 per year; the avg. Mexican makes $4000 per year. Cost of living is not really cheaper in Mexico, they are just used to living with less than Americans are. If we wanted to, we could live in a smaller house, drive older cars, eat less food, and choose cheaper entertainment - whether we lived in the U.S. or in Mexico. Plenty of college-educated Mexicans have satellite TV, cell phones, a reliable car, a few kids, a housekeeper, extra food, and a few stamps in their passport.

How much is gas there? I'm guessing Americans are interested in this bc gas is such a hot topic right now. Mexico is a net exporter of gasoline. What that means is that Mexicans can extract more gas from their own land than they actually need. The arabic world we call "the middle east" can all explode next week & Mexicans will still be driving SUVs. They also have government controlled gas prices, because the avg. Mexican thinks it's wrong for very few mexicans to get really rich selling a national resource to their own countrymen. (it would be like Michiganians selling tap water) So the government sets 1 gas price for the country & all stations charge the same amount. Right now that price is about $2.50/ gallon for a full-service fill-up.

What will you eat? food. like we do now. As previously stated, we're living in a house with a kitchen, much like we do now, and in a town with many American-styled grocery stores, and delicious restaurants. If you actually know Dave & I, you can be assured that we will eat about anything. :)

What are you going to do all day? Well, we'll be working! Dave is working for the same company, just in a different location. So his job will be very similar to what he's already been doing (there are some differences, but most people only know that he uses calculus to test cars. That basic concept isn't changing.) Kelly is still finalizing her plans, but currently is planning to work 2 or 3 different jobs, as well as devote time to some interests she hasn't had time to do. "2 or 3?!" someone asked yesterday. "Well," I replied, "I work 2 or 3 jobs now, it's just all on one paycheck!" This is actually true. Sadly.

Are the police/ government corrupt? This is a sociological question that could take days to answer. Most likely, not any more corrupt than other governments. If you've watched American news, you know that our government & police have been caught up in a lot of scandals lately. If you have heard stories, please try to remember that saying Mexico City was really dangerous in the 80s is like saying Detroit had riots during the 70s. It's true, but it's also history, not current events.

Do you have to bribe the police? Um, no. In fact, it's a bad idea. But, remember that what Americans consider a bribe, Mexicans sometimes consider a tip for good service. We're planning to smile a lot.

Are you going to be illegal aliens? um, no. sorry.

I'm still waiting for more questions.