culture clashes

Ok. So I finally called my neighbour again after about two months of not making the effort. Her response was predictable... "Why haven't you come to visit me?" I asked her the same thing. She said she couldn't come until she could pay me the money she owed me (a few months ago I was yard selling all my baby stuff and she took some home and paid for everything except about $10 worth... no big deal to me) I pointed out that before she owed me, she still never came to my house. I also told her I haven't come to see her because I was beginning to wonder if she even wanted me to. Every time I go, I am warmly received and assured of how much she appreciates my friendship, blah, blah, blah. But she never reciprocates. Naturally, I was beginning to wonder if she even wanted me there... was she just being polite in receiving me while all the while wishing I hadn't come? Boy, did she think that was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. And I thought she was being ridiculous about the money. I told her this is all because we come from different cultures, but she wasn't so sure.

After my brother, Lyndon, came back from a few weeks in Nicaragua in March he made a list of things he would miss about the place. Among them was "the fact that relationships are more important to latins than time or accomplishments" After showing the list to Scott, we agreed Lyndon could say that because he was likely on the benefitting end of that characteristic. Let me tell you it's a lot less charming when you're sitting alone at church after preparing all day for an important meeting and no one shows up because they're busy entertaining their cousins who just popped in for a visit three hours before the meeting was supposed to start! This is probably my numer one complaint about Latin American culture. That or the way it's more important to be agreeable than dependable. "A car wash next Saturday is a great idea for a fund raiser! I'll be there!" instead of, "Sorry, I won't be able to make it that day." Sheesh, just tell me the truth once!

Obviously there are things about this culture that I like, but I'm venting today so I won't go into the good things! Hmmm... We've been here just about four years now and are about to go back to Canada for six months. Have we adopted enough Mexican ways that people back home will now be frustrated with us? I am going to have to change my habit of only starting supper at the time we invited company to come over. (ok, I'm exaggerating, but we've had people be up to two hours late for a dinner invitation) And we won't be able to leave our house at the time a party starts and expect to be the first ones there. Then there's the not taking our shoes off when we come into the house... My goodness, now that I think about it, we really have melded to this culture quite a bit.

Look out, everyone... here we come!