Random McRandom

So after discussing - casually rambling about - this topic with my friend Erika this past hub date... we've decided that Morocco is Mexico... only without the drugs, sex, and alcohol. Or at least in public.

Let me explain... so a natural thing to expect when moving to a different country is culture shock right? Like, omg, there's a donkey over there... Why are there small children everywhere unsupervised... Why are these people dancing like crazy... while sober?... Or something ... like... that. But somehow, this seemed relatively normal to me. Relatively. I mean, I'm not going to pretend I'm expert on authentic Mexican and/or Moroccon culture. In fact, I'm going to straight-up preface this as being a complete generalisation meant for thought-process-documentation and t-shirt production only. It is blatently the complete opposite of what any Peace Corps volunteer should be 'assuming' -roll of the eyes- but I'm calling it like I see it. After all, a decent percentage of Orange County is, indeed, Mexican, my bestfriend is Mexican, and my grandmother darned well acted Mexican, despite an Italian and mixed Latina decent. Not to mention quite a few roadtrips across the border.

We can start with the donkey riding, for one, it's everywhere. Sombrero-esque hats and similar quilting patterns on the make shift saddle. Multiple generations living under the same roof, and despite the 'man' being the head of the household, we all know the grandmother really runs things. Making beans and rice ... and or couscous and potatoes... in mass quantities. Whatever is not eaten goes to the animals out back. Sense of time... or lack thereof. Culture deeply rooted in religious context - though not necessarily practiced as well as one should or as publicly visable - with relics and icons still significantly visible around the home. Again, especially at Grandma's.

I don't know why it occured to me so late - five weeks in - or, at the same time, why it occured to me it all. Is it even occur-able? Am I just digging myself a terrible grave of assumption and mis-interpretation? Either way, I reckon if either country adopted the other's perspective on drugs, sex, and alcohol... I don't know what I reckon yet, I just found it interesting. You might not. Smihuli.