Everyone Speaks English: Think Twice Before Being Negative
In November 2019 I wrote this post on the Mexico Cassie Facebook page. I wrote it as a direct response to situations I was seeing and hearing about where people in the service industry in Mexico were feeling sad, hurt and/or annoyed about hearing people complain about Mexico and the quality of services here. It was very popular and was shared over, and over, on Facebook. To that end, I figured I’d turn it into an article too.
What do you think? Do you agree with what I wrote or do you have a different take?
“A slightly different type of post today. I’ve been hearing accounts of people working in the service industry in Mexico actually being quite hurt by some of the thoughtless chatter of foreigners bemoaning or belittling things about Mexico. I’m sure I’m guilty of it too. I’m sure I’ve thoughtlessly commented on things that work differently from in the UK, my home country, or something similarly thoughtless or patronising. I’m mortified to think my thoughtless words might ever have caused others to feel hurt.
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I’m going to work hard to be more aware of my words and how they can impact people who overhear them.
We are guests* in this country and we all need to remember that. We also need to remember that when we speak English there’s a very very high chance that we will be understood by others even when they’re not interacting with us in English.
It’s so easy to be sitting with a margarita or a meal with a group of friends and to bond over things that are different or have gone wrong but people hear and they feel bad when foreigners do this even if they might agree with some of the criticisms.
I used to get so fed up with friends from overseas who lived in the UK but did nothing but complain about our services or our weather etc. Now add colonialism, discrimination and an understanding that your country isn’t perfect into the mix.
I wanted to share this in the hope that others might stop and reflect too. This isn’t really a Mexico specific post, it obviously holds true everywhere. I’ve already said it hurt me as a Brit in the UK. No matter how little national pride a person might feel (I have next to none for my own country btw) or how open their eyes are to the problems in their home country, people generally would rather not hear others belittle their home.”
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*Not everyone enjoyed me referring to people reading this post as ‘guests’. I understand that. Obviously there is a blurred line. I don’t particularly feel like a guest in Mexico most of the time. I live here, I spend my money here and I’m bringing up my kids here BUT I’m a foreigner no matter what. I have privileges that go with being a white European foreigner and I understand that. Everyone’s situation is different and obviously I didn’t write the article with the intention of offending or triggering anyone! However, we can’t pretend that the majority of foreigners, resident or tourists, don’t appear as white and wealthy, no matter what the reality behind the visage.
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