Welcome to Mexico

 Mexico
 

You see a lot of Mexicans in the United States; maybe you work with them, go to school with them, or live close by.

Mexican is the largest group of Hispanics living in the United States, but must people know very little about their culture and traditions.

Today, I’ll tell you more about their culture!

Fiestas (parties) are a big deal! Dancing and singing are commonly part of family gatherings, bringing the old and young together, no matter what kind of music is being played, like cumbia, salsa, merengue or the more Mexican banda. Dancing is a strong part of the culture.

Mexicans in places like Guadalajara, Puebla, Monterrey, Mexico City and most middle sized cities, enjoy a great variety of options for leisure.

The standard of living in Mexico is higher than most of other countries in Latin America attracting migrants in search for better opportunities. With the recent economic growth, many high-income families live in single houses, commonly found within a gated community, called "fraccionamiento". The reason these places are the most popular among the middle and upper classes is that they offer a sense of security and provide social status. Swimming pools or golf clubs, and/or some other commodities are found in these fraccionamientos. Poorer Mexicans, by contrast, live a harsh life, although they share the importance they grant to family, friends and cultural habits.

Mexico's national sports are charreria and bullfighting. Almost all large cities have bullrings. Mexico city has the largest bullring in the world, which seats 55,000 people.

 Charreria

 Bullfighting

Mexicans also have delicious dishes that are very unique. Tacos is not the only food mexican eat!

Actually, the tacos and burritos I’ve eaten in the U.S. are very different from the real Mexican tacos I’ve had before.

Look at the difference:

American/Mexican Tacos  

                               

Mexican Tacos

These are other dishes that are delicious and very traditional of Mexican cuisine: 

Gorditas

A favorite street food in Mexico City, gorditas are crisp on the outside and soft within. These savory corn cakes are a great base for all types of toppings, from pulled pork to shredded chicken.

Corn on the Cob with Lime, Ancho, and Queso Fresco

Slathered with butter, queso fresco, and ancho chili powder, this recipe for Mexican street-food style corn on the cob will be a hit at your next barbecue.

Mexican Pickled Vegetables 

These spicy pickled vegetables are like a Mexican version of Italian giardiniera and are delicious with tacos and as a condiment for any sandwich or burger.

Pozole

A light Mexican soup so quick to make, you may begrudge the extra time it takes to chop, dice, or slice the various garnishes.

Hungry yet??? I am!!!

I hope you enjoy learning about the Mexican culture! Next time you talk to your Mexican friend ask them to invite you to have one of this awesome meals and dance some salsa!!


All images from Google Images

How many?

 How many Latinos do you see a day? How many Latinos do you work with?  Two or three? Maybe more… It depends where you live.

How many Latinos live in the United States?

This is a question that you may have asked yourself before, or asked other person, but you really are not sure about the answer. Many. That’s a good answer, but not precise.

According to research made by the Pew Research Center in 2010 there is 50,730,000 Latinos living in The United States. There are states that are more populated than others due to the opportunities offered and the Spanish-speaking population of it.

 

"The ten largest Latino population groups"

Ranking	Origin	Population
1.	Mexicans	32,916,000
2.	Puerto Ricans	4,683,000
3.	Cubans	1,884,000
4.	Salvadorans	1,827,000
5.	Dominicans	1,509,000
6.	Guatemalans	1,108,000
7.	Colombians	972,000
8.	Hondurans	731,000
9.	Ecuadorians	665,000
10.	Peruvians	609,000

When did Latinos first come to the United States?

There was significant colonization by Spain in the American Southwest on the 16^th century. The whole Southwest from Texas westward to California was a Spanish-speaking territory with its own distinctive heritage, culture, and customs for many decades.

The immigration wave in the United States started during the colonial era, the first part of the 19th century and from the 1880s to 1920.  The main reason why people decided to come to America, were to seek economic stability, safety, and just a general better lifestyle.

Click here to watch a video of Hispanics living in the U.S.

Now, the reasons why immigrants come to America have not change very much. The majority of immigrants come from South and Central America. They are looking to live the “American dream” which for Hispanics is a better-paid job, a safe place to live, great education, and lots of professional opportunities. Also, because the people that are able to come to the United States and find stability, are able to help financially their relatives that are still at their country of origin. They send remittances which are money orders sent through mail, money orders or banks. This remittances constitute a big percentage of economic growth of developing countries such as Central and South American countries.

This is a great website where you can find reports about Latinos in the U.S. and news: www.pewhispanic.org

Images from google images