Networking by Example

"Our children learn little from words; only your acts and coherence with your words work" (Joan Manuel Serrat)

Mexico city represents a big challenge for intercultural comprehension, more if you are an outsider like me. Learn different ways to avoid being harrased without loosing your ideals means to think a lot on your behavior.

If you decide to go for a walk, you have to get used that people will be asking for different things, all the time. This of course became unmanageable, you can't say yes to all the requests you have.

Two weeks ago, I went out with my kids to watch the "death altars" that were at Zocalo, then we continue  walking around. In our way we stopped at a bakery to buy something in the meantime we decided what to eat.

When I was at the bakery, a lady aproaches me and ask me if I can buy her a piece of bread. I couldn't say no, I just joke with her, telling her please do not buy the expensive cake at the place. She answered: "I'm not abuseve, I came from the street and I know perfectly well how to handle this situations".

While she was choosing her piece of bread, my kids looked at me and made me signs asking: "Are you all right?". The lady and me keep chatting and then I encourage to ask: "Ma'am, I'm not from this city, can you explain me what does came from the street means?"

She looked at me and tell: "You know, I work the streets, but today has been a very bad day and I haven't make anything..." I didn't wanted to ask more, we brought the bread and my kids asked me why I did that. I told them that people is going to ask a lot of things, but there are two special things that can't be denied: Water and Food. So that's why I buy the lady the bread.

One week later I drive my kids to the bus station, we have to leave early, to avoid traffic jams. We arrived at good time to the station, made the check in and have one hour in advance to walk, so we went to a pizza place and decided to have an early dinner.

My kids are two teenagers, so 1 pizza do not represents a big meal. They shared the pieces and we were eating when a young man approaches to us and tell us that he has 2 days without a meal. My kids take their pizza pieces, wrap them in napkins and give them to the guy.

I heard them chat: "The Water and the Food aren't for denial".