Advice for coming to Mexico-DF / Being anykind of foreigner with white skin

Who has been to - lived in - Mexico before...? What can you do to keep your head up about going to Mexico, or going for the first time?

This list of advice started two days ago as a class project with my advanced students (I teach english in Mexico City). I've also emailed it to a friend who just completed a four month semester from Oventik to Ciudad Juárez with the Mexico Solildarity Network, and she is going to ask around for some advice from her compas in the same MSN program. Some of this advice is especially for whitefolks who may need a heads up when stepping outside their comfort zone.

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"Advice for coming to Mexico-DF / Being anykind of foreigner with white skin"

a-Act like you belong wherever you are and it looks like you fit in (maybe.. if you have white skin (like me) you may never fit in, I get a lot of "adelante guerrito" and many disinterested looks)

b-Read a book (nobody seems to mess with people reading a book), also good for lines, waiting, traffic, metro, busses (DF)

c- Don't say "no entiendo" after someone approaches you in a shady way from the street

d-Keep your cash broken up in different pockets, bags, socks, (DF)

e-Don't walk around staring stupidly or talking in loud excited english

f-Walk in lit pathways at nights (advice for men) be aware of the safety- and reality for women (especialy cities in the
majority of areas at night)

g-Pay attention to what you're doing where you are, and what other people are doing around you (DF)

h-Realize economic, national, racial, engendered, lingual or geographic factors may keep you from understanding ANYTHING around you during any given time

i- Give up thinking you`re the boss of anything - give up on thinking you know anything about anything (this advice especially for people with white skin)

j-Be satisfied (y aprovechar) and keep up on all the delicious food to eat

k- Don't eat off the street unless you notice a place with a steady crowd of customers (IMPORTANT: this tip has never failed me for avoiding getting sick)

l- Black walnut hull extract kills intestinal parasites

m- Natural calcium (tablets or supplaments) help fortify the stomach against getting parasites

n- Mexico city is both hot and cold, and rains all the time in the summer

o- Don't act embarrased to talk spanish or don't be embarrassed because you're embarrassed of the US government

p-Public bathrooms are hind to find - and usually cost 2-3 pesos (DF)

q- Tacos de pastor, tacos de guisado/canasta, comida corrida y tamales-tortas may be the best way to go for economic and delicious food when deciding what to eat (DF)

r- Agua de jamaica is satisfying and delicious (and may have magical properties). agua de tamarindo y horchata (fresh) are important too.

s- Put lime and chile on (almost) everything

t- Don't eat avocado when angry, upset or mad (seriously)

u- Smile at people! Don't be afriad to touch people's arms (or even hands) when you are heavy a friendly conversation. people kiss when greeting ( this of course is heavily gendered- men and women kiss, women and women kiss..) (DF)

v- No matter how full it already is, more people will always fit on the metro (DF)

w- (As far as i know it with white skin) nobody is that interested (at first) knowing about Americans. A little later on, after someone decides you`re not an idiot, they might become very friendly, asking a lot of questions, being very generous with ther time, space and food.

x- Despite big language-food-geography-cultural distinctions and completely different histories, people are also just people, doing their thing and living their lives.. (this advice more for whitefolks) don't make up stories (or check your privilege to daydream) about other people's lives. (I've seen this racist-racially learned tendency to exoticize in my own assumptions and behavior, and i've seen it in my friends that've visted me, and in the majority of the white US-Canadian - UK-European - Australian foreigners that i've met or known here.)

y- Wash fruit and vegetables with soap before eating them. Don't eat things that grow on the ground (lettuce, spinach, cilantro, jicima, strawberries, rasperries) without using the dissinfectant drops (seriously, nobody messes around about this) .. Never eat lettuce off the street. Fruit and juice off the street are somewhat mistrusted.

z- Many people (particularly women) advise not to take the green cabs (especially if you don't speak the language). safe taxi sites (taxis seguros) are fairly common and widely trusted, or getting a safe cab (white with red stripe) off the street is trusted (DF)

aa- The vegetarian food probably has meat, or was made with chicken broth (DF)

bb-It is fine to use the tap water for brushing your teeth (DF)

cc-Big bills are hard to break, most places don't want to take anything over $50-$100 pesos (roughly $5-$10USD) except for transnational-national enterprises. Spend your change and break your bills strategically.

dd- "Guerra/o" means blondie and refers to skin (not hair)

ee- Almost everyone know believes in - has seen ghosts

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q: What can you say about Mexico City?

a: Mexico is a valley in the moutains (7,500 feet). Mexico city used to be a lake. There is no way the size of mexico city can be comprehensivly understood. The city feels like a breathing organism, and somehow the city functions on a miracle everyday, and functions logicaly despite being tangled up in centuries of chaos. It has been said to me (and I believe) that in Mexico city, anything can happen in front of you at anytime. The food is Mexico's national and cultural treasure. People tend to trust you a lot more if you love and talk about and praise Mexican food.
Don't get uptight over time, space, logic, money, or sharing food. It's Mexico City, people show up late and it's not really a big deal. Mexico city has it's own rhythm, learn to find it and enjoy it.