Community Integration

One of the aspects that I really like about Peace Corps is the community integration. Many times, I think that Mexicans are more welcoming than Americans. Mexicans have been very welcoming to me as a stranger, and I know other volunteers have similar stories.

Lots of volunteers get invited to visit people's homes or over to dinner (like me going to Acatlan a couple weeks ago). This does happen in the US, but it just feels like a much rarer occurrence, especially for casual or new acquaintances. Case in point--last Friday, we were talking about regional dishes at the office, and on the spur of the moment, I am invited over to someone's house to dinner with their family. How cool is that? Yes, I've been to friends' houses in the US, but it seems like it takes longer for us to warm up to people. And even then, only the closest of friends get the choice treatment. I'm sure lots of factors play into it, but it is interesting to see a cultural difference.

If I take one thing back from my experience, I hope to bring part of this open culture back with me...