I was born in a country where life is much harder than here in Canada — but we hide it with smiles and laughter. It is a country where safety is hard to achieve, at least the kind of safety Canadians are used to.
Yes, there is a lot of social insecurity and violence in Mexico, and the government does nothing to help at all.
But that is where family comes in.
In Canada, from what I’ve seen, kids are raised with the idea that they have to be more independent. Mexican families know that the kids have to be independent at some point, but there is no pressure for them to leave home and find a job when they’re young adults.
My mom lives in Mexico and the first time I told her I had a job interview, she almost lost her mind.
“I thought you were going to school?”
This compares to many of my Canadian friends who prefer to move out, work part-time and go to school all at the same time. However, my Mexican friends know it would be nice to work, but they prefer to focus on school only — while still living at home.
There are some disadvantages to the way my Mexican friends look at life, however.
In a Mexican household, the parents keep parenting their children even if they are 18 or older. For example, if mom or dad say no tattoos, you won’t get a one until you move out.
Family support is immense in both countries but I see a big difference in how Canadian and Mexican families protect, relate and release their offspring from the nest.
In both countries, however, young people are made to feel safe thanks to the love of their families, which is one of the most important things in life.