When in Mexico...expect the unexpected

I get e-mails from a lot of people asking me what they should be ready for when doing business or moving to Mexico.  There are so many pieces of advice that come to mind, but I think this one sums it up:

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

I don't care how organized you are, how well you think you know the rules, you are going to constantly be surprised.  What do I mean?  I mean you go to turn in paperwork for something one day and they tell you you are missing a document.  You return the next day, document in hand, only to be told that they only process those documents on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (and it's a Thursday).  Or you get your corporate bank account, only to find out that in order to get a check card you have to fill out another set of documents (when you assumed it came with opening the account).

The key is not to let these little speed bumps in the road of life get in your way.  Laugh it off, say VIVA MEXICO, and keep charging ahead!

Obesity in Mexico Will Collapse The Medical System

Those of you who have read my blog for awhile know that I am a big proponent of getting healthier foods into Mexico and have been following the changes in the schools closely.  Well, today I read a headline in El Universal that literally made my jaw drop. 
"75% of hospital beds occupied because of obesity" - GDF:  The health system collapses because of obesity epidemic.

This is not a prediction, this is a sad reality.  The minister of Health in Mexico City has said that in 5 to 10 years the number of patients in hospitals as a result of obesity could be so great that the public health system would collapse.  The article also goes on to mention the over 5 million children that are categorized as obese.  The rates of juvenile diabetes are skyrocketing, and if things don't change soon the numbers will continue to grow and this children's lives will be forever changed.

Mexico has been hesitant to make changes in these areas, but these figures do not lie. 

Here is a great piece by TIME Magazine that highlights the obesity problem in Mexico:

Mexico - Happiest People in the World?

When you turn on the TV these days, bad news seems to be all you hear.  The economic meltdown and financial crisises of the world, rising unemployment, natural disasters, murders, narcoviolence - the list goes on and on. 

While watching the nightly news this week, I saw something that caught my attention.  According to a study by Coca-Cola, Mexico has the happiest people in the world.

One of the biggest differences I've noticed in my travels back and forth between the US and Mexico over the past few years is the happiness of the people.  No matter how bad the situation may seem, Mexicans continue to have a good attitude.  We can attribute part of this to the fact that Mexicans have been through financial crisises (la crisis!), devaluations, etc before so they know what its like.  My generation has never experience a financial crisis in the United States before, so this is a new experience for the majority of Americans.  Mexicans aren't accustomed to living beyond their means, while Americans are used to charging everything on credit (many times buying what they can't really afford).  The tremendous financial pressure that Americans are facing these days has affected personal relationships in a big way.

The intense interpersonal relationships that exist in Mexico are key to happiness.  Someone I know made the observation that the close knit families give people the reassurance that no matter what happens, at the end of the day, they will still be surrounded by a family that loves and supports them. 

Happiest countries in the world (according to Coca-Cola):

1.  Mexico
2.  Phillipines
3.  Argentina
4.  South Africa
5.  Romania
6.  USA