Cultural Perspective

VISITING ACAPULCO!

You saw the title and may have thought, “Wow, he went to Acapulco recently!”  Yes, I sure did!  However, not the Acapulco in Mexico, but the one here in Fairfield, Ohio.

Locally there is a Mexican restaurant, Acapulco.  They have really great food and service is exceptional!

When looking at the project ahead, and seeing that it had to be something “narrative after you actively participate in a cultural event, visit a foreign place or interview a working professional from another country”, I decided since I couldn’t go to Mexico to visit Acapulco, I would do the next best thing.  Go to the restaurant and interview some of the workers that I have come to know over the years after eating there dozens of times.

After eating a great meal (2 chicken quesadillas, rice and refried beans), I made my way around to 3 of the employees to ask a few questions.  The following are the questions that I asked each of them:

1. Why did you move from Mexico?
2. What do you like most about living here in Ohio?
3. Is it easier to make money and do you work more here or back in Mexico?
4. How often do you eat your own cultural food versus American food and which do you like better?

All three of the gentlemen that I asked said that they moved here because they knew they could have a better life here.  They had friends that currently lived here and was able to get them a job quickly working for the restaurant. One of the three also said that where he lived there was a lot of crime and wanted to get away from it and didn’t want to raise a family there.

Next, was to ask what do they like about living in Ohio?  All three had different answers.  One stated that he liked hanging out with friends and this area of Ohio has a lot of people from where he lived in Mexico.  The second gentleman said that he honestly doesn’t really have a reason that he likes Ohio any better than other areas of the United States.  The last one said that he likes being able to see snow and have his kids play in something that they never saw in Mexico.

Moving to the next question of it being easier to make money here or in Mexico, without hesitation all three answered “yes”.  They said that jobs there are much harder to come by and the amount that they get paid is better here.  One of the three said that the fact that he lives with other people in an apartment makes living here cheaper and allows him to send money to his family that doesn’t have a lot back in Mexico.  They all three stated that they work 6 sometimes 7 days a week, but that is what they are used to.  One of the three stated that from a physical standpoint, jobs responsibilities are very similar, but working conditions are tougher there.  He said, “Down in Mexico, we do not have restrictions on how long in the day you can work or food restrictions like here, so the business owners can get away with working you harder and not making a lot.