"Hola guera"

Disclaimer: This is one of those "I'm going to talk about guys from the perspective of a single girl" posts. It has to come at some point, right?

I've mentioned before that being a white girl here in Mexico is kind of an automatic indicator that you will get stares, whistles, comments, etc. I've grown accustomed to it and can definitely find the humor in the situation. And, I'll admit, at first it was kind of nice. It's very different from the US and I was flattered and felt like I was pretty.

But then your rationale and logic has to kick in, and you realize that none of it means anything. The problem is that it could be almost any white foreigner...you're going to get the same reaction. So, it's not that I'm special or noteworthy in any way, except that I'm white. This is completely unfair to the Mexican girls, as well. There are some gorgeous Mexicans that don't get the same attention/recognition simply because of their coloring. So, it goes to say, that if two comparable girls are standing next to each other, the one with the lighter skin is probably going to get more attention. How fair is that? Not at all.

My other observation is that the culture of relationships here is also very different. Boyfriend/girlfriend does not automatically mean an exclusive relationship; there are tons of guys who are going to flirt with you regardless of their other relationships. So do I even want to attract somebody who puts so little value in fidelity?

This also brings up the question of race. Once again, because I am white, I'm treated a certain way. I get more attention than some Mexican girls (although it could just be because of the stereotype that girls from the States are "easy"), although many times it's unmerited. So, many people are just looking at the color of my skin. But then, if I pass over white guys to pay more attention to people who are darker, aren't I doing the same thing? And, since this post is a huge generalization, aren't I labeling the Mexican guys the same way that I am labeled as a white female American?

This is why it's so much easier to be a feminist.