I was just thinking of ways to explain the philosophy of “anything goes” that prevails in virtually all of the developing world when my friend, Linda, a fellow expat Canadian living since forever in Cozumel (Mexico) gave me the perfect example. She woke up one morning to a full fledged  carnival on her doorstep!

The carnival being assembled, eventually filling the street

Blocking her street completely, the 12 day midway is organized by a neighborhood church, which has ample space on its own grounds, but prefers to host the event on the narrow thoroughfare instead. Thus, from noon to eleven during twelve days, Linda and her neighbors have to endure high decibels and vibrations which would drive anybody insane. Linda can’t work, can’t have a phone conversation or relax in any way, so she’s left with no option but to leave her home for the period.

Linda’s tried speaking to the priest at the church, but he basically told her to go to hell. She also contacted the local authorities only to be told they can’t do anything. The church never consulted the people of her neighborhood, all of which except one, who (lucky him) isn’t in town till after the carnival, are afraid of the padre and refuse to join her in protesting against this disruption of their home life.

Mexico, like so many other places in the developing world, lives by the rule  of “I’ll do what I want and you’ll do what you want“. Complaining is rare and considered ill mannered, even though it is your neighbor that is being uncivil. Call the police? You can, but typically, a third world police force is a bit of a sham, and nobody respects them. If the cops show up at all, the noisy party might stop for a few minutes, but it will start up again shortly after at a higher volume than before just to punish you for interfering with their fun.

Thus, if your neighbors want to party noisily all night despite the rules, they will, and nobody will stop them. If they want to open an illegal car repair business at the curb, they will. If they want to open a nuclear laboratory in their house, they will! I’ve seen it all since living in that other world: in Cozumel, in Argentina, in Mauritius, and in Colombia. For an expat, it’s no use complaining — you’ll just get their ire and the usual “stupid gringo, mind you own business!” or something similar.

Like it or not, that’s how the rest of the world works, so if you cannot accept what you cannot change, then you best not try living in that other world! Doesn’t make it right, of course!

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