From Campeche, Mexico Special Guest Dori Rangel…

I run an internet Café in Mexico; a humble job but one that gives me what I need. On one occasion, I bought a box of candy and gave away a few pieces to each customer as they entered my shop. My first customers that day were European tourists. I wanted to give them some candy, but they looked at me with a puzzling stare, not willing to accept. They seemed to believe accepting the candy would come with some kind of condition and refused. After several attempts, a large smile always upon my face, they agreed, but seemed to do so unwillingly. I assigned them their computers and continued working, not thinking much of it. Soon enough I received other customers and gave them their candy, a warm smile still on my face. I noticed how my first clients were watching me and both appeared surprised.

When they finished using their computers, they came to me with a shy smile of their own and told me they were sorry for being suspicious. They said they didn’t expect to find such kind people here and without finishing their sentence, gave me a big smile and a hug.

When you hear the name of Mexico, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Narcotics? Kidnappings? Violence? Unfortunately, this is how the international news media most often portrays my country these days.

Certainly, drug trafficking and violence have invaded northern and central Mexico as of late. With that said, we constantly struggle to overcome them. The eradication of this evil starts with education, and education begins in our homes. The death, violence and abductions are huge footprints upon our hearts that are hard to erase. Every day we struggle to get by, have better opportunities, better employment, better education, and to raise the name of Mexico to a higher place. People have taken to the streets in protest of all that has been happening recently; walking together, dressed in white, calling for peace. If we put our struggles in the balance, there are far more Mexicans whose love of Mexico will defeat the drug trade. We are proud to be Mexican, love our home and in the end, this will make life better for all of us.

More than anything, I want to tell you Mexico is far more than what you read in the headlines.  It’s a country full of traditions, culture, flavors, colors and wonderful people. Even before the Spanish conquest, Mexico was alive with amazing culture. The country was made up of more than 30 ethnic groups, all using different dialects, and the Mexican landscape was a priceless treasure of silver, exotic animals and of course cocoa, which was eventually taken to the old continent by the Spanish.

I live in Campeche, a city full of magic and of Mayan descent.  It was conquered by the Spanish and became a walled city to prevent pirate attacks. A city with mixed cultures, Spanish castles and Mayan ruins, a few years ago Campeche was proclaimed a World Heritage Site and we are all very proud of this accomplishment. My home is one of the oldest cities in the country and the people are always warm and friendly. We enjoy receiving visitors and sharing our stories, our history and of course our cuisine with all those who travel from far away to see us. We simply love to watch people feel the warmth and enjoyment of the vast amount of sights, colors and sound, along with the inviting smell of the sea that surrounds my beautiful city.

In Mexico, family values are important and the respect for tradition is part of our heritage. It has taught us all to respect each person and most of all, to win back the pride of our country, to rescue our peace and tranquility from those who are working so hard to take it away. My country is surrounded by the magic of its legends, history, and people and if something lifts up Mexicans and preserves our love of life and country more than anything else it’s art. In Mexico, art is essential part of life.  In fact, everything is art in Mexico.

Perhaps a smile is a form of art as well and if a friendly smile won the trust of those tourists, I am convinced, no matter how idealistic it may be, that something as simple as a smile can make a big difference. In fact, if more if us simply smiled at on another… the world as we know it could change.