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Even today, there are very few tourists afoot in Mexico, except those on package tours to the beach meccas. But sadly, Mazatlan is one that the tourists have found. I can't even remember the last time I met an American tourist in Mexico, except near a beach. The first trip I took through Mexico was in 1962, and I don't think I saw a single American in two weeks, all the way down to El Salvador and back. When I travel through Mexico now, there are still never any Americans staying in my hotels, I rarely see any American license plates on the road except in border towns. So if you want to see Kerouac's Mexico today, just make sure you're a few miles away from a beach like Cancun or Zihuatenejo.
Mazatlan has changed a lot, it is now just a big Mexican city, with a more-than-average narco presence, and thousands of American retirees. When I was there the first time in I think about 1979, it was just a sleepy seaside town, and you could walk along the seawall and see only Mexicans. It's not just a Mexico phenomenon, the whole world has gone through the same post-Kerouac tourists staking out their dibs.
He means, Why are there so few people in Mexico who can speak the language that is spoken in their huge, influential neighbor. This is a question that has always mystified me, too. In Mexico, and most other Latin American countries, it can be very hard to find a person who can speak English. Even Mexicans who lived for several years in the USA have a very poor command of English. They place a very low priority on learning English. It's easier to find an English-speaking person in Taiwan or Egypt or Poland, than in Mexico. I think Panama and Venezuela are the only countries in Latin America where a fairly large number of people know some English, but even then, a very small minority.
A case in point: There are at least a thousand professional baseball players in the USA from Spanish-speaking countries. They have known since childhood that they have the skills to play professional baseball and may be signed to a contract to play in the USA. Yet, nearly all of them arrive in the USA with no knowledge of English whatsoever.
He means, Why are there so few people in Mexico who can speak the language that is spoken in their huge, influential neighbor. This is a question that has always mystified me, too. In Mexico, and most other Latin American countries, it can be very hard to find a person who can speak English. Even Mexicans who lived for several years in the USA have a very poor command of English. They place a very low priority on learning English. It's easier to find an English-speaking person in Taiwan or Egypt or Poland, than in Mexico. I think Panama and Venezuela are the only countries in Latin America where a fairly large number of people know some English, but even then, a very small minority.
A case in point: There are at least a thousand professional baseball players in the USA from Spanish-speaking countries. They have known since childhood that they have the skills to play professional baseball and may be signed to a contract to play in the USA. Yet, nearly all of them arrive in the USA with no knowledge of English whatsoever.
It is obvious that the average citizen will not have knowledge of another language, that happens both in Mexico and the United States.
I travel frequently to the U.S. and could complain saying why you do not speak Spanish despite having many millions of Hispanics in your country and Univision and Telemundo, but I do not, that would be stupid.
But in professional settings is very common that mexican people speak English, the curious thing is that people coming from the U.S. to sell products can not speak Spanish at all, a case in reverse would be unacceptable for a U.S. buyer.
Also in tourist areas people speak English which is what matters to the American tourist.
It is obvious that the average citizen will not have knowledge of another language, that happens both in Mexico and the United States..
That is not the comparison I was making.
The USA is the dominant 'neighbor", and there is a great deal more advantage to a Mexican learning English, then an American learning another language. Europeans are quick and enthusiastic learners of the languages of countries that have influence on them, but Mexicans are not.
This is not a criticism or a judgment, but an observation.
Going back in time to 1985 when I lived in Mexico City a half block from a school that used the bldg for three different age groups (they should try that in the US).
I would find discarded school papers out on the front sidewalk showing that they were learning to print in ENGLISH.
Not sure about today but goes to show the initial intent at that point in time.
The USA is the dominant 'neighbor", and there is a great deal more advantage to a Mexican learning English, then an American learning another language. Europeans are quick and enthusiastic learners of the languages of countries that have influence on them, but Mexicans are not.
This is not a criticism or a judgment, but an observation.
My thread's gotten hi-jacked, but oh well. It's actually a germane discussion since Kerouac almost certainly was monolingual and therefore was pretty limited in his absorption of Mexican culture, people etc.
As for this idea that Europeans, across the board, are multilingual wizards. It's a bunch of bull. Some Northern European countries like Germany, Scandinavian countries, etc. have a large population of people that speak at least 2 or 3 languages well, but if you go to Spain, Italy, Greece or some Eastern European countries you will find the same limited language abilities as you find in the US or in Mexico.
Your thread offered no premise, it merely referred us to a link, and anything that relates to anything in that link is on-topic.
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