February 13, 2014

Standing in lines....

I was just wondering if any expats feel the same way I feel about standing in store lines (or bank/cable/ payment type lines) in Mexico.

Here's the deal:  I would rather go super early, or not at all, than have someone standing almost on top of me, moving up an inch each time I shift, or just staring at everything thing I'm doing, like paying or signing a credit card slip, etc. My thinking is, if someone is touching me, they are way too close! I have come to understand it is a normal thing culturally but it's just one of those things that drive me crazy.  I have started using the shopping cart behind me as a barrier or if there's no shopping cart, I stand with one foot back so I control how close people can get.  It works ok but still does nothing about the staring.

I've complained to some Mexican friends and have learned that it is truly cultural.  Maybe some don't like it, but it just doesn't bother them as much as it bothers me.

Does it bother any of you mexpats?