2 Weeks in Mexico.

Almost four years ago I travelled to Mexico and milked cows on a ranch outside of Mexico City...

If that sounds unique...

...then you might keep in mind that I did not travel to Mexico specifically for the cows or for the seemingly hard labour...

I stayed in Mexico with a Mexican family over Christmas in 2008...

...and I had a very brief introduction to life in Mexico City...

I was thinking about Mexico today because I can see a few similarities between Mexico and Korea...

(does that sound outrageous?)

First of all...

...Mexico and Korea have the longest working hours in the world (last time I checked...)

...Mexicans and Koreans are extremely hard working people...

While Mexicans and Koreans work the longest hours...

...it is difficult to see if their quality of life is substantially improving...

In Korea, everyone appears to be working intensely, often to the detriment of their health and family life...

...but the cost of education and housing in Korea is so extreme that  very few people can enjoy tangible financial stability...

Similarly, in Mexico...

...I am wondering how average people can improve their standard of living...

...when it is clear that the gap between the rich and the poor is beyond disturbing...



One of the clear differences between Mexico and Korea is that safety for Korean citizens is a almost a certainty in South Korea...

(the Suwon murder is really a shocking and unique incident in Korea...)

...it is generally unheard of for South Koreans to be kidnapped or murdered in SK...

...whereas in Mexico I learnt that you have to be aware of being followed 100% of the time...