Born in the U.S.A.

           “Hey, Duuuude!!! You can really get airborne on these cobblestones!” The rattle of skateboard wheels and shriek of strident teenage American voices assaulted my ears as I picked my way up the narrow, small town Mexican sidewalk. What a noisy, unexpected sight! American juveniles skateboarding in the cobbled streets of Ajijic, Jalisco.

           My wife and I had been exploring this small community for the past two weeks. Known as a magnet for Canadian and American retirees, thousands descend on this area on the north shore of Lake Chapala during the winter months each year. They are drawn by the pleasant, sunny weather and attractive standard of living. A dollar stretches farther in Mexico – even in tourist conclaves.

           After a few days Sandra and I began to understand the many charms offered by the area. We needed to travel no farther than the town plaza in the evening – the hub of social activity. Families gather to eat an evening meal, sitting at the edge of the plaza and engaging in pleasant conversation, while waiting for their fajitas to grill and their tortillas to heat. Mexican teenage boys and girls circle the plaza in opposite directions and exchange furtive glances inspecting possible sweethearts. Old men – ensconced on benches – chat of bygone days, past accomplishments, and the present “invasion” by gringos. Los Tres Amigos (the three friends) became our favorite sombreroed trio, occupying the same bench nearly every evening. All of this flooded by the Mariachi music from a nearby cantina.

           Even Mexican skateboarders inhabited one corner of the plaza. Far from their American counterparts, these teens exhibited skills much more modest. They shunned the cobblestones for the relatively smooth plaza pavers. They displayed their attempts at devil-may-care by attempting to fly the two small steps from the upper to lower plaza without wiping out. Their equipment, while not ancient, showed signs of being well used and a bit worse for wear. Their behavior? "Kinder and gentler" describes most behaviors in rural locales. When walking through the improvised skate park, a young skateboarder flew in our direction pushed off course by inexperience. Nearly missing us, he picked up his board and sheepishly apologized. “Disculpe me. (Excuse me.)”

           Today, the foreign rattles and shrieks fading in the distance brought the realization that Christmas break must have brought an American family to this part of Mexico. After purchasing fruit at the frutaria, I backtracked toward the pescaderia (fish market) along the sidewalk just wide enough for a Mexican mother and her toddler. Ahead, two American teens, probably high school freshmen or sophomores, hung out talking with their porcine papa, skateboards under their arms, effectively blocking the sidewalk. I said, “Excuse me.” Receiving a sidewards glance but no response, I continued forward inevitably brushing against one of their skateboards.

           Three steps later I heard, “Did you see what that Dude tried to do? He tried to knock my skateboard outta my hands. Yeh, he did. That gray-haired dude. He tried to pop it right out into the street.” Not responding, I continued on my way thinking to myself, the consummate Ugly Americans teenage-style.

           These kids were obviously born into privileged, well-off families. Skating on cobblestones assumed the aura of an extreme sport experience – not a fact of everyday life to them. Mexico became a playground for them – not a place where other people with a different culture live. Mexico was all about them.

          I would have loved to place them in a Mexican household for a few months where they would be expected to do their share of the work. No computers, possibly no TV, and no video games except at the local arcade. And definitely nothing but the most rudimentary skateboards. Would the experience change them for the better? Would it teach them to behave less rudely? Would it teach them that no one is entitled to anything without first earning it? Probably not. But they might better appreciate the privilege that flows from being born in the U.S.A. And it might even teach them the responsibility to behave like a guest when visiting a foreign country . . . maybe.