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MikeySaid
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 509
Location: Torreon, Mexico
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 Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 6:00 pm Post subject: Why do the people of Torreon love it so much here? |
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I'm assuming that as expats (are we expats?) none of us are completely infatuated with the places we were raised. Although each month I spend in the Chihuahuan desert makes me appreciate more and more what it means to live in Northern California.
My experience has been that a vast majority of the people here have little to no desire to get out of Torreon and that most in fact think this is just about the best place an individual could ever live. I ask them if they would like to live in Mazatlan or Acapulco or la Huasteca and they say "no, it is too hot" or "too far from my family" or something else that wouldnt be an impediment for most of my friends. It strikes me as odd that a place like Torreon is considered by its inhabitants to be such a wonderland (they even believe a Disneyland will be constructed here in the future, no joke) and they talk of Monterrey like some 2nd hell.
Does this irrational love for where you're from run rampant in Mexico? Why do the laguneros seem so convinced that they come from a wonderful place when every (non-Mexican) I meet whoh comes through this place sees an ugly, dirty ranch with too many people and not enough things to do?
Oh by the way... I talked to a director at a University today and they're trying to bring on a couple of qualified native speakers starting Jan 26 at between 150/hr and 200/hr with 20 - 25 hours a week of teaching time. Some high school classes, also.
If you're interested in dust storms and like places like Phoenix and El Paso, PM me.
Note: I don't hate it here, I can just imagine 1,000 better places to be. |
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TheLongWayHome
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 1016
Location: San Luis Piojosi
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| Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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| My experience has been that a vast majority of the people here have little to no desire to get out of Torreon and that most in fact think this is just about the best place an individual could ever live. |
SLP is exactly the same. Although don't most Mexicans (from outside Torreon) think Torreon is a dive?
| Quote: |
| Does this irrational love for where you're from run rampant in Mexico? |
Yes, people think SLP is fantastic. La huasteca is but the rest of it is a city with a small town mentality in the middle of a desert with gente sangrona all over the place - SLP is even famous for that.
I often ask students to name 5 things to do in SLP - they struggle. You can:
1. Go to Tangamanga Park 1, 2 or 3.
2. Go to the centre.
3. Go to one of 3 malls.
4. Go to all three malls.
5. Go to another city.
People even 'carranzear' here. They drive up and down the main street (Carranza) looking for people they know. Come to SLP! But only la huasteca. |
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Milenka
Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Posts: 113
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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| TheLongWayHome wrote: |
| Quote: |
| My experience has been that a vast majority of the people here have little to no desire to get out of Torreon and that most in fact think this is just about the best place an individual could ever live. |
SLP is exactly the same. Although don't most Mexicans (from outside Torreon) think Torreon is a dive?
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I do! |
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MO39
Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 1970
Location: El ombligo de la Rep�blica Mexicana
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| Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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Q: Why do the people of Torre�n love it so much?
A: Maybe because they haven't been anywhere else in their entire lives? |
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dixie
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 644
Location: D.F
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 3:42 am Post subject: |
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This is great! My boyfriend from Torreon would rave about how fabulous the place was and I never understood why (born and raised, but he has travelled in Mexico and the US). Even better though, he too tried to convince me that someday soon in the future there would be a Disneyland built there!
I have no idea why the Laguna residents think Torreon is so great other than the fact that they are too scared and/or unable to leave and so must lie to everyone, and themselves, about Torreon's greatness.
And yes, everyone I have ever meet that has been to Torreon (but does not live there) thinks it is an ugly dust bowl. |
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MikeySaid
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 509
Location: Torreon, Mexico
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 4:08 am Post subject: |
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| Best part is... many of these people are well traveled... and they're still convinced. |
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TheLongWayHome
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 1016
Location: San Luis Piojosi
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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| MikeySaid wrote: |
| Best part is... many of these people are well traveled... and they're still convinced. |
Maybe it comes from inhaling too much Torreon dust, eventually you just become part of the place, whether you leave or not, it permeates and warps your thoughts. Cuidado. |
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MO39
Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 1970
Location: El ombligo de la Rep�blica Mexicana
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| Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 3:20 am Post subject: |
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| Maybe it's like being in love with someone who's a total bitch or b*stard. You can't bring yourself to criticize or question the object of your passion because then you'd be forced to look at him or her objectively rather than through rose-tinted glasses. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 4:03 am Post subject: |
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| "Home is where the hearth lie" goes the saying. |
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Samantha
Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 2038
Location: Mexican Riviera
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| Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Or "sometimes you just gotta bloom where you're planted". Attitude is everything. |
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Dragonlady
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 720
Location: Chillinfernow, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 3:05 am Post subject: |
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deleted
Last edited by Dragonlady on Sun Sep 26, 2010 8:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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corporatehuman
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 198
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 12:30 pm Post subject: Re: Why do the people of Torreon love it so much here? |
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| MikeySaid wrote: |
My experience has been that a vast majority of the people here have little to no desire to get out of Torreon and that most in fact think this is just about the best place an individual could ever live. I ask them if they would like to live in Mazatlan or Acapulco or la Huasteca and they say "no, it is too hot" or "too far from my family" or something else that wouldnt be an impediment for most of my friends.
Does this irrational love for where you're from run rampant in Mexico? Why do the laguneros seem so convinced that they come from a wonderful place when every (non-Mexican) I meet whoh comes through this place sees an ugly, dirty ranch with too many people and not enough things to do?
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Would you prefer for them to hate Torreon? What exactly are they supposed to do, in your eyes; think like you? I've never been to Torreon, so I can't speak to whether or it's a great or a bad place...but I have no idea why it would bother you if people love it. I'm not sure what else you expect them to do. It's their home. This happens.
One of the things I have learned from Mexicans more than anything is to stop complaining.
If you don't have anything to do, try doing something new, on your own.
If you hate a place, try leaving. If you have to stay, try finding the good things about it. They are there. No place is without them. |
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MO39
Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 1970
Location: El ombligo de la Rep�blica Mexicana
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| Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:31 pm Post subject: Re: Why do the people of Torreon love it so much here? |
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| corporatehuman wrote: |
If you hate a place, try leaving. If you have to stay, try finding the good things about it. They are there. No place is without them. |
I have the feeling that the OP's problem is that he's stuck in Torre�n because that's where his wife/girlfriend is from, and she has no desire to leave. |
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dixie
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 644
Location: D.F
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:19 am Post subject: Re: Why do the people of Torreon love it so much here? |
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| corporatehuman wrote: |
| MikeySaid wrote: |
My experience has been that a vast majority of the people here have little to no desire to get out of Torreon and that most in fact think this is just about the best place an individual could ever live. I ask them if they would like to live in Mazatlan or Acapulco or la Huasteca and they say "no, it is too hot" or "too far from my family" or something else that wouldnt be an impediment for most of my friends.
Does this irrational love for where you're from run rampant in Mexico? Why do the laguneros seem so convinced that they come from a wonderful place when every (non-Mexican) I meet whoh comes through this place sees an ugly, dirty ranch with too many people and not enough things to do?
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Would you prefer for them to hate Torreon? What exactly are they supposed to do, in your eyes; think like you? I've never been to Torreon, so I can't speak to whether or it's a great or a bad place...but I have no idea why it would bother you if people love it. I'm not sure what else you expect them to do. It's their home. This happens.
One of the things I have learned from Mexicans more than anything is to stop complaining.
If you don't have anything to do, try doing something new, on your own.
If you hate a place, try leaving. If you have to stay, try finding the good things about it. They are there. No place is without them. |
The thing is that people don't just embrace their hometown, they put it up on a pedestal and believe it is the top city in Mexico, if not N.A., if not the world. And it is far from that. It's interesting to note how ingrained that seems to be in some residents.
As for finding things to do, that is one issue I had with Torreon. There's not much and because of it's location it is not easy to travel elsewhere; not like DF where you can easily make it to a variety of places for a weekend, or even a day trip if you just want to get out and have a change of scenery. |
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MikeySaid
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 509
Location: Torreon, Mexico
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:33 am Post subject: Re: Why do the people of Torreon love it so much here? |
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| MO39 wrote: |
| corporatehuman wrote: |
If you hate a place, try leaving. If you have to stay, try finding the good things about it. They are there. No place is without them. |
I have the feeling that the OP's problem is that he's stuck in Torre�n because that's where his wife/girlfriend is from, and she has no desire to leave. |
I don't hate Torreon. Sometimes I actually get the feeling that instead of heading up to the states next year we should stay here. Opportunity abounds in this place and if work on it we can have a very comfortable life and make an impact.
The point of the post was to know if in other places in Mexico people place their cities on a pedestal like they do here. Thank you for putting it so well, Daisy. |
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