This is the Third part of my reportage about my three-year life in Mexico. Intact First part I wrote about my experiences on how to communicate with your host family when neither the German nor the English language is available as a common spoken language. Intact second part I tell you about my first experience as a volunteer and what it is like to live with 61 cats.
Now I want to talk about my Culture shock in Mexico writing. I hereby emphasize that I have no intention of speaking ill of any school system or of presenting a practice as unprofessional. Only I report here about everything I have experienced and seen. You can form an opinion of it yourself.
Have fun reading and write me at the end in the comments, whether you have already experienced something similar or even if and which Culture shock You have had if you have ever been in Mexico should have been.
This article is part of a series of articles:
- Mexico: No pig knows this place – but I lived there – Mexico Part 1
- Workaway Mexico: Of Cats and Shamans – Mexico Part 2
- Culture shock Mexico: My everyday life as a teacher at a German embassy school – Mexico part 3
Table of contents
How It All Started: Sometimes Finding Help Before Seeking It
During my Second stay at the cat shelter in Jocotepec (where I did my first volunteer service, in the second part I report on it) the desire arose in me to stay in Mexico even longer and to work here.
My visa would expire in a few weeks. Fortunately, tourists usually get a Residence permit of 180 daysBut they're going to be there sometime.
So I talked to my girlfriend, researched for hours on the Internet, looked at international portals and considered what work I was doing here in Mexico as a Foreigner You might have little knowledge of Spanish.
This may not sound very promising to you now, but I was already sure at the time that I would find something.
A few weeks before I made an appointment with a dermatologist to have some annoying liver spots removed. On the appointed date came the incredible for me. The doctor turned out to be a German who sends her children to the German embassy school. She just told me, should I want to stay longer, that I should apply to these schools, as native speakers would always be sought.
That said. Done.
After several interviews; which felt more like a normal conversation about all kinds of topics, I got a job in Kindergarten at the German Embassy School in Mexico City.
For my Work visa I had to go to Los Angeles again. Mexican Consulate fly. I was out with two other girls. Of course, I was the only one who had to talk to the American officer for 30 minutes, because he kept asking me why I was here and whether I had the American 🤯 Want to apply for work permit... I felt I had to argue 10x that I was here to take my Mexican Getting Work Permit...
Uber, laundromat & sourdough bread – my normal Mexican everyday life
Funny enough, I already had a ApartmentEven though I haven’t been to Mexico City yet. The Director He knew a German! Father, who had just renovated his second house and now rented out individual rooms. I was honestly very Concerned I wouldn’t find an apartment in such a huge city. Ultimately, I lived in a WG, the first half year alone and later two more young Mexicans moved in, but they both spoke English and so we had a nice time together.
Practically, my apartment was only 40 minutes from school Take the school bus away. I was picked up in the morning and brought home in the afternoon. The safety of students is very important in expensive schools. There was always such a thing as Police officers/security guards at the entrance, which controlled the cars and visitors.
Otherwise, it was actually very easy to find my way around. The next big Supermarket was about 20 minutes on foot For the return I usually took a UberBecause it was often too difficult for me to buy. Small shops There was plenty in my neighborhood and also a laundromat, because in my house there was no possibility of washing. My mine Neighbours I even went with me and told the ladies there that I speak very little Spanish and that if I want to do my laundry, then please help me. 🤗 They always did that. ☺️. I think has a load with dryer 100 Pesos (approximately 5 euros).
At some point, even a baker near me opened a small shop that German sourdough bread sold. I was often a customer... 😂😂 Of course, I had a conversation with the baker and it turned out that his mother moved from Germany to Mexico, met his father there and then stayed in Mexico. He was at the same school I was going to work for. Exciting!
My Personal Culture Shock in Mexico
Before our first day of work would start, we had a small Introduction iThe school and we got to know our colleagues. We also got a first insight into the "classrooms" and materials. As a reminder, I was German teacher for the kindergarten employed.
Then finally came the long-awaited first working day.
21 children.
1 teacher.
1 German teacher.
The kindergarten had 8 different groups Each one had the same composition.
The day in kindergarten was extremely clocked:
- The children mostly arrived until 8:00/8.15. Then there was a Morning circle. 45 minutes Sitting long in a chair! In that time I was supposed to do the first German units. Practice day, weather, day, month, etc. with the children.
- In my group there were Nobodywho could speak German. This was very hard at first because the children understood 0 and did not know me either, but I should teach them something right away.
- At about 9 o'clock all the children went into the Free play. The children should go to other classrooms independently. In each room, another Activity offered: sports, crafts, baking, games, etc.
- An hour later, the children went back to their own homes. Classrooms. Then there was breakfast. Each child had his own Bread bag with actually healthy food.
- Then there was a Pause And then we often went to Gardenwhere the children could play freely. Afterwards we often made a calculation or first Writing exercises. Sometimes we also tinkered because there was a party.
- Sometimes it was Air pollution So enormous that we were not allowed to go out. On those days we mostly shared the group and I have with half a Intensive–Unit German made. The other group then worked in their preschool book. After half an hour, the mixture was exchanged.
- Opposite 13:00 We said goodbye again in the Ending circle Afterwards, they took the children to their school buses, which they would bring home.
Now you have got a little overview, like my Everyday life in the kindergarten in Mexico at the German Embassy School is.
Now I want to explain why this was my personal culture shock:
Off Germany I know kindergartens as places where children mainly play, discover and free themselves Implementation may. Of course there are also fixed Structures and daily routines that give the children orientation. Overall, however, this Playful Learning in the foreground – learning through Experience, Try it out and together.
In Mexico, on the other hand, I experienced kindergarten quite differently. Honestly, he initially came to me more like a Small School before. The day was in 45-minute units divided, with short breaks in between and a longer break at noon. They usually work in booklets or Workbooksand there were only Limited Time for free play – usually in the morning or outside in the garden.
Many activities were weeks in Advance planned, often with regard to certain Solid or events. Spontaneous projects or ideas that would have emerged from the interests of the children hardly found space. At the end of the year there was even a small German test for the preschool children, where they were tested by other teachers. For some children who were shy or did not dare to speak in a foreign language, this was of course a great Challenge. However, this was not always taken into account.
Conclusion
For me, it was all a correct Culture shock – not because it was "wrong", but because it was so fundamentally different from what I knew from Germany. I first had to understand that Education and early childhood education in every country Different being lived. In Mexico, structured learning is often the priority, even in kindergarten – something I was not used to.
Honestly, at first I was quite Overstretched. I had the feeling that there was hardly any time, just once Breathe through Or spontaneously try something new. Everything was exactly Planned – when to tinker, what to tinker with, what color to use and what to use in the end. Even the creative Activities This often seemed like small school tasks.
I firmly believe that Children creativity, Restraint and need free time to really develop. When everything is set, by the Craft idea until the answer in the workbook –, there is little room for fantasy or for a child to simply dream. Therefore, I could not help but wonder where in this close Clocked Every day Space remains for curiosity and for small discoveries in between.
These Experience has made me realize how different our ideas of what "Normal' is'. I only noticed here how much my Own Culture and that sometimes you really have to stand in another country to understand this.
It's important for me to emphasize that all of this is natural. My personal impressions are. Everyone experiences things differently – and what was initially unusual or strange for me can be completely normal or even positive for others. I want to share my experience with you. Not criticizing or evaluating a systemJust honestly share how it felt to me.
PS: Of course I also had at this school Beautiful, unique moments I learned an incredible amount – about the children, about the country and also about myself. But this article is about My personal culture shockIt was part of that experience.
Have you ever worked in another country and experienced your very personal culture shock? Write it to me in the comments!
Latest comments
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Hello, I'm Mexican.
I read your text about culture shocks in Mexico.
I am learning German and I was able to understand the main idea.
The text was interesting!
I didn’t think this culture shock existed – kindergarten education!
When I was in Germany, my culture shock was that nobody talks on the S-Bahn.
People are quiet.
Once someone told me, "You speak very loudly."
Greetings, I am David from Morelia.-
Hello David, this with the S-Bahn is interesting, I had not thought about that yet. In Mexico I had the feeling that people had to speak out loud, otherwise they would be drowned out by the music... :)
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