In another episode of my theories about Mexicanity, today I bring you the chapter "Mexicans are negative by nature".
Recently, there was some study published which states that Mexicans are the most unhappy people in the world. It isn’t a wild thought, since the insecurity, the daily homicides, the economic precariousness ... among so many other factors influenced such unfortunate result.
Now, I don't know how truthful this is but, in the context that surrounds me, bad news proliferates. Let's see ... it's Mexico, add to that our individual tragedies. In my family, is kind of a curse. Between illnesses and other misfortunes, I can’t answer to a "how are you?" honestly with a "good"or “fine, thanks”, but it saves me time. And, in recent years, most of my personal problems have revolved around my migration status. Yes, I had problems, many. Therefore, one of the resources that helped me to stay afloat, and to not lose my mind, is to share my problems with others. Since, at the end of the day, I am a narrative being. After getting it out of my system, the problem is no longer mine and the whole world is there, at least expectant, to solve it, or maybe just to see how life leads me to the f… hell.
But, the difference to notice here is what happens if the listener is Icelandic or Mexican.
When I talk about my thousand misfortunes with my Mexican friends, their reactions are of horror and confusion. Sometimes they give me advice, followed by their empathic anger. More often than not, it’s to entrust me their own misfortunes, then together we drown with the sorrows already said, flying up in the air, fluttering like birds of bad omen. Either way, this is our fate.
But, if my listener is Icelandic, they take out a weapon that I don't know, but it sounds familiar. I must admit that this exists in Mexico, but it isn’t usually the immediate response, it serves more as a final consolation. Þetta reddast. "It will work out”. A kind of "hakuna matata" magical thinking. What is this thing I am feeling? Is it the warm caress of hope? No! I reject it, take it back! Don’t you see where I come from?
Yes, I can laugh at death, but she still terrifies me. No. Things can't be right, nor can they be solved magically.
Þetta reddast. "It will work out”. A kind of "hakuna matata" magical thinking.
According to Umberto Eco, I belong to the team apocalyptic, those who see the glass half empty. Is not even empty! I can even recognise that the liquid is neither water nor drinkable, so you are left with nothing. Even worse, you are thirsty now.
And I understand that usually is the CONTEXT, which makes people in Iceland genuinely find a way to solve things, that Þetta reddast is possible. Even with the non-domesticable climate and its rough geography, there is a possibility for it. However, it’s a magical way of thinking, I mean, in the end, we are on the land where fairies and elves live.
Let's continue with my anecdote of the day. One of my recent misfortune was to obtain the Swedish residence permit. Due to my peculiar fate, I requested that permission on the year in which the migratory refugee crisis in Europe worsened and, of course, it impacted Sweden. As an urgent measure they had to prioritize the refugee process, delegating other types of permits, such as mine. What was advertised in some places as a 6-month process took 14 months (to tell the truth, at the embassy they warned me that it would take quite a while). And until things were regularised (I don't know if they have already done it), there was little access to information and a lot of uncertainty. Internet was a doubtful helper, since many of the shared cases reported the worst misfortunes, which were announced as bad signs. I joined a Facebook group of people who, like me, were stuck in this immigration limbo. Everything was tragic, regardless of the nationality (although they were mostly Americans). For everyone, it was a problem not knowing what was happening and if we would have an answer at some point, since for a while the process stopped or at least that was the perception we all had.
I shared my tragedy with my friends in Mexico, everyone was trying to see if my story had a loose end that I could use on my favour and find an easier way to go through this process. Or they simply told me about the case of X or Y who had gone through something similar in some other country.
In Iceland was different. The almost immediate response of almost all the people who we told about our situation was a Þetta reddast, followed by a smile. Yes, I knew it would eventually “work out”, the problem was never if it would, it was a matter of when and what to do in the meantime.
To this day, I cannot live under the philosophy of Þetta reddast, even though my husband does. For me, it’s easier to live by the “always expect the worst” or “the worst is yet to come”. It never fails. At least, living like this, if something bad happens, emotionally I am more prepared for it and, if something good happens, it can take me by surprise.