A week back from an amazing vacation in Mexico, I still find it hard to get back in the swing of papers, tests, and the demands of college life.
And even though the weather was a perfect blend between the breeze of Spring and the heat of Summer and the water looked as if someone put 3 drops of blue food coloring in the Gulf, there's one particular instance where Mexico wasn't all fun and games.
As soon as my friends and I stepped off the boat, there was a slew of Mexican musicians and dancers playing traditional music for our enjoyment. The women donned white peasant dresses with bright colors that accented their collars as they danced around the May-pole while the men wore huge sombrero's as they pounded their mini-drums and strummed their mini-guitars.
The musicians and dancers played the entire time the ship was docked, and would kindly ask for tips from us as we walked by. I must say I was quite appalled hearing one American say in response, "Why dont you get a real job and then you wont need tips," and then he walked away in a huff, leaving the woman standing there with the biggest question mark on her face.
Turns out, our Mexican tour guide from the cruise told us that the women and men dancing and playing for money only make anywhere between $3-5 dollars an hour with the hopes of big tips. $3-5 dollars and hour! And that person couldn't even spare at least, $1 dollar, to give to those people who are sharing their land, resources, music and culture for us to enjoy?
Needless to say, each person in my 10-person party gave the musicians and dancers a tip; one of the members of our group of friends leaving in tears. You see, she's an American born Cuban and she said it reminded her of the hardships her grandparents had to endure when they first arrived in America.
So, let's not be so quick to judge people. Do like they told us to do in kindergarten and "put yourself in the other person's shoes." You might just learn something.
