CNN has listed ten of Mexico's biggest differences, including the country's holiday customs, food culture, religious beliefs, orchestral music and soap operas. Want to learn more about Mexico? Let's take a look!
Day of the Dead
Many cultures have ancestral worship practices, but who would turn the mourning of the dead into a feast of art, food and community? The answer is – Mexico! Every year on November 1, the Day of the Dead, Mexicans place shrines in honor of their beloved deceased relatives and friends and welcome the souls of the dead home.
The shrine is filled with photographs of the deceased, food, drinks, skull-shaped sweets, candles and marigolds (Cempasuchil) in honor of the dead. It is believed that the souls of deceased children will return to the Sun on November 1 to visit relatives and friends, while the dead adults will return on November 2.
fast food
Tacos, cakes (tortas), tamales and tostadas are an integral part of Mexican daily life and are known locally as "vitamin T".
Mexicans are always busy and running around, so it's no wonder that eateries and food stalls are everywhere. Whether you're in a subway station, on your way out of school, or during your lunch break, the streets of Mexico offer a variety of delicious fast food, all prepared with fresh ingredients and freshly baked.
soap opera
In 1958, mexican television station Telesistema produced Mexico's first television series, Senda Prohibida. Fifty-six years later, its successor, Televisa Television, produced a total of 740 soap operas, and the plot remained a routine, with little change.
It is nothing more than a man and a woman both falling in love, but due to some tragic reason, they cannot come together, and after many tribulations, they finally join hands in the palace of marriage. These soap operas are filled with cold marriages and sweet betrayals, so that audiences around the world can't help but sigh "Oh my God".
Fifteen years after Televisa exported its first soap opera, Los Ricos Tambien Lloran, it has opened up a vast market overseas. Of all the countries that export TV series, Mexico exports the most, occupying a place in Spanish-speaking countries, and countries such as China, the Philippines, Israel and Saudi Arabia also export many soap operas.
Televisa isn't the only tv station in Mexico that can produce successful soap operas, TV Azteca and Argos Comunicación have also produced some of the best tear-jerking TV series.
maguey
Mexico's national liquor, tequila, is a must-have in bars around the world, exported to 96 countries. When you come to Mexico, don't think that drinking a full bottle of margarita or a lavish drink all night will make Mexicans fall to the ground.
Agaves are like fine whiskies, they should be served slowly and savored, and any local will tell you that the best agaves are enough to compete with whisky. Want to taste the best tequila? Come to the Tequila Trail! It's home to some of Mexico's most famous wineries.
Decanting dish
Mexican parties are notorious because people often inadvertently get drunk and wake up the next day to find that everything is a mess. Thankfully, there's some of the best decanting food in the world.
When you wake up, gollum and drink water, then eat some chilaquiles, pork burritos, lamb burritos, these foods are greasy and spicy, sober, at the latest at one or two o'clock in the afternoon, you will soon be alive again, back to state.
catholic
Mexico has the second largest number of Catholics in the world (second only to Brazil and third in the Philippines). According to mexico's National Institute of Statistics, 83.9 percent of Mexicans are Catholics. The country's boundless reverence for the manifestation of the Virgin Mary reflects the level of piety of Mexican Catholics.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City is the most important religious shrine in the country. This is reportedly the most visited Sanctuary of The Virgin Mary in the world.
Every year on December 12, about 5 million pilgrims from all over Mexico come to the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe to express their gratitude for the grace of our Lady maria and to ask for blessings.
White lies
Mexicans are so afraid of appearing rude that they are unusually repulsive to saying "no." Those who are not familiar with the rules of courtesy here have to be careful, even if they do not actually do anything, but often tell innocuous lies and accept the requests of others.
These lies could be clichés like "the dog ate my homework" or sensationalism like "my beloved aunt has pancreatic cancer." The most common lie is "ahorita" (a little bit). The Spanish word for "Ahorita" literally means "immediately", but this is far from the case.
If a Mexican tells you, he'll do something "right away," get ready to sit on the bench, and the wait will be long. The word "immediately" embodies the Mexican art of procrastination, which can mean "ten minutes later" or "three weeks later." Another lie that's similar to "right away" is "I'm on the road," which means I'm about to finish watching a TV show, get up, make a phone call, take a shower, have a snack, and go out to meet you.
Wrestling masks
Professional wrestling (lucha libra) may be more fancy in the United States, and may be more courageous and tough in other countries, but in Mexico it is full of sad and poignant colors.
These hilarious or creepy masks are not only fun to watch, they are also a major part of the play. Removing the mask from an opponent's head is the biggest victory and the most exciting moment in wrestling.
Orchestra
From symphony orchestras to orchestras of soul and blues, everyone favors brass instruments. Although most countries tend to play orchestral instruments only at parties and special occasions, Mexico is different in that it also plays brass instruments in everyday life.
It all boils down to bandas, which are at the heart of Mexican traditional and popular music. In general, banda consists of 10 to 20 musicians who play brass, woodwinds, and various percussion instruments together. Every traveler to Mexico is captivated by mariachi, and Banda is a part of it.
pun
Puns, "albur" in Spanish, are not just a linguistic joke, but an art that requires a keen brain and the ability to convey cleverly meaningd messages, often with potential sexual implications.
Many languages use some implicit meaning and witty and humorous word games, but puns are extremely important in Mexico, and the country even holds national competitions to select "pun champions".
The current winner is Lourdes Ruiz, who beat everyone and has been defending his title since 1997. Not only that, but every year on March 1, Mexicans celebrate puns.