A Kids Life in Mexico

Did you know that the most common religion in Mexico is Roman Catholic?

Have you ever heard the word sombreros? I've heard it a lot but do you know what it is and what it actually does?

Did you know that Mexico produces more silver than any other country?

Did you know that the Mexican women in the house usually do the cooking and cleaning for 7 to 10 people each day?

Olah (hello)! My name is Carmen. I live in Mexico and speak Spanish. My country is located south of the United States. Mexico is the northernmost country of Latin America. If you visit my country, you may find tropical forests, dry deserts, towering mountains, beautiful beaches, wide plateaus, or fertile valleys depending on what part of the country you visit.

Here's some information about Mexico. The people living here are descended from the Indians (such as the Aztecs) and the Spanish (Mexico was a Spanish colony for 300 years). Like me, most of the people living here today are mestizos, which means we have both Indian and white ancestors.

Today 30% of the whole population live in either Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. Those are the three largest cities in Mexico. My family chooses to live in Monterrey. It's very neat and tidy. I like living here! Many of our people (about one out of four) live on farms or in small villages. The villages are often very poor and have little education for the children.

Do you ever wonder what kind of foods we eat here and what our eating customs are? Well, corn is the chief food of most Mexicans. We use it to make many things. Instead of eating bread, most Mexicans eat a tortilla. It is a thin, flat bread usually made from corn meal and cooked on a griddle. Many people also eat frijoles (beans) that are Taco boiled, mashed, and then fried. Lunch is my favorite meal because my mother makes me the best homemade tacos made from tortillas, chicken, and cheese! Dinner is the one time that the family eats together. We sometimes have stew. I don't care for stew though. Sometimes we have tamales which are made from corn meal steamed in corn husks or banana leaves. It is usually mixed with pork or chicken.

What kind of clothes do you wear in the United States? Many Mexican men wear white cotton t-shirts, pants, and leather sandals called huaraches. Sometimes, they wear wide-brimmed hats called "sombreros." The sombreros protect them from the heat and rain. The women in Mexico usually wear cotton skirts and blouses. Often times their clothes are embroidered.

Sports here are fun! They are the most fun places to go! There's soccer, rodeo, bullfighting and more! My father sometimes takes me to the bullfighting. It's my favorite place to go.

How many people do you have in an average family? We have seven to ten people in a house. Think of that. The mother of the house usually does the cooking and the cleaning. I'm glad that I'm only fourteen, or I would be cleaning up after six children. Luckily, they have to clean their own room. Oh wait a minute! That's me I'm talking about! Luckily? Oh never mind.