The Other Half in Mexico

In a large valley, at an altitude of 2,240 meters, and home to an estimated 21.2 million people, is Mexico City. It was my first voyage to the city that literally stole my heart. There, people engaged in face-to-face conversations rather than technological ones via Facebook, Twitter and email. It wasn’t long before my own need to be tech-connected became a distant memory. ‘I was missing the moments taking place around me,’ I thought. For the first time, I was able to take in the real moments that make this country so special – the culture.

Mexico, unlike any other country I’d traveled to, seemed to have a very strong sense of family and relationships –sometimes awkwardly so to this American girl. Public displays of affection between couples and families ran rampant. That sense of engagement seems to be the largest draw for travelers seeking a special locale for their next trip.

I was most taken aback by the roles of women. Despite so much progression on the horizon, women are still being excluded from senior roles. I was surprised, given the strong women-to-men ratio in Mexico.

Growth is evident now as more women are moving into atypical female careers like construction workers, police and military officers. Yet, there is still more work to do as research shows.

Most recently, Mexico City had its first female presidential candidate in the country’s history – Josefina Vazquez Mota. We are definitely seeing some political growth for women. However, Mexico remains a country that as of late has no major company led by a female CEO. Women hold only six percent of the board seats at major Mexican companies according to GMI Ratings. And, out of 540 members of Parliament, only 10 percent are women.

Yes, a lot has been accomplished for women, by our neighbor. But, there is still a lot more to be done.

Have you traveled Mexico or are you making plans to visit? If so, what strikes you most about this beautiful country?

By Danielle V. Jackson