La Vida Bellísima en México

In June 2005 my aunt and uncle invited me to spend a month in a colonial town in Guanajuato (wa-na-wha-to), México with them. Guanajuato is a beautiful and prosperous state in central México, nothing like the dry pockets of desperation in places like Sonora. Above all else, I noticed how happy the people were.

And why wouldn't they be happy? Every afternoon, the abuelas bought several kilos of warm golden corn tortillas hot off the press at the local tortillería. Every Tuesday, the tianguis outside town was full of warm red and yellow mangoes, loads of fragrant spices, at least five kinds of bananas, fifteen kinds of beans, and every other wonderful thing one could possible desire. In the evenings, people met their friends in the plaza and then later gathered to set off fireworks in honor of one saint or another. When a small town finally got cobbled streets, there was much rejoicing. Few people looked hungry or sad, but also few people looked lonely.


I don't know much about Nigeria. In fact, I just realized that I've never knowingly met anyone from Nigeria. I do completely understand why México rated second in self-reported happiness. People there take setbacks in stride and treasure their families over nice cars and huge houses. Though they may have less than some (U.S.) Americans, they are a lot happier.