Manana Thinking

 This is another Mexican focused blog entry. This truly is not about El Florido perse, but it is about MANANA thinking. The idea is that what needs to be done can be done LATER- I don't have to get it done now and it isn't all that important WHEN it is done, but it will get done eventually. The unspoken idea that seems to be at the root of ALL of this is---- It's not REALLY THAT important that it get done, it really isn't going to change much of ANYTHING and things are really not likely to get better- things will be just about what thy were like both yesterday and today!

    According to Jorge G. Casteneda - The Author of a Well- Written, Excellent and Thought Provoking Book  - Manana Forever? - Mexico and The Mexicans, Mexicans are very individually oriented and really do not do well and are not attracted to communal and team efforts! It is NOT that they are not capable of doing so- team and communal efforts are not appealing and attractive to them,-as a rule- They do not interest them and simply leave them frostily cold!

  The leader of our Grace Missions Team stewed over the lack of the men coming forward to work along side of us as we built a cafeteria for the school of the Colonias. He told us over and over that men raised their hands and promised him that they would be on site and working besides us. It was brought up that work commitments might keep them away. Our team leader insistently told us that he knew that there were retired men who are quite able to work with and help us. Our team leader is our Church's missions leader. He has worked long and hard for the betterment of the people of El Florido. He often emphasizes that we want to work with you to get good things done here. Again, A message to the community, as I'm now seeing, might not mean much of anything, It could be, in effect, a matter of thinking, " "We" made promises and made commitments, I did not promise anything." Yes, As an American that comes across TO ME as obnoxious, treacherous and cynical. However, I will also concede that I and my beloved Church teammates were being exposed to a lesson on Mexican Cultural truths and realities. Only the foolish or the ineffectively stubborn man or woman or boy or girl, wishes that someone behaved differently or worse wants a way to compel someone to behave as they demand that they behave! It is wisest to deal with someone as he or she is. Otherwise, You are an out-of-control control freak!

  The men did come out On Sunday July 10th and worked amazingly well and rapidly, Their skill impressed each member of the team. Our Team Leader wondered what made the difference. He did finally tell us that he told the women who had been coming out in support of our Children's program as to how frustrated and disappointed he was with the men. He thinks that they went home and told the men to" show up and get to work ". Knowing how chauvanistic these men can be, That surprised me a bit, but then perhaps I'm wrong in my suppositions! Yet, If what he believes happened did happen, The men came because they decided, as individuals to do so!

  My frustration with the Manana way of living is what does it do to the "mananas of the children and youth" of locales such as El Florido! Those who, Thank You, are followers of My Blog, know that I wrote about a young and engaging girl named Perla. I devoted a blog entry to her entitled " Perla's Vision!" My uneasy thought as I end this blog thinking how does The Manana Lifestyle affect the bright manana that a talented girl like Perla could possibly have!