Vicente Fox's Mustache
I know this might be a seasonal question, but why do Mexicans like swimming in their clothes? Is it a Catholic thing? I remember as a child growing up in the San Fernando Valley in California that my pocho Catholic cousin even bathed at home in his T-shirt and underwear through his adolescence. He claims the nuns told him it was a sin to be naked.
Huntington Beach Baboso
I am half-Mexican myself but just don't understand: Why do Mexicans wear their clothes when swimming? They are the only people at a beach or public swimming spot who do it. Very bizarre. Please explain!
Half-Mexican
This is by far the most-asked question in ¡Ask a Mexican! history. So, to todos ustedes, I have my own question: Are you all brown chubby chasers? Like gabachos, an alarming number of Mexicans are out of shape. According to a 2003 study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 24 percent of Mexico's population is overweight. That's the second-highest obesity rate in the world following — wait for it — ¡los Estados Unidos! Unlike gabachos, Mexicans respect the public when it comes to flashing our flabby chichis, pompis and cerveza guts — so when we're out near the pool or by the beach, we cover up. It ain't Catholicism, machismo, or an homage to our swim across the Rio Grande. It's good manners.
We've noticed that there are lots of ice cream trucks driven by Mexicans that seem patronized almost exclusively by Mexicans. We've come to the conclusion that Mexicans love ice cream even more than white women. Why do Mexicans love ice cream so much?
Nice Dreams
The easy answer is that ice cream is muy bueno; the easier respuesta is that Mexican ice cream is better than the stuff sold by gabachos. In addition to the tried-and-verdadero flavors stocked at Baskin-Robbins, Mexicans concoct wonders drawn from our many indigenous fruits — mango, papaya, tamarind, the football-shaped mamey, prickly pear fruit, and the crazily named soursop (guanábana in Spanish) are just the tastiest. Then there are the choices that reflect unique Mexican sensibilities — rompope (eggnog, which is much better frozen than sipped), chongos zamoranos (curled milk and cinnamon), and our Rocky Road, spicy chocolate. But we don't content ourselves with just soft-serve; even better are our paletas, rectangular ice pops made either from aguas frescas like watermelon and lemonade or de leche: creamy, luscious, milk-based joys. And the best Mexican frozen delight is actually the raspado, our version of shaved ice, except our syrup is natural and won't kill you with preservatives. Gabachos: Instead of spending this long, hot summer stewing over the Mexicans amongst you, join them in waving down the local paletero — and make sure to feed them one iced treat a day lest their natural caliente-ness cause further global warming.
The Mexican on YouTube!
The Mexican now offers ustedes an online-only question every week through the powers of a pirated Camcorder. Submit your video preguntas and responses at youtube.com/askamexicano, and view the latest edition every week. Preference given to spicy señoritas! And, as always, continue sending your questions to »e-mail link.
