Comments on: Gringos In Mexico And That Elusive Quest for Authenticity http://matadorabroad.com/gringos-in-mexico-and-that-elusive-quest-for-authenticity/ study abroad programs Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:03:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: rory http://matadorabroad.com/gringos-in-mexico-and-that-elusive-quest-for-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-5683 rory Sun, 07 Feb 2010 04:02:27 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2972#comment-5683 this is the best article i've read on matador to date! love the cynicism this is the best article i’ve read on matador to date! love the cynicism

(Report comment)

]]> By: Mario Flores http://matadorabroad.com/gringos-in-mexico-and-that-elusive-quest-for-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-5557 Mario Flores Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:49:28 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2972#comment-5557 It´s fantastic listen that a lot of peolple come to Mexico. By the way I´m from Mexico. And here you can find a lot of interesting places to visit like Chichen-Itza, Cancun, Oaxaca, Chiapas. You can know about its culture, grastronomy, and here the people it´s very warm! About the article I read that you travel by bus, I want to recommend a new mexican low cost airline, its name is VivaAerobus www.vivaaerobus.com and it offers a lot of places for visiting. If you come to Mexico you really have a nice experience It´s fantastic listen that a lot of peolple come to Mexico. By the way I´m from Mexico. And here you can find a lot of interesting places to visit like Chichen-Itza, Cancun, Oaxaca, Chiapas. You can know about its culture, grastronomy, and here the people it´s very warm! About the article I read that you travel by bus, I want to recommend a new mexican low cost airline, its name is VivaAerobus http://www.vivaaerobus.com and it offers a lot of places for visiting. If you come to Mexico you really have a nice experience

(Report comment)

]]> By: Tim Patterson http://matadorabroad.com/gringos-in-mexico-and-that-elusive-quest-for-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-5507 Tim Patterson Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:44:42 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2972#comment-5507 Authenticity is such a hard concept to get a handle on. One of our first stops on the Mekong Semester was in the town of Zhongdian, on the edge of the Tibetan plateau. The city - a pretty drab tourist boom-town - was recently renamed "Shangri La". Does that make the place less authentic? Or just less true to an already manufactured vision; a product of Western imagination? My sense is that if you go into the world with anything less than a totally open mind, or upset about a perceived "loss of authenticity", you're bound for disappointment. Shangri La is a real place now. That fact, in and of itself, is fascinating. Authenticity is such a hard concept to get a handle on. One of our first stops on the Mekong Semester was in the town of Zhongdian, on the edge of the Tibetan plateau. The city – a pretty drab tourist boom-town – was recently renamed “Shangri La”.

Does that make the place less authentic? Or just less true to an already manufactured vision; a product of Western imagination?

My sense is that if you go into the world with anything less than a totally open mind, or upset about a perceived “loss of authenticity”, you’re bound for disappointment.

Shangri La is a real place now. That fact, in and of itself, is fascinating.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Recommended Reads, January 24, 2010 | SoloFriendly.com http://matadorabroad.com/gringos-in-mexico-and-that-elusive-quest-for-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-5486 Recommended Reads, January 24, 2010 | SoloFriendly.com Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:48:53 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2972#comment-5486 [...] Gringos in Mexico And That Elusive Quest for Authenticity by Sarah Menkedick at MatadorNetwork.  This is quite simply one of the best pieces of travel writing I have read in many years.  It is literary journal quality writing that reminds me of my English major roots.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been this engrossed in a story.  I love how she captures the tour bus experience in a humorous, yet poignant way.  It’s a “must read”, people. [...] [...] Gringos in Mexico And That Elusive Quest for Authenticity by Sarah Menkedick at MatadorNetwork.  This is quite simply one of the best pieces of travel writing I have read in many years.  It is literary journal quality writing that reminds me of my English major roots.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been this engrossed in a story.  I love how she captures the tour bus experience in a humorous, yet poignant way.  It’s a “must read”, people. [...]

(Report comment)

]]> By: Sarah Menkedick http://matadorabroad.com/gringos-in-mexico-and-that-elusive-quest-for-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-5409 Sarah Menkedick Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:29:54 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2972#comment-5409 Thanks for the kind comments, everyone! Much appreciated. Thanks for the kind comments, everyone! Much appreciated.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Gray http://matadorabroad.com/gringos-in-mexico-and-that-elusive-quest-for-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-5404 Gray Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:27:46 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2972#comment-5404 I had to comment to tell you, Sarah, that I was blown away by this article. It might just be the best travel article I've ever read. It's been a long time since I've been that engrossed in a story. You have a real gift. I had to comment to tell you, Sarah, that I was blown away by this article. It might just be the best travel article I’ve ever read. It’s been a long time since I’ve been that engrossed in a story. You have a real gift.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Lauren Quinn http://matadorabroad.com/gringos-in-mexico-and-that-elusive-quest-for-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-5403 Lauren Quinn Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:12:16 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2972#comment-5403 Stoked to see this post here. Read it on your blog, Sarah, and it's definitely one of my all-time favorites. Stoked to see this post here. Read it on your blog, Sarah, and it’s definitely one of my all-time favorites.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Simone http://matadorabroad.com/gringos-in-mexico-and-that-elusive-quest-for-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-5397 Simone Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:55:14 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2972#comment-5397 Agree with Tim. This is one of the most complex, utterly unique pieces I've read on Matador. Very much a journey, and I was right there with you the entire time, Sarah. What is incredible is that you managed to make a bus tour -- not some off the beaten track expedition --- a real adventure and exploration. If we remain sharp and present during any kind of experience, it's amazing the insights we can gather. The lyricism and offbeat repetitions throughout were pitch-perfect -- Gringo, gringo, gringo. Seriously, that was brilliant and hilarious, without ever underminding what was serious in it. Impressed! "..all those gringo bodies carted around in a big clean gringo bus..." still laughing. Agree with Tim. This is one of the most complex, utterly unique pieces I’ve read on Matador. Very much a journey, and I was right there with you the entire time, Sarah. What is incredible is that you managed to make a bus tour — not some off the beaten track expedition — a real adventure and exploration. If we remain sharp and present during any kind of experience, it’s amazing the insights we can gather.

The lyricism and offbeat repetitions throughout were pitch-perfect — Gringo, gringo, gringo. Seriously, that was brilliant and hilarious, without ever underminding what was serious in it. Impressed!

“..all those gringo bodies carted around in a big clean gringo bus…” still laughing.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Tim Patterson http://matadorabroad.com/gringos-in-mexico-and-that-elusive-quest-for-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-5360 Tim Patterson Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:50:13 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2972#comment-5360 No big deal, Sarah, and you were right - lots of Columbia gear is made in Cambodia. No big deal, Sarah, and you were right – lots of Columbia gear is made in Cambodia.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Sarah Menkedick http://matadorabroad.com/gringos-in-mexico-and-that-elusive-quest-for-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-5356 Sarah Menkedick Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:23:21 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2972#comment-5356 Hey Tim - Excellent point, thanks. I somewhat thoughtlessly intended that reference to allude to all of the various shades and levels of exploitation and labor that often go into American products (particularly clothing, but lots of other products as well) but you're right, it's irresponsible to not check that reference and see if it's valid or not. Thanks for pointing that out! Hey Tim –

Excellent point, thanks. I somewhat thoughtlessly intended that reference to allude to all of the various shades and levels of exploitation and labor that often go into American products (particularly clothing, but lots of other products as well) but you’re right, it’s irresponsible to not check that reference and see if it’s valid or not. Thanks for pointing that out!

(Report comment)

]]>