Mexico has surprised me on so many levels. The culture is vibrant, open, progressive yet ancient. The country is very strict about certain rules, while simultaneously it feels like there are no rules at all. To paint the picture, let me describe two different scenarios that made me smile. 

Scenario two: A hotbox of patience, my busride to Roberto Barrios waterfalls

It was a sunny and hot morning when my new friend Eva, whom I met in our dorm, and I decided to visit the Roberto Barrios waterfalls. I’d heard many good things about the place so I was excited to go. We were told that first, we needed to take a colectivo to the town center and from there catch another one to the waterfalls.

Once we arrived in town, we had to ask around a bit to find the pickup spot for the next colectivo. Unlike in Europe, there are no official terminals or clear signs. These buses just gather at random street corners, and you only know where to go if someone tells you. 

When we arrived at the pickup spot, we double-checked if we were in the right place and then hopped on one of the waiting buses. Eva and I took the back row since that was the only space left. We figured the bus was full and we’d be heading off soon. Only to realize we were very, very wrong.

Just before departure, two mothers entered with three children. All of them squeezed onto the backseat with us. Now, for you to understand: that row should only fit four people, max. But somehow, we managed to fit seven.

Extremely cramped up, my knees poking into the seat in front (thanking my parents, I’m not any taller), and with only a tiny window offering the occasional breeze, we were sweeaating. Like, pouring-as-if-we-were-Roberto-Barrios-waterfalls level sweating. We’d be in this hotbox for about an hour. And as the cherry on top: halfway through the ride, one of the mothers asked the driver to stop so she could buy some fruits and vegetables at a roadside market. Something you would never see in the Netherlands.

But here’s the thing: despite the crowded bus, the heat, the pit stop, nobody complained. No eye rolls, no sighs, no passive-aggressive muttering. Everyone stayed calm, relaxed, and in good spirits.

Observing this made me smile. There was such calmness in the chaos, such understanding in the lack of clarity. This little, sweaty bus ride taught me more than I expected.