I have come to Agua Prieta so many times now that the trips just sort of blend together. I remember distinct people, events, construction projects, etc., but most of what I remember are just feelings and impressions. It is interesting to be back in this place after almost five years, to see what things have changed, and how that is impacting the community.
One of the things that has really descended on this place in a fundamentally new way is American culture. I can remember being younger and laughing at the things that the Mexican kids were obsessed with, like a deep love for Michael Jackson well into the mid-90's. That time has passed, and today Agua Prieta is steeped in the culture of Puma shoes, "emo" haircuts, and yes, even someguys wearing girls' jeans. The other night I went to a carnival that, for the most part, could have been in Los Angeles.
I have travelled a fair amount in my life, although still not as much as I would like, and I am hardly surprised by the presence of American culture here. If anything, it's shocking that it has taken this long for a place this close to the United States to be so transformed. However, there is something fundamentally unsettling about how close the appearance of all these kids are to those in the mall back home.
There is a great mystery to be solved underneath the slick exterior of fashion t-shirts and hipster jeans: Where is all this money coming from?
Agua Prieta has come a long way economically in the past few years, something that I will talk about later, but it is by no means a wealthy city. The average daily salary for someone working in a factory here is $5 plus bonuses. That's an awful lot of work to buy your kids new Converse All-Stars. I'm going to leave you to contemplate how these kids are paying to look so good, but I promise to return soon with more posts on Mexican Independence, the economics of migration, and the roaming street dogs that are the bane of my existence.
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