When I first started living in Mexico City, I remember the first time that I ever heard a particular noise that is quite common for anyone who spends time here.
In 2017, I was laying in bed with some chick that I was with for the night.
Having just woken up, I was basically just laying in bed not feeling tired enough to go back to bed and the light was shining through the window next to us.
While I was laying down, I was mostly just lost in my own head thinking about random shit when, all of a sudden, there was some strange noise in the distance.
It sounded like some young female child who was yelling some random shit.
In the time, I didn’t understand the yelling perfectly because there were a few words that went over my head.
But it was basically yelling SE COMPRA, SE COMPRA, SE COMPRA, SE COMPRA.
In which she seems to be yelling about how she is buying THIS, THAT and EVERYTHING ELSE.
The first word – colchones – was the word that went over my head because, in the time, I couldn’t remember what “colchones” were.
However, the rest of it I understood so the overall message I understood.
And, to be fair, it wasn’t that big of a shock to me.
By then, I had already spent enough time in Latin America to get used to the deafening noises outside that are meant to ensure that you can’t enjoy your day without LOUD NOISE.
Mexico City, while certainly more aggressive on the noise front than other Latin cities, is no exception.
Plenty of noise here also!
So it didn’t catch my attention that much but I was wondering “who the fuck is yelling at?”
In which, motivated to get up, I looked outside the window and saw this truck rolling by with some audio yelling out this noise.
For those curious, this is the noise that I am talking about below in this video here.
Still, to this day, it doesn’t bother me.
However, I do know it bothers others.
For example, I know a guy named Blayde who HATES this noise.
Every it passes his house, it annoys him a bit because, to him, it seemingly won’t shut the fuck up.
However, in his case, it might be that he has more passing by than in other streets perhaps.
That’s what he thinks anyway and he’s been here for a few years now also.
At any rate, it’s an aspect to life in Mexico City.
An aspect that, as you can guess, some foreigners and locals hate while other foreigners and locals love!
Just the other day, I was reminded again of this aspect to life here when I saw this posted on Facebook here.
In which this guy wants to spread an online change campaign to discourage the noise caused by these trucks.
Subsequently, a lot of people voiced their opinions on the manner on his post – both in agreement and disagreement.
Unfortunately, the guy seemed to be a bit of a pussy and deleted the post.
So I guess the heat he got was too much or something.
Still, I remember some of the comments posted in response to this campaign he shared and so I’ll definitely share the various view points I came across.
And, to add more content to this article, I looked up on Facebook other opinions to share by screenshot the different perspectives you have on this issue.
So let’s get to it.
“Foreigners, Go Home!”
I genuinely find Latinos to be less open minded and ignorant on this topic.
In the US, we have plenty of folks to be fair who have a bias against all things foreigner.
Telling foreigners “to go home!”
However, generally speaking, I feel that people in Latin America (regardless of country) tend to be less open minded to foreigners living (and not just being a tourist) to their country.
My main theory regarding that, as a side topic, is because Latin America, from my knowledge, generally gets less foreigners looking to live there.
As you can see here, the US is highest in the world for total amount of immigrants taken in.
From my understanding, most Latin countries don’t get close to that.
Even though there's several that could do a more active role because most of Latin America isn't that poor relatively speaking.
Consequently, you have more ignorant folks who can’t understand how foreigners can be part of their society beyond being money spending tourists.
Though that does differ obviously on a local level in which very specific parts of Latin America get more foreigners living there.
As a result, more open mindedness among the locals.
Still, when reading the reaction to that screenshot way above, one reaction to this campaign to get rid of this type of truck yelling out “SE COMPRAN COLCHONES” is to claim that it is all about the foreigners.
Unfortunately, I didn’t take a screenshot of that exact conversation (and it seems to be offline now) but you did have some people react like that.
Essentially, some version of “FOREIGNER, GO HOME!”
Now, funny enough, half or more of those folks saying that were not seemingly Latino based on their names.
That’s a side point in which, at times, it feels like foreigners (and especially white liberal ones) feel the need to stand up for narratives like this one more than the locals.
As funny as that sounds.
Now, to be fair, I do remember one Latino person (maybe a Mexican but who knows) throwing down the same view point.
That view point being that this campaign against these trucks is largely one promoted by foreigners.
And, therefore, foreigners should shut the fuck up.
Of course, we foreigners could all leave in mass and then there’d be no money for those working in tourism.
Like we saw during the Covid lockdowns initially, these same locals would be eating shit crying “WHERE ARE THE GRINGOS AND THEIR MONEY?!!?”
Regardless, it’s still ignorant to say that every foreigner is just a tourist.
People like me have been around long enough to not “be just a tourist.”
In which you have plenty of other foreigners, like me, who have invested even deeper into the country.
From what I remember in that chat to that original comment above, some were mentioning how “they are part of the community.”
Part of the community in ways like paying local taxes, having and raising local children in the area, starting a local business and much more.
With the legal status to boot for many that includes residency and citizenship.
If the countless foreigners who come to the US can eventually become American and part of the community, then us Americans can be part of the community in Mexico.
Yes, the US deports Mexicans but Mexico deports plenty of foreigners also.
Get over yourself.
And so it’s wrong to say that “well, because you’re a foreigner, you should shut the fuck up.”
Suffice to say, the opinion of many foreigners living in Mexico and broader Latin America is valid.
Don’t like it? Eat a dick.
Nonetheless, it’s also ignorant to say that this campaign against the trucks shooting out this message to buy junk is only by foreigners.
In fact, I found the original campaign on change.org as you can see here.
And, as you can see in these screenshots here, the comments are all made by people with Latino sounding names.
Now, for research purposes, I actually did look at the names of every single person who commented on that campaign.
Every single one had a Latino sounding name.
Does that mean that all of them are local Mexicans?
No!
Some might be Bolivian!
But, as far as I can tell, a vast majority are Mexican most likely.
And, from what I can tell, every single one commenting was Latino,.
So eat a dick when you say that this campaign against these trucks is by “only foreigners.”
Based on what I can tell, a vast majority are Latinos and most likely Mexicans.
And, even if they were foreigners, are you that fucking scared of a foreigner opinion?
Little sissy ass bitch.
Like I said, we foreigners, like in any country, do form part of the community.
Pay taxes, raise children, start businesses and more.
Noise Complaints?
As you can see in this article here, noise complaints are a common issue in Mexico City.
Even some of the locals hate it like the foreigners.
And, as you can see in these screenshots here, some of the foreigners have a distaste for the noise caused by these trucks offering to buy shit.
Personally, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.
In my experience, these trucks come and go.
They stop by announcing that they are buying shit.
Then, soon enough, they roll on by not to be heard again for a while.
It comes and goes in a minute or so.
Therefore, I don’t find much issue with this but I can get how one might find issue with the very short noise if they are extremely autistic.
“NOOOOOOOOOO NOISE NOISE NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Fuck off – it’ll be over soon enough.
Good Opportunity or Rip Off?
Before I began writing this article, I thought a little more highly of these truck folks offering to buy shit.
After all, I got some gym weights I would like to sell.
Granted, I doubt they would buy them but I get the purpose they are offering…
Which is to take shit off people’s hands right now with some quick cash.
Not a bad idea!
They need money and we need to get rid of some shit.
Still, I didn’t realize how bad their deals were.
Here’s some screenshots of how shit their deals are according to those who have sold to them beforehand.
Based on those prices, I would never sell to them!
At those prices, you might as well donate to charity.
Literally.
Those are literally bumfuck prices.
No point in selling anything at that point.
You’d make some person’s day offering your shit for free to a stranger if those prices are the alternative.
And the feeling of giving someone a highlight of the day would be nicer than some 2 or 3 bucks.
Still, as you can imagine, you could always sell what you got alone.
And that’d be the path.
If no customers come by, then offer your old shit for free instead of selling to these folks is my opinion.
Because, again, if these are the prices they offer to buy your shit, it’s just not worth it.
Still, no shit to be said against them – if they found folks willing to sell their shit for those prices, then fair game.
Folks agree to it and that’s how it is.
Still think those are scam prices but I’m not stopping anyone from shoving a 15 inch metal pole inside their asshole.
You do you!
The Sound of the City! It’s the Third World!
As you can see in this screenshot here, someone had the idea that “these sounds are so lovely” because “they are part of the city!”
Now, in the original conversation below that first screenshot I took way above, that wasn’t an uncommon perspective.
Essentially, you have this type of foreigner who, from my perspective, seems to rejoice the shitty quality of things!
Where, in this case, they rejoice the noise caused by these trucks because “they are part of the city” and they “bring liveliness to this place!”
Personally, I think this is a way to excuse away shit that they wouldn’t tolerate back home because these same folks are still in the “honeymoon phase” and don’t want to acknowledge a negative.
Because, to them, acknowledging a negative might be an admission that moving down here was a mistake.
On top of that, some just want to look on the positive side of things no matter what. The type that does the whole “play the devil’s advocate” even when the devil is chilling with no need for advocates.
Finally, some foreigners are just a lot more sensitive to criticisms of their respective new country than even the locals for whatever reason and so will do more mental gymnastics to justify shit behavior like blasting out this sound from a truck in the early morning.
For these folks, they seem to always find the positive in shit behavior and, by their rhetoric, “Mexico City just wouldn’t be Mexico City without shit noise.”
That was, almost word for word, a comment I saw in response to the original screenshot way above.
Where they basically made the claim that Mexico City just wouldn’t have its character if it wasn’t for the noise that so many find annoying.
Like an abused wife who goes “my husband just wouldn’t be my loving husband if he didn’t kick me down the stairs everyday!”
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
I find the comment idiotic.
Why do we need shit practices that even plenty of the locals find annoying for a place to retain “its character and personality?”
That’s retarded.
Regardless, that’s a mentality some foreigners have about life in Mexico City and broader Latin America.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, I don’t find the noise to be bad.
I wouldn’t sell anything to them if the prices shown above are indicative of what they’d normally offer.
Like I said, I’d get more joy out of offering it for free to someone who is low on cash and needs it.
An extra 2 to 3 bucks literally isn’t going to make my day or help me out any.
But, if people want to offer that, then whatever.
Not my life.
And for the noise?
Which is the primary complaint…
Well, it’s not a big concern to me.
Like I said, it comes and goes.
So I don’t give a fuck.
It literally does end as soon as it starts.
Once you hear the noise, give it a minute or so for the noise to be gone.
Ignore it for the minute it happens and go on with your day.
Lastly, it's a genuine livelihood for some that supports families and these folks have plenty of clients who support their business.
Good for them!
Anyway, that’s all I got to say.
Leave any comments below in the comment section.
Thanks for reading.
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Best regards,
Matt
