1. Popular sports
In Mexico there are several popular sports. While “Charrería” is Mexico’s national sport, similar to rodeo bullfighting, association football (soccer) is the most popular. Second to soccer, boxing is also very popular in Mexico. In the regions to the northwest and southeast, baseball is popular. The sports of basketball, “lucha libre", and bullfighting are also significantly popular. Since soccer is the most popular sport, there are many popular soccer teams or clubs. The first Mexican football (soccer) club is called C.F. Pachuca, and this club still exists. Some of Mexico’s most successful football clubs include Club Deportivo Guadalajara, Club Amèrica, Toluca, and Cruz Azul.
2. Music
There are a variety of popular and traditional music genres in Mexico. Music in Mexico has received influence from many different cultures, especially cultures of indigenous Mexicans and Europeans. In terms of traditional music, the genre of traditional folk music is the most prevalent. For the popular music category, there are many important genres. These genres include Latin alternative, Mexican ska, Rock, Pop, Electronic, Bolero, Cumbia, Jazz, and Classical. Some of the most well known performers of Mexican popular music include Luis Miguel, Alejandro Fernández, Selena, Thalía, Paulina Rubio, Alejandra Guzmán, Gloria Trevi and Marco Antonio Solís.
3. Food
Food is an important part of Mexican culture. Mexican cuisine includes indigenous Mesoamerican themes with Spanish and European elements. Basic ingredients include corn, beans, and chili peppers. The Europeans have introduced a great deal of other foods, especially the meat from domestic animals, dairy products, and a variety of herbs and spices. Mexican street cuisine is very popular, and includes foods such as tacos, quesadillas, pambazos, tamales, huaraches, and alambres.
4. Major religions and/or spiritual beliefs
There is no official religion in Mexico, as the constitution enforces a separation of church and state. The Catholic Church is most dominant in Mexico, with other forms of Christianity being the second most popular. It’s estimated that between two and five million Mexicans are members of the catholic church. In addition to other forms of Christianity, trends of Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism have made appearances through conversions and immigrations.
5. National holidays and traditional customs
In Mexico, Christmas is a national holiday and schools are given vacation time during Easter and Christmas. On September 16th, Mexicans celebrate their independence from Spain with a variety of festivals nationwide. Additional national celebrations include La Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Guadalupe Day), Las Posadas (The Shelters), Noche Buena (Holy Night), and Año Nuevo (New Years Day).
6. Popular TV shows or movies
Mexican cinema is not as historically prevalent as American movies and TV. However, the recent generations of movies, known as Nueva Cine Mexicano, is very popular. Some of the most popular films in this group include Solo con tu pareja (1991), Como agua para chocolate (1992), Cronos (1992), El callejón de los milagros (1995), Profundo carmesí (1996), Sexo, pudor y lágrimas (1999), The Other Conquest (2000), and La Misma Luna (2006). Some popular Mexican film stars include Ramón Novarro, Dolores del Río, Lupe Vélez, Gilbert Roland, and Pedro Armendáriz.
7. Online news sources
There are many sources for online news in Mexico. Here are some popular websites for news. Esmas.com, El Universal (http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/), Milenio.com, Televisa Deportes (televisadeportes.com), and mediatiempo.com. A list of 20 popular online news websites can be found at http://www.allyoucanread.com/mexican-newspapers/.
8. Online forums for expatriates
There are many sources for online forums for Mexican expatriates. Some of these forums can be found at the following websites: www.expatforum.com, www.alloexpat.com/mexico_expat_forum/, www.internations.org/mexico-expats, www.expatriates.com, and many additional websites.
9. Type of Government
The government in Mexico is classified as a ‘federal presidential representative democratic republic’ based on a congressional system. The federal government that represents the United Mexican States is divided into the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. Currently, the president of Mexico is named Enrique Peña Nieto. There are seven major political parties within Mexico. These parties include the Institutional Revolutionary Party, the National Action Party, the Party of the Democratic Revolution, the Labor Party, the Green Ecological Party, the Convergence Party, and the New Alliance.
