Manuel, 31
Born in Puebla, Mexico
Came to Australia in February 2020
How did we meet?
Manuel was introduced to me by Monalisa (Brazil).
What is your occupation?
I am a business consultant for E&Y. They sponsored me to study for an MBA in Project Management at Torrens University.
Why did you come to Australia?
I applied to two universities to study for my MBA, one in Canada and one in Australia. Torrens University sent me the acceptance letter very quickly, so here I am!
I’ve already gotten the opportunity to spend time overseas in other Latin American countries like Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Panama and Bolivia.
What do you like about Sydney?
The parks. You can do whatever you want, like reading, playing sports, whilst still being able to enjoy the nice scenery. There are nice parks back home in Puebla, but they aren’t as safe.
I really like how multicultural Sydney is, you can really find people from all around the world here. I love learning about different cultures and cuisines. Last week, I was walking around George Street and I heard Korean, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese being spoken just around one block.
What don’t you like about Sydney?
I don’t like how everything closes so early here. For example, in Mexico, we eat dinner at around 9 pm or 10 pm. We are all about the nightlife.
I’m not a winter person so I don’t like it during these few months. I say this even though the winters in Puebla are slightly colder.
What would you like to say to Sydneysiders?
Please be more polite towards others.
During the coronavirus pandemic, I’ve seen a lot of instances of discrimination towards Chinese people. This is no good.
I know that people might lose control since it’s a new situation. Everyone should be more compassionate and we can fix the problems together as a society.
What languages do you speak?
English, Spanish (native), Italian
I studied Italian at school so I would say I can understand 70% of it. I can also understand Portuguese pretty well, our languages are all from the same Romance family.
Teach us one word/phrase from your native language.
Estuvo cabron
This is quite informal and can mean “It was good” or “It was hard” depending on the context.
For example: El concierto estuvo cabron. (the concert was awesome)
El accidente estuvo cabron. (the accident was scary)
Only Mexicans will understand this phrase, it’s like an idiom from Mexico.
What is one thing you want us to know about your native country?
This is going to sound crazy, but if you go to Mexico, you can’t really find burritos. It’s more Tex-Mex food, so it’s only really found in the northern part of Mexico.
The media only shows the dangerous part of Mexico and this is unfair. For example, take Tijuana. It’s quite dangerous because the drug syndicates and operations have connections to America. Keep in mind America is the principal consumer of cocaine so this drives demand.
If you go to Cancun, Mexico City or other parts of my country, it’s very safe.
Who is the most famous person in your native country?
Frida Kahlo.
Asides from being a painter, she was also a politician and a singer and has had such a strong influence on our country. She has a famous museum in Mexico City called the Blue House, dedicated to her life. There’s also a movie called Frida, please watch it.
She even had an affair with Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky.
What is the best dish in your native country?
This question is extremely difficult to answer but I’ll say pozole.
It’s a stew with pork, lettuce, onion, garlic, radishes, avocado, salsa.
It’s hot, spicy and if you add oregano, it’s an explosion of flavours in your mouth.
I normally eat it once a week. If you’re in Mexico, be on the lookout for pozoleria - this is where you can get your fix of pozole.
Disclaimer: All posts are personal opinions and perspectives of the interviewees and are not a perfect representation of the whole country/experience.
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