During the pandemic, our routine and way of life have changed considerably. There are those who have not seen their familia y amigos for months. Things are not the way they used to be and there is no doubt that we would like to return to the life we used to live before the pandemic, but could it be possible?
And that is despite the fact that one day we’ll stop putting on face masks and we will be allowed to be among a group of people. Will we feel safe enough to go back to doing the things we used to do before? Mexicans have many customs that require physical contact with others and these customs may now begin to disappear due to the coronavirus. Here are a few examples:
GREET “DE BESO”
Nowadays due to the “social distance” it is not possible to greet people with a kiss. And friends who used to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek have to settle for just saying hello from afar. This is an old custom, especially among high school and college youth. However, there will be many who will not resume that habit once we return to normal, either because they never liked that habit or because they prefer to be safe than sorry.
TAKE A MORDIDA OUT OF THE CAKE
The tradition of the mordida is not only classic among Mexicans, but also one of the funniest parts of the holidays. There are those who sing the mañanitas as fast as they can in order to move on to the part of burying the birthday boy’s face in the cake. However, when it comes to the coronavirus, this tradition is not a good idea. Before the times of the pandemic, several people already thought that this tradition was somewhat unsanitary, due to the great contact that the birthday boy has with the cake. Now that we are all trying to keep other people’s germs and viruses as far away from us, the bite may no longer be a part of birthday parties in the future.
GO TO THE CLUBS
Perhaps many miss clubbing and wish more than anything they could party until the amanecer. The problem with these places is that many do not have a large space and it is normal to be very close to the people who are dancing on the floor. The sweat that comes from dancing all night is something we should avoid at this time. The great risks of contagion that are generated in the clubs may cause fear of going to these places once they are fully open again.
SHARE THE BOTTLE OF TEQUILA
Listening to Vicente Fernandez songs while passing the bottle of tequila around a group of friends is as Mexican as nopal. Sharing drinks at the time the party starts or some kind of celebration is not uncommon among Mexicans. However, in the times of the coronavirus it is something that should be avoided as much as possible. Maybe some people don’t mind sharing the bottle again. However, there are those who from now on prefer to have their own drink and that only they have to touch it.
PASS THE MIC AT KARAOKE
In some bars or parties they may have the habit of having their clients sing at Karaoke. But passing a microphone around a group of friends and singing in a small room goes against the guidance of epidemiologists. Maybe now we have to forget about singing at the top of our lungs when we go to a bar and there is no longer Karaoke time.
One of the good things that the coronavirus leaves us is that now many of us are getting used to washing their hands and disinfecting things that other people have constantly touched. Perhaps this will become the new normal even when the coronavirus is no longer a threat. At the same time this could also create a certain paranoia that did not exist before. What you prefer to do is valid, the important thing is that we stay healthy.
