It's hard to try and comprehend the Mexican vision toward peaceful and group jobs, for jobs I mean CAREERS. The first two years as an Archeologist have been, well, hectic, to say the least. Lack of funds, complete and total cutting of funds, "our funds are where?" "Who's got our funds?"

Even though, the Iztepete project has been rewarding, two years and the place looks very nice, like it never has, so, if we've gotten all this reprise, all this "paper" support, and salutations, why hasn't the money poured in already? Easy, Mexican Governmental bureaucracy (I like to call it "Beaurocrazy.") Stupid secretaries, lazy public officials and even worse city mayors who prefer to put a real unnecessary cast on a local monument than dishing out the money for cultural projects that will last a lot longer and have more impact than a huge statue of a shield and spear wielding woman with a cast.

The statue has been there for decades, the Iztepete, even more, and will remain there, most likely, longer than most of us; the cast will be taken off in a few weeks... It seems people are enjoying more a passing thing, then something more permanent, all because of an ill "routine" that might just crawl up they're ass and make them see that this city will never change without long lasting urban and cultural projects.

That's not all, even with the international archaeological experience that I have, being still limited, this is something I do not see elsewhere except here: "Archaeological Mafias", yup, you heard right, "Mafias". Basically, how they work is as follows:

Archaeologist "A" does not get along with Archaeologist"B".
A new, plump, just recently graduated Archaeology Major, lets call him Archaeologist "C", decides to work with Archaeologist "A".
Automatically Archaeologist "C" will be permanently burnt with Archaeologist "B" and will never EVER work with him or her, because he or she assumes, Archaeologist "C" is on Archaeologist's "A's" side and not his or hers.

Ahem... Childish, need I say more?

This, obviously presents a troublesome scenario for young Archaeologists who, despite being excellent researchers and dependable workers, will not be able to complete an original project due to the constant shots being fired at them by people they have never met, nor have read they're plans for a project.

This happens to me, and to many other people. That is why the rest of my graduating class and I, and those below us, have made up our minds to leave Mexico and work elsewhere.

It's more of a necessity, than a personal choice, what are you going to do when you cant work properly or ascend the social ladder into a better quality of life? It's difficult enough that Archaeology in Mexico doesn't pay much (IT DOESN'T PAY ENOUGH), it's worse when people are constantly shooting you down, or you cant work because a decent project cant get of it's feet.

That's what happens to Archaeologists in Mexico, and it's not just in my area, Historians, Anthropologists, have the same problem, I hope it's not all over the world.