Contrast in Mexico City

From beautiful, fifteen-room, castle-like mansions to the cardboard shelters in the slums, Mexico City is full of both spectacular sights and eyesores. The unequal distribution of wealth and resources, also known as spatial inequality, is the cause of the fluctuation in Mexico City's standard of living.Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in an exchange program that allowed me to visit sights and people from all around Mexico City.

The first place I visited was in the district of Itzapalapa, located in the eastern part of Mexico City. The neighborhood was crowded, from people moving to the city due to rural decline, and the children ran around in the streets, selling gum to earn money for food that night instead of going to school. We learned, from a kind lady who took time out of her busy day to talk to us, that only about 57% of the district's children get past primary school because they are needed to make money. Only about 55% of the houses had running water and the average amount of green space per person was a measly 18 square feet per person. Before I left, I made sure to buy a few packs of gum from the poor children who should have been in school, in hope that I could help put food on their table for one night.

In contrast to Itzapalapa, the last place I was able to visit was absolutely stunning. Itzacalco was filled with large houses; some just like castles straight out of a fairytale. Over 94% of the homes are made with above standard materials - a huge contrast to the cardboard structures we had seen in Itzapalapa. With a population of about 34,000 people, the neighborhood is nice and safe, thanks to the 1300 police officers that are constantly patrolling the streets. The nice houses and low crime-rate reflects that much of Mexico City's upper class lives in Itzacalco.

Mexico City struck me as very diverse and different. The difference of lifestyles from district to district was quite drastic - almost shocking. The entire ride back to Lakeside, I was thinking of the poor and the rich and the two different worlds they live in, while chewing on a piece of gum I had bought in Mexico City.