I heard a joke, told by a University professor (of horticulture) that went like this: You can lead a horticulture, but you can’t make her think. At the time, I thought it was just a clever pun. But that was back before I knew any actual ‘hors.’
Like most other broad generalizations, there are exceptions. I have corresponded with some of the women involved in the ‘sex workers rights’ movement, and without exception they are well read, intelligent and articulate. And I have met a few who were serious students and just working their way through the university. I met one in Prague who was studying to be a veterinarian. I recently met a beautiful streetwalker in Mayorista who was studying psychology, as well as having an online business selling assorted clothes, jewelry and such. On the other hand, these ladies are not the typical chica you are going to meet at a San Jose Massage parlor or a Medellin Casa or Night Club.
[rau]
Strictly speaking, everybody on the planet has a ‘culture.’ But in the common way we use the word, saying someone is ‘cultured’ or ‘uncultured’ refers to how engaged and aware that person is with the wide world around him. Someone with a grade school education whose main entertainment is watching soap operas is considered less cultured than someone who speaks 3 languages, can quote Shakespeare and has season tickets to the local symphony.
But to (finally) get to the point, there is usually a pretty wide gulf between you and your companion of the moment. This matters little if your activities consist only of going to a massage parlor or casa, picking a girl from the lineup, going back and getting your rocks off. Nothing wrong with that, but if your interactions are less limited, the culture gulf is there and has to be dealt with in some way or other.
Some communication is necessary for even the most basic things. If you meet a working girl in a bar somewhere in Latin America, you will have to settle on a price and be able to say ‘let’s go’ at the very least, or hope the chica knows enough English to understand you.
Some mongers are eager to learn as much Spanish as they can and learn as much about the ‘culture’ as they are able. At the other extreme are those who don’t want to engage in the local culture any more than necessary in order to satisfy their itches. Personally, I am in the former group, and it has it’s rewards and drawbacks. Every monger engages in the other culture as he sees fit, and there’s no right or wrong way.
As the hippies used to say, ‘do your own thing.’