as the villagers consider their town.

They estimate that at least half of the Tulcingo population is mainly in New York.

Most of the families have relatives that have either emigrated to the U.S.A. or been there.

Most of the people that leave don't go back to stay, however most of them intend to, one day, go back to live in their hometown.

Since the migratory status cannot always be arranged in a couple of years, many of the people who leave don't go back in the short term, not even to visit. Few are those that go back to stay. December is the time when most of the emigrants go back to visit their families, to take part in the festivities, or to celebrate their own weddings, baptisms, birthdays.

Taking the risk of crossing the border and paying thousands of dollars to be taken over is commonplace for them.

When a young person, especially a man, hasn't been in the U.S.A., he feels more uncomfortable saying that he has never been in the U.S.A. than admitting that he didn't finish junior high school.

In summer many working parents in New York send their kids to spend summer in Tulcingo with their grandparents or other relatives.

Kids are raised with the idea that one day -soon- they will depart to New York. Some of them don't even finish their secondary schooling. It's not a matter of going to the United States but to "New York".

Until a few years ago the emigrating population was mostly men, nowadays there are many young women heading to New York too.

The economy of the town is based on commerce. Since most of the men leave, looking for better opportunities, there's nobody in town to work the land. And the people that do go back usually set up a business of what they learned to do in their American jobs.

Some emigrants' reason for not coming back is that there's nothing for them to do in their town.

still is one of the special and unique things that keep Mexicans being Mexicans, no matter where they are. Thousands of kilos of all kinds of traditional food, from raw seeds and beans to handmade products (tortillas), mom's special treats (mole, chocolate) or even commercial candy or canned products are sent to emigrants every year.

most of the population is Catholic;

the Patron Saint of the town is San Gabriel and his festivity is in April.

surprisingly, fashion trends such as music, food, and speaking styles are some of the influences that first reach a tiny and remote place like Tulcingo than to Mexico's capital city.

Bachata, a type of music from the Dominic Republic, was taken to Tulcingo via the New York population, and it has largely replaced profoundly rooted salsa, cumbia and merengue.

still remain very strong in the population.

most of those living in the U.S.A. try to maintain their customs too.

people