<p>Without getting too political…It is the poverty in Mexico, and unregulated capitalism which are causing all the problem. There are extremes of wealth and poverty, people making $4-600 a month, and others with ranches and cars. Most Mexicans do not speak English due to lack of education. If they could speak English they would have a lot more options of working at many multi-national companies. Many of those companies can’t find enough English speaking employees. People don’t want to go into the drug business, but if that’s the only way they could put food on the table for their families, that’s what they are going to do.</p>
<p>Bribery and corruption in the government? It is not because Mexicans are like that, it is because they pay their policemen $7000 pesos ($500) per month. You can’t feed a family on that kind of salary. To survive, they take bribery.</p>
<p>^^I agree. When traveling from our resort to some of the tourist attractions, it was pretty sobering to see people living in cardboard boxes, literally. There were “towns” of these homes where people has pretty much taped cardboard boxes and other found materials together to make a house. We were cautioned not to tip too much as that would put the workers in danger of muggings, etc. if they had too much money on them. Nope, no desire to go back…</p>
<p>mncollege…as I told my daughter (who is living in a developing country right now)…MUCH of the world lives in the same conditions you are describing. Go 30 miles outside most major cities in South America, Africa, Central America, Asia, Eastern Europe, and you will see similar living conditions. </p>
<p>That does NOT mean folks shouldn’t travel to these places. It means that folks should understand how to travel safely in those areas, which is possible.</p>
<p>The notion that Americans should not travel to some of these places is ridiculous. Yes, there ARE places where the situation is a volatile one and where the whole COUNTRY is considered unsafe for foreign travelers. BUT if the reason one chooses not to travel to another country is because they are afraid of theft or muggings…then their travel options will be significantly limited, and their perspectives on the world limited as well.</p>
<p>It’s ok not to want to go to Mexico again. The current situation is very volatile. I have no desire to travel to any country that is basically having a civil war. I have no desire to walk around any inner city neighborhood alone at night either…</p>
<p>And David, I hope you are kidding. Jamaica has it share of safety issues for tourists too.
That said, my DS has trevelled to do do volunteer work to small villages in Honduras and Nicaragua. Not the safest places to be, but he made it just fine.</p>
<p>jym626-yes, I am sure he was just fine, but there have been 106 Americans killed in Mexico in the past year and over 45,000 other people in the warned areas according to the State Department article listed…do you want to tell their families that they will be “just fine” too?</p>
<p>As I’ve posted in another thread, anytime anyone travels overseas, I highly recommend that they check out the State Department’s Travel Warnings page:</p>
<p>Don’t dismiss mncollegemom’s point so hastily. In Mexico today there are warring factions that are clearly identifiable, a conflict for civil/political power (just ask Felipe Calderon, or any of the survivors of murdered politicians), and frequent major battles and skirmishes with bloody casualties in result. All the makings of a civil war.</p>
<p>Jamaica is the scariest place I’ve ever been (cruise ship stop). Loved a lot of the culture, but the teenagers in our group were accosted repeatedly and pressured to buy drugs. This was walking down the sidewalk WITH adults!</p>
<p>H and I have gone to Honduras about 5 times on a mission trip. We were in a fairly safe area, but there are precautions that must be taken. Except for me running in the early morning pre-dawn into dawn, we always stayed in a group or at least pairs. No walking around at night. No expensive jewelry.</p>
<p>Interesting article in the paper here this morning. The horrific attack on the Canadian woman a few weeks ago prompted a regularly scheduled tourism delegation to bring the Attorney General along to pacify fears. The problem is that this isn’t an isolated incident. There have been far too many such attacks on Canadians in the past five years and no one I know, even those who love Mexico and used to travel there two or three times a year, will go there now. Although it’s true that bad things can happen anywhere, there aren’t multiple incidents like this coming out of any other typical winter travel destination.</p>
<p>Sorry, Mexico, but I go on vacation to relax. I cannot relax in a place where I have to worry about being killed, kidnapped or robbed.</p>
<p>There are so many beautiful places in the U. S. to visit. And with our down economy many U. S. travel destinations could really use our travel dollars.</p>
<p>Anyone who thinks the greatest danger is Mexico is from drinking too much on spring break obviously has no understanding of how serious the situation has become there. I would personally NEVER choose to vacation anywhere in Mexico given the currently volatile situation there.</p>
<p>How it became that way is really a different topic.</p>
<p>I’m a regular traveler to Jamaica and would say the situation there is quite safe for spring break (or anytime). Most kids go to Negril or Montego Bay and travel in packs to the parties and concerts and events that come with the package they buy, and stay in hotels together. A few stay in contained all inclusive resorts which are quite safe (if dull). The problems arise when they go off alone to buy drugs or get too drunk and go out alone. It would be no different in Florida or New Orleans or whatever.</p>
<p>Personally, having traveled there for 30+ years and having family that has lived there, I prefer to avoid Negril, MoBay and Ocho Rios and head to quieter areas, the hustle in the major tourist areas is a bit much. I like Port Antonio and Treasure Beach best, the latter in particular a super safe area that is quiet and community oriented. But this is not what most kids are looking for in a spring break trip :)</p>
<p>I have been to countries on the state department for travel warnings. I respect that site. I went when things were o.k. I am sad about Mexico and Syria.</p>