One final comment

Question

I want to make one final comment about my trip to Chiapas, Mexico. Many friends and relatives were concerned about my safety during my time in Mexico. From the moment I entered the Mexico City airport until I left the airport in Cancun, I only felt threatened or in danger one time. On the road between Ocosingo and Las Margaritas, some men had blocked the road and were requiring "contributions" to pass through. I later understood these were people who did not have jobs, but were cleaning the drainage gutters along the side of the road. Anyway, it appears to be a good idea to have a few ready pesos when traveling along roads in that area.

At times, we traveled in the company of off-duty soldiers and police officers. I was able to walk in Ocosingo and Las Margaritas without any fear of danger. Other locals in the areas we visited received us as family and would likely have handled any security issue that arose.

In contrast, in my home city of about 250,000 people, seven people were murdered while I was away.

During the trip, I went through the airports at Mexico City, Tuxtla, Cancun, and Tapachula. I was always treated with courtesy, even during the baggage searches and screenings.

In contrast, I watched as a woman in her late 70's or early 80's was treated like a recruit in boot camp during the exit of the airport in Atlanta. The actions of the TSA agents were totally unnecessary. The total tenor of the language and action was reminiscent of a police state. Our baggage was searched and we were body scanned after the trip from Mexico, before we left the airport for home. I was ashamed of the TSA actions there.

The translator that had been with us throughout the trip, a Guatemala native, looked at me, laughed and said, "Brother, this is your country".

TSA scare me so much I don't want to go to the US. I read in a newspaper about a recovering rape victim being subjected to a full body cavity search because she was wearing a sanitary towel they thought was suspicious. And she was a war veteran! - rabbitwho, Jul 8, 2011

True. However I just flew from Colorado to North Carolina and back a few weeks ago and I was not subjected to any of that. - amykay, Jul 8, 2011

Answer 1

Thank you for all the interesting and intelligent information , it is always a surprise

to me when travelling OS that the worst behaviour I often encounter is usually

in my own country . I am so glad you came home well and healthy , you are to be

congratulated for giving your time and energy to the wellbeing of others , to my

reckoning that is the true meaning of Christianity , you are a "Legend" .

Thanks, Ray! You're still my hero. :) - 0066c384, Jul 8, 2011

bien dicho Ray! - amykay, Jul 8, 2011

I think we feel safe anywhere we feel familiar with. I was terrified of the street outside my house because of all the stories I heard when I first moved here, I feel fine now. That doesn't mean it's any more safe than it was! - rabbitwho, Jul 8, 2011

Answer 2

I guess a lot of people confuse inconvenience with security.