That is by far, one of the biggest reasons I have not been back to Mexico in a few years. Dolphin swim businesses, dynamiting mangrove for hotel construction, reef destruction from tourists and local businesses, etc etc. Perhaps an already established environmental group (ie. Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund, Surfrider) could step in to advocate for the environment? I am a member and supporter of Surfrider and they do amazing work worldwide to keep the oceans clean and vibrant. Bottom line...........gotta start somewhere. P.S. I stayed at an "eco" place in Tulum. There were no lights or power (except for the office) but that was as far as the eco theme went. They still used disposable plastic bottles for water, cleared seaweed of the beach everyday (which is very bad for the beach), etc. Pretty disappointing.
Gene, I don't know where you're from, but where I'm from (Texas) people relieve themselves in the woods, as well as in bathrooms, and think they're being polite not to relieve themselves at the side of the road. I suppose when people experience enough disappointments, where ever they may live, eventually they'll come to dislike the place, and perhaps the people who live there, as well. Perhaps that was the case in your unfortunate experience of Cancun. "Bumps" and other things we may perceive as "rudeness" has everything to do with what we're accustomed to. Mexicans are, in my experience, amazingly polite people. (My biggest worry here is that I'll be perceived as being rude, by Mexicans, as I'm just not familiar enough with their rituals of polite interaction, though I've admired it on those occasions when I've had a chance to witness it, up close.) As for damage to cars, well, perhaps sounding a little callous, I'd just say that's what happens to cars. Own one long enough, and it'll show it's age, as an accumulation of "bumps" of another kind. Some of the "signs" of that age will have been avoidable, others not. As for people scratching cars, intentionally, that happens in London, as well as Cancun. Perhaps it happens where you're from, as well, in some neighborhoods, if the car is expensive enough. ___________________ Every country will be a different experience, and those who are stimulated by being in a place just a little different from what they're used to can enjoy a foreign country. If it has to be just like home to be comfortable, and acceptable, it will always fail to measure up. Mexico is not, when compared to the rest of the world, a poor country. It is, according to what I've read, the twelfth richest country in the world. Nor is it a "developing" country, just begging for us to show it the way forward. It is a very old nation, almost as old as the U.S. It has it's own traditions and it's own ways- not all of them good, as any honest Mexican will tell you. Those of us who are here, and finding it a generally satisfying place to be, see the shortcomings, but find them acceptable, on balance, as part of the package.
The reasons you have for moving to a place will have a lot to do with how much you like that place. I now think that I moved to Cancun for many of the wrong reasons. And I have made huge and terrible sacrifices to be here, which have made me bitter and frustrated. I try hard not to let that bitterness show, but honestly I'm damn tired and Cancun isn't getting better, it isn't getting safer, it isn't becoming a nicer place. It's gotten markedly worse since I've been here. It seems to me that the only people I know who are really happy living here are people who don't read the papers and don't know what's going on here. That's a terrible thing to say, but I see it over and over again. My daughter could not stand her school here. One of her teachers told me that she was one of only two kids in the whole school who read recreationally. Whether that was true or not she was definitely too nerdy to fit in comfortably. And she was one of the only atheists in the school, which was a painful distinction for her (a teacher made that public and should not have). So I sent her, with my blessing, off to a better school, a school full of atheists and nerds; a school back in the US. As a result she's growing up without me. We don't get a do-over on her childhood. I'm very glad she's in a better school, the education she's getting now towers over what she was getting here at IAS. And as a consequence she will have many more and better opportunities in her life, starting with which colleges will accept her. But I miss her like crazy. And I often think that I'm missing out on her childhood so I can, what?, live somewhere that people can't even pick up their own garbage? And where the tortured bodies of execution victims are found with increasing frequency? And where animals are treated horribly? And where 10% of the population can't even read a cereal box? And where corruption is so ingrained that people teach their children how to bribe cops? One of the best things about living here has been the perspective I've gotten on both Mexico and on the US. I now see just how spoiled rotten my own country is. And I now understand all the reasons why Mexicans clamor to cross the border to live in the US. I'm am now very sympathetic to people who will risk their lives to get away from Mexico. And when I move back to the US I plan to work with immigrants there. There are things I like about living here, I like my house, I like the animals I've adopted off the street who now live with me. I like the charity work I do to help people and to save street animals. I like living rent-free in a house with no mortgage on it. I like the weather. So, um, I like staying home with my pets...and I like helping solve problems that the government should have solved ages ago...and I like the weather. That's not enough. Unfortunately we can't move back to the US yet, but as soon as we can we will. Mexico is an old country. My husband likes to say that Mexico had 300 years of slavery and has only had 200 years of freedom, so people here often still think like slaves. But Mexico is also a rich country. According to my favorite economist, Jeffrey Sachs, Mexico could lift itself out of poverty, it has the resources to do that (unlike many countries in say, Africa). But corruption and lack of goodwill prevent Mexico from progressing to that point. I'll be very happy when I can come back to Mexico on vacation. As they say, Mexico is a great place to visit.
This thread has become quite interesting! I should have checked back sooner I just wanted to add a few things relating to quality of life. I am by no means an expert on Mexico or in Mexican culture. That said, I've spent a lot of time in many different places in Mexico including living in Zacatecas several years ago, and living with my Mexican sweetheart the past 2 years; first in the US and then here in Playa. Here are some of the conclusions I've come to over time -Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and the Riviera Maya in general is an anomaly in Mexican culture. Laura, a Guadalajara native, describes the culture here as 'fea' -- ugly. Jalisquillos can be a prideful bunch, but I think what she is getting at is that the culture here is a hodgepodge of Mexican culture, long held and deeply rooted Mayan customs, and the overbearing presence of rapid transformation and growth. That creates a lot of tension and the lack of a unified identity; but it's also something that can pass with time. Until that happens though, you get all of the hardships of migrant populations into urban areas: poverty, crime, property destruction. -One thing that has been the same in every place I've been in Mexico, is that most Mexicans won't even waste the time to talk about improving the government/infrastructure/police/whatever because they have absolutely no faith that it even matters. In a way, it's a very 'and so it goes...are the tamales ready yet?' kind of attitude. The reason this is important, is that if you want to live here, you will either accept it and get on with life or be miserable. All of the expats I've known in Mexico that wanted to try and 'improve things' just ended up hopelessly frustrated. I have faith that Mexico will change with time for the better -- but it won't have anything to do with foreigners pushing the agenda. If you can accept that you are powerless to better the country and still get on with life, you can probably get along just fine here. On the flipside, this general attitude probably also pushes along the whole laid back vibe that can be achieved here. -My final point is about the treatment of animals. I'm a big animal lover, proud parent of a pair of Jack Russell mutts, and can't stand to see animals suffer. I definitely think that the animal treatment is better back in the US than here in general. However, it's not *that* much better. The last city I was in (~180k pop) euthanized 2,000 dogs a year Also, I was witness a very cruel case of animal abuse here a few days ago. It got so bad that I went up on the roof top and the abuser and I had words...not pretty words. He was American. I don't know if that means Mexico facilitates such terrible behavior or it's just plain and simple that there are cruel and mean people everywhere.
RG, that was very brave of you to share these personal details with so many of us. I hope everyone will respect the depth of the emotions you've expressed here. I'm reminded of the Chinese saying, "eating bitterness". They often attribute success in life- or merely surviving if that's all that's possible under the circumstances- to their ability, as a people, to "eat bitterness". By this they mean the ability to accept real hardship as necessary at times, sometimes for a very long time, indeed. They teach this expression and this way of looking at things to their children, from an early age, because they feel their survival as a people has often depended upon it. As I understand from what you've told us, though the situation is bitter for you, you are choosing to stay here, with your husband, though you don't want to be here; and, giving up the joy of having your child near you in order for her to have an opportunity at a better education. I don't think either your husband, or your child, is apt to forget this sacrifice, and the bitterness you are choosing to eat, for the sake of others.
This has turned out to be a very good thread, Rivergirl I could not even imagine being in your shoes as far as your daughter goes and I am sure I would be in the exact same way in the same circumstance. As you know I worked for many years "trying" to make a difference in Cancun and in some ways I did but as Coby stated I find that to be right on the money, save your sanity before you try to save the country . I have learned to just live and let live. On a side note.... as you know my daughter has attended the Monte Verde School for 7 years and I really have been impressed with the philosophy and teachings, they have had an excellent recycling program and all students are environmentally conscious, they visit the Años Dorados and actually had a field trip to Cancuns Library (such as it is) this week.So at least some younger generations are getting good education. It is probably just a drop in the ocean but I feel at least that I am doing my part.
After reading all the post from RG I feel really bad about me hating Cancun. The problems I had and the opinion I have about the place is nothing to hers. I guess to sum up my feeling for the place is this. Cancun, and the other places I have been in Mexico are about 40 to 50 years behind in everything. I think I now have a better undrstanding of how the oppressed blacks in the South-East United States felt during that era. I hated being treated like a 4th class person in a 3rd world country. Just look at the paper there. One can't apply for this/any job because they are not Mexican, not male/female, over 30, not cute enough and on and on. As a child of the 50/60's I grew up during some really rough times from a discrimination point of view and never really understood it. Now I think I have a much better understanding of it. After the way I was treated I really look forward to the day when I can burn the house down as was done during that era. Meaning...if I ever happen to come across a Mexican in the USA who is here without papers I will be the first in line at the police station to turn him in......PAY BACK....
Living in Mexico has made me more sympathetic to the plight of illegal immigrants in the US. The immigration system in the US is barbaric. One friend who works for ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) said that he thinks the system in the US is "so screwed up that [he] would rather have major dental surgery once a week than go through that system." Turning in illegals in the US is no way to get revenge for how shitty a time you had in Mexico. Being illegal in the US is its own form of punishment. It's a torturous way to live, always looking over your shoulder. I wouldn't wish it on anyone and my hat is off to those who can stomach it. Use your anger for something good...anger is the gift of inspiration in dragon's clothes. Turn it around and use it for good.
And, I'll repeat my question to Gene. What Utopia are you now living in? You still haven't updated your profile.
