Just a little food for thought on this beautiful day! It is no secret that Mexico has been the target of bad publicity over the recent years. But why does Mexico get hit so bad without the mention that there is awful news happening all over the world?
It seems American’s are still incredibly fearful to travel to such an amazing place like the Riviera Maya, yet they remain content while crime is rising in their own back yards. The fact is that no matter where you are things happen! And that’s the truth!
But an interesting reaction that happened in the news struck me this week, after an Australian baseball player had been shot and killed, by two Oklahoma teenagers, while out for a normal training run. Here’s the worst part – they said it was “just for fun!!” It seems we hear this kind of bad news more and more lately in the United States, yet the U.S. is never listed as a dangerous place to travel.
For what seems like the first time, a former Australian Deputy Prime Minister made a statement by encouraging a boycott against travel to the United States. Although this was not an official travel warning it was definitely a message pointing out that loose gun laws in the United States are offering more opportunity for these kinds of horrific scenes and it is indeed dangerous.
Remember Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut this past December? The United States definitely has its fair share of life loss by innocent victims who were simply just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am not in any way bashing the United States, as I am American and love my country, but merely pointing out that their efforts to scare travel away from Mexico are not very justifiable when they have their own set of concerns.
And with that being said, I think that for the first time Australia made a bold move to point this out!
As an American living here in the Riviera for quite some time now I can honestly say that this is wonderful safe place to live and travel. The type of crime that people are warned and afraid of in Mexico is restricted to other areas in which neither tourists nor expats are entering; and on top of that the specific kind of bad guys you are thinking of are not looking to kill or kidnap innocent bystanders, or to do it “just for fun” like the two kids in Oklahoma. This is a misconception that has been twisted by the media.
There are so many horrific things that happen in this world; killings, kidnappings, bombings, domestic violence, abuse of all forms but unfortunately there is no safe haven from those things. They happen everywhere and yes, even in the United States as you can see on the news every day! I would encourage you to use your best judgment and listen to your gut all the time and everywhere.
Don’t refrain from an amazing country or city just because you heard a bad story on the news; you could actually be doing yourself a terrible disservice not discovering something so wonderful.
An American friend of mine recently expressed her feelings after coming back from Mexico City. Her reaction was that she is sad that so many people in the United States will never know such an amazing beautiful city rich in culture, beauty, delicious food and fun, because the U.S. media has continuously worked to demolish its reputation.
I have to say I agree as I spent many years living, working and enjoying Mexico City as I do today in the Riviera Maya.