this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2024
1071 points (98.7% liked)
me_irl
5086 readers
658 users here now
All posts need to have the same title: me_irl it is allowed to use an emoji instead of the underscore _
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Does this depend on the region you live in? I get the impression border areas are less safe.
Also depends on how gringo you look. Gringos are largely seen as money pinatas.
Basically I'm a soft, doughy ATM.
Hah pretty much. Though the doughy part is optional 😁👍
I have relatives who have lived in Mexico all their lives and they're not immune. Once the inter-city bus they were on was held up and everyone was robbed. Another time criminals stopped every car going down a certain city in Mexico City and robbed every car that passed at gunpoint. Another distant relative was kidnapped and held for ransom. Plus, there's constant corruption. The cop who wants a bribe just to do their job, the protection racket affecting most of the stores, etc.
They don't feel unsafe in their day-to-day lives. But, they take precautions in their day-to-day lives that I don't have to take. Every one of them has at least one story where they were the victim of a crime where there was at least a threat of violence.
It definitely doesn't stop me from going to Mexico. I love the country. But, when I'm there, I take precautions that I wouldn't take back home.
Is "gringo" where the word "cringe" comes from?
No
It's in general use in in Latin America.
Some like gringos, some very much do not.
There are hot zones, yes. Border zones are less safe, Michoacan (minis the capital) are not a good place to visit either. Celaya as a city should be avoided, but the Rest of Mexico can be reasonably safe, especially the tourist areas.
Mind you, I've visited Celaya (and Michoacan) countless times and I've seen some shit, but I never really was worried for my safety. Stay in the main roads, tourist areas, you'll be fine.