LIVING IN GUANAJUATO

The robbery caught by passerby

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 23:27:00 +0000

El ladrón se metió a un local tras arrebatarle el bolso a una mujer en el callejón Tamazuca

Por Rosa Balderas | Noviembre 04, 2012

Tamaño de letra:

El ladrón se metió a un local tras arrebatarle el bolso a una mujer en el callejón Tamazuca.

GUANAJUATO, Guanajuato.- Gracias a la coordinación ciudadana con la Policía municipal, se logró la detención de un presunto ladrón que despojó de sus pertenencias a una mujer que transitaba por el callejón de Tamazuca la noche del viernes.

CONTINUE HERE

Crime Against The Medical Community

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 23:12:00 +0000

Acusa la Asociación Mexicana de Facultades y Escuelas de Medicina a las autoridades de incumplir con programas de seguridad.

Por AGENCIA REFORMA / MARTHA MARTÍNEZ / MÉXICO

Publicada el 11/04/2012

Médicos y pasantes asignados a zonas con presencia del crimen organizado han sido asesinados, secuestrados, extorsionados, agredidos y amenazados sin que autoridades de salud ni de seguridad los protejan oportunamente.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Security in Mexico ... Interesting!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 18:16:00 +0000

Seguridad

“Tenemos el Gobierno más grande y más caro de nuestra historia, y tenemos más violencia y más pobreza que nunca”.

Julián Lebarón

El crimen no nos deja solos ni un día. Este 3 de octubre fue asesinado José Eduardo Moreira, el hijo de 25 años del ex presidente nacional del PRI y ex gobernador de Coahuila, Humberto Moreira. Es sólo uno de los miles de homicidios que tienen lugar cada año en nuestro País, pero nos recuerda que todos los que vivimos en México estamos sometidos a la ley de la violencia.

READ MORE

So, They Don't Target Americans?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 18:34:00 +0000

Number of Americans killed in Mexico continues to rise
Deadly violence strikes areas once considered peaceful for U.S. retirees

By Dudley Althaus, Lise Olsen | Saturday, April 28, 2012 | Updated: Sunday, April 29, 2012 11:40pm

Last year, a record 120 Americans were killed in Mexico, compared with just 35 in 2007. Most happened in areas bordering the U.S. But for the first time, a significant number of murders occurred in previously peaceful areas like Jalisco state, where 14 Americans were killed, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis of U.S. State Department data.Last year, a record 120 Americans were killed in Mexico, compared with just 35 in 2007. Most happened in areas bordering the U.S. But for the first time, a significant number of murders occurred in previously peaceful areas like Jalisco state, where 14 Americans were killed, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis of U.S. State Department data.

READ MORE

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Mexico Security Memo: Increased Violence Likely in Guanajuato

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:30:00 +0000

An old article:

Possible Knights Templar Attacks in Guanajuato State

Unknown assailants thought to be part of the Knights Templar killed eight people and injured another eight Feb. 16 in attacks in six municipalities of Guanajuato state. The attacks followed the Knights Templar's placement of 18 narcomantas around Guanajuato warning the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (GJNG), which has ties to the Sinaloa Federation, to stay out of the state. The narcomantas appeared to be in response to the archbishop of Leon's request on Jan. 22 that organized criminal groups in Guanajuato come to a truce during Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the state, scheduled for March 23.

Continue

Weather

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 21:37:00 +0000

One of the things which attracted us to the city of Guanajuato, and indeed Central Mexico, was, and I know this sounds cliche, The Weather.

It has been a wonderful weather ride here in Mexico's Crown Jewel with the Eternal Springtime one reads of in the guidebooks. It is consistently warm, fair weather that makes life far more enjoyable than where we came from in the States, Kansas City, where the icy winters can freeze the power lines cause you to go without heat for two weeks, or longer, at a time. We definitely do not miss that.

As I write these words, it is 10/21/2012, 4:30pm, and it is a warm Sunday afternoon and very much like Springtime outside. Believe it or not, I am running a fan in my room right now.

The Guanajuato weather is not always as agreeable as it is this afternoon. Though having the nickname, Eternal Springtime, it can get nasty with flash-flood rains, freezing-cold January days, and humidity enough to straighten anyone's hair in the rainy season. But, it all seems to me to be short-lived when the weather becomes a little contrary.

Afterall, Eternal Springtime has to has to take a vacation sometime.

Where Have You Been?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:35:00 +0000

My last post, shamefully, was on July 2012. Though I promised to post at least weekly, I have been a miserable failure. Sigh.

I don't know why, exactly, it has been so hard to find the time to post. Could it be my attention is diverted to a seemingly endless list of other things I have to do? My classes for my doctorate seem eternal, I am on a quest to take control of my health (I was recently diagnosed with Diabetes-Oh joy!), and trying to fit some semblance of exercising into my daily routine (ha!) all conspire to tell me I do not have time (the energy?) to blog.

Yet, there have been plenty of stuff about which to blog. Well...not really (more sighing!). I am simply not on the streets as often as I used to be since moving out into the boondocks and also since we ride the bus even more to get to where we need to go. In this place, if you are on the streets and in the small out-of-the.way places you get to see a glimpse of Mexican behavior that sticking just to the tourist traps will never reveal.

This is really the root of all the writing I have done over the years. You don't see "real Mexico" by staying in hotels in El Centro, nor if you hang out in the place that coddle the Gringos. It is also, I cautiously say, the root of all the criticism that have been heaped my way like so much doggie caca by the Gringos (Gringos = Gringolandians); criticism in which the Lord of the Flies ( Lord of the Flies = Gringolandians Mafioso, Mexican Branch) accuse you of fabricating everything in your prose from start to finish.

These are people who, I suppose, forgot how to walk, and drive everywhere in Guanajuato. They send their maids to shop and for all practically purposes never "mix" with anyone but their fellow flies. This might be mainly because most, not all, cannot string enough words in Spanish to form a complete sentence, and that they like "being with their own kind." (A Gringo lady, and a prominent one I might add, told this to me years ago.)

Just how, if they cannot communicate in the language, know anything about anyone in the country in which they have invaded (infected)?

Again, I sigh.

Anyway, more next week (I hope).

Something Curious

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:46:00 +0000

I am asked, from time to time, just what my experience has been as an expat living in Mexico. I actual have written and published three books about our lives in Mexico. However, no one reads them: sigh.

But, if you can understand Spanish here is a link to a couple living in Madrid, Spain that pretty much sums up, almost exactly, my experience as an expat here.

LINK HERE

Siamese Update

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 00:47:00 +0000

We got the cat, who was in an uncharacteristically laid-back mode (go figure), to the vet for his rabies shot. He will get his other vaccinations (respiratory stuff) in six months.

The cat, Nicolae, for some reason, known only to him, cooperated and is now happy as cane be killing small mammals, murdering songbirds, and breaking and entering neighbor's homes and stealing children's toys and bringing them home to us.

All is well once again on the cat front.

The Siamese Terror(ist)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:40:00 +0000

Siamese cats can be one of sweetest breeds until you have to demand something of them like take a worming pill or a vaccination. Or, for that matter, to get into a crate and ride to the vet without plotting and implementing that plot to escape and perhaps kill you in a mindless fit of Siamese cat rage.

It is de-worming and vaccination time once again in our household.

So, we had to create a carefully constructed strategy to trick this sleek but sharp toothed and clawed creature into the crate and then walk him one block away to the vet clinic. Thank God a taxi ride was not required since we had no idea what the cat had planned as our punishment for taking him to the vet.

Our plan was to put some wet food on a plate and lure him into the crate. On the count of three I scooped him up from the bed while the wife waved a small portion of Salmon flavored stench under the cat's open and growling maw. This distracted him enough to forget killing me and we actually got him into the crate and off we went.

But, a pause in the action for a bit of back story.

Two days prior to this was our first attempt at getting him to the vet's. I got his more than five kilo body into a weak and worthless crate that popped open right in front of the vet clinic with the cat hightailing it for the hills. He took off with a tail only a Fuller Brush distributor would be proud of, and disappeared over a wall and was gone.

We walked rapidly back to our house only to find the cat already upstairs and on a bed and acting as though nothing had transpired. I had to wonder if this was the same cat and not a stunt double.

I wasn't mad or even the slightest bit upset: I WAS ASTONISHED.

Back to the present: The plate of cat food lure worked and we got him to the clinic. The vet, apologizing profusely, had the worming pill but not the vaccinations.

AUGH!

We will have to wait for a phone call and then come up with a new plan to trick the cat into letting us take him back to the vet for his rabies vaccine with a minimum of collateral damage.
***

Click On This Link Reach The ROCKET SPANISH Website!
Learn Spanish Like A ROCKET With Rocket Spanish!...

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The Dreadful Weather

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:34:00 +0000

The Lord is far from the wicked,But He hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29

It is suppose to be "Rainy Season" but either the climate has forgotten that bit of news or we are in a drought.

The weather has been dreadful, I am here to say. The way it is suppose to work is that Rainy Season comes about the end of May or middle of June. It is suppose to rain, and rain, and rain until the end of September. In the past 9 years we have seen some wicked rainy seasons but this year I have the feeling it is going to be a a dry one.

We've been on water rationing for months now. Originally, the news reported that we would have water "every other day" so that the city could do the non-existent repairs on the water system's infrastructure. It was suppose to last until the first of May. It is now the middle of June, we rarely have water enough to flush the toilet, wash dishes or clothes, and, get this, there is no a sign of water pipe repair or anything that would lead one to believe they were on the "up and up" concerning why we can't flush the toilet or wash the clothes.

But, this is Mexico and such Twilight Zone moments are not just common: THEY ARE THE NORM. The only fact that you can bet the farm on is that the water is being rationed and the reasons for doing so are anyone's guess.

That is life in Guanajuato, and life moves on Mexican style.

***

Click On This Link Reach The ROCKET SPANISH Website!

Learn Spanish Like A ROCKET With Rocket Spanish!...
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More Spanish Learning Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 19:57:00 +0000

Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart. - Psalm 37:1-4

I love the Spanish language. I fell in love with it in high school about the 10th grade and have been pursuing it ever since. It took one class all those decades ago and I was hooked.

I have run across a new site to me, which I wish to recommend to those in Guanajuato, planning on moving here, or even just to visit. It is an iTune site but well worth the downloads you have to do to play the Podcasts: NEWS IN SLOW SPANISH

Click on the above link to reach this site.

***
Click On This Link Reach The ROCKET SPANISH Website!
Learn Spanish Like A ROCKET With Rocket Spanish!...

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Never a Dull Moment Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 19:11:00 +0000

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Psalm 23:4-5

I am sure I left you breathless with the last post of our kidnapping/extortion plot so I thought I would do a brief follow up:

After a few days of all of us, the wife and I with the Mexican family with whom we live, trying to figure out "who done it," we decided the following:

Creepy as the whole thing is, the most we can hope to do is to vary our routines and watch for suspicious looking freak-a-zoids who look like they are following or watching us with nefarious motives.

Now, whether or not the entire scenario should be taken serious is perhaps moot. But, they did describe all of us, by first and last names, what we wore on a certain day (the farmacia run day), and when we returned. They also pegged the Mexicans involved, where they went to work, when they left, and returned. Wowie, Zowie!

It turned out that they didn't demand money but an automobile (green van) which leads me to concluded this was spearheaded by someone the Mexican family knew or had known.

Oh well...life goes on.

LIFE IN MEXICO: Never Dull

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 21:43:00 +0000

Situation: We live in a gigantic house. The upstairs we rent. We have a full bathroom, three rooms, our own electric meter (so we do not pay more than we use), access to the kitchen, phone, laundry facilities, all of which are downstairs.
The family is totals four. Two adults and two sons. Olimpia's parents, sister, brother (his wife and three girls) live next door. It is a family compound popular here in Mexico.
Problem: This week, one evening, everyone was gone from our house. Her parents were home next door. Someone called her aged father and demanded money for ransom of their adult son who works as a computer geek in Leon. The kidnappers knew not only the names of the family, and I mean ALL OF THEM, they also knew Cindi and my name and even told Oli's father Cindi's and my routine of walking to the bus stop each Monday and described us perfectly down to the clothes we wore when we went out last Monday.
Also, Carlitos (16 years old), one of the kids in our home, was in the Plaza at the end of our street playing with his cousin and the caller told Mr. Sergoviano ( Olimpia's father) where they were and what they were wearing. So, he (they?) had to be watching us -- ALL OF US.
This sort of thing has been common in the past. I haven't heard of it or read an account of it in a while. But, it does happen here.

The adult son who works in Leon was not kidnapped as claimed by the caller.
One of the huge problems is that locals fear rather than trust the police. Some will claim that the cops could be in on the plot. To "Protect and to Serve" is in this country a myth according to some Mexicans.
***
Click On This Link Reach The ROCKET SPANISH Website!
Learn Spanish Like A ROCKET With Rocket Spanish!...

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I Am Back .......

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 May 2012 18:06:00 +0000

November 2010 was my last post. Much has happened since then. I have been a busy guy accomplishing some major life goals, taking charge of my health, helping my dear wife take charge of hers, and learning more and more and more about the Mexican culture in which we live - literally.

Soon after my 2010 post, we moved into the home of a Mexican family from our Protestant church. An interesting fact, at least to my wife and I, is the head of the household, Carlos, one of his paternal relatives was the author of the Mexican national anthem. That is one of the many things, both good and bad, that we have encountered since not just living in Mexico but living, eating, sleeping in the home of Mexicans.

We have the upstairs, more or less, to ourselves and share the rest of the house for meals, laundry, internet, phone, coming and going, etc ... It has been a life changing experience full of ups and downs as we have had the privilege of an intimate and close-up look into the Mexican culture at a family level. Let me just comment, after all this is what a blog is for, that the Mexicans you meet in street encounters, the stores, the parties, in the public, are not as they seem: Mexican Culture is a Mask Wearing Society!

By the way, the family with whom we live do not speak a word of English.

My wife has been busying herself with more cooking chores making all manner of delicious things that she finds online. She has improved her Spanish tremendously! Her accent is improved as well and I am exceedingly proud of her.

I have ended a 2.5 year adventure earning my Master's Degree in Biblical Theology from a school in the States and am now a doctoral candidate in Biblical Counseling. This project will take a while to complete. I have a horde of reading and writing to do. I am also working toward becoming a licensed Biblical Therapist. In is an intense goal but worth the effort.

Where we live is nice. The locals are rather different from living in the heart of Guanajuato. They are accepting to the point of being protective. They are eager to help, patient to a fault, invite us into their homes at the drop of a hat, and we have grown to love them. Here there is not the incessant smell and noise of carbon monoxide machines belching poison into the air (read: Cars). You can walk about the barrio without
the fear of breathing too much car/bus exhaust (there are cars but not as prolific as in downtown).

I plan on weekly posts as my studies will allow.

Good to be back.

Click On This Link Reach The ROCKET SPANISH Website!
Learn Spanish Like A ROCKET With Rocket Spanish!...

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Why Not Enable Open Comments on Blogger?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:07:00 +0000

Here is a great little abstract by another author who thinks along the same lines as I do about "Reader's Comments":

Do We Need To Ban Comments On Blog Sites? Some Think We Do

by Ron Schenone on 04/19/2010

In a very interesting article from the WSJ, the issues of a lack of civility when it comes to comments on blog sites, is coming under fire. According to some, Internet users who surf using the anonymous moniker feel impervious in the way they comment on topics posted on blog sites. It seems that a small number are leaving comments that attack other posters and add nothing at all to the conversation. But in what seems like an obvious way to control unsavory comments is to have all comments moderated.

In the WSJ article it also states that:

Part of the problem is that people who conceal their names seem to feel free to say things they never would if their identities were known. There are obvious cases—dissidents living in authoritarian countries—where anonymity is needed. But as Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. wrote recently, message boards dominated by anonymous comments often become “havens for a level of crudity, bigotry, meanness and plain nastiness that shocks the tattered remnants of our propriety.” .....Read Entire Article

This is the very reasons why I do not allow Gringolandians to comment on my blog.

San Miguel de Allende Crime

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:40:00 +0000

Now I don't live in SMA but I've written plenty about that Gringolandia and for my efforts have often had their Gringo community actually threaten my life. They take huge umbrage against anyone even suggesting that their little enclave is anything other than a "Heaven on Earth."

The Gringos in Guanajuato, where we live, are pretty much on the same delusional track as the SMA Gringos. They will plot your demise, and try to carry out their threats, should you cross them with the truth.

Here is a quote from an Internet forum that my wife found for me. It speaks to the false sense of security Gringolandians live with in Mexico's Gringolandians.

Walled property does not guarantee safety

My friend and art teacher here in San Miguel let her walls give her a false
sense of security. She was brutally beaten with a wrench and sexually
assaulted, ending up in hospital. In a robbery attempt gone wrong he entered
her unlocked door at 7:30 am while she was still in bed. She was not raped, but
could have been or worse, killed. Once when I locked myself out I asked one of
the workmen to borrow a ladder and open remote garage door for me, where I had
an extra set of keys hidden in the garden. He scaled the stoned walls like a
monkey in a few seconds, anchoring his feet on the protusions in the stones. I
have two dogs, but am thinking of a third. Unfortunately large glass sliding
doors don't allow for screens so during the day I keep mine open for the cross
breezes. My friend does not live in a gated community that's patrolled like
mine, still even that does not call for extra caution. I keep my car keys
bedside because they have a panic button. One of my dogs would go for the
jugular. It's my feeling that any woman - or couple living in Mexico should have
a good guard dog.

Linda W.

Source: Comadres Forum http://groups.yahoo.com/group/comadresdemexico/message/27910

I am telling you that so entrenched is the the Lord of the Flies delusion in Gringolandia that they will read this quote and accuse me of making it up, lying.

Here's What I Mean...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:06:00 +0000

As I have said over and over again, when we first moved to GTO, we often would walk home in the dark from sort of nighttime event like a concert or theater. We do not do this any longer. It is not safe as this article from Periodico A.M. demonstrates: click here.

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Crimes and misdemeanors: Staying safe in San Miguel
Is SMA still safe, or falling prey to drug dealers and thugs?

By Anne Nicolai
August 11, 2009

Knowledge is power: Spanish-speaking residents are safer

Across the board, every official interviewed for this article agreed that one of the best ways for foreigners to provide for our personal safety is to learn the language of the country that we’re living in. They point out that Spanish speakers have an easier time getting to know their neighbors and the local police. Knowing the language also helps when calling for help or reporting a crime.

In fact, the author’s calls to the various emergency telephone numbers prove this point: on two different days, at two different times of day,...there were no English-speaking operators.

Click On This Link Reach The ROCKET SPANISH Website!
Learn Spanish Like A ROCKET With Rocket Spanish!...

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Guanajuato, Mexico - Violence and Dangerous

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 22:18:00 +0000

In an 8/06/2010 article in the Periodico A.M. newspaper, Alejandro Garcia Arenas, Director of Public Safety for the city of Guanajuato, said,

" “Son cinco grupos de vándalos que nos están dando peligro en la ciudad y están operando a través de la comisión de faltas administrativas y asaltos en colonias como Cerro de los Leones, Cerro del Cuarto, Cerro del Gallo, Las Teresas y Pastita”, sostuvo el Director de Seguridad Ciudadana de esta ciudad."

Translation: There are five groups of vandals which are "giving us danger" (a literal rendering) in barrios such as Cerro de los Leones, Cerro del Cuarto, Ceror del Galla, Las Teresas, and Pastita.

In fact, go to the website, http://www.am.com.mx/Nota.aspx?ID=418297, and notice the little graphic map with, "Danger Zones of the City."

Mexican Television

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:52:00 +0000

I have this very unique friend who shall go unnamed since Gringos have the habit of attacking anyone who bursts their Gringolandian Bubble. So, to protect my friend I will not name him.

Anyway, he has lived in Mexico for more than 50 years. He is a 77-year-old American who moved To Mexico when not many Americans were doing so. Gringolandians didn't exist. Only genuine expats and my pal most certainly qualifies as a real expatriate.

He is, for all practical purposes, a Mexican in an American wrapper. We got his college education in Mexico City and developed his Spanish fluency. He went on to work in Mexican television in Mexico City and Guadalajara. He knows Mexico and this culture better than a lot of Mexicans I know.

I met up with him recently for coffee and laughs and finally remembered to ask him why Mexican television is run like no one knows what to do. I've written of this in this blog before.

Mexican television is an adventure. They will cut to a commercial in mid-dialog, play 35 advertisements, then will often come back in the middle of another television program all together. What I mean, and in all sincerity, is that you could be watching Dr. House, cut to ten minutes of meaningless ads, then come back to the middle of CSI: NY.

So, I asked my friend just why this happens. His reply is sure to make Gringolandians seethe:

NO ONE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT PROGRAMMING.

These were the words my friend uttered which is why my wife I have assumed for the last seven years we've lived here.

He went on to elaborate that they, the ones responsible to cut at the appropriate place in the program you're watching, will sleep in the control room, leave for an extended bathroom break, be on the phone, when suddenly, out of the blue, it occurs to them they are suppose to run some commercials. Then, they have no sense of drama or scene and will just cut the program off in mid sentence or action. Then they will run commercials for ten minutes making it impossible for you to figure out what program you were watching much less where it left off.

Basically, my friend who worked in Mexican television for decades, said they have no sense of time, time means nothing to Mexicans, and it is reflected in how they run the control booth in a television station.

Guanajuato, Mex -- More things to notice

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:28:00 +0000

Not only are personal assaults, gang violence, and robberies on the rise in the state and city of Guanajuato, ATM, or Cajeros Automaticos, crime is an ever present problem.

The thieves set up all manner or tricky devices on the ATM's, actually attaching them, on the cash machine itself. They call these skimmers. These are devices that can read your info on the magnetic strip on the back of your card and at the same time film your pass code while you enter it. Then, of course, the enter your account and drain it dry.

This is a huge problem here. Each time I go to get cash, I first check to see if there's anything unusual looking on the ATM machine. Then I tug at the machine's front to see if something comes loose. Then I cover up the key pad with one hand while keying in my code with the other.

For more info on Guanajuato's problem with this click here.

Bus Travel Safety - Is there nothing sacred left?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:16:00 +0000

What used to be a wonderful means to see country, bus travel, is now falling prey to the dastardly and cowardly organized crime.

In recent months robberies began to happen with alarming frequency. Some of the bus lines actually stepped up to the plate with safety procedures and policies. This is shocking to see in Mexico--private companies implementing security plans.

I suppose that the criminals are now adapting to this. If they can't rob the whole bus with the new security policies, they will do it more surreptitious by slipping a mickey in the drink of a passenger and then robbing him blind.

This happened to a young man at one o'clock, Saturday. Bound for Irapuato, Guanajuato, someone slipped him a sedative rendering him unconscious. The thieves took his belonging, made off into the afternoon, leaving the poor kid for the bus driver to deal with him. An ambulance was summoned.

The lesson? Don't have open drinks in the cup holders while you visit the bus' restroom or accept drinks from strangers.

One didn't used to have to think about things like this.

Now we do.

Things have changed. A lot!

Having Mexican Friends or Not?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:58:00 +0000

Here is a forum post I read and to which I would like to respond:

"I always have to smile when a NOB American, who's planning to move to Mexico, says she wants to come down and live in a Mexican pueblo and not near any gringos so she can bond with the Mexicans. They are a very tight-knit group! As stated, they will be very polite, but they don't want you for their new-best friend unless there is money involved, and even then they will pretty much interact with you only on an employee-employer level. Without my gringa friends, I would be very lonely and sad. I would never think of moving anywhere that I could not have access to my gringas!"

This quote is true to an extent. Throughout the 7 years we've lived in Guanajuato we've found ourselves on both sides of this issue.

When we moved to Mexico we had absolutely no desire to mix with Gringos. Why, we reasoned, would we want to be a part of a Gringolandia when we went through all the trials and tribulations of moving to Mexico? If we had wanted to be a part of an American enclave, a.k.a. a Gringolandia, why move to another country? We could have stayed in America if that had been what we wanted to do.

We found ourselves Mexican friendless based on the degree of our Spanish fluency. The more and more we increased our Spanish fluency the more and more we began to develop Mexican friendships. And, what I mean by Mexican friendships is being invited into their homes to dine but mostly just to chat. Never once did these who invited us into their homes and with whom we've had friendships ask us for money.

Mexicans are, as the forum poster stated above, "a very tight-knit group." They are that. And it is not easy to win your way into their hearts. Some do befriend you based on their preconceived notion that ALL Americans are rich and exist to take advantage of financially. it is just a way of life here. Not ALL Mexicans will do this. Some actually have a work ethic and an ethic that teaches they should work for their money instead of relying on the rich American patron. Some don't, unfortunately.

We are friends with two groups of Mexicans. One is a group of Christians. We attend church with them each Sunday (protestants) who have taken us into their lives. We've been in their homes many times. Never once have any of them asked us for money (as if we had any extra dollars laying around going unused).

The other group of Mexicans have no particular church or Christian leanings (other than Catholicism) and still invite us into their homes to eat or just to have a cup of coffee and lots of chatting. Neither have they begged money.

Though the poster, in her mass generalizations, did not indicate whether or not she can carry on a meaningful and in-depth conversation in Spanish with anyone, I just wonder whether she can or not.

My best friend is a Mexican guy in our church. We've sat and held he and his wife's hands through family tragedy and would not have been able to had we not had the Spanish fluency we have.

So, consider that when reading posts like the one I quoted above.

You might note that 96% - 97% of Americans cannot speak a foreign language. This carrys over when they move to Mexico expecting the Mexican to fall at their feet and become fast friends for life.

It took us seven years and this, we are convinced, directly related to our Spanish fluency!

Guanajuato Choice of Neighborhoods

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 12:34:00 +0000

The "Cerro del Cuarto" neighborhood, or barrio, always seems to list cheap apartments and houses in The Chopper classifieds. It is not the choicest part of Guanajuato to choose to land in your Guanajuato Expat Adventure. Here is one of many reasons:

Correo reporter, Ruth Elizarraraz, reported, Thursday, July 15, 2010, that five robberies occurred mostly taking place on a Friday night. Only one of the victims reported to the police.

This is common in Mexico generally and in Guanajuato specifically: Not to involved the police.

Watch for this in the listings that show lots of rentals and even houses to buy. It is not a good area of town. We have friends, Mexican nationals, who have moved from this barrio for that very reason.

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Guanajuato. Mexico: Barrio San Javier

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:09:00 +0000

I wrote about the crime in the barrio, San Javier, and on the street Alhondiga. Gringos, or at least more and more of them, are choosing to stay in this area's hotels. They walk downtown and back from these establishments. They have to traverse an area of the street heading downtown called "Dos Rios" which is the stomping ground of a gang call "Pollos Negros" or "Black Chickens."

Well, the Pollos Negros are up to their old tricks again of not only gang violence but this time with gun fire.

Check it out:

A young man fired shots out of bar

By: Ruth Elizarraraz / GUANAJUATO, Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The boy of 20 years, an alleged member of the band "The Black Chicken", was shot in the alley Atarjea. When leaving a bar in the Corn Exchange Street, a member of the band "The Black Chicken" was wounded with a firearm, a vehicle was damaged in the fighting, locals said they were tired of the assaults and fights increased from six months ago.

This location is just minutes from where we live.

In 2003, when we came to language school and moved here, this area was safe enough where we walked to our host family's home after a concert or movie and had no problems.

The amazing thing to me is that the major police station is just down the block from where this gang activity takes place and is worsening.

I reported just a few blogs ago that crime has gotten bad enough in GTO that even its own experts are calling the city, "no longer safe...", and I tend to agree with them.