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Nestie with Mexico SS troubles...come in
I'm an old timer who mainly lurks now. I just saw that today the government is actively warning students to be careful (in other words, don't go--but they can't say that) in Mexico. I was just wondering how your argument about this was going. I was also thinking that their whole, "Hey, we'll pay if you just okay it" is a trick to "prove" that you are just balking at paying.
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Re: Nestie with Mexico SS troubles...come in
Oh we know that's what they think they're doing...and like my DH said, $$ is definitely not the issue here! With what he sends in CS, there is MORE than enough $ for BM to pay for DH's "half" of youngest SS going to Mexico.
She doesn't get that there really IS a safety issue right now!! We even emailed her the link to the actual State Dept's travel warnings where they have an alert issued about the mounting violence since they are practically at war there. The drug carteles are also showing increasing activity and violence as well - a lot of it involving tourists.
After we sent her the link, she still wrote back that DH was just making up excuses and the "school planned it" so it's totally safe and they're going to tourist "hot spots" - well duh - some of these attacks and things have HAPPENED in tourist hot spots...that's where they "target tourists..."
DH isn't willing to send his son to a country that is listed as "unsafe" right now and she doesn't get it. I think she looks stupid for having the info presented to her and that she says DH is "trying to make up excuses" - uh no, it's a fact - check the news. DH and I even agreed if we had any children of our own together that were able to go, we wouldn't send them on the trip either!! She's unreal...and irresponsible.
DH told her his answer was NO and by law, she can't send SS to Mexico without DH's written permission. As far as her current husband writing to DH and asking for DH's permission and "they'll pay" (yeah, with our CS) DH just ignored his email and filed it away with all the other BS we get from them. DH gave his answer, end of story - it's not safe and that's what DH is concerned with most.
(I appreciate you noticing their true intentions though lol...DH and I knew that's what they were up to as well...too bad that has nothing to do with it!)
I know I'm on the Nest too much, because I was drifting off to sleep last night and heard the living room TV..."Mexico...drug cartel...going over the border...killed 11 of his administration..." and I thought, "Oh, that Nestie's DH was right. He can't let his son go to Mexico..." ZZzzzzzz
I saw even more warnings online this morning. Maybe now that it's all over the news, the school will cancel the trip.
I'm really hoping they will...DH emailed the school but isn't sure if his email was received so I think he's going to call now and at least put a bug in their ear about it. On the State Dept's website, they list travel advisories/warnings and that's what we sent BM - I don't know HOW she could think DH "made that up" lol!!
A drug cartele or nut case down there would just LOVE to take a bus full of kids hostage, I'm sure...why take the chance???
Here's the state dept's travel warning...they say some areas are "safer" than others - for us though, the kids are supposed to travel to different areas and at this point right now, we just don't feel comfortable with it and don't want to take a chance with his safety.
https://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_3028.html
And under "Spring Break Info" this is what was listed for Cancun:
Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel: Cancun is a fairly large city, approaching 500,000 inhabitants, with increasing reports of crime. Crimes against the person, such as rape, commonly but not exclusively occur at night or in the early morning hours, and often involve alcohol and the nightclub environment. Therefore, it is important to travel in pairs or groups, be aware of surroundings, and take general precautions. To protect against property crimes, valuables should be left in a safe place or not brought at all. If you are a victim of a crime, immediately notify the U.S. Consular Agency in Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Cozumel or the U.S. Consulate in Merida at the telephone numbers provided below.
If you rent a moped or other vehicle in Cancun, it is advisable to purchase third-party insurance, as the insurance offered on some credit cards will not cover you in Mexico. Should you have an accident or cause damage to the vehicle, you may be required to pay the full amount of any repairs, in cash, as determined by the rental agency, or face arrest.
In Cancun, there is often a very strong undertow along the beach from the Hyatt Regency all the way south to Club Med. Already this season, several U.S. citizens have drowned when overwhelmed by ocean conditions. In Cozumel, several drownings and near-drownings have been reported on the east coast, particularly in the Playa San Martin-Chen Rio area.
According to my newfound FB GeoChallenge knowledge, Cancun is on a peninsula and I guess would be more isolated from these attacks. There's a long ride from the airport to the hotels, but there's really not much on the way there.
CNN article from today:
https://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/27/navarrette.mexico/index.html
the Today Show:
https://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29378774
The reason why Cancun has been in the news is because their newly elected police chief, who actively spoke out against the drug-cartels, was murdered days after he took office. Of course, it's suspected that the drug cartels ordered this killing.
Honestly, Mexico is safe if you take safety precautions and just have common sense. We're going to Cabo in April and I have no worries. We just know to stay in our group, have our eye on SS at all times, and not be wandering around at night, especially if we've had a few.
Mexican government has been pretty corrupt for years. It's not a safe place outside of the tourist areas. DH and I went to Puerto Vallarta on our HM and we didn't travel outside the resort except for a couple times. We went on a resort sponsored tour once and vetured to the shopping mall that was a stone's throw from the resort once. The resorts pretty much had all we needed anyway.
I see. Yeah, I would totally be apprehensive about allowing him to go. I'm not a big believer in school trips like that. Are they really learning anything? Seriously?
IMO, they never have enough eyes watching the kids on those types trips. And at 12, they're not mature enough to handle themselves in certain situations. The scenarios running through my mind are not good.
If I want to take my kid in vacation, I will. But I think 12 is way too young for a school trip to Cancun of all places. The only school trips I went on were educational (a "mock UN" conference in Chicago, a week long trip to DC, where we were meeting our state congressmen, doing a ton of tours, and 'interning' in our State Reps. office.).
J+R -
I'm not saying that every place doesn't have it's crime and issues, ya know? Things go on all over the world every day. For us though, when it's escalated in a certain country and DH esepcially, isn't comfortable with his 12yo son going, I don't blame him, you know? Rather be safe than sorry at a time like this and I don't think a child's life is something to take chances with in a situation such as this, which BM doesn't understand.
Might he go and be just fine? Maybe. Might he go and have something bad happen? Maybe. We don't want to chance it at this juncture. The odds just aren't that great.
No no!!! Im not saying that I think you're doing the wrong thing at all... I was just shocked when I read the statistics in that link! I always knew to be cautious... but it was scary. The place that I go to has had over 1800 deaths in 1 year!
Im a world traveler (27 countries, etc.) and I take the "precautions" pretty lightly, I won't lie... BUT he is a child and until he is an adult, he doesnt get to make the choices. So I applaud you and your DH for sticking to your guns and hopefully keeping him from harms way.
Well DH let the school know his concerns and like DH told me: Let me find out she sent him to Mexico without my permission or by forging my signature on a letter or something and we'll be back in court so fast her head will be spinning..."
DH doesn't want his son in any danger. I would think she'd feel the same way. But no.
(J+R - I didn't mean to sound offended or anything - I knew you didn't mean anything by what you said
) )