Dd wants to go abroad to work in a clinic for a month while using her colloquial Spanish skills in central Mexico.
There is a document put out by the agency about State Department warnings of travel in Mexico.
I want her to go but, as a parent, I am so fearful for her safety.
I don’t know what to do. Anyone with experience? Although she’s Mexican American, she sticks out like a sore thumb, looking more American/Spaniard than Mexican.
Where in central Mexico? The danger level varies hugely from place to place, with some being very iffy and others being safer than many American urban centers.
There are several she can choose from but she’s looking at Oaxaca city and the coastal location.
We have friends who live in Oaxaca. It’s full of expats.
I’ve never been to Oaxaca, but I know people who have, and it’s apparently a nice area that gets many tourists, and relatively safe.
I have read that the dangerous areas are mostly a few spots near the US borders, and on the Pacific coast near Acapulco.
D2’s BFF volunteered in several medical clinics in Oaxaca over 4 years. And went back there last summer to visit old friends. She never feared for her safety and felt comfortable walking around in the local towns and riding public transit – even cross country buses. (BTW, the BFF is very, very fair, almost albino fair–so she stands out in a crowd.)
The sponsoring organizations are quite aware of the local situation and will not send volunteers into areas they feel are unsafe.
I agree with others that Oaxaca would be a safe – and fascinating! – place to spend some time. In fact, it would be a good place for her parents to visit while she’s there, too!
Thanks, Mom and Dad can’t afford to travel, (other kids in college) but I feel a little better about sending her. Her Spanish is pretty good but she’s tall and fair-skinned, but dark brunette and sticks out.
My advice: do not watch the movie “Taken” before she goes.
I personally would worry if she were going to Mexico City or border areas like Matamoros.
Perhaps not going out alone but rather staying in groups with friends would be prudent as well when walking around.
Humm, I would NOT worry about looking differently! There are plenty of Mexicans who do NOT like Indians!
This said, I am afraid that many here who are not that familiar with the current situation in Mexico. A lot of news is targeting the border zone with the United States, but the current center of violence has changed. Simply stated the entire coast from Sonora through Chiapas has a great number of hot zones with Acapulco and Lazaro Cardenas being the worst of all. Areas to the south --think Jalisco, Michoacán, Oaxaca, and Chiapas-- are not immune to danger. For instance, the road between Oaxaca and Huatulco is a dangerous one that is often controlled by corrupt soldiers or militants. Currently, the corrupt teachers’ unions are creating a lot of havoc in Oaxaca. http://www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/2015/06/03/1027418
All in all, while a stay in Oaxaca (as in the city) might be OK, it’s best to fly directly and NOT venture too far away from the major city.
By the way, Oaxaca is not part of Central Mexico!
Yep, @xiggi, didn’t want to imply border towns.
The public roads into the towns are a concern, as I recall my trips to southeastern Mexico at her age.
I’m concerned but dd is not, of course. I have no family in those Mixtec regions so I am more than a little worried.
There are many variations in Spanish in Mexico. There are safer travel options in Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico. With so many safer options, I would not let my daughter travel to Mexico, alone. My daughter has volunteered in Roatan, San Jose, Costa Rica and the Galapagos.
Yes, I agree, but her graduation timeline won’t get her into some of the safer options. She can’t do Spain in the Spring and she has limited time off in the summer.
My daughter just got back from a summer internship with a nonprofit in a Mexican border city that’s known for violence. She had no problems, and the organization has been working there for many years with no safety problems for volunteers or staff, even when the violence there was at its height a few years ago. While there’s no guarantees, avoiding risky behaviors like wandering around alone or at night, or visiting the types of areas where foreigners are targeted (bars, etc) reduces the risk a lot. If it were me, I’d ask some questions of the clinics about the specific areas and just go in well informed about what precautions to take.
@Auntbea-
I would be very comfortable sending my kids to Oaxaca. In fact I have. My kids are Caucasian and speak imperfect Spanish, but they have all travelled without parents as teens to stay for an extended time with their grandmother in Huatulco (on the coast in the state of Oaxaca.) They’ve also gone into the mountains to help with school projects in some of the more remote villages. As a family we’ve spent time in the city of Oaxaca on multiple occasions. It’s a beautiful, historic city and I would highly recommend it.
There were teacher/union riots in 2006 and at that point I would not have recommended sending a child to the city, but those issues have been settled for years. As with any place, it’s smart to be aware of one’s surroundings, but I have never felt unsafe in Oaxaca. As for general safety warning about Mexico, it’s important to take them with a grain of salt. There are parts of Mexico I would not visit myself, much less send a kid to, but then I would not send my kids alone to parts of the US.
The perspective of the Lonely Planet Guides’ editor:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lonely-planet/are-tourists-safe-in-mexico_b_1503288.html
an excerpt-
http://howsafeismexico.com/mexico_states_safety.html
Here’s an expat site for the Oaxaca region. It’s a great place to ask Americans who live in Mexico for advice.
http://tomzap.com/ph5/index.php
I hope this is helpful!
My daughter has just turned 17. She is fair skinned but short… I would love for her to spend time in Oaxaca. OAX is my favorite state in ALL of Mexico.
My bet is that YOUR daughter will do just fine…
Well, I posted an article about the teacher’s violence that is a … few weeks old.
To be frank, I am quite surprised about the commentaries regarding Oaxaca. I assumed that people who follow the news in Mexico must be aware about what is happening in Guerrero (think Acapulco) that is the most violent city in Mexico as we speak. How was Oaxaca in 2014? How about reading this article.
The translation of Oaxaca es el municipio más violento de México is none other than Oaxaca is the most violent city in Mexico!
Fwiw, my parents have lived in Mexico since 2000 and are spending their time between a city that used to be the most violent (Ciudad Juarez) and one of the most peaceful in Guanajuato. They have traveled extensively all over Mexico for decades and have stayed away from Oaxaca for the longest time. Pretending that the entire zone from Jalisco to Chipas is safe is ignoring the reality. Again, one could expect to be relatively safe in the touristy parts of Oaxaca but is not immune to problems of violence.
By the way, Nicaragua is not a great place for women to travel.
I have been fortunate enough to have been there three times. Sure, there were blockades lead by teachers, but they were not violent. In fact, I was told by a local that they’re used to them as they happen quite frequently.
OP- do your own research and do not let this valuable experience slip away from your daughter…
State Dept, as of May: Oaxaca: Oaxaca, Huatulco and Puerto Escondido are major cities/travel destinations in Oaxaca - No advisory is in effect.
If it were me, yes, I’d explore the precautions and guidelines the clinic has in place. I’d want to know my kid was mature enough to respect these. And I’d keep checking reports as she got closer to departure, tell her I’d pull her out before, at my discretion, if concerning reports surfaced. I’d also want to know how many other Americans, Brits, etc, were serving.
A young friend spent a year at a clinic in the hills of Haiti, with no issues. I wouldn’t send my kid to Haiti, based on current warnings.
@xiggi, I read part of the article and it is scary. I’ll discuss with the dd.