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interesting links provided in this thread. the Filthy India link should come with a "NSFW or the Squeamish" disclamer. Not sure whom I could forward those to, it will assault many middle-Americans standards of filtered media.
I've been to a few 'third world' countries, and most of my first-world friends wouldn't be OK with the standards and cultural practices of bathrooms and general sanitation of even central/south american countries. But it was fun for me, I'd go back in a heartbeat. But I never seen mass-poop in the village streets or dead bodies floating in a river.
@TotallyTam, I mildly disagree that Mexico is safe for tourists. I consider the US State Dept a fairly reliable and high-quality source of information "where I should not go" due to active warfare activity, and Mexico is very much on the poo-poo list until your undeclared Drug War is resolved:
Having said that, I have been to Mexico over a hundred times, and I have loved at least two of their native-born women, one being a resident of Mexico City at the time. But not a travel destination for the 'amatuer' or 'solo tourist'. No hate, just facts: In 2013, 81 Americans were murdered in Mexico, up from 71 in 2012, and between January and June 2014 there have been 70 reported kidnappings. So make your own judgement calls... I'm sure the Carnival Cruise to Acapulco is perfectly safe.
It is obvious (sigh) when someone knows nothing about India's culture. Devout Hindus value all life--even going so far as to not step on insects when walking. Devout Hindus are vegetarians, too. They do not kill another living entity for their sustenance. I really wish people would read and educate themselves about other cultures.
@TotallyTam, I mildly disagree that Mexico is safe for tourists. I consider the US State Dept a fairly reliable and high-quality source of information "where I should not go" due to active warfare activity, and Mexico is very much on the poo-poo list until your undeclared Drug War is resolved:
Having said that, I have been to Mexico over a hundred times, and I have loved at least two of their native-born women, one being a resident of Mexico City at the time. But not a travel destination for the 'amatuer' or 'solo tourist'. No hate, just facts: In 2013, 81 Americans were murdered in Mexico, up from 71 in 2012, and between January and June 2014 there have been 70 reported kidnappings. So make your own judgement calls... I'm sure the Carnival Cruise to Acapulco is perfectly safe.
According to this 2011 Violent Crime Rate for the U.S., and if I were a foreigner planning to visit the U.S., I would definitely avoid the southern states and the big metro areas. (Nice to see my homestate of Minnesota on the low end for violent crime.) As for Mexico, I live here. I have firsthand knowledge and experience. I am way beyond a tourist at this point. It is not ugly and violent as everybody makes it out to be. Most victims of crime and violence in Mexico are involved in criminal activity--and that's a fact.
According to this 2011 Violent Crime Rate for the U.S., and if I were a foreigner planning to visit the U.S., I would definitely avoid the southern states and the big metro areas. (Nice to see my homestate of Minnesota on the low end for violent crime.) As for Mexico, I live here. I have firsthand knowledge and experience. I am way beyond a tourist at this point. It is not ugly and violent as everybody makes it out to be. Most victims of crime and violence in Mexico are involved in criminal activity--and that's a fact.
What part of Mexico do you live? I heard the further away from the border you are, generally is the safest. Living there, what do you think?
Also, on a different note, I'm actually really surprised at how red Alaska is....
sure. But plenty of overweight german tourists can visit Disneyland, and even if they get lost on the way back to the hotel and stumble into the sketchy parts of Anaheim (which we call Anacrime) they'll be fine. The point is, not to end up as Collateral Damage in someone's AK-47 overspray when they were trying to take out the mayor or chief of police or rival narco gang.
It is that element of Randomness that scares people.
The truth hurts, but when my fellow Americans start getting on their high horse, I remind them of the following:
- If measuring by GDP, Americans are the 4th poorest in the world.
- We have fewer rights than pre-revolution Britian (no 5th or 1st amendment).
- The U.S. has engaged in attacks in 49 different countries since 1950.
- We have committed 32 invasions of other countries since 1950.
- 12 out of the 41 million of all war deaths since 1945 are by Americans.
- 8,200 military and 3,000 civilian deaths of the 41 million war deaths since 1945 are by Americans.
- 49 out of the 200 (24.5%) of all incidents in the world (post 1950) were by the US.
- The U.S. is the only country to have used an atomic bomb or WMDs in a war.
- The U.S. is the only country in the world that has never been invaded by a foreign country.
- US military spending is half of its tax revenue.
- If you are an American your chances being killed by a "terrorist" is 1 in 20,000,000.
- If you are a non-American, your chances of being killed by an American is 1 in 600. <<<READ THIS
- Hundreds of thousands of people around the world die of sickness and poverty due to US exploitation.
- The US attacked 2 different countries in the wake of 9/11. Neither of which had supported WMD's or terrorism.
What part of Mexico do you live? I heard the further away from the border you are, generally is the safest. Living there, what do you think?
Also, on a different note, I'm actually really surprised at how red Alaska is....
I live in Mexico City. Though it can flare up anywhere, drug cartel violence is most prevalent in the northern Mexican states bordering the U.S. That makes sense since their drug-using customers are in the U.S. Legalizing drugs will stop this nonsense. I like it here---aside from the "loco" traffic, the people are wonderfully kind, generous, and friendly if you behave in kind. You get back what you put out.
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