REALITY CHECK
Originally Published the Week of Nov. 13, 2018 in Western Outdoor Publications
If you spend anytime watching U.S. news or surfing the internet, listening to the radio, or social media, it doesn’t take much to figure the U.S. has a lot of problems. Yikes.
If you even got a smidgen of the TV ads for the recent elections, it was an inundation of mind-boggling battering. It was numbing. I happened to be in the U.S. for just two days for a family emergency and it was inescapable.
Jill and I still vote (absentee ballot) of course from down here in Baja. But it’s easy to say at times, “Dang, I’m glad I live in Mexico!”
And we do. And we’re blessed.
But it wasn’t to escape anything back home in the U.S. Indeed, we miss the heck out’ve it. But, through a weird and convoluted series of happenstance, this is where work took me and the business just grew.
In fact, I was on my way out of Baja, but it grabbed me by the ankles…pulled me back… and wouldn’t let go.
And before I knew it two decades had passed. And we’re still here. Funny how careers are made.
But, we’re not far removed from being reminded how especially fortunate we are. Despite all of America’s plethora of problems and shares of idiots, there’s a reason folks are desperate to get in.
I mean, I don’t see caravans of people from Chicago trying to bust into Mexico or people from Seattle trying to smuggle themselves into China.
We love our many friends and employees here and I have watched their kids grow over the years. And I wonder what opportunity awaits.
What opportunity lies ahead when 6th grade is the highest level of mandatory education here in Mexico? Or, even a college degree down here means you’re now qualified to work at the reception desk in a hotel. Is that really it?
I know kids that honestly “aspire” to flip burgers at Burger King. The bar is not very high.
Can you imagine, “When I grow up, I hope to learn to work at McDonalds.”
American tourists toss 20-dollar bills around while on vacation.
I doubt many of them realize that twenty bucks is 3-days wages for many Mexicans. Most earn less than 10-dollars-a-day and probably paid 4 dollars to ride the bus to get to work and back home. And probably having to feed a family.
Your own kid working that summer job at Dairy Queen is probably making 100 bucks a day for “spending money.” Not to buy food or pay the family rent.
Just the other day, I heard a gringo complain that he had been “ripped off” by a street vendor who didn’t have 75 cents change in American. C’mon, Man.
We know a friend who just found out she has breast cancer. Serious. It took a MONTH between the biopsy and diagnosis and the cancer had grown tremendously.
But there’s no openings for surgery for THREE months. And even then, the date might come up and there might not be a surgeon available.
A death sentence. But, there are no other options.
And she’s “lucky.”
She has government-provided socialized “medical insurance.”
It means everyone has the right to medical care in Mexico. It just doesn’t necessarily mean you get it “right now” when you need it or the right kind of treatment.
If you live in the outlying areas as many folks do, medical treatment means you also have to travel to a doctor. I asked one of our captains many years ago what do you do if you can’t get to a doctor?
He said sadly, “We just die.”
As many of you know, we drive a beat- up Honda down here. I’m not proud. It’s a junker. But it goes forward and reverse. And the air-conditioning works…sometimes. At a whisper and often blows dust in our faces.
Recently the door handle just fell off. So, we duct taped it back in place, You get the idea.
Although not stylish, we have the means to get from Point A to Point B.
As long as it’s not far. Or involve hills. We cannot make the 100-mile drive from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas without overheating.
Everyone has a car back home in the U.S. Or even more than one car. Last time in Los Angeles, I was stuck 2 ½ hours driving 20 miles.
But, a car here is a luxury. And we know it. There are times when we have not had a car and it restricted every aspect of our life.
There were several of those early years here in Baja that I did not have a car. I relied on two legs, my thumb or a generous friend.
People make fun of Mexican cars, mine included. But, it sure beats not having one at all.
Back-in-the-day in the U.S., it was a right-of-passage at 16 to get that driver’s license and get a car, no matter how hard you had to work for it.
Most adults I know down here do not have a driver’s license. Or know how to drive.
What for? They will never own or have a car in their lifetimes.
If you do own one..insurance? Maintenance? They can barely afford gas. So, make all the fun you want.
I was bitching a few days ago because our apartment (once again) did not have hot water. About 20% of the time, we don’t have hot water.
I guess you get used to it, but after a long day, you look forward to that shower and instead, there’s only cold water…it gets old.
I was going on-and-on to a friend. He just smiled then said, “Our house never has hot water.”
“Never? “
“Not ever. “
“How do you shower? Cook? Wash clothes?”
“Nunca. Never, Jonathan. And sometime no electricity either.” He shrugged and smiled.
“You get used to it.”
End of conversation. I shut up. You take something for granted and you just assume that everyone has it.
Reality check and you say a little prayer of gratitude.
Oh…by the way, Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
That's My Story 
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