AdventureDad

Do you ever think of something awful happening to your child(ren)?  Like a kidnapping, assault, abduction, or being shot?   It's  really scary and I think about it quite often.  But one of the many luxuries of living here in Sweden is that you can more or less forget about these kind of scenarios.    I can let my son  run around any playground and not have to worry about awful things.  Of course I still keep a close eye on him but I feel very relaxed sitting on a bench chatting with other parents while my son tears up the playground.  I was thinking about how nice this is the other day as I chatted  for hours with another father while our kids played by themselves.  Our toy-filled Mountain Buggy was way out of sight but there was no need to worry.  But during part of the year my behavior changes  dramatically. We spend about two months a year in Mexico and this demands a total change of attitude.  It changes me from a relaxed father to an aware father focused on safety and external threats.  I become a scary, determined bodyguard.

Don't cancel your Mexican vacation, the country is incredibly safe.  I've been to Mexico around 40 times and never had any problems. I've been concerned a couple of times but that's it. They have many awesome places and they are all ultra safe.  All places except Mexico City. The country of Mexico is  very dependent on tourism, roughly a third of their GDP comes from tourism.  That's a huge number and they are therefore very keen on keeping people safe and happy.  I've visited anything between super luxury resort to tiny villages in the middle of nowhere.   And I've always felt safe.  But Mexico City is the worlds largest city, 25 million people, and lots of  stuff takes place.  They have wonderful restaurants, museums, and architecture but also huge problems with crime.  Spending time there requires a totally different mindset.  Focus has to be on safety and awareness.  Forget about being relaxed and instead concentrate on keeping a hawks eye on yourself and your family.  Especially your child(ren).  You know how hard it is to take care of kids on a daily basis?  Now add into the equation constant worry about safety and it gets really exhausting. 

Since I'm much taller, muscular, and light haired (the little I have left) than any Mexican I do stand out in Mexico City.  It's never good to attract attraction in an environment with lots of crime but it also has some advantages.  People are very respectful and kind of afraid of me since I looks like a mean motherfucker.  I look mean even when I'm happy……  The safety issues in Mexico city are not unusual for a large city but there are some areas that demand extra caution.  Like the risk of being kidnapped.  Constant awareness is a must, regardless of location.  Since Mexico City is so large, cars have to be used extensively.  Before even entering the car from the house, which is inside steel gates, the neighborhood needs to be scanned to see if there is anything out of the ordinary.  Any strange parked cars nearby?  Anyone standing around watching the house?   Traffic is a nightmare and there are jams everywhere.  It's not a good idea to stand still in a car even though the doors are locked.  It's easy for someone to carjack the car or try to kidnap you with a gun.  Especially in the evenings.  Before reaching the destination, regardless if that's a store or someones house, the area needs to be observed quickly to see if there is anyone waiting. Any cars following? Then the gates are opened and closed  Many kidnappings take place in a upper middle class neighborhood and someone might keep an eye on the house because the car looks expensive.  So leaving and reaching the house always demands extra attention.  I'm not happy about this but I accept it as a way of life in this big city.

I'm used to taking long walks around the neighborhood with Daniel but that's difficult in Mexico City.  Sidewalks are tiny, traffic is a nightmare, and a dad playing outside with his child is virtually unheard of.  It attracts lots of attention.  Keeping an eye on a 2 year old active toddler is tough and doing it while  constantly observing the area  for threats is very difficult.  It's so easy to lose focus and forget to be aware and focused on dangers.  Me and Daniel do take lots of walks and try to find different areas to play.  I refuse to only keep him indoors like most kids in the city.  I consider any child being inside 99% of the time as having a horrible life.    I'm a really calm person so I don't panic easily.  And it's amazing how quickly this security conscious behavior becomes routine. But the circumstances demand that the whole immediate area is scanned continuously.  Cars, pedestrians, motorcycles, etc..  The very unfortunate thing is that not even the police can be excluded.  Current or ex-police officers are often involved in kidnappings for money and that makes the issue far more complicated.  If you can't trust the police, who can you trust?

If you've traveled a lot around the world you might be aware of behavior that will most likely keep you out of trouble wherever you are.  The most important thing is to look confident and pretend to know exactly what you're doing and where you're going.  Never hesitate for a moment. look and act like a local.  If you look like a big strong guy it will help as well.  Criminals are not that stupid, they want the least amount of resistance.  Even though a gun or a knife is used, they want to pick on people that look weak and insecure.  Traveling with a small child can be complicated and tiresome but it's very important to stay alert and aware.  Not scare, just aware.  There is a huge difference.

What's the point of this babbling?  If you live in a nice and safe are, don't take it for granted.  Enjoy it and be grateful.  If you're traveling alone or with your family to an area with increased levels of crime, take precautions, be aware, and look confident.  The chance that something will happen is still small but who wants to take any chances when family and children are involved?

Categories: Daniel, Family, Travel
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