How to "give out" things in Mexico

[Monica]

Sharon....

I don't think you should be concerned about them.

In response to this person's personal feelings and my personal experience, I am going to respectfully disagree with her, Sharon. Talk to someone at the resort to help you disperse your gifts. You won't have to look very far! No matter where your gifts end up, they will be greatly appreciated. And remember, Cash is King, if you don't feel like lugging around extra items along w/ a hubby and 3 kids!

Off topic, regarding the orphanage Marsh Hogar in Acapulco, I've sometimes stopped at Costco and purchased 3 tubs of ice cream and little sugar cookies to eat w/ that ice cream for those 60 kids. Talk about smiles!

 

[Aussie girl]

Sharon,

We visited Cancun for our second time in October 2005. The highlight of our trip was hiring one of the cab drivers from the Royal Sands for 3 days. His English was fair so we were able to ask a lot of questions.

One afternoon he took us and showed us where people live. The maids, the waiters, etc. He confirmed that maids only make $5 per day. He also was very proud to show us were he lived. We were shocked. We saw every inch of Cancun that day and it's a day we will never forget.

 

[ripshion]

Maybe its your personal comfort zone which causes you to see things differently than I do. I'm not calling names or meaning to demean you, but you *are* misinformed. Sure the tourist areas of Cancún is more "Americanized" than most other parts of Mexico. But have you ever looked beyond that? Try looking at your hotel's maid's shoes? I'll bet she's wearing rubber shoes. Not sandals, but rubber shoes like we'd buy at K-mart.

Yes, the people who sell timeshare and OPC make good money. Most of them have some sort of tie to the US...many have lived in the US at one time or another, and thus speak English well enough for such a job. Some are even US citizens. But these are not the people we are talking about. We're talking about maids and housemen who generally speak either no English or very limited English.

Yes, we have "working poor" in the US, but generally speaking our "working poor" have a much higher standard of living than the "working poor" of Mexico. I feel Sharon's question was both appropriate and compassionate.

Fern

Misinformed? I don't think so! Yes, I do agree that every country has it's poverty problems. The way Americans look at a hard working Mexican citizen will be much different. To you they will look poor, to them it's just there way of life, they know no different. You just cannot compare the American way of life to the Mexican way of life, the Mexican way of life is completely different, they live very frugally and know how to live. I have traveled to many different countries and have seen much worse. All I am saying is they are well of then many other countries. Again, this is just my opinion,take it for what it's worth.

 

[Monica]

Oh, brother!

Misinformed? I don't think so! Yes, I do agree that every country has it's poverty problems. The way Americans look at a hard working Mexican citizen will be much different. To you they will look poor, to them it's just there way of life, they know no different. You just cannot compare the American way of life to the Mexican way of life, the Mexican way of life is completely different, they live very frugally and know how to live. I have traveled to many different countries and have seen much worse. All I am saying is they are well of then many other countries. Again, this is just my opinion,take it for what it's worth.

They look poor because they are poor!!!!! And in no way am I comparing them to how I live!!! It's their way of life because there is nothing else!!! No jobs, terrible education, illiteracy abound in Mexico. And being around tourists, how can they "know no different"? They see us spending $5 on a drink, and that's their wages for the 10-hr day they just put in.

I'm with Fern on this--you are terribly misinformed!!! Try getting outside the tourist zone next time you go to Americanized Cancun. They live frugally because....THEY HAVE NO MONEY!!!! Get it? And you've seen poverty in other parts of the world, but poverty is still poverty. Don't fool yourself, our neighbor to the south is filled with poverty just as bad as other parts of the world.

Please quit spreading the lie that ordinary Mexican people in Cancun's resorts don't need charity. If someone wants to help the people of Cancun, let them!

 

[jules54]

Sharon your the greatest

Sharon asked for suggestions on how to help the people in the Cancun area! She did not ask for a lecture on WORLD PROVERTY. Stick with the questions asked.

Sharon thank you so much for your post. I am also traveling to the area(PDC) this month. Your question really made me think about helping out with some needed items. The thing about giving something other than cash is that your own kids will learn more. My grown son who is 30 will be meeting me. I will wait till he arrives to do the distribution of goods. We have had a fabulous life, but he to as a grown child from a middle class background takes so much for granted.
Thanks everyone who made suggestions keep them coming. I needed a way to get rid of some extra luggage. I will just back it with stuff for the local kids.

 

[3kids4me]

I certainly didn't mean to cause a controversial discussion with my question.

My goal was simply to help some folks, and especially to give children something special that they might not have a chance to have otherwise...perhaps something frivolous that their parents could not normally afford to buy them. I also want to show my own children how fortunate they are to have the things they do, and that even though our family has its own struggles, that they can take some joy in sharing a little of what they have with other children.

I'm sure there are folks in the Cancun area that may not need these things as much (but we will certainly plan on tipping and giving gifts at the resort)...so my goal in asking the original question was to figure out how to find the people that do.

Thanks so much for the input.

Again...would it be appropriate to ask our driver (we're going to plan on taking some kind of day tour) to take us to an area where we could hand these things out? Or would the driver feel funny about that?

Thanks again,

Sharon

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

... Again...would it be appropriate to ask our driver (we're going to plan on taking some kind of day tour) to take us to an area where we could hand these things out? Or would the driver feel funny about that?

Thanks again,

Sharon

Sharon -

Rather than putting the driver on the spot, I would contact an organization that is already doing charitable work in the area before I headed down. Find out from them what items would be most helpful, and where they can be delivered. Either bring the items along with you, or buy them when you are in Cancun. Then ask your driver to take you to that address.

That way you know you are providing what is needed and you are putting it in the hands of a known responsible entity to distribute.