I wonder how the State Department would rank various places in the US. We have a very high murder and other crime rates. Even schools have become battle zones....If the State Department had to issue warnings every time a couple of people are murdered, every large US city would be in the no travel advisory list.
Your reasons for leaving Columbia is the same reason why I had to leave Costa Rica after 25 years and having CR citizenship, It just got to dangers. I really loved latin America.
Safety is definitely important to me, especially with my girlfriend and her son in tow. Colombia has its charm, but it wears on you to look over your shoulder all the time.
Enjoyed the video but the idea that Merida is some isolated haven of safety in all of Mexico is irksome. There are dozens of cities all over Mexico that are safer than many cities in the US so no, the US state department advisories are crap. I know the State department is charged with warning US citizens about safety outside of US borders but of course there is no US agency chaged with warning foreign tourists about high levels of crime and insecurity in dozens of US cities. Wes Jacobs seems so surprised about all the amenities and safety in a city like Merida so I get the impression that he knew absolutely nothing about Mexico or Latin America in general yet he was living in Cartagena, Colombia?? Mexico is in North America and it borders the wealthiest country in the world,. It is the only underdeveloped country with a land border with what is considered to be a "developed" country and its infrastructure and amenities reflect that and no country in Latin America can match it in that regard. I guess I'm surprised that someone from the US who obviously has knowledge of Latin America was so surprised to discover that Mexico is much more advanced and safe than Colombia of all places.
Hello, Ulises, I see where you are coming from and I'd probably be defensive as well in a conversation about safety in the United States. The fact of the matter is that safety was a concern for me, particularly since I have a girlfriend and a child in tow. I simply wanted to communicate that I personally have felt very safe here and that subjective sense of safety is validated by the analysis performed by the US State Department. I tried to express the feeling of safety as a sense of relief, having had to be on guard in Cartagena, rather than as a disrespectful dig. Thanks for watching the interview and I am glad you enjoyed other aspects of the conversation.
Great interview and valuable inputs from Wes. His story is inspiring. And very impressed with how fast he learned Spanish!
We love Merida our home
¡Ay Caramba!
I wonder how the State Department would rank various places in the US. We have a very high murder and other crime rates. Even schools have become battle zones....If the State Department had to issue warnings every time a couple of people are murdered, every large US city would be in the no travel advisory list.
Your reasons for leaving Columbia is the same reason why I had to leave Costa Rica after 25 years and having CR citizenship, It just got to dangers. I really loved latin America.
Safety is definitely important to me, especially with my girlfriend and her son in tow. Colombia has its charm, but it wears on you to look over your shoulder all the time.
It's spelled Colombia amigo : )
Cartagena dangerous? Really? I never felt a hint of danger there,
I was about to get there, but I don't like the perspective of having my ass vaxxed by Alvorado
Enjoyed the video but the idea that Merida is some isolated haven of safety in all of Mexico is irksome. There are dozens of cities all over Mexico that are safer than many cities in the US so no, the US state department advisories are crap. I know the State department is charged with warning US citizens about safety outside of US borders but of course there is no US agency chaged with warning foreign tourists about high levels of crime and insecurity in dozens of US cities. Wes Jacobs seems so surprised about all the amenities and safety in a city like Merida so I get the impression that he knew absolutely nothing about Mexico or Latin America in general yet he was living in Cartagena, Colombia?? Mexico is in North America and it borders the wealthiest country in the world,. It is the only underdeveloped country with a land border with what is considered to be a "developed" country and its infrastructure and amenities reflect that and no country in Latin America can match it in that regard. I guess I'm surprised that someone from the US who obviously has knowledge of Latin America was so surprised to discover that Mexico is much more advanced and safe than Colombia of all places.
Hello, Ulises, I see where you are coming from and I'd probably be defensive as well in a conversation about safety in the United States. The fact of the matter is that safety was a concern for me, particularly since I have a girlfriend and a child in tow. I simply wanted to communicate that I personally have felt very safe here and that subjective sense of safety is validated by the analysis performed by the US State Department. I tried to express the feeling of safety as a sense of relief, having had to be on guard in Cartagena, rather than as a disrespectful dig. Thanks for watching the interview and I am glad you enjoyed other aspects of the conversation.
Yanks