Saturday, March 29, 2014

A Day at the Zoo

People are constantly warning me about living on the Mexican border. I expected that. Those who don't know about our situation with immigration think that I must have a death wish, or maybe I am clinically insane. Even before I tell a person which border city I live in, they immediately jump in, questioning why I would live somewhere so overridden with violence. And when I continue on to say that I live in Ciudad Juárez? Shit gets cray.

Everyone has an opinion on safety in Mexico. Everyone. Whether they received their medical degree there or they got a root canal there, they've got an opinion. Whether they were a foreign exchange student there in high school or they went to Cancun for Spring Break in college, they've got an opinion. Maybe they just ate a burrito once at On The Border or they heard a report on the 6 o'clock news last night. It doesn't matter. They've got an opinion.

None of those opinions matter to me, though. The only opinion of Mexico that has ever influenced my decisions are my own and I fear that I am far too stubborn for that to ever change. One of the opinions that I have always had, and will most likely continue to have, is that if something bad is supposed to happen to me, it will happen to me. I could be in the US, I could be in Mexico, I could be in Antarctica, and that shit will happen. When it's my time to go, I'm going. I could be caught in the crossfire or hit by a bus anywhere. I truly believe that I am not any safer on one side of the border or the other and when I was back in the states visiting my family a couple weeks ago, something happened that confirmed that opinion.




My family and I decided to take advantage of one of the annual free days at the Kansas City Zoo. We saw the polar bears and the chimpanzees and the kangaroos and much to my dismay, countless species of birds. We learned about water conservation and fed the goats and avoided the pricey camel rides and observed the elephants. After 4 hours we were all tired and hungry but decided to hang around to catch the 1:30 pm sea lion show. We left the park at about 2:00 pm.

Shortly after, my sister received an alert on her phone from a local news station that she gets updates from. Just after 3:00 pm, numerous fights had broken out amongst different groups of teens at the zoo and shots were fired leaving hundreds of people fleeing for safety. 19,000 people went to the zoo that day and surely never thought their day would end so violently. Luckily, no one was hurt.

As we marveled at the fact that we missed the violence by a mere hour, my phone began to sound off with incoming emails and Facebook direct messages from many of you. Most of the messages came from readers who live in Missouri and while I was very touched that so many people had been following my travels online and were concerned, I couldn't help but laugh. I know that sounds a bit fucked up because it was a very unfortunate event and I am saddened by the fact that such a thing can take away from the joy of a leisurely day at the zoo, but I just couldn't help my reaction.

There I was, in Kansas City of all places, getting emails about gunfire and people concerned for my family's safety. The only thing I could think was that it felt exactly like it does when I am in Mexico and people call, text and email every time they hear something violent about Juárez in the news. Everyone warned me about moving to Juárez. But why doesn't anyone warn us about all the bat shit crazy people North of the border?


10 comments:

  1. Very good point Emily. Everywhere has its own violence. I think a lot of the impressions of crime on the border are due to media hype. I feel safer walking in Downtown Tijuana than I do in Downtown Portland most of the time.

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    1. Absolutely. Although there is of course truth to a lot of the hype, at least here in Juarez, the media refuses to change with the times. Even as things calm down, they still play up the violence like it's 2010 all over again.

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  2. Tell it Emily.....people like the drama of saying oh this place is so dangerous blah blah blah....I have never felt unsafe in Mexico, even in Ciudad Juarez in 2010 but then I do have a big tattooed Mexican by my side, haha...no you are correct about people but I do believe the U.S. is worse...school shootings by the dozens just for one example:) Hope you had fun at the zoo but it does sound like you did.

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    1. I guess I feel like the violence here is more targeted than in the US. The only times I've ever heard school and shooting together in Mexico is because some cartel members have gotten into it while driving by a school.

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  3. You are so right Emily-I have been back in Atlanta a few days short of 2 weeks and the news has been full of shootings,murders,child abductions,robberies at gunpoint,people getting pistol whipped,etc. It happens everywhere. And its true-when the good Lord is ready for me it wont matter where I am.

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  4. Excellent point. I have traveled a lot and people always warn me before heading out... yet plenty of crime happens right here (california). One of my favorite "be careful" stories is that I had a friend visit here from italy and his family was worried sick about the crime he would encounter because of something they saw on the news that had just happened in Florida. To them it was all "Stati Uniti" and the 3000 miles were irrelevant.

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    1. Ahhh yes, the ever so popular assumption that all parts of any country are exactly the same. So irritating.

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  5. I believe its what you make of it. You avoid drama and it will avoid you. I am glad you are safely back home in Juarez. Like you say when its your time its your time, no matter where you are.

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    1. I have to agree. There is a lot to be said about keeping to yourself.

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