I quickened my pace, so did he.
“Oh my god, he’s chasing me!” I realised with a glance over my shoulder. Okay, now I’m concerned…
Heart pounding, tightening my hold on my bags, I got ready to break into a run. I could hear him gaining when he yelled, “Señorita, por favor, señorita.” Then in English, “Miss, Miss.”
That’s weird. Muggers don’t usually have manners, do they? On high alert, the devil on my shoulder piped up with, “It’s a trap. He wants you to slow down; there’s a Mexican chasing you down the street, ruuuuuunnnn!”
The split-second internal debate raged as the angel on my other shoulder chimed in with, “He seems polite; I’m sure he’s okay.”
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Turning, I saw him. The man who was in line behind me at the grocery store. Carrying about six grocery bags, jogging up the street right for me. He smiled. I smiled back. It’s automatic after nearly ten years living in Mexico.
Then he handed me a $200 peso note, about $10.
His smile widened, so did mine. I didn’t even know I had dropped it at the checkout.
I don’t know about you, but you can chase me down the street any day if you’re going to give me money.
Delighted, I exclaimed, “¡Muchísimas gracias!” (thanks a lot), and he positively beamed before saying goodbye and leaving.
I wanted to share this little story with you because the number one question I get asked as the Mexico Correspondent is, “Is Mexico Safe?”
Honestly, I can say yes—if you use common sense. Every town, city, and sleepy little seaside village I have explored in Mexico has been safe. But it’s more than that; it’s a feeling.
The warm, respectful culture most families have shines through no matter where you go. I feel safe. Both when walking around my hometown and when exploring a new place, which, as a single woman, is the most important thing.
In fact, it was at the top of my list when looking at where I wanted to live. That was nearly a decade ago, and nothing has changed. Safety and security are still at the top of my list.
Feeling safe is something we all need. The sensationalised 24-hour news cycle's view of things south of the border doesn’t help.
Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that Mexico is the safest country in the world. We all know that organised crime exists. But it’s mainly in five states, out of Mexico’s 31 states.
So just don’t live in those states. Don’t move in next door to a drug cartel, and your chances of living a peaceful, happy life in Mexico skyrocket.
Mexico is a big country. With every climate, lifestyle, and luxury you could want. Mexico has many thriving, happy, healthy expat communities full of people who have made the move. A move, they say, is the best decision they’ve ever made.
I love talking with Americans who live there. The wealth of information about their adopted home is always top-notch.
These stories are always positive. Which leads me back to the safety question.
Out of every person I’ve spoken to, from San Miguel de Allende and Querétaro in the highlands, to Puerto Morelos and Tulum in the Mexican Caribbean, that answer is always the same. “I feel safer here than I did at home.”
I have thousands of stories to back it up. I tripped in the street the other day, and about five people appeared out of nowhere asking if I was OK.
A couple of weeks back, walking into town to pay my internet bill, I stepped up to the curb. A car stopped in the middle of the street while the driver waved me across. Not a zebra crosswalk in sight, he was just being polite.
Little niceties that happen to me daily; that is the Mexico I know. Nowhere else, in more than 35 countries I have travelled to, have I felt so safe and cared for by the local community.
Strangers become friends, and neighbours become family. However, as a single woman, that little devil on my shoulder is still there.
The one who heeds caution and is always vigilant about safety. So next time a man is running up behind me, I will probably have the same reaction and want to run.
If it does ever happen again, I hope it happens in Mexico. At least here I know they will probably be trying to return something, or worst-case scenario, sell me something. But let’s cross our fingers that it’s to give me money!
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