Risky gifts to take????

[GueraKristina 1]

I don't think there is an exact number of containers that you could take that would be okay or an exact number that would put you over the edge! The point is that you don't want them to think that you are taking them to sell and make money. You want to make sure they know that they are gifts and not something for you to make money off of. I had the same concern when I first flew here to São Paulo. I wanted to bring presents for my fiance's family and I decided that I would bring them all baseball/football hats. A real American baseball hat here is really really crazy expensive, but I found an outlet store that was selling them for only $5 (around Christmas!). So I bought 20 hats and packed them up in my luggage and was really worried that they would think I was going to try to sell them here!

They didn't say anything about them, but that might mean I just got lucky, because 20 is quite a lot! I would agree with the above poster that 3-4 containers would be fine, but I wouldn't bring more than 5, just to be on the safe side.

And yes, you can bring as many knives in your checked luggage as you want!

Thanks, however, the second to last time i went to mexico, i went with my manager from my job, she said that she had had problems in the past with stuff being packaged, so literally, everything that she was taking to mexico (mostly gifts from family members here, sending them back home to their wives and kids) all had to be unpacked and unboxed and unplasticed. She said that they may think you are going to sell it, and if they dont think that, and see all the stuff you have,and you say they are 'presents' they just might make you pay to take them into mexico, because they know that they are presents and that you want to give them to people, therefore they have value, and they want to cash in. But we will see what happens....... probably nothing my husband and i havnt heard of or already seen.

[Cacerez 19]

sounds like a wonderful place. can't wait till some of those fellas move to America.

If they do come most likely they won't be coming legally. But there are people like that from every country...

[GueraKristina 1]

I guess you are one of the lucky ones...

Last time I went to Mexico by the Laredo Border. We did get the green light, but like about a 1km there were the famous "wachos" Mexican Military Soldiers that stopped us, search us as we were transporting something illegal, keep us there for like 1 hr, then they did not let us go until we gave them the US $300 they were asking for... that our really honest soldiers.

I never had any problem traveling by airplane though..

I hope you don't have any problems with the luggage Kristina, have you thought about sending the stuff by DHL or FedEx, if customs confiscate them

why do you hate mexico?

I don't hate Mexico. I'm Mexican!!!

As Mexican I know how corrupt the Military/Police can be with Mexicans, especially in Border cities/states. They may treat different US citizens, but they can be a really a**holes with Mexicans.

I know thats true. Alfredo had problems with the chicanos when he went to juarez for his k-1 visa, they were taunting him and making fun or him because he is 'pathetic' and marrying out of mexico. said he was using the american, and called him a bunch of derogitory names. These were the people dressed in uniforms working for the boarder and customs, where alfredo had to go to get his I-94. When he got to the U.S and told me what happened, i told him that i was proud that he didnt lose his cool, and told him not to get mad about it, that they were just jelous because they couldnt get an american to marry them.

[pedroh 21]

I guess you are one of the lucky ones...

Last time I went to Mexico by the Laredo Border. We did get the green light, but like about a 1km there were the famous "wachos" Mexican Military Soldiers that stopped us, search us as we were transporting something illegal, keep us there for like 1 hr, then they did not let us go until we gave them the US $300 they were asking for... that our really honest soldiers.

I never had any problem traveling by airplane though..

I hope you don't have any problems with the luggage Kristina, have you thought about sending the stuff by DHL or FedEx, if customs confiscate them

why do you hate mexico?

I don't hate Mexico. I'm Mexican!!!

As Mexican I know how corrupt the Military/Police can be with Mexicans, especially in Border cities/states. They may treat different US citizens, but they can be a really a**holes with Mexicans.

I know thats true. Alfredo had problems with the chicanos when he went to juarez for his k-1 visa, they were taunting him and making fun or him because he is 'pathetic' and marrying out of mexico. said he was using the american, and called him a bunch of derogitory names. These were the people dressed in uniforms working for the boarder and customs, where alfredo had to go to get his I-94. When he got to the U.S and told me what happened, i told him that i was proud that he didnt lose his cool, and told him not to get mad about it, that they were just jelous because they couldnt get an american to marry them.

yea, i think we're in different mexicos..

[GueraKristina 1]

well... i dont know.. i wouldn't take 20 kilos of nesquik for sure, but 3-4 containers shouldn't be a problem

as for the red-green light thing.. I guess you're talking about the evil corrupt Mexico from the movies, in all my trips to Guadalajara, I've never had such things happening

I guess you are one of the lucky ones...

Last time I went to Mexico by the Laredo Border. We did get the green light, but like about a 1km there were the famous "wachos" Mexican Military Soldiers that stopped us, search us as we were transporting something illegal, keep us there for like 1 hr, then they did not let us go until we gave them the US $300 they were asking for... that our really honest soldiers.

I never had any problem traveling by airplane though..

I hope you don't have any problems with the luggage Kristina, have you thought about sending the stuff by DHL or FedEx, if customs confiscate them

I didnt really want to send that stuff through the mail either. The mail sustem is about as corrupt as the police, and if it looks like it is carrying something important or worth anything, they open it and it never gets there. Plus, the mail carriers in my husbands little town dont deliver for free, and if he has a letter for you, he gives you a price, you dont pay it, you dont get the letter. It isusually like 50 cents but if its something bigger, and more 'valueable' in his eyes, who knows what he will charge.

yea, despite the ugly borders, Mexico is a lovely place thanks..

I agree, even though i dont think the corruption starts or stops at the boarders, it goes everywhere, whereever there are people that are poor and suffering, which these days seems to be everywhere, even in the U.S, people do what they have to either to be greedy or just to feed their families. Every1 should be cautious but it gives mexico a bad rep.

well which town is that? that sounds as corrupt as the one in the movie 'la ley de herodes'

Which town is what? We were talking about mexico city, and then boarder cities, but everywhere i have been in mexico there is some form of corrupton, Mexico City, Cancun, Toluca, Santiago Tiangastenco, Gualupita, Cuernavaca, .......anybody want to add to the list............

[pedroh 21]

either your husband or you have a big sign that says 'i give bribes', or you go to the wrong places...

I've never ever, had a bad ocurrence in Mexico.. and I lived there for 23 years before moving to the USA

[GueraKristina 1]

I guess you are one of the lucky ones...

Last time I went to Mexico by the Laredo Border. We did get the green light, but like about a 1km there were the famous "wachos" Mexican Military Soldiers that stopped us, search us as we were transporting something illegal, keep us there for like 1 hr, then they did not let us go until we gave them the US $300 they were asking for... that our really honest soldiers.

I never had any problem traveling by airplane though..

I hope you don't have any problems with the luggage Kristina, have you thought about sending the stuff by DHL or FedEx, if customs confiscate them

why do you hate mexico?

I don't hate Mexico. I'm Mexican!!!

As Mexican I know how corrupt the Military/Police can be with Mexicans, especially in Border cities/states. They may treat different US citizens, but they can be a really a**holes with Mexicans.

I know thats true. Alfredo had problems with the chicanos when he went to juarez for his k-1 visa, they were taunting him and making fun or him because he is 'pathetic' and marrying out of mexico. said he was using the american, and called him a bunch of derogitory names. These were the people dressed in uniforms working for the boarder and customs, where alfredo had to go to get his I-94. When he got to the U.S and told me what happened, i told him that i was proud that he didnt lose his cool, and told him not to get mad about it, that they were just jelous because they couldnt get an american to marry them.

yea, i think we're in different mexicos..

Just out of curiousiy... where are you from in mexico???Because you keep telling me that what i am saying is from movies and everything, but i think what is odd isnt what i have seen, but rather where you live that you havn't.

[GueraKristina 1]

either your husband or you have a big sign that says 'i give bribes', or you go to the wrong places...

I've never ever, had a bad ocurrence in Mexico.. and I lived there for 23 years before moving to the USA

Ive never given bribes, as for my husband, i dont think he has either. We dont look for problems, we mind our own businesses and stick to ourselves and our family. But like i said, where my husband lives the police themselves take the license plates off of cars......... and i have seen with my very own 2 eyes the discrimination of women. There was a sign for a little grocery that needed help. Said Women ONLY, between the ages of 17-24, NOT MARRIED AND NO CHILDREN!!!! To work in a grocery, wow.

[pedroh 21]

ok.. I was born in Culiacan Sinaloa.. now, talking about movies, try living there in the 80's... then I moved to Guadalajara, for more than 15 years.. I've been in the center of the country, in little towns, up north, west, etc.. toluca, mexico city (which I hate), michoacan, guanajuato, big cities and small cities..

i've been to the carnavales de pueblo, as well as fancy city places.. so I think I know my way around, I know the sh!tholes in GUadalajara, where true corruption happens, but I don't like going there...

that's why I have a hard time believing even the mailman asks for a mordida.. or rather, why you or your husband let yourselves be bribed..

[jade_arb 3]

either your husband or you have a big sign that says 'i give bribes', or you go to the wrong places...

I've never ever, had a bad ocurrence in Mexico.. and I lived there for 23 years before moving to the USA

I live in Mexico for 18 years before moving to USA, and I saw corruption in everyplace I went to, yes even in small towns... The question may be.... "How long ago did you move to USA".... Maybe in your times things were not as bad...

I can relate to what Kristina says about asking money to deliver the letter.... I know about this place where you are not allow to go the post office to pick up your mail in the city, because the people in the post office can only deliver all the mail to the person who is suppose to distribute it, instead the wife, or family member of the "Municipal President", (pardon my bad translation,.. I do not what the appropriated translation will be for the person who is in charge in smalls towns...) deliver the mail and ask for 50 cents for each letter so if they have 5 or 6 letter for you, you have to pay them US$ 2.5 or US $3... if you do not pay, they simply keep your mail...

[GueraKristina 1]

either your husband or you have a big sign that says 'i give bribes', or you go to the wrong places...

I've never ever, had a bad ocurrence in Mexico.. and I lived there for 23 years before moving to the USA

I live in Mexico for 18 years before moving to USA, and I saw corruption in everyplace I went to, yes even in small towns... The question may be.... "How long ago did you move to USA".... Maybe in your times things were not as bad...

I can relate to what Kristina says about asking money to deliver the letter.... I know about this place where you are not allow to go the post office to pick up your mail in the city, because the people in the post office can only deliver all the mail to the person who is suppose to distribute it, instead the wife, or family member of the "Municipal President", (pardon my bad translation,.. I do not what the appropriated translation will be for the person who is in charge in smalls towns...) deliver the mail and ask for 50 cents for each letter so if they have 5 or 6 letter for you, you have to pay them US$ 2.5 or US $3... if you do not pay, they simply keep your mail...

Thnks, i was beginning to think that i was the only one seeing these things. We always have to leave my mother -in-law with like 20 pesos just in case the mail man comes with a letter so that she can give him the money and get the mail or the bill or whatever it is. Where Alfredo is from, Gualupita, better known by its neighboring town called Santiago Tiangastenco, its a little town, but the police well, as i have included in previous posts, kind of know that they can do what they want. As long as you dont draw too much attention to yourself and are safe, for the most part you should be fine.

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

I know thats true. Alfredo had problems with the chicanos when he went to juarez for his k-1 visa, they were taunting him and making fun or him because he is 'pathetic' and marrying out of mexico. said he was using the american, and called him a bunch of derogitory names. These were the people dressed in uniforms working for the boarder and customs, where alfredo had to go to get his I-94. When he got to the U.S and told me what happened, i told him that i was proud that he didnt lose his cool, and told him not to get mad about it, that they were just jelous because they couldnt get an american to marry them.

huh?

I'm next door and while I've heard similar things, even coming from friends, it is just for fun.

Besides, it's not like I'm 7 and I'm going to get hurt and go back to mommy crying

Edited April 8, 2009 by TävôLuDô

[GueraKristina 1]

I guess you are one of the lucky ones...

Last time I went to Mexico by the Laredo Border. We did get the green light, but like about a 1km there were the famous "wachos" Mexican Military Soldiers that stopped us, search us as we were transporting something illegal, keep us there for like 1 hr, then they did not let us go until we gave them the US $300 they were asking for... that our really honest soldiers.

I never had any problem traveling by airplane though..

I hope you don't have any problems with the luggage Kristina, have you thought about sending the stuff by DHL or FedEx, if customs confiscate them

why do you hate mexico?

I don't hate Mexico. I'm Mexican!!!

As Mexican I know how corrupt the Military/Police can be with Mexicans, especially in Border cities/states. They may treat different US citizens, but they can be a really a**holes with Mexicans.

I know thats true. Alfredo had problems with the chicanos when he went to juarez for his k-1 visa, they were taunting him and making fun or him because he is 'pathetic' and marrying out of mexico. said he was using the american, and called him a bunch of derogitory names. These were the people dressed in uniforms working for the boarder and customs, where alfredo had to go to get his I-94. When he got to the U.S and told me what happened, i told him that i was proud that he didnt lose his cool, and told him not to get mad about it, that they were just jelous because they couldnt get an american to marry them.

huh?

I'm next door and while I've heard similar things, even coming from friends, it is just for fun.

But a friend saying that is on a lighter note, more friendly perhaps. When alfredo was in juarez getting his I-94, he was sitting down in a chair, waiting for his turn, and he thought that he was called, so he got up and asked if he was called, and the 'officer' gave him a 'no you wernt called, shut up and sit down' kinda responce, and then the office and his 'friend' were talking in that 'loud enough so the guy we are talking about can hear us' kinda voice, saying how alfredo was pathetic and calling him names and saying how he was just using the american to get out of mexico.... they were trying to get him pissed off, and they did, but he didnt show it. If he woulda said something they could have made him leave, they could have denied him the I-94, made him come back tmrw, who knows, arrested him who knows. I know that he is not the only person that has had problems with the chicanos crossing the mexican boarder.

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

pst pst my eyes hurt,

can you summarize your posts? I'm a lazy Mexican that doesn't want to read throw me a freaking bone

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

Ok ok I read it...

No, he is not the only person, there are some Chicanos with attitude towards real Mexicans but not the majority. Besides, the point here is to be the mature side of the argument and just take it as it is, that is coming from uneducated individuals that take their personal frustrations on others...

Besides, to give you some credit, I've seen a huge difference on treatment based on whether the person can speak English fluently or not. I've been treated differently, don't know about others, they see you as their equal or at least not as an illegal that just wants to "steal" THEIR American dream.

Edited April 8, 2009 by TävôLuDô