Central American Migrants riding trains North to the US/MX border

I see trouble ahead.
This is, as I understand it, a very passionate subject for many people in the United States, thus there is the possibility of arguments starting on a thread of this nature.

I know from experience, if that happens, the mods will probably close the thread quickly.

Thanks for the advice ! Guess I'd better remove the topic.

Not at all.
Learning about how cultures see their advantages in another country is educational, and all about expats (Probably illegal ones in this case).
As long as the topic doesn't fall into arguments, there'll be no problem.
I would be interested to know what these people have in their minds, what they feel they're escaping and why the feel the states is the best place to go.

The long neglected US rail system has reached a state where only desperate third-world refugees are willing to use it. Sad!

I've begun a project, writing a book about these migrants. My plan is to interview 100 of them for a start. So far I have talked with three. Two from Honduras and one from Veracruz. Fascinating, each one. My daughter suggested I create a blog but until yesterday I knew nothing about blogs and had never even read one. I don't do facebook or any other social network. I don't even own a cellphone by choice, so I am trying to figure things out as I go along... whether debates are allowed, which it appears they aren't. I used to read a website created by expats here in Mazatlan but reading people's self-serving, self-indulgent arguments about various things got a little tedious, so I guess I see the point of avoiding arguments.  I was hoping only to generate some intelligent discussion about this very hot, very important issue which is currently in the news a lot and is here in my face every day I drive through the stoplight where the train-riding migrants are panhandling.

Me too, Fred. Those are among the questions I am asking them. I am extremely interested in how other nationalities view Americans and the US these days. I am often surprised at the comments my Mexican students make about the US. Many of them no longer dream of going to the US but instead talk longingly about going to Canada someday.

maggieinmazatlan wrote:

I was hoping only to generate some intelligent discussion about this very hot, very important issue

That has to be a good thing.
Understanding of people is the way to stop conflict.
Sadly, this topic is a bit of a killer in some circles, usually the ones inhabited by racists and bigots in general, and that causes argument.
Posting information as a means to understanding a group, their thoughts, needs and dreams, has to be informative and interesting.
Interviews with a larger number of these people, each explaining why they want to head north would be very interesting.
Please start a blog and post a link to it - I will be an avid reader.

maggieinmazatlan wrote:

I am extremely interested in how other nationalities view Americans and the US these days.

The general attitude in Indonesia is a bit odd, and self contradictory.
Loads of US flags painted on trucks, loads of people wanting to go to the states to live, but absolute hatred of the foreign policy and their supposed attitude to Muslims.
Ask a dozen kids where they want to go to uni, and at least 3 or 4 will name the US of A.

Thanks again, Fred. Your comments are very helpful as I feel my way along this unfamiliar path. You said I should start a blog... this is something I am confused about. I need to learn more about doing that and, when I do, I am happy that you want to read it. I assume you mean a blog separate from this thing we are on now... what is this? Is this a collective blog or what? I am unfamiliar with the terminology and structure of this very high-tech world in which I am a reluctant (but grateful, sometimes) participant.

I have no blog as such, just a little thread on a few forums but I hope these links can help you.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=12https://www.expat.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=2

Despite its name, Expat-Blog is a Forum, not a Blog.
A Forum is like an online discussion, where everybody can post his/her opinion to certain topics.
A Blog is an online diary, where one author is publishing a series of articles about his/her interest.
There are several providers, where you can start your Blog after a simple registration, free of charge (they place ads on your Blog) and quite easy to do. You can find them via Google.

beppi wrote:

Despite its name, Expat-Blog is a Forum, not a Blog.
A Forum is like an online discussion, where everybody can post his/her opinion to certain topics.
A Blog is an online diary, where one author is publishing a series of articles about his/her interest.
There are several providers, where you can start your Blog after a simple registration, free of charge (they place ads on your Blog) and quite easy to do. You can find them via Google.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=c … 20platform

Since Blog providers are to a certain extend liable for what you write on their system, a politically sensitive topic like yours should be with a provider who has no related hidden interests (e.g. in your case: is not run from USA or Latin America) and does not censor (most do).
Good luck - and please post the link here!

maggie. Just FYI - in case nobody has told you yet - there is an "underground railroad" that takes Cuban escapees from Honduras to the USA. I know of its existence because many boatloads on home-made boats pass through Cayman Islands waters on their way to Honduras, which is the only country in Central America that will accept them and turn a blind eye to their onward journey. I understand that there are several ways for them to get to their destination - depending to some extent on whether or not they have signed up with professional traffickers. But I don't know any of the details. Google might have some.

Cayman's colonial rulers (the British FCO) have a wet-foot, dry-foot, policy by which any Cubans who set foot on dry land here are immediately jailed and flown back to Cuba. Where they are unemployable, so try over and over again until they either succeed or die tryng. Eight or so years ago a local journalist and I campaigned to get better treatment for them from our Islands' immigration-bullies, and there was some improvement. But not much. Some boatloads die at sea, and our authorities couldn't care less. In February this year I wrote a piece about the refugees for my blog on Cayman's Boat People. If you can't find it in the Archives, email me and I will send you my Word copy. IF you're interested in this end of the refugees' journey, that is.

Thanks for your reply, beppi. I don't know much about the current state of the US rail system but the one I am talking about begins in the southernmost part in Mexico and carries the migrants as far as the US/Mexican border. Several trains have derailed in the southern state of Chiapas due to heavy rains which have shifted the railway beds.

Yes, Gordon I am very interested. Thanks for filling me in about this situation. Right now I am between classes at work but will be back in touch later. Thanks again.

Thanks again. You people are great. That clears things up for me. I appreciate it!.

Okay, will do !

Great! Thanks again.

Gordon Barlow wrote:

In February this year I wrote a piece about the refugees for my blog on Cayman's Boat People. If you can't find it in the Archives, email me and I will send you my Word copy. IF you're interested in this end of the refugees' journey, that is.

Please post a link - I'll bet there are a good few people interested in that - I would love to read it.

mas fred wrote:

Gordon Barlow wrote:

In February this year I wrote a piece about the refugees for my blog on Cayman's Boat People. If you can't find it in the Archives, email me and I will send you my Word copy. IF you're interested in this end of the refugees' journey, that is.

Please post a link - I'll bet there are a good few people interested in that - I would love to read it.

I'm a bit wary about posting the link, fred: the administrators don't like us doing that. Still, here it is - and I hope the bosses will allow it just this once.
http://barlowscayman.blogspot.com/2014/ … eople.html

Gordon Barlow wrote:

[
I'm a bit wary about posting the link, fred: the administrators don't like us doing that. Still, here it is - and I hope the bosses will allow it just this once.
http://barlowscayman.blogspot.com/2014/ … eople.html

Thanks for that - I'll have a read later. I bookmarked it in case the forum admin dislike the idea of a link to a politically sensitive subject.

Hi all,

The only thing we don't like is discussing politics on the forum because we know how those threads end usually.
There is no problem with the link.

Regards
Armand
Expat.com Team

Cheers, we'll keep it happy.
To be honest, I think most expats have a greater understanding of others, so it's less likely to be a problem.

It might be worth remembering that the United States is not a tiny island nation.  Most of us lived nowhere near the Mexican border.  In Minnesota, most of our immigrants were East Asians, Muslims and those pesky Canadians.  You're not going to find the same passionate arguments about Mexico and Central America as you get from people in states like Texas, California and Arizona.

beppi wrote:

The long neglected US rail system has reached a state where only desperate third-world refugees are willing to use it. Sad!

I can't speak for third world refugees, but I used to take the train all the time.

Armand wrote:

There is no problem with the link.

That's probably true, but Gordon has taken flak about posting links to his blog in the past.

Yes, Hailey, I realize that this is not a topic that everyone will feel like commenting on. But I think many people in states which don't border Mexico may have had an acquaintance or co-worker from a Central American country, as did my daughter when she waitressed in Denver. I posted the topic as a feeler to see what, if any response it drew. I am still trying to figure out how to post my comments and observations of the migrants I have interviewed here without crossing that line and becoming "political" and thus inadvertently generating ugly arguments which might ultimately prevent me from being able to enjoy conversing with the interesting people on this forum. I would hope that at least the expats living here in Mexico might have some perspective and want to comment. I have heard from a couple of people in other parts of the world who sent me links to stories about migration in other countries but, since I work super long hours, I have yet to find a spare moment to sit and read them. One interest leads to another, one country to another.  I guess that's the beauty of global networking.

Obviously you are talking Amtrak or something commercial? I trust you did not ride atop the cargo trains in Mexico which, by the way, the Mexican authorities are now prohibiting as a favor to the US government, who has asked them to do their dirty work and stop the Northward flow of Central Americans and Mexicans from the southern states. A migrant yesterday confirmed this for me, saying they will no longer let people climb on the trains.

I've just realised - I've never met anyone from Mexico, or from  South America.
That leaves a whole continent I know pretty much nothing about.

HaileyinHongKong wrote:

beppi wrote:

The long neglected US rail system has reached a state where only desperate third-world refugees are willing to use it. Sad!

I can't speak for third world refugees, but I used to take the train all the time.

It's many years since I travelled on Amtrak, but I remember my two journeys with great warmth. The first was Tucson to Seattle, the second New Orleans to Tucson. Wonderfully comfortable and safe. Two of the nicest train trips of my life, and I've always strongly recommended Amtrak.

Well, Fred I can enlighten you to one little tidbit you might find amusing: If you ask 100 teenage Mexican girls what country they would like to visit, 80 of them will say "England." My students are obsessed with England thanks to the band One DIrection.

maggieinmazatlan wrote:

Well, Fred I can enlighten you to one little tidbit you might find amusing: If you ask 100 teenage Mexican girls what country they would like to visit, 80 of them will say "England." My students are obsessed with England thanks to the band One DIrection.

I'll bet our racist parties really hate One direction.

PS, if they're over 18, suggest Indonesia, and I'll instruct them in British culture.

Okay, will do ! It really is funny to see the level of adoration these girls have. They come to class with homework notebooks sporting the British flag or wearing t-shirts or holding cellphone covers with the same. Someone is really cashing in. I ask them what they know about England and of course they know almost nothing about the country. I think  another attraction for them is that it is a "new" (as in recently discovered by Mexicans) English-speaking country they can admire which does not have the murky reputation the US now has worldwide.

HaileyinHongKong wrote:

In Minnesota, most of our immigrants were East Asians, Muslims and those pesky Canadians.

You still ticked off about the War of 1812 Hailey?  You've gotta forgive us sometime!

xxx ooo
JJ

(JJ - For those who don't understand this.... Jurassic Jimmy is the nickname Hailey gave me quite some time ago because I'm an old fart and a Canuck).

wjwoodward wrote:

HaileyinHongKong wrote:

In Minnesota, most of our immigrants were East Asians, Muslims and those pesky Canadians.

You still ticked off about the War of 1812 Hailey?  You've gotta forgive us sometime!

xxx ooo
JJ

(JJ - For those who don't understand this.... Jurassic Jimmy is the nickname Hailey gave me quite some time ago because I'm an old fart and a Canuck).

In the UK, 1812 is known for the guy who invented rain boots, the Iron lady's namesake, in France, and that music.
Hardly anyone in the UK remembers the white house being used to barbecue chickens.

mas fred wrote:

I've just realised - I've never met anyone from Mexico, or from  South America.
That leaves a whole continent I know pretty much nothing about.

When I read this, I thought that it couldn't be right, but then you've probably met more Pakistanis than I have.  People in Iceland probably don't bump into a lot of Mongolians.

HaileyinHongKong wrote:

mas fred wrote:

I've just realised - I've never met anyone from Mexico, or from  South America.
That leaves a whole continent I know pretty much nothing about.

When I read this, I thought that it couldn't be right, but then you've probably met more Pakistanis than I have.  People in Iceland probably don't bump into a lot of Mongolians.

I've loads of Pakistanis, but not a one in Indonesia.
In the UK, we have people from all over the world, so I've met dudes from so many places, but I don't recall a single one from anywhere in South America.