“My buddy and I went to Mexico to go fishing and camping as we had done many times before. We always stopped for a night in Encinada before driving the last 120 miles to our favorite beach to camp. Encinada is sort of a touristy type town, about an hour from the border where you could shop, party at the local night clubs and watch girls dance and soak up the local activities. We had been to Mexico countless times and had even made good friends there who always looked forward to our visits. We would bring them things they needed, and they taught us the language. We appreciated most the warm and beautiful people we met in Mexico and had a lot of respect for most of them.
In the past, we had seen our fellow visitors from the U.S. partying and usually having a good time while showing reasonable respect for the locals. But not always. For some reason, some people act out and do things they would never do in their own country when they visit another country. Few times we had been embarrassed to witness our fellow Americans or people from all over the globe staggering around town wasted, just acting completely foolish and disrespectful to the locals. But one time, we could not stand there and watch without becoming offended, and we got involved.
They were a group of about 7 guys up on one of the hotel balconies on the second floor, right above the main street, drinking, partying and carrying on in a very belligerent manner. Shouting insults to the local people, throwing cans, food and trash down on the sidewalk and just plain being loud and unpleasant. Several were calling on the women down on the street and telling them what they wanted to do to them, insulting the street vendors and families walking on the street below. The were all very wasted, but there is NEVER an excuse to act out that way when you are a guest in someone’s country or act that way any time to anyone. I doubt they ever acted as rude in their own city but because nobody knew them there, they could be disrespectful, insult the people because they were ‘Below them’, not worthy of respect because after all, ‘We are mighty and rich. We’re better than you. We can do whatever we want here.’
Or so they thought.
My friend and I watched them for a while. There was really nothing we could do, but yell up at them to try to shame them but that just made them louder and another can landed a few feet away from me. The general public around us were annoyed but just ignoring their ugly display of manners. Occasionally someone would shout up at them to back off. For the moment, I felt ashamed to be a ‘tourist.’ I didn’t want to be associated with them in any way. What could we do?
Later that night, while we were having drinks at a night club and playing dominoes with the locals, we heard them coming from down the street. Loud and rowdy as ever. They attempted to enter the bar, but we and several others blocked their way and we refused them to enter. We told them what a shame they were to be called guests and told them they needed to leave ASAP. Several very large locals appeared right behind them out of the dark so they were crowded between us and the other men. They fell silent and suddenly very sober and scared. We had no intention of harming them in any way except their egos. We told them they were no longer welcome and to leave first thing in the morning…or else.
One of them began throwing up in the curb which triggered his friend to become sick also. The others were obviously very shaken up. They weren’t so brave and loud when confronted in the dark on the street. I hope to never see people like this again in a place where you ARE a guest and you should show respect to the different ways and cultures of good people. The patience these people showed to these ugly tourists amazed me. They were lucky to walk back over the border to wherever they came from intact.”
