Bev and I recently went on a cruise to the western Caribbean, and on all cruises, there are endless tours.
We always take a few to experience the culture as we did in Costa Maya, Mexico. Our guide’s name was Cruz. He was educated in the U.S. and chose to return home to work as a guide.
Being the inquisitive guy I am, I quizzed him the whole time. Most of my questions were about economics as I wanted to know how their culture compares to ours.
Since I’ve been on numerous cruises all over the world including many to parts of Mexico, Central and South America and most of the Caribbean islands, what I saw in Costa Maya was no shock.
The whole place was junk: crappy shacks they call home, dirt roads, one gas station, very little modern conveniences, rare air conditioning and many houses without electric or running water.
The high school kids travel 55 miles each way to school and the elementary school was one room with open air windows and no A/C. The average daily wage is about $10, yet a gallon of gas was almost $4, therefore, few had cars and the ones they have should have been scrapped 20 years ago.
Tourism is the only real industry and everyone who lives there works at least 12 hours every day, and many work more. And yet… I’ve never seen a friendlier or happier group of people. They are thrilled with what they have and appreciate the smallest things. In fact, I got the impression they really don’t want more.
Their work ethic puts our lazy Americans to shame. They live to work, love to work and when they run out of work, they look for more work. There is not recession or depression because by our standards, they’re always in a depression…yet happy to be where they are.
I wonder what America would be like if we returned to the days here where everyone had to work, no government handouts or checks arriving in the mail, no welfare or food stamps, only families taking care of their own.
Our cruise ship employed people from 64 different countries. Very few were from the U.S. I wonder why. Could it be because it’s too hard to find people here who truly want and appreciate the right and freedom to work? I mean real work, not a 40 hour week watching the clock, bitching about how life sucks.
Take a trip to a third world country. When you get back home, you’ll be a lot more appreciative and likely can’t wait to get back to work.
Amen Ron! I have been in the Navy for 25 years and nearly everytime I have had a port call I have felt the same sentiment that you expressed!
I liked article real well Ron.But also that is what all the RE programs teach and internet riches courses.Out source this,V A that,personal assistant this…on and on.They all teach how to get out of all the grunt work so we can take cruises and see how 3rd world countries live to work..I know its still work,just working smarter,but in all somebody’s still has to do the grunt work.V A’s are goin for 2 dollars an hour in some of them countries you’ve visited.I’d rather keep my money here in the states,but minimum wage is 7.25,and its hard to live on that..Great article…
Think of all the people we are making happy when we employ VA’s, take cruises, visit 3rd world countries and spend money there. Of course we could keep it here, pay more taxes, support more “poor” Americans who usually have cars, TV’s, A/C’s, etc., etc., etc.
Many also have opportunity missed, ignored, not seen and just flat out rejected! Happy?? I don’t think so!! Boston come to mind??
I agree 100%. I get sick and tired of the stuff I hear from people who don’t know any better. If you don’t like the US then leave. I bet they will be back with a renewed respect for what they have.
Totally agree with you Ron. My family grew up in a poor country. People in America have no idea how good they have it here!