Students Travel to Mexico Despite Safety Fears

By Emily Dalrymple

The drug war in Mexico had caused many students to cancel their spring break plans in order to ensure their safety. But what happened to those who still had to make the trip because financially, canceling the trip would have been devastating?

Phil Vallone, a Marist senior, made the trip to Acapulco with several of his friends and housemates.

“We stayed at the hotel during the day and did not leave until later at night when we would take cabs straight to the clubs and come right back from there,” said Vallone. “Other than going out to the clubs, we did not leave the hotel property much.”

According to the New York Times, the impetus for the drug war began during the 2006 campaign of President Felipe Calderon. He received threats from drug cartels which fueled President Calderon to send the army into the streets to fight the drug cartels. Fighting has been heavy around the Mexico border, especially in the city of Ciudad Juarez.

Map of cities with high drug violence. Courtesy of washingtonpost.com

The Juarez cartel is battling with rivals from the northwestern state of Sinaloa for the control of smuggling routes into Texas. 5,000 troops were sent into Ciudad Juarez just last month, according to Reuters.

“I wasn’t too concerned because Acapulco isn’t a border city and that’s where most of the violence was,” said Vallone. “I felt pretty safe when traveling around the area.”

One of the top drug cartel leaders is shown here after his arrest. Courtesy of telegraph.co.uk

According to Reuters, Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora said that the death toll has dropped by 25 percent in the first three months of this year from the last quarter of 2008. 1,600 people have been killed thus far from January to March.

Many who traveled to Mexico over spring break made themselves aware of the possible danger before embarking on their trip.

“I watched a few news stories on the situation and read the government warnings as well before leaving,” said Vallone. “It was nothing like it was portrayed on the news.”

Spring Break! To Travel or Not to Travel

By Emily Dalrymple

Spring Break is less than a week away for Marist students and plans are being made for fun. Many students are planning to travel while a few are planning on relaxing at home. With the recent sliding scale of gas prices, students are traveling by plane, train, or other means.

According to an article from the New York Times by Clifford Krauss, gas prices are suddenly escalating again. Oil prices are up by more than 40 percent since December. Even with this unexpected shift, students are not feeling the pressure during their travels this spring.

Doug Falbourn, a Marist College senior, said that gas prices played a large role in his decision to travel.

“It was a large factor because it will be a long trip taking a lot of gas, and the prices are so much cheaper to drive than any other method of transportation,” said Faulborn.

Cindie Palumbo, also a Marist College senior, is happy to travel without driving.

San Francisco. Courtesy of norcalbuffs.com

“We knew we wanted to go somewhere that we didn’t need to rent a car, so that’s how we picked San Francisco,” said Palumbo.

Many students are traveling by plane to destinations such as San Francisco, London, and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

Traveling to unknown places has also created feelings of uneasiness. Samantha Birse is traveling to Punta Cana next week.

“I’m a little nervous considering it’s in a place I don’t know, but I think if I stay on the resort and just hang out and relax it should be fine,” said Birse.

What about a student planning to travel to one of the most popular spring break destinations: Mexico? According to an article from Reuters by Michael O’Boyle, Mexico needs spring breakers to make their way to the travel destinations. Many fear making the trip after a reported 6,000 were killed in Mexico last year.

Casey Coughlin, a Marist College senior, is still planning on making the trip to Acapulco, Mexico.

Acapulco, Mexico. Courtesy of threebestbeaches.com

“It would be a financial burden for my parents and it would not be worth it since I still want to go,” said Coughlin.

According to Orbitz.com, a plane ticket to Acapulco and hotel room can cost between $1,365 to $3,372 for a week for just one person. Cancelling this kind of trip will weight heavy in anyone’s pocket.

As for safety, Coughlin is prepared.

“I am going to do exactly what I do in Poughkeepsie and not get into strangers’ cars or talk to strangers,” said Coughlin. She also plans on only staying in Acapulco and not attempting to visit elsewhere.