Working In Mexico As Welding Inspector

[Cartwright]

First of all I would like to thank you for making yourself available for my question. Gracias.

My goal is to become a welding inspector based in Mexico. I am currently taking Spanish so language will not be a barrier. When I tell people I want to live and work in Mexico I hear all sorts of crazy things about the dangers and how difficult it would be for a woman to work there. I am a female welder...seems to be difficult for people to accept here! I had heard all these terrible stories about crime and rape and kidnappings before I took my children to Juarez on a mission trip. It all seemed to be nonsense once we got there. Everyone was friendly and we never once felt threatened.The locals were even gracious enough to help us improve our communication skills.I cant believe the 10 days we spent having pleasant interactions with the people at large were a fluke. So my question is would it really be dangerous for a female to work as a welding inspector in Mexico? I know you can never guarantee crime wont happen but we have plenty of crime in the US. The general consensus around here seems to be it is too dangerous and I would never be accepted. Im just not sure Im convinced.

[fleming]

Dear Shandy:

Thanks for writing. Someone named Dora wrote a similar question. This information may assist you, as I am sure it did in her case.

Google these words: "soldadura de estructuras" first(an assignment for your husband) and then "soldadura de estructuras, mujeres".

Plenty of information to research, for starts. You are in a profession NOT particularly popular for women. To document your case you can begin by selecting articles in English that will suit your case. Have it translated if your immigration lawyer believes these will be of use to your case.

To use kidnappings, violent crime as a justification to stay away from Mexico is not accepted, especially if you've felt welcome. In recent years, a steadily growing stream of Americans has been heading south to Latin America for retirement. Most of these also include nationals of Canada, Australia, New Zealand & UK, selecting Mexico as their favorite destination point. PLEASE TRY THIS LINK:http://www.securitycornermexico.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29...

And as the baby boom generation ages, that stream is expected to gain speed. It will be carried along by rising medical costs, a reduced ability to rely on Social Security and pensions, and cheaper transportation and communications technology.

More information, here:http://www.migrationinformation.org/feature/display.cfm?ID=416

While the number of US citizens in Mexico has always been in dispute, I'd agree that we have about 1 million currently residing here and HAPPY. Otherwise, they'd be home. I've been the victim of violent crime in the US three times. Got stabbed in LA the last time, while attending school in the US. This is back in the period of the late 60's. Please visit my site at

www.securitycornermexico.com Try my page "references"http://www.securitycornermexico.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10...

Today the situation is worse. While I accept that thanks to the manipulation of international media, the image of Mexico is daily damaged, particularly so after 9/11 due to the current US economy, lack of jobs, etc. while the US continues to attract millions of illegal workers, please refer to your FBI stats(same organization in charge of preventing 9/11 :(

Here:http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/kidmiss.htm

PARENTAL KIDNAPPINGS, herehttp://www.fbi.gov/wanted/parent/parent.htm

Yes, stats in Mexico are unreliable(so are in the US.. these are manipulated everywhere), however assuming we have to exaggerate the point to make our case, take this into account:

Latest information available reflects that despite the horror stories we read in the press about kidnappings in Mexico, a country with a population estimated in 109 million inhabitants in 2007, according to our federal Public Safety Secretary - Ing. Genaro Garcia Luna - to this date Mexico's FBI or Procuraduría General de la República(PGR) has a TOTAL of 80(eighty) cases documented. In the case of the Mexico City judicial police -much more active in this critical criminal activity, from the standpoint of investigations- in the last six years has sent to prison a total of 938 kidnappers. Of these, 12 % were women: 114. In the State of Nuevo Leon, kids from well-to-do families from their local, private Universidad de Monterrey recently were found to be responsible of involvement in kidnappings, desperate for easy, fast money. In one of these two cases drugs were believed as part of their motives.

Again, with more than 76 million Baby Boomers retiring within the next 20 years this number of U. S. and Canadians moving to Mexico will increase significantly. Please go to Featured Articles in my website and take a look at this information & articles:

The number of violent crimes in the United States rose for a second straight year in 2006, marking the first sustained increase in homicides, robberies and other serious offenses since the early 1990s, according to a recent FBI report.

WAR in the streets, Gangs in the USA: in Los Angeles, only in California gangs have divided the state in two criminal territories: Norteños("northerners") and Sureños, New York, Washington, D. C.,Detroit streets shootouts, Chicago, Ill., and Miami only to mention a few problem areas. International: Rise of VIOLENT CRIME in England and Wales, London, Sao Paulo, Brazil, South Africa, 2005 civil unrest in France, Vigilante expats take on Spain's gangs, Ecuador. Mara Salvatrucha and connections to Central America.  

After you assess that information, then you can decide what is best for you. If for some reason you are not satisfied with this answer, I'll be mrer than happy to hear direct from you at [email protected]

Best of luck!

Mario González-Román

Retired, US Embassy in Mexico

Former Security Consultant, United Nations Organization(UNSECOORD)

Columnist The Culture of Safe Travel, Crime & Loss Prevention at

www.securitycornermexico.com

Also, at

www.insidemex.com The English Speaker's Guide to Living in Mexico(national coverage)

and

www.homesliving.com Covering the areas of Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit & Los Cabos

[email protected]