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Prof.Gringo · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 5:07 am Post subject: Mexican HONESTY!

What are some tales of honesty in Mexico? Very Happy

I'll start the thread with 2 recent ones:

In downtown DF, I saw an organ grinder (the guys in tan outfits) drop a 50 peso bill at the end of the day. He was walking down the street and didn't see he had dropped the bill and before I could even say anything, a Mexican guy picked it up and gave it back to him.

Another incident was when I got off a bus and dropped my coin purse (the ones that you wear on a belt), the strap broke and I didn't see that I had dropped it. An old lady called after me and gave it back to me. Not much, maybe 60 pesos in it, but still a very nice (and honest) thing to do.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

After reading about an honesty study done some time ago where Latin American countries scored highest (to great surprise I think) in the world for returning dropped wallets, my brother-in-law, a Mexican photog and journalist, and I shot a short film exploring the topic - he the cameraman and I the 'actor', candid camera style for a project he wanted to do.

He filmed me walking down Reforma Avenue dropping my wallet - on purpose - in front of various people to see the results. We had a bunch of throwaway 20 peso plastic wallets with nothing in them save a card that read Sonrie!, in case someone kept the wallet. We didn't lose a single wallet on a couple dozen people.

the peanut gallery · Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 264

Do you have a link to the study Guy? You said it was some time ago...i wonder with the economic problems of the last few years if the results would be the same today?

After living in Korea for some time i would have thought that country would be hard to beat in terms of honesty.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

As I wrote the post above, I went looking but couldn't find it...it's from as far back as 2003 or 4 I think. the study simulated the same thing we did - the wallet drop test.

the peanut gallery · Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 264

Edit for brain cramp.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

We had an incident just last week that has changed one man's life and restored faith in humanity (and Karma!) The man everyone is talking about is a shoe shine guy, homeless, and living on what he makes shining shoes in the Plaza every day. Last week a cruise ship passenger left her purse, with money, credit cards, and important documents for her trip, sitting on a bench in the Plaza. He spotted it, saw the cruise documents inside, and made his way to the pier to turn it in to authorities. Someone in the office handed him 20 pesos for his good deed.

The story immediately surfaced in the newspaper (something positive for tourism), and the city residents (including the Tourism officials who immediately gave him a place to live), came in droves to assist him. When he was originally interviewed his only wish was to get home to Pachuca, where his family he hasn't seen in years, lives. His instant celebrity is now getting in the way of his trip home because tourism officials have promised him a bigger surprise, he has been interviewed on TV, photographed with a gaggle of gringos who collected nearly 5000 pesos for him, he has been outfitted in warm clothes, restaurants are feeding him and other locals giving generously. It's nice to hear these things with all the negativity thrown at us daily, and thanks to a local reporter digging for a good story, this happened.

Isla Guapa · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:01 pm Post subject:

Samantha, your post has made my day, maybe the entire weekend!

leslie · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 235

Last year, I was in a "paradas continous" - one of those cars that follow the bus route. One of the passengers got out and a block away the lady in the back seat noticed the man had forgotten a really nice brand new shovel. The driver immediately turned around and we looked around until the driver found the man to return his shovel.

It restored my faith in humanity too.

Prof.Gringo · Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 1:46 am Post subject:

Some good posts and stories!

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

SAMANTHA

I loved your story as well. It`s great that so many people came to that guy`s aid after his Samanthian deed.

But I must say

al capone · Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 72

Lost my mobile phone in a taxi so went on skype and managed to call the driver who delivered it to my door an hour later

Did the same in a different taxi a month later, called the phone but the wxxker had turned it off

never saw it again

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

Why do you regularly lose your phones in taxis? Smile

Remember that the next rider may have grabbed your phone, and nothing to do with the taxi driver.

al capone · Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 72

nAH

I phone it about 5 minutes later

he kept it...i know

i,ve got a blackberry now that is to large to slip out of my pockets

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

well....that oughta learn ya.

SaratheSlytherin · Joined: 21 Jul 2009 Posts: 137 Location: North Carolina

When I was studying in Cuernavaca, I had an experience that I'll never forget.

I took my clothes to the lavander�a in my colonia every week, and one day I went to pick them up, and the man working there handed me a fifty peso note, saying, ''This was in your pocket.''

This experience changed my life, and the way I view others, forever.

My heart has always been in Mexico, and now I'm back in Mexico with it.