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samizinha · Joined: 12 May 2005 Posts: 174 Location: Vacalandia

One of my favourite newspaper articles is a weekly collection of stories called Random Acts of Kindness, published by the Toronto Star http://www.thestar.com/ActsKindness/article/124892. In a world that likes to deliver us the worst, most sensationalized reports, this page always warms my heart.
This makes me wonder, what random acts of kindness have you encountered in Mexico? Ones that you haven't ever forgotten?
One of my most memorable was when I was volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, and a single mother who was pulling everything together for her family, made my group and I a simple but delicious lunch to show her appreciation for the help. I've always wondered how the house came along in the end.

danielita · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 281 Location: SLP

Great stories Samazinha!
My random act of kindness happened when I was at a birthday party. The woman beside me (whom I had just met a mere 2 hours ago) was talking about the purse she had just bought. I told her it was quite lovely and asked her where she had bought it (thinking I would head there later to pick one up for myself). Later in the evening she asked the host for a plastic bag. She emptied everything into from her purse into the bag and gave her new purse to me. I was so amazed that someone I barely new would be so kind to me and the memory will stick in my head for a long time...

chola · Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 2:44 am Post subject: random acts of kindness

Wow, I've experienced many! Once, a few years ago, my flight was cancelled. I had gone to the airport, about a half-hour taxi ride from where I was staying. It would have been another 6 hours until the re-sheduled flight would leave. I didn't have enough money to get back to "town". I sat outside the airport, probably looking somewhat dejected.. A very kind taxi driver took me all the way back to the town at no cost. I was a bit scared, but all was o.k. I also had the good fortune of receiving free medical care including antibiotics and a trip to the hosptial courtesy of a nurse who took it upon herself to see that i received what I needed. Oh, not to mention one of my students who was a doctor who injected me every night after class for 2 weeks as i couldn't adminster the injection myself. Yep. I've been very fortunate. In light of the negative comments regarding the tragedies in Acapulco, I'd like to say that I too have experienced the less beneficent side of Mexico, but overall, I have found my experiences with the people of Mexico to be "super chido" .

El Gallo · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 318

I experienced one today. I was sitting by the window at Burger King taking a coffee break. A newer SUV with an older man pulled up just outide of where I was sitting. The man got out, pointed to his eyes, to his car and then to me. I mouthed "no comprendo". When he came in, he ask me in Spanish if the reflection from the bright sun off his windscreen was bothering my eyes.
I was impressed because this type of consideration is not the norm in Chiapas (he was from another state -SRE?)

NinaNina · Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Oaxaca

My boyfriend and I were bumbling around the calles of Guadalajara, sad because our tourist cards had been stamped for 90 days instead of 180 days. A man pulled over, asked us what we were looking for, and drove us there. As he was darting around a group of protesters and bicyclists, I was happy thinking about how very different our lives in Mexico already were from our lives in the U.S., and we had only been there for an hour.

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

I try to do nice things whenever possible. I've never been randomly treated especially kindly, but I do hope my turn is coming around. I was really happy when a received an anonymous letter in my mailbox in Italy saying that I was a wonderful neighbour and an upstanding citizen. I always tried to help the old people in my building and I guess someone really appreciated it.

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

Aabra · Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 64

I've gotten free taxi and bus rides a few times, however that's only because the driver didn't have change for my 100 peso bill. I'm not entirely convinced they were random acts of kindness. Laughing

Seriously.... change is like gold in this country. Nobody ever has any!

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

danielita · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 281 Location: SLP

MamaOaxaca · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 201 Location: Mixteca, Oaxaca

On the original topic,

Isn't there a difference between helping a stranger out of a fix, and a random act of kindness? Isn't a random act of kindness more like giving a candy bar to a person on the street or paying for the meal of the people at the next table without interacting with them at all? Were as a student, who is a dr. giving you injections after class, a free ride back into town from the airport, or someone being considerate about where they park is really more like helping a stranger in need, rather than a completely random act? To me the recipent of a random act, doesn't neccessarily need it.

On the change topic. I usually import change, when ever I visit a city, I bring it back to my town with me. Laughing

I usually get $750, $950, etc. so the ATM machine has to give you 3 fifties. And as we've mentioned before there is always our friend CFEmatico, pay your $150 peso bill with a 500 note and get 70 5-peso coins in return! It's like being in Vegas.

sickbag · Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 155 Location: Blighty

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

We've found the same thing, SB. The HSBC machine gives mostly 50 pesos notes over here too so that's an option. I only use the swipe machines for peace of mind!

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia