Slums

[Isla Verde]

Originally Posted by Christopha

Thanks. I guess I just want to go to South America.

And not to Mexico?

[Christopha]

Mexico, Brazil, Chile. Somewhere there.

[Isla Verde]

Originally Posted by Christopha

Mexico, Brazil, Chile. Somewhere there.

I was confused by your post since Mexico is not in South America.

[FHBOY]

A common error - few realize that Mexico is a part of North America - the that the OP tutor has a very good thesis. One must realize that from what I learned about the practice of medicine in Mexico, it takes it out of "3rd world' classification evolving upward.

[Isla Verde]

Originally Posted by FHBOY

A common error - few realize that Mexico is a part of North America - the that the OP tutor has a very good thesis. One must realize that from what I learned about the practice of medicine in Mexico, it takes it out of "3rd world' classification evolving upward.

That may be true, but I don't know anyone in the States who thinks that Mexico is in South America. However, in the UK, I heard many people say that Mexico is in South America. Different concepts of geography, I think.

FHBOY, I have trouble understanding the rest of your post. Please explain!

[FHBOY]

The OP took some time a few posts back to talk about what he'd learned about lower vs. upper classes and I extrapolated it out to health care, my error in reading so quickly.

His NZ tutor seems to be speaking in terms that parallels socialist thinking and in this case not a pejorative. I'd like to disagree with this tutor, but using the current USA as an example, that is difficult.

The OP then espouses a cry we heard during the "99% era" of the USA - that eventually a dearth of resources in the lower classes will affect the upper class as the lower classes will no longer have the resources to buy the goods and services produced by the upper class and getting prices/production/labor into that spiral we all hear about. In the US, this is more a middle class problem than a lower class one.

People like Warren Buffet and other progressive "1% ers" know that this is true - eventually an anchor that drags down one end of the ship will drag down the other.

BUT
How this applies to a forum on Mexico escapes me, though.

[ptrichmondmike]

Originally Posted by FHBOY

I lived my entire life in the USA and can show you slums, by USA definitions, then I could could show you [from two weeks of visiting in Japan], housing that made USA slums look palatial. So, I suppose that there are slums in Mexico, but like anything else, they are a matter of degree.

That is so true. The city I live in currently, Richmond California, is both violent and filled with "slums," from the American perpective; people look at me with pity when they learn I live here -- even though I actually live in one of the really nice parts of town. Yet compared to the ring of really distressed housing which surrounds places like Mexico City and Tijuana, the infamous Richmond "slum" called The Iron Triangle is a lovely middle class neighborhood of parks and bungalows.

[Christopha]

Indeed Mexico is North America, sorry.
I guess it could appy to a forum on any part of the world to a greater or lesser degree.

[mickisue1]

If what you are looking for is a way to make a difference in the world, you need to start by narrowing your choices.

What skills do you have that can be of assistance to someone or a group of people living in poverty?

In the US, we have the Peace Corps. My son and his wife will be leaving for Asia in June; their skill is that they've taught English in two different Asian countries, so have shown that they can teach AND that they are adaptable to the cultures in those two, very different countries.

They were told that, if someone REALLY wants to be of use in a country with a lot of poverty, the single best skill is a degree in civil engineering, with a hydrology sub specialty; potable water is the absolute greatest need, everywhere.

Neither teaching nor engineering may be your skill, but I guarantee that you have one that can be of use. Nobody else will ferret it out, though. You need to do that.

Then start investigating organizations that use skilled people to assist populations in poverty. Remember that, no matter how little people have, they still have dignity and pride. Wanting to help is wonderful, but being more specific is better.

As is being more specific about where you want to go. Mexico is in North America. Chile is in the southern part of the western side of South America, and, in general, temperate to cold. Brazil is in the northern part of the eastern side of South America, and, in general, sub tropical to tropical. All three are very far from each other.

You have a lot of learning and thinking to do, but go into it with that good heart that you seem to have, and an attitude that says "What do I need to learn to be successful at this?" and you will achieve your goal.

[Christopha]

Thankyou so much.