FORUMS & LETTERS

Opinion
By Sharon Conklin April 11, 2008 San Miguel de Allende



I wanted to say many things. After reading an Atención article in February called “Colloquium on traffic issues raises possible solutions,” I wanted to say, “Why is everyone only worried about the downtown? What about the rest of us?” Yes, the downtown is awe-inspiring, unique, clean, brings in money and tourists and, in addition, seems to have its own special source of beautification funds.

I wanted to say, “But aren’t we all part of the problem and the solution?" After all, I attended most of the meetings of the past conference Cruce de Caminos sponsored by the presidencia municipal several years ago, took copious notes about San Miguel’s past, present and future as described by experts in their fields, became hopeful when a representative from the MegaCities project talked about the criteria for healthy cities: “don’t privilege one area over another, complete the inner city before expanding the city, be democratic, develop feelings of community with garden areas in all barrios” and on a less optimistic note said, “It is easier to concentrate on areas with infrastructures.” I wanted to say these things. But first, I decided to take a look around my own neighborhood and try to understand the why and the wherefore.

My neighborhood is Colonia Lindavista surrounded by Olimpo, Santa Julia and San Rafael in the western part of the city. Land speculators own the many lots. Garbage piles up in them, plastic bags snagged on the huizache bushes trying to hold together what little topsoil remains.

Approximately 80 percent of the colonia remains unpaved; some of the streets are impassable. The majority of the neighbors do use alternative transportation. They walk, ride bikes and scooters or take the bus. The main thoroughfare in and out of all four colonias mentioned is Calle Ignacio Allende. This street is clogged with long-term parked cars and trucks and the buses must pass each other there as well. It is difficult to use only because of the blockages and lack of alternative routes (i.e., unpaved roads). The other main entrance/exit is at the western end onto the highway. There is no definite road.

Many people wait for buses there, scattered across a large area used as the entrance/exit near a deep, open culvert, its guardrail broken in the front and to its side an iron cruz memorial inscribed “Here Died Javier Hernandez, March 31, 2001” as a morbid reminder. With little light and no markings, nerves of steel are required to make this turn at night. As I procrastinated to say all these many things I had observed, someone came along and put up a small but beautiful red and blue bus stop sign away from this dangerous area.

The next area of investigation was the presidencia municipal. I was convinced that I lived in a forgotten neighborhood, unknown even to taxi drivers. Our first stop was the department of desarrollo social to talk with a most pleasant young lady. To our surprise, she knew a lot about our barrio and took the time to give us its history. She said the city had taken over responsibility for our colonia in 1991 after private owners selling lots for many years realized they would be unable to put in the basic infrastructure of water, electricity and sewerage. Green areas had been planned; play areas had been planned—17 years ago. She told us we could have a community center, a playground, trees. All we needed was to organize and submit proposals.

We went back home and put together a small group of our closest neighbors, electing a president, secretary and treasurer. Our next stop was the department of obras públicas. After several earlier failed attempts, we were determined to get a road. We made an appointment. We were told a majority of the street’s lot owners must come to the meeting. One week later two young men from the department arrived late on a Saturday night, ending up a long day of visiting other groups like ours. Almost everyone contacted came. I met neighbors I had never seen before in all my years on the street. What struck me was their timidity. Many kept their eyes down, seeming uncomfortable. These were unsophisticated but hard-working people. I suspected that a number of them could neither read nor write. We all sat down in the spic-and-span front room of the street president’s house on two long sofas and scattered wooden chairs under a single incandescent light bulb suspended from the ceiling while the government workers explained a new program Dignificación de tu calle and figured out the monetary requirement for each lot owner. I sensed it was an inordinate amount of money for most of them, yet everyone signed the contract in total agreement for a “cobblestone street in cement with maximum width concrete sidewalks and holes for trees.” The two young men warned us, “You're on the cola of a long list.” It didn’t matter. It was a momentous occasion in the history of our dusty little street. We felt it. There were smiles when we left that weren’t there when we came. We were on the tail of the beast. And I had thought it was a chimera. And that’s what I really wanted to say after reading the “Colloquium on traffic issues raises possible solutions.”



Letters

Editor,
I just had the most disturbing experience. I ate lunch, as is my habit on Saturday afternoon, at a long established restaurant with an excellent reputation.

When the bill arrived, it contained a “Service Charge” of 9 pesos (my bill was 75 pesos).

I called the owner over and asked her when the Service Charge had been initiated, and she replied “Today.”

I asked why and her reply was the most newcomers to San Miguel are leaving NO TIPS whatsoever, and that this trend has been going on for the last two years.


Once, she asked a group of them if the food had been satisfactory—they replied to the affirmative.

Had the service been satisfactory—again they replied to the affirmative.

Then, she asked—why did you not leave ANY tip?

“Oh,” they replied, “We have been told that we are not supposed to tip in Mexico.”

This owner was quick to mention that this is not true with we old timers, but seems to be a phenomenon of the last two years. Not under tipping rather, NO TIPPING.

I asked her to check with other proprietors who catered to the foreign community, as I am curious to know what has brought about this trend.

Her staff, as do all others, rely on tips and in my 17 years of San Miguel experience, I have never had any reason to question quality or service and if I had, I would have mentioned it to her directly.

What a sad testimony to all expats, if indeed this appears to be a new trend in San Miguel.

And if it appears to be true, then check your cuentas for an added on Service Charge—and deservedly so!

Ardeth Daly Donaldson

PS: My tip for 75 pesos would have been, and was, more than their 9-peso service charge.