No Gas
On New Year's Eve, lines at the gas stations were 30 cars deep. We had no idea why. Until we woke up on New Year's Day and discovered that prices jumped by 20 percent. Prices in Mexico were already well over the cost of gas just over the border into California, but now they are even higher.
Gas prices in Mexico are controlled by the government. Which is good, because all the stations charge exactly the same. But it's bad, when the government feels threatened and skyrocketing prices are the result.
Due to rioting, looting, violence and protests, on Sunday the gas stations closed down altogether. Now we couldn't even buy over-priced gasoline. There was no gas to be had.
Have you ever worried about having enough gas to go to work? To take your kids to school? Or doctor's appointments?
Those are the questions we are facing.
As well as:
If we don't have enough gas to both pick up our staff and to take our kids to school, which will we choose?
How long would it take the kids to ride their bicycles to school? And is that even safe?
The daughter of our administrators is home for Christmas break, wondering if she will be able to return to college on time. If not, she'll have to forfeit the semester.
We are two hours away from the Mexico/U.S. border. Do we have enough gas to drive to California and fill up?
Yesterday was Randy and my day off. Unfortunately I "shared" my cold with Randy, so he stayed home and relaxed all day. I went to the "Farmacia Similaries" (just like it sounds - "similar to a pharmacy") and bought cold and cough medicine. While I was out, I stopped at the beach. It was sunny and 70 and not too windy for once, so Jovi and I took a walk along the beach. We were the only ones out.
As we walked back to the car, a man called me over to look at his briefcase full of jewelry. I tried to say "no" several times, but he convinced me that it "wouldn't hurt" to just look. While we were talking I told him his bracelets were beautiful and I was sure that people would buy them. "No gas," he said, pointing out the empty streets. And I suddenly saw the gas crisis from his point of view. With no gas for tourists to come visit, how was this tourist town going to survive? What about the taxi drivers? Delivery services? The fishermen who need gas for their boats? It affects us all.
They say gas will return to Mexico, is already returning. So I suppose we'll be happy to pay $4 a gallon just to have access to this necessary commodity.
Gas prices in Mexico are controlled by the government. Which is good, because all the stations charge exactly the same. But it's bad, when the government feels threatened and skyrocketing prices are the result.
The peso has been declining in value.
Trump has convinced U.S. auto manufacturers to renig on their plans to bring jobs to Mexico.
And, while minimum wage just went up, it's still only 80 pesos -- about $4 -- A DAY. That barely covers the cost of a gallon of gas. Imagine if you had to do a full day's work for one gallon of gas?But just when you the think the worst has happened, it gets worse.
Due to rioting, looting, violence and protests, on Sunday the gas stations closed down altogether. Now we couldn't even buy over-priced gasoline. There was no gas to be had.
Have you ever worried about having enough gas to go to work? To take your kids to school? Or doctor's appointments?
Those are the questions we are facing.
As well as:
If we don't have enough gas to both pick up our staff and to take our kids to school, which will we choose?
How long would it take the kids to ride their bicycles to school? And is that even safe?
The daughter of our administrators is home for Christmas break, wondering if she will be able to return to college on time. If not, she'll have to forfeit the semester.
We are two hours away from the Mexico/U.S. border. Do we have enough gas to drive to California and fill up?
Yesterday was Randy and my day off. Unfortunately I "shared" my cold with Randy, so he stayed home and relaxed all day. I went to the "Farmacia Similaries" (just like it sounds - "similar to a pharmacy") and bought cold and cough medicine. While I was out, I stopped at the beach. It was sunny and 70 and not too windy for once, so Jovi and I took a walk along the beach. We were the only ones out.
As we walked back to the car, a man called me over to look at his briefcase full of jewelry. I tried to say "no" several times, but he convinced me that it "wouldn't hurt" to just look. While we were talking I told him his bracelets were beautiful and I was sure that people would buy them. "No gas," he said, pointing out the empty streets. And I suddenly saw the gas crisis from his point of view. With no gas for tourists to come visit, how was this tourist town going to survive? What about the taxi drivers? Delivery services? The fishermen who need gas for their boats? It affects us all.
They say gas will return to Mexico, is already returning. So I suppose we'll be happy to pay $4 a gallon just to have access to this necessary commodity.
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