My Visit Impressions - Mexico

When I first visited Tijuana, Mexico, in 1989 I was driven to cross the border after San Diego, from the starting point in Riverside, CA.

Nobody reminded me to bring my passport, since they knew that Americans could just cross the customs and immigration checkpoints effortlessly. Actually, same for me too, but I asked specifically to be checked and stamped on my ready passport. Just to be safe.

Now, as soon as I crossed into Mexico, in those days, the picture ahead of me was unpainted. I saw many people wandering aimlessly on the streets, as if they had the luxury of time. They appeared to envy cars crossing from the US, which were always cleaner, better and simply different.

Our purpose of that trip was to inspect some sub contract work we assigned to one small factory in that border city, where costs were much lower. The workers were rather disciplined in their work uniforms, but appeared to enjoy talking in their work, and so it was rather noisy at times.

When we moved past the assembly lines, they would pause to view who were we? It was fun, to compare notes of workers'attitude with those I have seen in Taiwan, Korea and Japan, since they were in the Western Hemisphere.

I was told the work quality was pretty good, and so it was justifiable to continue to keep that contract with them. It was my first visit to Mexico, and for a good personal experience too.

I enjoyed it.