At JohnnyCab, we want you to be safe while you visit Tijuana or Ensenada, whether it is as a day tourist or you and your friends are going to party the night away. So we've put together some things to think about while you think about visting Tijuana and Mexico.

• First remember, once you cross the border, you are NOT in America any more. This means you are a Visa tourist to a foreign country, (the US) who is then crossing an international border into another foreign country, Mexico. The laws and conditions of your American Visa do not apply in Mexico.



• For instance, Mexican law allows you to legally drink as an 18 year old, which is great when you remember that the legal drinking age in the US is 21.



• For the most part, the same cops that uphold your right to drink in Tijuana will likely be the same ones that try to roll you for your cash if they sense you don't know what's going on, even if you don't have any cash left-- we know more than one person "escorted" to a variety of ATM machines to pay their "fine" on the spot.



• If you get arrested in Mexico, the Irish Outreach will try to assist you from San Diego, your parents will try to assist you from Ireland and (as a Programme member) Johnnycab will assist both your parent and the Irish Outreach with discounted transportation in emergency situations, which is great.


• However, this still leaves you in jail cell alone, at the mercy of the Mexican guards and Mexican "judicial system": maybe your parents pay a hefty fine to get you out, maybe you be spending the rest of your college career learning Spanish and getting friendly with a new roommate.



• Last (for now), its no secret that the drug cartels in Tijuana are at war and that the police force is compromised: "random" violence and kidnapping for ransom are not uncommon. (A recent news report counted over 800 dead in less then 12 months on the streets of TJ alone). This is not a joke!!!!!