Published: March 02, 2009 11:36 pm         

Despite warnings, some ISU students taking chances on spring break trips to Mexico

TERRE HAUTE — “Mike,” a 23-year-old Indiana State University student preparing for spring break, has heard the warnings about drug-related violence in Mexico.

But he and some friends still plan to cross the border from California and take a one-day trip into Tijuana, one of the Mexican cities that has experienced violence, according to the U.S. State Department.

“I served in Iraq … Why not?” said Mike, who asked that his last name not be used.

With spring break approaching, Indiana State University’s Public Safety Department is cautioning students headed to Mexico to be aware of an increase in crime in that country.

Through campus e-mail, ISU Public Safety is passing along an alert from the U.S. State Department.

“We thought it was a good idea to draw some attention before spring break,” said Bill Mercier, director of ISU Public Safety. “We always have some students who go [to Mexico].” ISU’s spring break is next week.

The campus e-mail reads as follows:

“The U.S. State Department is warning college students of a surge in drug-related violent crime south of the border. More than 100,000 high school and college-age Americans travel to Mexican resort areas during spring break each year. Much of the drug violence is happening in border towns and tourists have generally not been targeted, though there have been killings in the big spring break resorts of Acapulco and Cancun, well away from the border.”

The campus e-mail continues: “Some universities have urged their students not to travel to Mexico, however, the U.S. State Department stopped short of this. A State Department travel alert advises visitors to avoid areas of prostitution and drug-dealing and to take other reasonable precautions.”

“A lot of it is common sense,” Mercier said.

The State Department travel alert has been well-publicized at colleges across the nation, and the University of Arizona in Tucson is urging its approximately 37,000 students not to go to Mexico.

Al Perone, ISU associate dean of students, said the typical destination for ISU students who go on spring break is Florida, and a few are going to South Padre Island in Texas.

A lot of ISU students are going home for spring break “because they don’t have the money,” Perone said. Mike was the only one he knew of who was going to Mexico.

Mike and his friends are flying to San Diego, and Tijuana is just across the border. “We’re being smart about it, not stupid,” Mike said. “We’ll cross the border and see what the environment is, what the mood is and how uncomfortable we feel.”

ISU isn’t telling students not to go to Mexico, but they want them to be aware of what is going on, Perone said. “I wouldn’t go if it was me,” Perone said.

Bob Pfrommer, owner and president of Travel Leaders of Terre Haute travel agency, has a unique perspective on the travel alert.

His daughter, a high-school senior, will be traveling with another family to Cancun during her spring break. Pfrommer plans to give her a “little lecture” before her venture there.

“She still needs to be very much aware” of the situation and her surroundings, he said. The Vigo County School Corp. spring break is in April.

Most of the warnings apply primarily to border towns such as Juarez, which is where most of the violence is taking place, Pfrommer said.

During spring break season, most visitors will go to Cancun, Riviera Maya or Puerto Vallarta, he said. “All three are considered pretty safe,” Pfrommer said.

The travel agency offers the following tips to those who plan to go to Mexico:

• Follow your instincts and avoid any area or situation that potentially could become dangerous.

• Stay in well-known tourist areas in cities.

• Leave an itinerary with friends or family back home so they know where you are.

• Make sure your cell phone has roaming capacity in case you need it.

• When you are on the streets, don’t display expensive jewelry, large amounts of money or other expensive items that would call attention to you.

• Always stay in groups, stay out during daylight hours and stick to the main roads.

“If you stay on the beaten path you won’t have any problems,” Pfrommer said.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.