I visited Mexico for the first time this weekend....Tijuana, Ensenada, and Rosarito. Anyone who doesn't appreciate life in the United States needs to spend a couple days in these poverty stricken cities. My first thought as we crossed the border from San Diego in to TJ was that there were just so many abandoned, graffiti covered buildings falling apart and waiting to be torn down. Then I realized as I saw garments hanging from clotheslines in the yards and small children and dogs running around that these dilapidated structures were peoples' homes. There was garbage everywhere and the streets were pothole ridden - I'm surprised my car didn't fall apart trying to navigate through the streets. The strange part was the land and weather were absolutely beautiful...a continuation of the geography of San Diego...but the difference between the two border cities was drastic. Small children no older than four followed us through the streets in Ensenada, selling gum and begging for money for food. Street vendors were on every corner, making their livings by selling food, jewelry, and other such wares. On the drive back across the border, we were stopped twice at drug checkpoints by the Mexican military. Apparently there is a huge war being waged between the two largest drug cartels. Soldiers armed with semi automatic weapons searched the entire car and went through all of our belongings. I was never so grateful to be an American citizen and be able to cross the checkpoint back in to the States. So many Mexican people risk their lives to get across that line and escape the poverty, corruption, and hopelessness that exist in those cities. I'm very thankful for being born in the US. Even though I was recently laid off of work and we're living in the midst of a severe economic depression, our lives are heaven compared to the lives of others. I'm glad I learned this valuable lesson.