Summer trip to Mexico before I/R-Day???

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OiledPancakes

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My friends want to plan a senior trip for after graduation (like a couple weeks before I/R-Day). Does anyone know what the rules are on this? Am I allowed to leave the country two weeks before? Seems like it would be a problem.
 
You're a citizen of the USA...you have the right to travel where you want to go.

However, I would really, REALLY look at this closely. What is it you want to do in Mexico? Take advantage of lax drinking rules and party like crazy? That could return to bite you in the glutes.

I can tell you horror stories (I've been an ALO for almost 30 years...lots of candidates/appointees) about kids that did "post graduation trips" to Mexico and Caribbean destinations. They went, lower drinking ages (or nobody really checking the American's with money) and more than once I've had a kid's parents call me concerned about what happened to their son (it's almost ALWAYS the males).

What happened I asked?

1. Mexican/Bahamian/Aruban (pick a country) police arrested him and his friends for drunk and disorderly conduct. Will this affect his appointment?
2. My DS went out with friends...you know how it is after HS graduation...they got drunk...stayed that way for several days. He woke up in his hotel room with a full-chest tattoo. (Yes, really) Or a "full arm-length sleeve-type tattoo..." Will this be a problem when he reports.

Yes, those are REAL examples!!!

And no, it's not always kids. A marine Gunny I used to work out with at the gym had a good tale. He'd made Gunny (E-7) once and was a senior drill instructor in San Diego. He wouldn't go into detail but he lost a stripe. Several years later he was re-selected for E-7. His bud's took him to Mexico for a "bender" he called it. It was a three-day drunk.

He woke up in his room with (and I've seen them, the artist was a true artiste) a set of USMC Dress Blue's Gunnery Sergeant Stripes tattooed on each arm: full size.

If you go...be careful, and VERY smart.

Steve
USAFA ALO
 
Yeah, my friends definitely picked out the trip for the drinking laws. I have been hesitant because I do not want to cut it too close to I-day, I don't want to spend my last week where I am supposed to be preparing completely incoherent, and I want to spend my last week at home. There are many, many reasons not to go. I will say that I stayed at the exact resort a few years ago for my sibling's senior trip and we are supposed to stay on the resort the entire time, but you can never be too careful. It is probably medium-risk, high-reward. I do think it would be fun to relax for a week in Mexico with my friends since I didn't really do any relaxing during high school, and I definitely won't do much relaxing at an academy either. Definitely a tough decision.
 
You'll be making many other decisions like this going forward. There are spring breaks and summer breaks and holiday breaks, etc. You'll go with old friends and new classmates, with no parental supervision. There's fun to be had, leavened by a good dose of responsibility and accountability.

I don't think the issue is where you go. (I take a group of college students to France every year for an academic course, and there's plenty of trouble to find there too). I believe the issue is whom you go with. Are they buddies with a shallow and stupid sense of fun that disregards your -- and their -- future prospects? Or are they buddies who are well aware of long-lasting consequences and temper their activities accordingly?

Few young adults are perfect saints while on holiday abroad. But everyone needs to be looking out for each other. You need to know your buddies have your back -- and vice versa. And you'll need to crank up your peer-pressure defenses to 11!
 
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Panda57 said:
Yeah, my friends definitely picked out the trip for the drinking laws. I have been hesitant because I do not want to cut it too close to I-day, I don't want to spend my last week where I am supposed to be preparing completely incoherent, and I want to spend my last week at home. There are many, many reasons not to go. I will say that I stayed at the exact resort a few years ago for my sibling's senior trip and we are supposed to stay on the resort the entire time, but you can never be too careful. It is probably medium-risk, high-reward. I do think it would be fun to relax for a week in Mexico with my friends since I didn't really do any relaxing during high school, and I definitely won't do much relaxing at an academy either. Definitely a tough decision.
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Mom advice....don't go.
 
I think two weeks prior is a little close. Flying, potential for issues with your stomach, possible trouble… why risk it? A month out I would say have fun, but only if you have a long talk with your buddies in not pushing you to indulge. It’s not that they don’t have their futures at risk as well, but you do in a different way.
 
NavyHoops said:
I think two weeks prior is a little close. Flying, potential for issues with your stomach, possible trouble… why risk it? A month out I would say have fun, but only if you have a long talk with your buddies in not pushing you to indulge. It’s not that they don’t have their futures at risk as well, but you do in a different way.
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To echo this statement, Mexico is a perfect recipe to get sick. Obviously, there is the legal trouble aspect, but it's also very easy to get really sick in Mexico. You don't want to deal with that a week or two from showing up on the yard.
 
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Panda57 said:
Yeah, my friends definitely picked out the trip for the drinking laws. I have been hesitant because I do not want to cut it too close to I-day, I don't want to spend my last week where I am supposed to be preparing completely incoherent, and I want to spend my last week at home. There are many, many reasons not to go. I will say that I stayed at the exact resort a few years ago for my sibling's senior trip and we are supposed to stay on the resort the entire time, but you can never be too careful. It is probably medium-risk, high-reward. I do think it would be fun to relax for a week in Mexico with my friends since I didn't really do any relaxing during high school, and I definitely won't do much relaxing at an academy either. Definitely a tough decision.
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I suspect your parents would prefer you not go 🤣

There are other options. Think outside this box. Your post makes it seem like it’s this, or nothing.

As Midcake mentioned, you will be making choices and decisions for yourself, now. Is medium risk (or high, imo. What are the current rec’s for American travel to these places??) worth it to you? Beyond the risk of the location, is the risk of what happens when newly graduated ‘kids’ congregate for the 1st, as adults? There are going to be LOTS of additional choices to make while there 😬

Then there are the whole logistical issues with being so close to Iday. Its very risky.

Another no 🙋‍♀️

ADDING: here are the official advisories. Toggle around to what you are looking at.

Mexico Travel Advisory

travel.state.gov travel.state.gov
 
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Panda57 said:
Yeah, my friends definitely picked out the trip for the drinking laws. I have been hesitant because I do not want to cut it too close to I-day, I don't want to spend my last week where I am supposed to be preparing completely incoherent, and I want to spend my last week at home. There are many, many reasons not to go. I will say that I stayed at the exact resort a few years ago for my sibling's senior trip and we are supposed to stay on the resort the entire time, but you can never be too careful. It is probably medium-risk, high-reward. I do think it would be fun to relax for a week in Mexico with my friends since I didn't really do any relaxing during high school, and I definitely won't do much relaxing at an academy either. Definitely a tough decision.
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You say it's medium risk, high reward. Just saying, I can't call this high reward. High reward means it's going to be highly beneficial to your life. Sure it'll be fun, but think about all the cool stuff we get to do at an academy. Are you really gonna be sad you didn't go for a week of drinking and stupid fun in a few years?
 
Panda57 said:
Yeah, my friends definitely picked out the trip for the drinking laws. I have been hesitant because I do not want to cut it too close to I-day, I don't want to spend my last week where I am supposed to be preparing completely incoherent,
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This says it all.

If you do go, remember you are a representative of the SA you are about to attend. You don't want to do so in a state of incoherence.
kinnem said:
To add to @NavyHoops comment, not drinking the water is insufficient. Your vegetables are washed in that same water. You can get sick eating a salad or any other veggies.
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Also, if you do go, have your family physician give you a supply of Cipro. No precautions, including brushing my teeth with bottled water, have ever worked for me.
 
Yeah, I might just take a take a family trip instead. I don't want to get super sick right before... definitely not wise. Also, I have friends that do the Baja race, and they have been arrested by the police down there (for no reason, the police wanted American money). I do not want to get in a situation like that a couple weeks before. Many reasons not to go. The only reason TO go, I guess, is just because I probably will barely ever talk to those friends again, and it would be cool to have one last time together. It would also suck to watch all my friends go to Mexico without me haha.
 
My mom advice would be a hard no. And that would be starting with the travel advisories, not to mention all the other reasons mentioned previously.

The majority of Mexico is not a safe place at this point in time.
 
Your friends do something idiotic, you might end up responsible for them. You might be able to control yourself and be smart, but how much do you trust them?

No one really knows how much you stand to lose as much as you do.
 
One more thing: Will you be taking time everyday to run a few miles, and to pop out sit-ups and pull-ups and push-ups? Because one week is a long time to skip training, especially with plebe/beast/doolie summer starting soon. You want to hit that first early-morning PT session in tip-top shape.
 
Panda57 said:
Yeah, I might just take a take a family trip instead. I don't want to get super sick right before... definitely not wise. Also, I have friends that do the Baja race, and they have been arrested by the police down there (for no reason, the police wanted American money). I do not want to get in a situation like that a couple weeks before. Many reasons not to go. The only reason TO go, I guess, is just because I probably will barely ever talk to those friends again, and it would be cool to have one last time together. It would also suck to watch all my friends go to Mexico without me haha.
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I noticed this comment above the rest of what you wrote:

The only reason TO go, I guess, is just because I probably will barely ever talk to those friends again, and it would be cool to have one last time together.

True "friends" you'll speak to forever...school associates....fit what you just described. I graduated from high school in (okay, here it comes folks...) 1978. My class had 350-something students. I am in contact, to this day, with less than 20, but we've never NOT been in contact. True Friends. In my academy class? FAR more than that!

You've answered your own question...get with family, have a wonderful time, and then "hit it" running on day one at the academy!!!
 
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