I Had a Strange Experience in Mexico
I hadn't stepped foot on foreign soil since I was kicked out of the United States six years ago. The first few years in Nigeria were fantastic. I wasn't fantasizing about traveling because I needed to adjust to my new normal. So, when 2020 arrived and I was about to depart for Montego Bay, my excitement was palpable!
However, we all know how 2020 went down - social distancing, mask up, essential trips only- my trip was canceled. A few years later, I was once again excited about a possible trip to Mexico and began looking for tickets. This was a chore due to the peculiarity of my situation. Most flights from the UK and Nigeria to Mexico, transited through the US where I was prohibited from entering.
As such, I prayed and searched until I discovered a British Airways flight that flew directly from Gatwick (London) to Cancun. I immediately called my friend and threatened her that if she wanted to see me in Mexico, then she had to buy my plane ticket. Thankfully she did. I then bought a plane ticket to London, leaving 10 days before my trip to Mexico.
The excitement grew as the day to travel outside the country approached. Before my plane began cruising at an altitude through the clouds, I was already on cloud nine. “Phew! After all these years, I finally get to see what the abroad looks like!” I told myself. Six hours flew by, and I grumbled my way through the three-hour border control line.
As I inched closer and closer to the booth, my heart increased its rate. What if they ask me to go back? God I am not ready to relive the trauma I endured in Atlanta. Just then I was signaled to make my way to a free booth and I quickly scurried to the immigration officer. I handed him my passport, and after the usual “what are you here for?” The passport got stamped and I was free to enjoy my time in the UK (Thank you Jesus!)
Whilst I was busy holidaying, I received a message from a family member which read “God said while you are away partying in Mexico, you will experience something that will test your faith. But be of good cheer, He has overcome the world.” I saw this message in the middle of the night and immediately the heaviness that had been weighing defiantly on my eyelids became feeble – which kind wahala be this? What kind of prophecy is this one?
I then asked the sender why he chose to send me such a message in the middle of the night; didn't he think I'd be concerned? My vacation was ruined from that point forward. I started imagining every possible scenario that could cause me pain. Was something horrific going to happen to someone dear to me? Was I going to be kidnapped, raped, or trafficked?
To be honest, Mexico has had a strange reputation for years (thanks to mainstream media) and I swore I would never visit the country. So, it was no surprise that of the 11 years I lived in the United States, I visited Mexico, zero times. But over the years I had seen my friends flock in and out of the nation and thought; it must not be as bad as the media makes it out to be.
Nevertheless, receiving this gloomy message in the middle of the night in Bristol where I already had a hard time sleeping (the sun went down at 10pm and reared its head at about 4:30am, as though it needed to beat Lagos traffic) caused my mind to wander in a variety of unpleasant places.
As the day to travel drew nearer, I remained measured, harboring this burden within me – of course not without prayer. I prayed and asked some others to join me in prayer to abort whatever doom awaited me on the trip. I googled – how safe is Mexico? And was hit with a barrage of articles that fed into the fear I was already feeling. I couldn’t claim - God said I should go, or God said I should not go: how was I to discern his voice amid the chaos in my mind?
On May 20th I decided to take the leap of faith. When it got to my turn at the security check where my British visa was inspected, they asked me to step aside. At this point I reasoned, “If you won't let me on this flight, that's fine with me; I'll go back and enjoy the rest of my time in the UK.”
Who wants to be confronted with bad news while in Mexico? The prophecy was about Mexico, right? And neither London nor Nigeria. Thus, I was ready to go home if that was all it took to keep myself and my loved ones safe. But how would I break the news to my friends? They would mock me saying, “You fear too much.” Well, I was eventually allowed to board the flight. I slept for the first few hours of the flight and worked for the remaining seven. While others jubilated on the flight as though they had something exciting to look up to, I buried my head in a project to clear my mind of all worry.
When I first arrived in Cancun I was on high alert because I had been told that these people could be as aggressive as the people who hang around in Lagos international airport. So, after I passed through border control I looked out for the hotel staff, until someone led me to them. Then I got on the bus and traveled 90 minutes to where the resort was located. My friends stayed at the sister resort which was kids friendly. Of the 12 people who came on the trip, I was the only one who got a room in a separate hotel because the other property was fully booked. Though both places were connected.
I spent 30 minutes looking for my room one day after returning to my resort to relax before the evening activity began. I paced back and forth, searching far and near, but my room remained a distant memory. I dashed over to meet this petite lady who was standing outside one of the resort's check-in areas. I was irritated at this point and told her, “I can't seem to find my room!” As if she were the one to blame for my misfortune.
“Don't worry, Senorita; I'll assist you.” She entered the check-in area, and asked for my full name, which I immediately provided: “Oh, there you are, room 3918, block B.” I had been giving the cleaners around the property the wrong room number. “I'll walk you to your building.” Relieved, I replied, “thanks.” Then she grabbed a file, and we began our 15-minute walk to my building.
“I discovered your room comes with a spa option,” she began, “have you used it?” “No,” I answered, surprised at this new piece of information. “Well, it comes with hydrotherapy only, but I can include a $200 massage credit for you to use tomorrow morning.” 200 dollars for a massage session? What are they putting in your body?
I replied, “thank you!” “Also, our hotel is building a new property, and if you sign up to become a member, you can start building points to get a free four-night stay at the new property. Trust me, it is way gorgeous than this one! All you must do is fill out this form, with your name, full address, and the last four digits of your credit card, which we just need to enter a raffle draw, and you will be good. It doesn’t cost anything.”
“Hmmm, it doesn't cost anything, and I'm never going to use it. So, let me just get her off my case and get to my room.” I thought as she continued with her pitch. I filled out the form and she reminded me to meet her at the same location at 8:30 a.m. the next day for my massage. “Remember to bring the card with you for the draw," she said as she bade me farewell by my room. I entered the room relieved.
It was no more than 8:15 am when a phone call jolted me out of my sleep the next morning. I spent my few days in Mexico jetlagged and unable to get quality sleep. “Señorita, I just wanted to remind you about your massage in 15 minutes.” I jumped out of bed, brushed my teeth, and went down two floors, scurried through walkways, and arrived at the front desk. The petite lady greeted me, “Good morning señorita, I was thinking about you, how was your night? Did you rest well?”
Thinking about me? Now that’s odd, I thought. “It was good,” I replied with a faint smile. “Okay, let's go to the executive lounge, where you will enter the last four digits of your card, for the draw. Also, there will be a 90-minute presentation with breakfast, after which you can book the appointment for the spa.”
“I thought I was going to have the massage now,” I said. “Oh no, señorita,” she replied patting me on the back, “the massage comes after the presentation.” What have I gotten myself into? I thought again, then something said to me, “you know you can always say no, it’s not by force.” I replied with a counter thought, “shey its just 90 minutes with breakfast, I will eat and zone out, then go and get my full body massage.”
I sat in a corner after entering my information for the draw, where the petite lady handed me over to her colleague, a macho man dressed in all white. “Señorita, if you're ready, I'll walk you to breakfast, and then we'll make the presentation,” he said. I then said my goodbyes to the lady and followed Mr. Macho.
“What are you here for?” He inquired in a friendly tone. “I am here for a friend's 40th birthday celebration. “Cool, cool. And where are your friends?” “They are in the other hotel,” I answered in my naivety. “So, you are here alone?” He pressed further, as he led the way, to which I replied, “yes!” Just then, we exited the elevator, and he led me to a door which he opened. After we I entered in, I noticed it was a suite which included a living room and a bedroom. Both areas were separated by a wooden sliding door. I was expecting a conference room, but instead found myself standing in a hotel room suite, the door locked behind me and with a strange man.
He entered the bedroom area, with one hand pulling the wooden sliding door to a close and motioned with the other hand saying, “come in here to have breakfast.” My heart stopped; this had to be what my cousin had warned me about! Jesus, how did I get myself into this mess? This is how women are raped, murdered, or trafficked! All this for a massage and a slice of bread?
Those thoughts must have been less than ten seconds in my mind before I muttered, “No! I want to go and meet my friends!” Even though my heart shuddered within me. “Is there anything wrong? Please come in for breakfast.” “No! I am no longer interested in breakfast, or whatever else you want to do. I just want to go and meet my friends.” I said while desperately searching for a data signal on my phone.
I watched his white face overcome with red; he sounded panicky when he said, “okay, okay, señorita, just do this one thing for me, when we go back downstairs tell them that something came up and you have to leave, if not they will be mad at me.”
“Sure, sure,” I replied, if that was all I needed to do to get me out of a possible horrific situation. I began walking towards the door with my front facing him. He opened door and as soon as I stepped outside, my phone connected back with the hotel wifi. Just then I called my friend: “Abeg stay for phone with me.” “What happened?” She was concerned. “I go gist you when I come,” I replied.
I hesitantly entered the elevator with him, thinking'; worst case scenario, there are cameras in here. We made our way down to the first floor and into the executive lounge. “Señorita, what happened?” Another staff member inquired, “an emergency came up, I have to leave.” “You don't want the massage again?” He asked with one of his brows raised, “tell them no, you don't want any massage,” my friend was in my ears.
Like a little child, I repeated after her; “no, I am no longer interested.” I watched the once friendly staff member's face turn green with disgust. Wow! What plans did these people have for me? Then he said, “okay, bye bye,” motioning with his hands for me to get out.
After that, I avoided that entry and exit point of the resort, double-locked my room door, and kept on praying that nothing bad will happen to me. My friend urged me to report the incident; but how could I? When they had all of my information and could track me down. My safety was paramount to me. As I recounted the events to my brother in my living room in Lagos, days after I returned home, he said, “It was the grace of God that got you out of that situation.”
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Another thing I have learnt is not to let any stranger who chats you up at the vacation spot that you are alone. When anyone asks, say you’re with friends or husband or fiancé even if you’re not. I find that most times these scammers and devious minded people usually target single ladies who are alone on vacation.
Wow ! What a strange experience. I can’t get over the whole setting up breakfast for you in another private suite. Didn’t make sense to me. Was definitely fishy. I can bet my last Naira that the food was already laced with drugs. God knows what would have happened to you if you’d gone along to take the breakfast.
Another thing I found odd was the massage lady asking for card details to be filled in the form for a tour of a building. What has that got to do with anything. Made no sense to me. All I can say is that God had already gone ahead of you to protect you from the wiles of the devil and his cohorts. Just thank God for that.