Posted by Matiz on March 21, 2001 at 12:10:11:
In Reply to: Update and more questions! posted by TJResearcher on March 21, 2001 at 08:28:39:
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I'll take a stab at selectively answering some of your questions. First, I have no idea how much or what percentage of my income goes to this type of activity. (I also don't know how much I spend annually for food, or gas, or other items.) But it is a relatively small percentage of my income(especially considering how much pleasure and satisfaction it brings me), probably comparable to more traditional avocations or hobbies of "normal" people. I'd estimate that roughly two-thirds to three-fourths of my TJ expenses go to the sex workers themselves, the rest being spent on the ancillary activities you referred to above. It varies from trip to trip, depending on the length of the trip and which hotels I stay at and how much I indulge myself in "extras" like expensive meals, shopping, etc. As to the differences between board readers and non-board readers, I really have no concrete data to give you, only personal experiences and hunches. But I suspect that your questions themselves contain the answers. Obviously, two factors are prerequisites for board readers who actively "recreate" in TJ (and I assume you're really not interested in lurkers who only vicariously participate but never actually go to TJ, since they could have no real impact on sex workers): 1) access to and familiarity with the Internet; and 2) sufficient time, access, and disposable income to actually visit TJ once in a while. This is not to say that non-readers don't also exhibit these characteristics, just that anyone here necessarily does. As to what differences might be exhibited by readers vs. non-readers, I strongly suspect that average readers would tend to have a larger volume of raw information on which to draw as a result of reading posts, and while this may or may not enhance their ultimate enjoyment of their experiences, I am quite sure it alters the type and nature of their experiences significantly. In my own case, I spent the first six years of TJ visits in Revolucion strip bars (which you charmingly refer to as "go-go" bars on your website--haven't heard that one in a while) and to SG activity along Articulo 123 and the southern parts of Constitucion between 123 and Coahuilla. At the time, I was not about to venture any further into the ZN without an armed Marine escort. It just seemed too dangerous. It wasn't until about 1995-6, when I began reading the old ASPT posts on the internet, that I realized that Adelita's and CC and other delights were only a couple of steps away and they were relatively safe for gringos. That knowledge, and the information that has followed over the years, have fundamentally altered the nature of my activities in TJ, so much so that while I still spend a little time each trip on Revolucion, the great majority of my time is spent in the ZN in bars I would never previously have considered going into. And not all of the changes are limited specifically to sexual encounters. Once I ventured away from Adelita's and CC, it became obvious I would have to learn Spanish. I've spent the last three years working on that, and, in turn, my confidence has increased to where I feel comfortable going into bars and venues in other parts of TJ that I would never have previously visited. So from my perspective, the information fuels personal changes and growth, which then results in new and varied experiences, which results in new information, fueling new growth, etc. It's an ongoing cycle of change and growth, but it was triggered by knowledge. True, not all of the information on this board is directly useful. Much of what passes for "information" on this board is really personal opinions, social/economic/moral perspectives and commentary, and, very frequently, totally subjective recollections on one's experiences filtered through fatigue and alcohol. (I'm one of the biggest offenders in each of these categories.) But each individual reader takes what he wants from those types of posts and uses it or not as he sees fit. (Hence, the frequent use of the term, YMMV.) However, there is a considerable volume of fairly objective information available to even the most casual reader that would, IMO, give the reader a distinct advantage over the average non-reader. For example, just the BOT FAQ itself, although somewhat dated, provides a wonder "general introduction" or "overview" of the activities, practices, and procedures in TJ that would allow a first-time visitor who knew nothing about Mexico and could not speak Spanish to have a good time in TJ. And many posts focus on ancillary activities, e.g., hotels, restaurants, pharmaceutical supplies, etc., and other matters, e.g., crime, police activities, scams by waiters, etc., that, while not directly related to the sex worker encounter, nevertheless directly impact the quality of one's overall recreational experience. Included within this "objective" information is an ever-expanding base of information on areas and clubs and activities outside of the ZN/Revolucion area. One of the obvious trends on this board is that, as readers become more "experienced" in TJ, and not just with women but with various locations and parts of the city and activities, the collective awareness of what is available in TJ has grown. Regular posts now discuss various massage parlors, hotels, restaurants, and even tolerance zones that are far from the ZN and well outside the pervue of the O'Toole FAQ. When all of this information is assimilated by a reader, IMO, he has a level of knowledge about TJ that, in addition to his own personal experiences, is significantly greater than the average non-reader. (Admittedly, not all readers take the time to familiarize themselves with the wealth of information that's here, so you can't make across-the-board generalizations about all readers. But even a little information can go a long way toward enhancing the TJ experience.) Many times I have run into people at ZN clubs who are obviously non-readers. They're perceptions often amaze me. One guy, in a group of guys in TJ for the first time, was talking to me in CC about how wonderful CC was. When I asked him about what he thought of Adelita's, he had no idea what I was talking about. I took them outside and pointed out AB and they immediately walked over there. On many occasions, I have run into guys late at night who ask for directions to some other part of TJ or to the border, and I have to explain to them the dangers of walking in certain areas in the middle of the night. Or guys will ask about the most basic questions about whether all the girls at AB are prostitutes, and "How does it work? Where do we go? Is there a hotel nearby? How much does it cost?" There are many other examples as well. But my point is that while I can't say with any certainty that I consistently have a better time in the ZN than these non-readers, it's evident to me that at least my awareness of what is there and what I can do and can't do and the relative safety of choosing one option over another is better than the average bear. And I owe most of that awareness to reading posts about TJ on these boards. There are plenty of maxims to describe this: "forewarned is forearmed", "knowledge is power", etc. I'm not telling you, as an academic, anything new. But although I know this to be true, based on my experience and common sense, I have no idea how you would go about studying this concept in anything other than an anecdotal way. But you go, girl...
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