| When it was
time to head to the gate to board the bus, we corralled our bags and stood
in front of the guards at the little turnstiles. One asked me what was
in our bags….I told him “clothes,” and he passed us both through.
We traveled in the luxury bus with fully reclining seats, movies, blankets
and pillows. We watched the sun go down and the green fields and small
towns pass behind us, as our 14 hour ride began.
When we arrived,
we got into a well-worn hatchback Nissan cab, driven by an older woman,
to our first house in Mexico. She drove like all the locals …fast and furious,
honking at each intersection to announce her presence, and avoid being
hit. We arrived at our casita to begin our sojourn.
What Have
We Learned?
Over these
two years we have reveled in the experiences this country has to offer.
Before we shopped at the local markets, we learned (and wrote down…just
in case) the words for all the vegetables, fruits and foods we needed,
and watched as the vendors smiled in amusement at our strange accents.
The markets are an amazing combination of sights, sound and smell; people
loudly hawking their wares, while others sit silently against the wall
waiting for people to buy. The people are such combinations of features,
too. You can readily see the Indian, Spanish and Cuban influences.
Some of the
things I have noticed over our time here: Mexicans can be Italian, Chinese
or Irish. I don’t know why I never thought of that before, but it made
me understand my ignorance! Other cultural things: Shoe stores seem to
be a very big business. Women still wear high heels, no matter if they
are walking the steep streets of colonial Xalapa, Veracruz, or the flat
streets of the Yucatan. Every taxi and bus has a rosary or two hanging
on the mirror, and the drivers make the sign of the cross when they pass
a church or cemetery.
About The
People
People in Mexico
are much more patient with foreigners than Americans are. They try to help
at every turn, have ready smiles and love their children. Families spend
time together, and you see grandmas, grandpas and children holding hands,
talking and walking together.
People work
very hard in Mexico. Concrete block is the norm for building, and power
tools are not a common sight. When you see men build, they build walls
first, and then cut out channels for the plumbing lines and electricity
wires. They work twelve hours a day, and make about $40 a week. Many of
the young women work in service, cleaning, washing clothes, and taking
care of other people’s children. Just about every middle-class (and
above) Mexican home has “help” and you will find one or two young women
working there. Often they are just teenagers, and they are hired from surrounding
villages where young girls are trained to cook, clean and care for children.
When they are ready to marry and have their own children, they will find
a replacement for themselves, from friends or family members back in the
village.
Folks seem
to eat out a lot, as the costs are so reasonable. During the day, little
restaurants (referred to as a cocina economica…”economical kitchen”) open
up for a couple of hours to serve lunch for about $2. Workers flock there
during siesta time, when most offices and business close down. Your choice
of fresh fish, chicken, meat and vegetables are served, along with rice,
tortillas, a cold drink and dessert. In the evenings, street vendors open
up their portable food wagons after 7 or 8 p.m. so people can have their
late-night snacks. You will find pork sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and
ears of corn for sale on just about every corner, along with lots of Coca
Cola. If you want to eat healthy, stay away from the street vendors!
Culture
Mexico is full
of culture. The symphonies and museums in the large cities have great attendance,
and are affordable for everyone (we pay about $4 for a ticket to each).
Most museums, galleries and cultural venues are open to the public for
free on Sundays as well. The archeological sites are flooded with tourists
and locals alike. It is a humbling experience to stand at an
ancient ruin and realize that the people of that day built structures that
are still standing 2000 years later…and that defy explanation of how they
were built. They knew the exacting sciences of building pyramids on compass
points, so that the sun shone in alignment with certain spots that would
tell them it was time for planting and harvesting. And they decorated them
with intricate pictures and symbols before iron tools were available.
We have learned
so much from our research and experiences that we have formed a website
(www.mexicoanswers.com) which
answers many questions about moving to and living in Mexico. It took many
months of research before we came, and we discovered that there was very
little practical information offered on the internet, and so we decided
to put it together for curious travelers seeking first-hand information.
A Much Simpler
Way Of Life
Over all, it
is amazing to see how simply life can be lived. We have experienced what
it is like to live without a telephone…(not as difficult as I thought),
not having hot water in the kitchen for washing dishes, living without
voice mail, call forwarding or cell phones. If we can’t find foods
we are used to, we get used to the foods we can find! We don’t have mail
delivery, and there are no mail boxes on the corners. If we want to receive
mail, we go to the post office and register. Stamps are very expensive,
and the local mailing charge is 60 cents. Stamps for air mail are 90 cents.
We have seen
neighborhoods where people live without electricity, running water, indoor
kitchens or even indoor plumbing. And they are not cranky, don’t feel poor,
and seem to live a sensible life.
The Best
Of All Worlds
The last year
and a half we have lived on the ocean, and have traded a city life for
the slow pace of a fishing village. Our bus ride to Progreso was 14 hours
in a van with three young men who were our movers. Now, we watch gulls
and pelicans search for lunch and dinner in the Gulf in front of our home,
we watch people on horseback ride on the beach, and sandal-less tourists
stroll the shore, combing the sand for shells. But we are within 30 minutes
of Merida, where we can find anything we need. We can go to the movies,
shop at Costco, Wal-Mart or eat at McDonald’s if we choose. We have been
spoiled by having internet and satellite T.V. in our home. We haven’t been
looking for a “spartan” existence, just a bit simpler one!
Our travels
have taken us to ancient Mayan ruins, the shores of the Caribbean, small
towns so far removed from modern-day things that you forget it is 2005.
Maybe they have the right idea…we seem to see many old people, so obviously
the slower pace has kept people living longer and healthier. Whatever their
secret, we like it and intend to stay a while longer…we have moved to a
new sense.
The following
are Jan's previous articles for the magazine:
Jan and
her husband, Fred, retired from Chicago, and then moved to Pueblo, Colorado
before setting off for Mexico. For more information about moving to and
living in Mexico, see their website www.mexicoanswers.com
For questions
or comments, you can contact Jan at janbek@mexicoanswers.com |
