Mexico:
Four Years On
By Suzan
Haskins
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November 2006
| US$1
equals 10.85 Mexican peso
When my husband
Dan Prescher and I arrived in Mexico in late 2002, we had no idea how this
country was about to affect our lives. Over our four years here,
we have made many new friends - both Mexican and expat - and we have been
fortunate to have been able to visit many of this country’s most extraordinary
locations.
In December
of 2002 we started our three-month driving odyssey. We left our dog
in short-term care with family in Arkansas and drove from the U.S. across
the border at Laredo, Texas, and into our new homeland. We headed
for the shores of Lake Chapala, where our first stop was Casa Flores, in
Ajijic. Walt and Jean Smith, the owners of the B&B we chose,
have since become good friends. They were the first to introduce
us to a warm new way of life in Mexico. We spent many happy hours
on their beautiful, flower-filled terrace.
We didn’t stay
long that time, though. We found a storage facility and packed away
all the things we had brought from the States (and couldn’t live without…or
so we thought), and we got back into our little Toyota Tacoma and hit the
road.
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A Mexico road
trip
This was our
true indoctrination to Mexico. We wanted to find the ideal spot in
this country to settle. We started with a little apprehension…at
least Dan did. He likes to plan things, and I prefer spontaneity.
He prefers to stick to the plan (and the main highways) and I like to seek
out those out-of-the-way places, and figure out how to get there as we
are getting there. (The road less travelled and all that…)
Our adventure
took us first from Lake Chapala and Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco
to Colima, in the state of Colima, to Manzanillo and up the coast northward
to Puerto Vallarta.
After a brief
return to Lake Chapala, we were off to Patzcuaro and Morelia (in the state
of Michoacán). From there, with white knuckles, we drove through
Mexico City and on to Puebla. About two hours from Mexico City, Puebla
is known for its colonial architecture, Talavera ceramics, onyx crafts,
textile industry, and savory cuisine. It is a thriving city of about
one-and-a-half million people, and at an altitude of more than 7,000 feet,
it enjoys a temperate climate.
Oaxaca (the
city in the state of Oaxaca) is the first place we spent several days.
We found a clean hotel just a few blocks from the main plaza, and we stayed
for five nights. At $25 a night, it was perfect.
We experienced
our next bit of driving anxiety on the drive from Oaxaca to Mexico’s Gulf
Coast. Leaving early in the morning we found ourselves driving in
the midst of a cloud forest, down steep and winding mountain roads.
Not being able to see much of the road - or the steep dropoff - was a little
disconcerting . But then the clouds parted and we were clearly on the right
path - discovering the hidden charms of Mexico.
I won’t go
into a lot of detail about our trip. Briefly, we drove up the western
side of the Yucatán Peninsula, through Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche,
and Progreso. We drove through Merida on our way to Cancun,
stopping halfway to admire the majestic ruins of Chichén Itzá.
From Cancún, on Mexico’s Caribbean Coast, we explored Isla Mujeres
and Isla Cozumel, the island we had visited many times in our pursuit of
the world’s best scuba diving destinations. These islands are easy
to get to, popular with tourists, have terrific infrastructure and amenities
(especially being so close to the mainland), and yet remain relatively
inexpensive as far as Caribbean property prices go.
Although Cozumel
has changed drastically over the past several years, thanks to its popularity
as a cruise ship destination, it still offers great value for anyone seeking
a Caribbean island getaway.
A Mexico
road trip
This was our
true indoctrination to Mexico. We wanted to find the ideal spot in
this country to settle. We started with a little apprehension…at
least Dan did. He likes to plan things, and I prefer spontaneity.
He prefers to stick to the plan (and the main highways) and I like to seek
out those out-of-the-way places, and figure out how to get there as we
are getting there. (The road less travelled and all that…)
Our adventure
took us first from Lake Chapala and Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco
to Colima, in the state of Colima, to Manzanillo and up the coast northward
to Puerto Vallarta.
After a brief
return to Lake Chapala, we were off to Patzcuaro and Morelia (in the state
of Michoacán). From there, with white knuckles, we drove through
Mexico City and on to Puebla. About two hours from Mexico City, Puebla
is known for its colonial architecture, Talavera ceramics, onyx crafts,
textile industry, and savory cuisine. It is a thriving city of about
one-and-a-half million people, and at an altitude of more than 7,000 feet,
it enjoys a temperate climate.
Oaxaca (the
city in the state of Oaxaca) is the first place we spent several days.
We found a clean hotel just a few blocks from the main plaza, and we stayed
for five nights. At $25 a night, it was perfect.
We experienced
our next bit of driving anxiety on the drive from Oaxaca to Mexico’s Gulf
Coast. Leaving early in the morning we found ourselves driving in
the midst of a cloud forest, down steep and winding mountain roads.
Not being able to see much of the road - or the steep dropoff - was a little
disconcerting . But then the clouds parted and we were clearly on the right
path - discovering the hidden charms of Mexico.
I won’t go
into a lot of detail about our trip. Briefly, we drove up the western
side of the Yucatán Peninsula, through Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche,
and Progreso. We drove through Merida on our way to Cancun,
stopping halfway to admire the majestic ruins of Chichén Itzá.
From Cancún, on Mexico’s Caribbean Coast, we explored Isla Mujeres
and Isla Cozumel, the island we had visited many times in our pursuit of
the world’s best scuba diving destinations. These islands are easy
to get to, popular with tourists, have terrific infrastructure and amenities
(especially being so close to the mainland), and yet remain relatively
inexpensive as far as Caribbean property prices go.
Although Cozumel
has changed drastically over the past several years, thanks to its popularity
as a cruise ship destination, it still offers great value for anyone seeking
a Caribbean island getaway.
Surfing
mecca
Next up, we
set sights on Puerto Escondido. Located 240 miles south east of Acapulco,
Puerto Escondido - “the hidden port” - is still one of the best-kept
secrets along the Mexican Pacific.
Primarily known
as a world-class surfing mecca, this city of about 50,000 inhabitants keeps
its small-town charm while offering a diverse, international atmosphere
with breathtaking ocean vistas and miles of wide sandy beaches. For
anyone looking for really beautiful Mexican Pacific Coast property at still
reasonable prices, this is the place to look. But don’t wait, prices
have doubled since we were there three years ago.
We spent three
weeks in Puerto Escondido, thinking this might be the place for us.
Before long, though, we were feeling the heat. We were tired and
grouchy and generally out of sorts. At the time, a fast-speed Internet
connection was hard to come by in Puerto Escondido, therefore, making our
living via the Internet was impossible. (Now, high-speed connections
are ubiquitous throughout Mexico.) We were tired of living in the
car and second-guessing our decision to live outside the U.S.
As we drove
north back to Jalisco (with stopovers in Acapulco and a little speck of
a beach town in Michoacán), we decided to quit our jobs and go back
home. We were mad as hell, and we weren’t going to take it any more!
We composed our letter of resignation and as soon as we got to Ajijic sent
it off to our IL chief, Kathleen Peddicord.
We returned
to Casa Flores in Ajijic, where we received a warm reception from Walt
and Jean. That night, we went to dinner at Bruno’s, one of the best
lakeside restaurants. After a nice steak dinner and a few margaritas,
things were looking better. The next day, we walked to Ajijic’s pretty
plaza. It was February, and the weather was perfect - not the oppressive
heat we had experienced on the coast. We got a fast Internet connection
at one of the local Internet cafés, and we sent an e-mail to Kathie
rescinding our resignation of the day before.
We decided
to put down roots…as much as two wanderers can. We rented a beautiful
home in Ajijic for $800 a month and started researching and writing in
earnest about living and investing in Mexico.
It was there
that the idea for Mexico Insider was kindled. There is a lot of information
out there about being a tourist in Mexico, we reasoned, but no one was
writing in detail about what it was like to live and buy property here.
With that focus in mind, we launched Mexico Insider in August 2003. (For
more information on Mexico Insider, see: www.mexicoinsider.com.)
Tranquil
living
A year later,
wanderlust struck again. We pulled up stakes in Ajijic and headed
east to San Miguel de Allende. T here, we bought a home, and learned about
remodelling the Mexican way. It took some time, and lots of patience
on our part - but it was worth the wait. Our home in San Miguel became
a blissfully tranquil place to live and work.
It is not a
stretch to say we fell in love with San Miguel. And who wouldn’t?
This is a place where dawn still finds burros with milk cans making deliveries
along cobblestone streets, yet it also offers the latest in modern conveniences.
These include high level emergency medical services, a U.S. Consular Agency,
and a cosmopolitan ambiance, attributable to its multiple roles as a major
Mexican cultural centre, host to an international artist community, and
home to approximately 8,000 foreign residents from around the world.
Located between
the Sierra Madre mountain ranges in the central highland state of Guanajuato,
San Miguel is in the geographic centre of Mexico. Historic birthplace of
the revolution for independence from Spain, San Miguel de Allende is considered
one of the best-preserved colonial towns in all of the Americas.
And we think it is one of the most beautiful.
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What we’ve
learned in four years
Dan and I
both compiled our list of the top 10 things we have learned from our time
in Mexico.
.
Suzan's
top 10 lessons learned:
1.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. After a year in Ecuador, we’d become patient
people. Our time in Mexico has helped us refine that personality trait
even more. The electricity goes off? No problem…it will come back on again.
Every business in town closes at a different time for lunch, making it
impossible to get our errands done? The errands will wait for another day.
2. Pay attention
to details. Did you know that checks or official documents you sign must
convey your “official” signature? Like the one on your passport? If you
sign your name differently, you’ll need to learn to conform. And never
use anything but black or blue (preferably black) ink on checks and official
documents. Never mix two colors of ink. If you do, be prepared to re-sign
documents and have any checks rejected by the bank.
3. Read between
the pages when doing things “by the book.” There are differences between
the way things are supposed to be done and the way things are more commonly
done. For example, you may go crazy getting official documents arranged
to import your dog, car, personal items, etc. into the country—only to
have no one ever ask to see them. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get things
in order. It just means you shouldn’t drive yourself crazy over it.
4. The importance
of water and how to use and conserve it. Parts of Mexico are flush with
water, like the Yucatán Peninsula, which is basically a big piece
of limestone resting on a series of underground freshwater channels. Other
places, like the Sonoran Desert and the colonial highlands, don’t have
enough water. Keep this in mind when you look for a home here. Look for
communities that have reliable water sources. And get used to drinking
bottled water instead of tap water…not because of bad water, but because
of antiquated infrastructure (bad pipes). You will need to soak your non-peelable
fresh fruits and vegetables (at least those that you plan to eat raw) in
a few drops of antibacterial liquid. It comes as second nature now, and
it’s no big deal.
5. Ask lots
of questions before reaching any conclusions. My modus operandi is to ask
the same question of several different people. Eventually, when you hear
the same answer enough times you start to believe it. This is especially
true when dealing with anyone in the real estate industry. There are lots
of good people in that industry and we have introduced you to more than
a few of them in these pages. But use caution. Ask questions. Do your homework.
Pay the experts for their expertise.
6. Drive offensively.
Everyone else does. They say there are two rules when driving in Mexico:
don’t hit anyone and don’t get hit by anyone. Other than that, everything
is fair game.
7. Learn to
slow down. Maybe it’s the nice (sometimes hot) weather, or maybe it’s the
culture, but in Mexico you learn to walk slower, linger over meals, talk
more, and sleep longer.
8. Enjoy the
food and drink…respectfully. Mexican food is the best in the world! I have
never had a problem with trying new things, no matter how disgusting they
might sound. And tequila; well, I have never had a problem with trying
more than one…my lesson in this case is hard-learned: don’t overdo it.
9. There is
no perfect place. This is an important lesson. I grew up believing that
the United States was the most wonderful country on earth. I now believe
it is one of the best places on earth. There are different ways of doing
things that are sometimes better and sometimes not. This is an imperfect
world and we need to stop looking for perfection.
10. Everybody
matters. From the beggar on the street to your gardener to the President
of the of the Republic, Mexicans treat people with respect…and you’d best
do the same. |
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Dan's
top 10 lessons learned:
1.
The world is a big place, and the vast majority of it doesn’t work or think
remotely like the U.S. Get used to it.
2. There are
two interesting kinds of expats who relocate to foreign countries - those
who love the culture they’ve moved to, and those who hate the culture they’ve
moved from. The former are fun to talk to but often see the world through
rose-colored glasses. The latter are fun to talk to but often make annoying
drunks.
3. Outside
the U.S., patience and personal contact are often required to get things
done - even simple things that might only take a quick phone call in the
U.S.
4. Learning,
or at least trying to learn, the local language, is a huge help in almost
every way.
5. Personal
initiative on the part of bureaucrats, clerks, and other functionaries
in Latin America is a rare commodity for a variety of reasons. Therefore,
don’t expect the girl at the telephone office or the guy behind the bank
teller window to go out of their way to creatively solve your particular
problem. That’s not in their job
description.
Their job is to correctly fill out paperwork, period. To get tricky problems
solved fast, establish a cordial and respectful relationship with the highest
ranking person in the office.
6. Many people
in Latin America have no concept of the value of their own time. They know
the value of labor, they know the value of products, but they will not
commplain if they’ve been waiting in line all day to file a form with a
government office only to be told that the office is closing and to come
back tomorrow. They will wander away quietly, and come back tomorrow.
7. You and
your problems are not as important as your Mexican friend’s family, community,
and religion. The fact that you may be paying them big money for something
will not change this.
8. Mañana
does not mean tomorrow. When someone tells you they will do something for
you mañana, they mean that they will do it as soon after
today as they conveniently can. Which could be tomorrow. Or next week.
Or never.
9. Eat where
the locals eat.
10. Friendship
is the key to a happy life. If you can travel and live abroad for years
at a time with your spouse /partner and not kill each other, then you know
beyond a shadow of a doubt that your spouse/partner is also your best friend. |
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Planning to
drive through Mexico City?
Strict anti-pollution
laws restrict vehicle usage in Mexico City on certain days of the week.
The schedule, determined by the last digit on your license plate for out-of-state
cars, is:
Monday—5 or
6
Tuesday—7
or 8
Wednesday—3
or 4
Thursday—1
or 2
Friday—9 or
0
Saturday and
Sunday - no restrictions apply
Travel in
Mexico City:
The schedule
is determined by the color band on the license plate for Mexico City residents.
This law is
strictly enforced and uniformly applied - even to foreign visitors arriving
in their own private autos or rental cars. Heavy fines apply (up to $300
or vehicle impoundment).
Note: Vehicles
made since 1993 that pass inspection can be driven daily.
The stages
of culture adjustment
Head experts
say there are several stages that we progress through when we move to a
new cultural
setting:
• Honeymoon
- you love and idealize your new setting.
• Rejection
- when you encounter the inevitable problems with work, language, housing,
etc.
• Regression
- you idealize your home country and wish that you had never left it.
• Cultural
adjustment - you become comfortable and happy in your new environment and
gain an appreciation for all its cultural differences.
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