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Puerto Vallarta Offers Easy Transition By Polly Vicars
First, you must not expect things to be as they are at home. Nothing here moves with the same efficiency or speed. If you decide to change your immigration status from that of "FMT-tourist" (which allows you to stay in Mexico up to six months at a time) to "FM3-visitante immigrante"--good for one year and renewable annually--prepare to spend hours or even days at the local immigration office. The only requirement for the FMT is proof of birth (passport or birth certificate), but the requirements for the FM3 are more complicated. You will need a passport, proof of a guaranteed income of $1,200 per month for the head of the household and $500 for each dependent, and an officially translated copy of your marriage certificate. Immigration laws and regulations are constantly changing, so check with your nearest Mexican consulate for the current regulations. In a tourist town such as Puerto Vallarta it is not absolutely necessary to speak Spanish, as most of the natives speak some English. But if you want to experience the full flavor and joy of your transition, you can enroll in one of the many Spanish classes the city offers. The Univ. of Guadalajara (Guadalajara is the capital city of the state of Jalisco and, with five million people the second largest city in Mexico) has a branch in PV that offers intensive Spanish courses for foreigners. You may enroll for two or four hours a day in courses lasting as few or as many weeks as you want. Classes are $7 per hour, which includes all materials and excellent instructors. Other schools and tutors who will come to your hotel or home for private lessons. During the high season, November through April, a lovely beach-front, fully furnished, 2-bedroom, 2-bath apartment with daily maid service can be rented for $2,000 to $2,500 a month. The same type of accommodations one to two blocks off the beach can be rented for $700 to $1,500 a month. A comfortable, but smaller apartment with fewer amenities and farther from the beach costs as little as $500 a month. Prices are considerably lower May through October. Property to rent or to buy is plentiful, as are English speaking agents. Adventures like catching a 400-pound marlin, watching the humpback and grey whales in the bay, scuba diving and snorkeling, mountain biking, horseback riding, picnicking on pristine beaches, and exploring jungles are easily available. Any activity can be arranged through tour companies, or any of the hotels, or with the Señor on the corner with a taxi, or the fisherman on the beach with a panga (fishing boat). A day's fishing or whale watching ranges from $200 to $500 per day depending on the kind and size of boat. A two-tank scuba dive runs from $50 to $75 per day. Day trips of many varieties run from $25 to $150 a day. But many such trips can be done on your own for practically nothing. City buses will take you over for about 20 cents and taxis are very reasonable. Prices of most excursions are negotiable and cheaper in the summer months. A very active International Friendship Club welcomes members who are here on a short- or long-time basis. Through this organization you can get involved in volunteer programs, visit schools in remote areas to ascertain their needs and help raise the funds to meet them, and any of the special community projects that might be in progress. There is always a need for English teachers in the free night school where my husband and I teach for two hours twice weekly. This volunteer work does not require a teaching degree--only a good knowledge of the English language and a commitment of your time for at least a semester. Vallarta Today, a daily English language newspaper, is an excellent source of information on local activities, hotels, restaurants, etc. |
