Americans living in Mexico (salary, food, propane, smog)

[Wisteria]

jperson63: Perhaps to the tourist Mexico may not seem racist because they want your dollars. Straight out, the black wife is not going to fly there (D.F.) and definetly forget about Guadalajara which is even more redneckish than the capital. Secondly, don't want to put a damper on your parade, but you're not going to be any better off being a decedent of south american parents or having lived in "mexican neighborhoods" whatever that's supposed to mean. If you mean you lived among chicanos, those people barely speak spanish, are usually immigrants that couldn't cut it in Mexico and are pretty clueless as to anything mexican other than what they glimpse at the border.

I'm surprised no one has responded to your post yet -- or maybe they are just ignoring it.

I don't know much about Mexico....except for being a tourist there. It would be nice to hear more explanations of your comments. I know little about Mexico, only having been as far south as Ensenada....and as a tourist.

When we stopped in TJ last spring while in San Diego, my daughter, now fluent in Spanish from living in Chile as an exchange student, experienced what you described. Of course, I was oblivious, but one of the vendors, shouted over to another vendor to "help" us -- in Spanish. Well, what he actually said was pretty vulgar! He just didn't expect the fair-haired, blue-eyed, obviously American teen to be fluent in Spanish. Well, she laid into the second vendor and told him what she thought. He tried to worm his way out of it by saying that the other guy just wanted him to help us -- she retorted with what he really said!

Of course, she ended up with a really good, good deal because when this vendor tried to pull the wool over her eyes on a knock-off item that she knew a lot about, she proceeded, in Spanish, to tell him every reason why it was not authentic, turning the item over and over, and pointing to various things. Finally, in exasperation the guy said in English, "Okay, you can have it -- just bring the money next time you come!" Ha!

And as you stated, there are various Mexicans -- some are rich, some are poor, some are educated, some are illiterate. The wealthy ones seem to stay there and enjoy a good life; the illiterate ones often come to the U.S.

So, you do make some good points. Actually, one of the reasons my daughter wants to return to Chile is because, as she put it, "I'll always be seen as a foreigner...and different." For her, she likes that aspect of it, and understands that she will not be considered Chilean, even if she married a Chilean. But that doesn't bother her at all.

It would be interesting to hear more about how Americans can adapt to Mexican life there as expats from your point of view. Certainly, we would be viewed as Americans, but aside from taking our money, is there a way to assimilate more and to be more accepted?

Thanks!

[tomgarcin]

I grew up in Southern California and went to Baja a few weekends with my parents. i knew I always wanted to live here. I figured if I worked hard I could retire here someday. Then a couple years ago I said "Why wait?" So I came here, live inexpensively and love life. Oh yea, I also fell in love with someone in Ensenada about six months before I moved here.

[tijlover]

I have made several trips throughout Central and South American and Mexico weighing the possibility of a move down there to retire, and one of the things I like to do when down there is to take an imaginary grocery list to the nearest big grocery store to see what it would cost me to buy these select items, and from shopping at the Gigante Grocery chain in Tijuana throughout much of Latin America I'm beginning to conclude that grocery prices have gone the route of oil, globally priced. There's many basic items even at the Gigante Grocery store in Tijuana I could buy much cheaper across the border in San Diego. I've seen similar pricing even in Grocery stores in Ecuador, Guatemala, you name it. Gas prices I have found to be higher than the U.S. throughout much of Latin America. So I hear about how inexpensive it is to live in Latin America from poster to poster, so where are you shopping then for groceries that you consider it so inexpensive? I've looked at the housing sites for the various countries down there, rentals/buying, and I just fail to see what great bargains there are. I really believe we're entering a global world where it won't matter where you live/retire anymore, costs are going to become equal no matter where you are. I have found me a nice mobile home in Tucson for only $38,000 where you own the home and land (no lot rental) and that alll but beats out Latin America for a cheap place to retire. And, given you can't work down there, unless you own your own business, if you fall on hard times, at least up here, I can get a part time job to weather the hard times. If you're looking for that perfect climate, no matter what the price, well, then, that's another issue in itself. And I've researched that too, on weather underground.com, seeing if there is such a perfect or near-perfect climate where you never get cold in winter or too hot in summer and my research takes me to Guatemala City, Antigua, parts of Honduras. I was surprised when I did a weather research of Guadalajara/Lake Chapala, where it can get down to the mid-30's at night in January. And northern Baja, well, I've been in Tijuana in January, and being in those motels where no heat is furnished, I found myself putting my clothes on in bed at night,, just to navigate to the bathroom without freezing to death. Northern Baja is NO paradise for weather as well as San Diego.

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by Wisteria

It would be interesting to hear more about how Americans can adapt to Mexican life there as expats from your point of view. Certainly, we would be viewed as Americans, but aside from taking our money, is there a way to assimilate more and to be more accepted?

Thanks!

Yes for sure you can adapt, but it depends on the individual and it's willingness to adapt too, there are a lot of americans living here

some blend so well that they become mexican I guess others choose to remain more isolated but people likes them anyway it depends more on what kind of person you are, unfortunately there is always ignorant people everywhere but you won't get around them much.

good luck!

[Kathleenh54]

Originally Posted by Blue Grass Fever

I have an uncle that just sold his house (more like mansion) in San Diego and moved to Mexico just recently. He moved to a gated community which is what typically most Americans do anyway. (nothing new there) He'd did mention that his place got "ripped off" twice already since he'd been down there possibly due to an inside job. (what a shame)

He lives halfway in the pennisula by the port. He said he really likes it down there.

That is why I'd never move to Mexico. I'm sure people 'adjust' to the rampant crime but it would make me feel very insecure. Americans appear to be sitting ducks there, waiting to be robbed.

[Mattie Jo]

People do steal in Mexico just as everywhere else, but I have always felt that violent crime was way less than in the U.S.

[nancy thereader]

How about Mexico for a retired single woman? Anyone know anything about that? Are there enclaves of people anywhere who fit that pattern? Is it costly? Any help would be apprediated.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by somwhathip

I love the diversity of opinions here. Some people love Mexico, others can't wait to go home. Some are terrified, others recommend most towns as very safe (I have to say i was a bit reassured to hear that!). Someone posted and asked about photos or information about Lake Chapala and Aijic. This review has a great photo and a nice review with some insight into what it is like to live there:
Best Lake Chapala and Aiijic active adult retirement communities

I think there is a kind of magic in Mexico. It can attract and repel all at the same time.

Usually it's not what it seems to be at first. And it can be like layers of an onion -- just when you think you know it -- you peel off another layer and it's a different place again.

It's got it's good and it's bad. You can meet the most humble and honest people -- and you can meet crooks and con artists.

[Mattie Jo]

There are retired single women in Mexico. If I were going to go to Mexico to live by myself I would choose San Miguel de Allende because there are a lot of Europeans there. I say this because if you don't have a command of the language you could get lonely there.

[wende]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

How about Mexico for a retired single woman? Anyone know anything about that? Are there enclaves of people anywhere who fit that pattern? Is it costly? Any help would be apprediated.

I am a single retired woman living in Mexico since 1988 I have had NO crime problems with Mexicans. I feel MUCH safer here than in the USA! I also shy away from American groups, as they bring some very bad attitudes with them.

You can live on the minimum required by the FM3 well enough, but prices are going up. If you live away from tourist areas, it can be pretty cheap.