Tijuana as a Neighbor (San Diego: apartment complex, for rent, new home)

[TristramShandy]

Originally Posted by i_love_autumn

Wow then what do Americans like about Tijuana that they cross the border to visit there?

Cheap medical care, soccer, and good cuisine.

By definition we are a conurbation with Tijuana, so absolutely our fates are connected to one another. San Ysidro port of entry is the busiest land border crossing in the world - - that's obviously coming from San Diego.

Our conurbation shows how much meaning a border has. If the US-Mexico border was fifteen miles further south, Tijuana becomes the southernmost part of the US; fifteen miles further north, and we are the northernmost part of Mexico. We're closer to Tijuana than Oceanside.

Colin Woodward has a great book called American Nations in which he says that Northwestern Mexico is the equivalent in that country to New England - - Tijuana is considered to be the most hardworking part of Mexico and one of its most prosperous. As San Diego itself gets more and more expensive, it would be surprising if more Americans didn't get housing in Tijuana.

[TristramShandy]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

Better fences make better neighbors

Robert Frost would take issue with that.

[i_love_autumn]

Originally Posted by TristramShandy

Cheap medical care, soccer, and good cuisine.

By definition we are a conurbation with Tijuana, so absolutely our fates are connected to one another. San Ysidro port of entry is the busiest land border crossing in the world - - that's obviously coming from San Diego.

Our conurbation shows how much meaning a border has. If the US-Mexico border was fifteen miles further south, Tijuana becomes the southernmost part of the US; fifteen miles further north, and we are the northernmost part of Mexico. We're closer to Tijuana than Oceanside.

Colin Woodward has a great book called American Nations in which he says that Northwestern Mexico is the equivalent in that country to New England - - Tijuana is considered to be the most hardworking part of Mexico and one of its most prosperous. As San Diego itself gets more and more expensive, it would be surprising if more Americans didn't get housing in Tijuana.

Wow,is it really safe enough to consider living there?

[Jenkay]

Originally Posted by i_love_autumn

Wow,is it really safe enough to consider living there?

Yes.

[CNYC]

Originally Posted by Jenkay

Yes.

.....but not for everybody. If you want to live there to save money and have no clue or respect for the people or culture it won't work out for you.

[Jenkay]

Originally Posted by CNYC

.....but not for everybody. If you want to live there to save money and have no clue or respect for the people or culture it won't work out for you.

I think that's true of any place one chooses to live.

[TristramShandy]

Originally Posted by i_love_autumn

Wow,is it really safe enough to consider living there?

I get the sense that it has gotten better there lately - - but it would have to keep moving in that direction for most Americans who have options to choose it.

In 2010, San Diego (population 1.3 million) had 29 murders.

In 2010, San Diego County (population 3.2 million counting San Diego) had 69 murders (counting the 29 of San Diego).

In 2010, Tijuana (population 1.5 million) had 39 murders - - by January 8.

It's gotten better, but it will have to keep going that way for Americans of some means to live down there in big numbers.

[i_love_autumn]

Originally Posted by TristramShandy

I get the sense that it has gotten better there lately - - but it would have to keep moving in that direction for most Americans who have options to choose it.

In 2010, San Diego (population 1.3 million) had 29 murders.

In 2010, San Diego County (population 3.2 million counting San Diego) had 69 murders (counting the 29 of San Diego).

In 2010, Tijuana (population 1.5 million) had 39 murders - - by January 8.

It's gotten better, but it will have to keep going that way for Americans of some means to live down there in big numbers.

Whoa,that doesn't sound good at all!

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by i_love_autumn

Whoa,that doesn't sound good at all!

No, it doesn't sound good. It does sound a touch outdated, though, being from four years ago.

[malcorub16]

Originally Posted by i_love_autumn

Wow,is it really safe enough to consider living there?

Americans have been doing this for years. It is not something the mainstream or majority would even consider but there are many that do it.

Here is a short film from a couple of years back that tells the story of the perspective of "gringos in tijuana." The first person, Derrik, is the founder of the Turista Libre company that runs tours of Tijuana for people North of the border.

[vimeo]13748633[/vimeo]
Gringos Living in Tijuana on Vimeo