I'd like to move to Tampico, but Mexico scares me. Opinions, please!

Gettin better looking each day and growing like a weed.Thanks for asking.

Its a song James, just like Margaritaville  . It's the flavor of Mexico he is writing about not a place so much. People try, but you can't live in a lyric. It does sell t-shirts, towels, glasses etc. and albums though. New places calling themselves Margaritaville pop up, people believe that is the way it is and that life is just like the lyrics, it is not.

You will have to reconcile you fear of danger and the romantic idea of danger , We are not 20 year old's on an adventure. Your adventure is what you make of it, in real time.

We can give you ideas about safe plans and safe places in real time. "Tampico Trauma" is a song written long ago.

Eddie54 wrote:

Hi folks, I spent a week in Ecuador (Guayaquil, Manta, and Bahia De Carraquez last June. I don't want to commit moving there before I try Mexico.  I live in Texas, so Mex would be closer.  However, I must be honest with myself: Mexico scares me.  I hear there are SO many reasons to be thrown in jail.  Everyone steals.  The police are maybe worse than the criminals.  I've heard of bandit raid in the country sections of Verzcruz.  Please let me know if I'm imagining all this.  I'm planning on a bus trip from my town to Tampico soon.  Please let me know if I'm worrying about nothing.  Thanks.

Hello,
Regardless if you are worring about nothing or not, you have fear and that by itself will not allow you to enjoy yourself.Also spending one week somewhere is not long enough to know if you can live an expat life. Many folks after a couple of months find they cannot.
Most expats on here are going to tell you no worries because they have been successful in their endevors here.
What I would suggest is to investigate the countries you would like to consider and see how many expats have been affected over the years in those places.
Then go and spend some time in them and see if you like it.
Good luck on whatever decision you come to.

"Most expats on here are going to tell you no worries because they have been successful in their endevors here."

You are very new here Chilangolite, and you have not followed previous posts. The expats for the most part are not stars in their eyes people. They will be as honest as possible about the pluses and minuses of living here. Those that have been here only a very short time or travel back and forth may have a more romantic view, but few say anything like  no worries"

travellight wrote:

"Most expats on here are going to tell you no worries because they have been successful in their endevors here."

You are very new here Chilangolite, and you have not followed previous posts. The expats for the most part are not stars in their eyes people. They will be as honest as possible about the pluses and minuses of living here. Those that have been here only a very short time or travel back and forth may have a more romantic view, but few say anything like  no worries"

Well take what you want from my post. My point being is here you will not find all of the answers.
The decision to come here or not is not to be taken lightly and you need to research the Best info.
Also mine is my opinon for the getleman and I was not offering it up for your critique.
Many on here offer differing opinons that I may not agree with.However that is their opinon based on their perceptions and experiances. If we all conformed to only one opinon then what help would that be._

One of the rules on the forum is that the members will not be rude insulting or dismissive of others."Most expats on here are going to tell you no worries because they have been successful in their endevors here." is dismissive of the efforts put in by many to help people have realistic safe transitions from one country to another.
"I was not offering it up for your critique."

Is directly rude, and insulting to me.

It's a forum people say things and others respond. It is not a private conversation with the "gentleman". You are free to state your opinion, you are not free to insult others doing so. So state YOUR opinion but do not include your opinion of what others do and think. please be respectful of others.

You obviously didn't understand that my note was written humorously.  I've heard that this area of Mexico is absolutely beautiful, but I would only choose to live in a country whose government protects an individual's property rights.  I've heard of similar problems that a lady encountered in Nicaragua, and she had lived there all her life.  She had a long fight to keep her property from being seized by a neighbor.  Although, in the U.S., there are laws in which one can gain title to another's property by paying taxes and by "hostile possession" for a period of time, which varies by state.  The cases I've read about on here in Mexico appear to be efforts to prevent hostile possession, by making people move on the assertion that they do not have legal title because if they stay a certain period of time (5 years), they can claim ownership.  So, it's not that different from the U.S.  One has to be sure to have valid title to the property or it can be lost.  I don't know how one does that.