Oregon USA lady-expat or dreamer w/link to Puerta Vallarta Mex?

lizzardboots wrote:

living in Portland OR. USA. Have lived in NYC and  some in Europe.  Mature but youthful lady in late 50s.  Seeking some like minded persons, considering or dreaming of  a move to Mexico within a year or two!! Puerto Vallarta is the apple in my eye at this time.  Also seeking persons in PV area to communicate with and perhaps some hook ups for planned trips there for immersion language classes etc. Americans, Europeans, nationals welcome. I have affinity for all. Artistic, Social, sophisticated.

Hi Lizzardboots! We lived in Portland for 10 years and Salem for 7 before moving down to Ajijic on Lake Chapala about 30 miles south of Guadalajara. We loved Puerta Vallarta when we visited a year ago, however we visited in January when the weather was very nice. Be advised that it gets pretty hot and humid there for a good part of the year, so unless you are a total beach person you might think twice about a full time move there. Some people like that kind of weather, others don't (including me). Also, many people need air conditioning there and electricity is quite expensive in Mexico. Lake Chapala is an artistic center, both for expats and for Mexicans. The place abounds with painters, sculptors, photographers, writers, etc. It also has a nearly perfect climate, year round. Neither heating or air conditioning is required. A bit like the Bay Area in California without the rain and fog.

You can get a sense of what the area is like on my blog, Jim and Carole's Mexico Adventure

I believe you mentioned the possibility of working. You will need a work permit and should treat that requirement seriously because working without one can result in deportation. The Mexicans take that very seriously, particularly with the number of un-or-underemployed here. 

There are perhaps 15000 expats living on Lake Chapala, mostly Canadians and Americans, but also a good helping of Europeans. The last time I was hiking in the mountains overlooking the Lake, I counted in our party: American, Dutch, German, English, South African and Canadian. It's a very fun sort of mix.