New members of the Mexico forum, introduce yourselves here - 2018

Where is SMA?

Nobody ever spells out San Miguel de Allende.....

Thanks so much for this. It's inspiring. It seems like all the marketing is geared toward youngsters and, while they say there is no age limit for volunteering, I hadn't seen evidence that many seniors tried or were accepted. This makes me feel much better. It's been a life-long goal. Thanks again and all the best to you in Mexico.

Hi everyone,

Quick introduction: My name is Jeremy and I am moving back to Queretaro from Boston with my wife and two children (with third on the way).

My wife is from Queretaro.  We met and married there and I lived there for many years before we moved to Boston (my hometown) several years ago.  We are in the process of moving back to Queretaro.  Just got back from a three week trip there visiting family and friends.  It continues to grow but so much of it continues to be familiar.

I know Queretaro and surrounding areas very well and speak fluent Spanish.  Happy to help anyone who has questions or needs help figuring things out.

Saludos!
Jeremy

Hi Craig, i currently live in Canada half the year and Playa del Carmen half the year.  I own some apartments in Pdc that i rent out for income.  However, my soon to be wife (a lovely Mexican woman) and her children wish to live in Valladolid or surrounding area as PDC no longer offers what we desire in a home town.

I am interested in finding out some information about a couple things.  As i generally don't have much to do, i am trying to find information about building small houses for resale or renovations (flipping) for resale.  I want to know if anyone has information on costs of architects and building crews and if this is even viable.  I am not looking to get rich but a little profit would be great.  Mostly it would be fun as long as i am not actually losing money.

So hopefully there are some folks on here with information on the subject.  Thanks

Tim

Hello,
I'm new here and want some advise on relocating to Rosarito Baja Ca, We are a family of 6
(ages 17, 15, and 1) the oldest are boys and then my daughter
My husband and I have been discussing the possibility of relocating to Rosarito, mainly for a slower less stressful life, but the financial reason is a major one too. Our priority of course is the children.. how well they will transition and school.

Any other families with teenage boys have any advise for this type of change..?

Hi - Steve and I live in Houston.  We visited San Miguel de Allende earlier this year and fell in love with it.  We're planning to spend about 4 months there next summer.  I'm a retired CPA, Steve is still working part-time as a theater manager.  Our problem in spending long periods away from Houston:  our "flotilla" of old pets:  2 dogs and 4 cats.  All indoors, all raised from kitten/puppy and well behaved.  Housing will be the challenge because most people cannot believe that a menagerie like ours does not cause problems (anybody is welcome to check out our Houston house in that respect).  Is there anybody out there willing to rent to us?

+Hello, just signed up in this forum and this is my first time posting as a member.

My wife and I both originally grew up in the Philippines and moved to Canada a few decades ago.    We are both working professionals.  My wife is in the banking sector and I own my own consulting firm.  Both of us just hit our 50's and started thinking of moving elsewhere where (1) life is simpler, (2) lower cost of living, (3) better climate, and (4) start anew, as in do something else that we like and escape from our current careers.   

My wife initially wanted to check out Southern France but the value of the CAN$ vs EU is not that great and, of course, there's the language issue.  We find French much more difficult to learn vs Spanish.  As you may know, the Philippines was under Spain's rule for 400 years and a lot of words we use in the Tagalog language is Spanish just pronounced and spelled differently.    Also, both of us went through 4 semesters of Spanish while in University but whatever we learned (except vocabulary) was lost because we don't use it.

We have considered moving to Spain but, again, being an EU country means that our hard-earned CAN$'s won't be able to take us far if we live there.

So, now we are considering Mexico.   We have been visiting Mexico as a vacation destination for years.  We have not visited the west coast because we immediately fell in love with the Riviera Maya coast line.   I am also an avid scuba diver and I love going to Cozumel to dive.  We did a road trip along the East Coast a couple of years ago which made us fall in love with this part of Mexico even more.  The two week road trip using a rental car started from Cancun  and it took us through PDC, Tulum, Coba, Chetumal, Kalakmul, Mahahual, and Xcalak.    Along the way, we met many nice people, locals and expats alike that made us feel at home and at ease.  One of the things that struck me while driving in this part of Mexico is that road courtesy is alive and doing well.   After this road trip, the urge to move to Mexico just became even more tempting.

We are in the process of hunting for a real estate investment in QRoo, mainly Cancun, PDC or Coz.  We hope that by joining this forum, we are able to share our experiences and learn more about Mexico and Mexican life with like-minded folks who are planning to move there or who are already living there. 

Phil

Welcome, Phil,

Sounds like an interesting adventure.

Hello, I am new to Mexico, although i do already have some family and some friends here. I am currently enrolled in school and pursuing a degree in Renewable Energy. I would like find a job where i could use my English and meet new friends. I am in Manzanillo, Colima. Does any one know of where i may look?

Aloha and Hola,
I have lived in Hawaii for over 20 years and have traveled in Mexico over the years, usually on the coasts.  This Nov.  I will spend the month of Nov. in San Miguel de Allende, hoping to get a feeling if this would be a good fit for me to retire.  I am a artist agent and amateur harpist.  I'd love to meet friends there and hope to meet other harpists to play with, learn from and just share stories.
I would also like to rent a Celtic (lever) harp while I am in SMA.
I hope someone responds to this message.
Aloha and Adios,
Alexa

Welcome to the forum, Alexa!

Thank you fo as we say in Hawaii 'mahalo'  & in Mexico 'Gracias'.

Hi all! I am a former ex pat to Mexico and will likely be returning as an ex pat in 2019 for a couple of years. I am married to a Mexican who is also a US citizen and our children are dual citizens as well. We used to live in Pachuca (husband's hometown) but will be moving to either Queretaro for his work or Mexico City (near WTC) for my work, but more than likely Mexico City. We'll be looking for a place to buy or rent, importing a car, enrolling kids in daycare and school, moving our formerly Mexican dogs back and reacclimating to the Mexican pace of life. We will also be selling our house in the US (so sad to leave Texas!) and storing a car at my mom's and sending US mail there, too. My visa will be handled thru sponsorship by my husband or my company but depends on the situation which is not yet determined. I'll eventually be seeking advice about the area in which we will live!

Sad to leave Texas?  I hope that was sarcasm.

Haha! No. I love it here. My kids were born here and it's the place I've lived the longest besides where I was raised. When we return to the US in a few years, my husband will likely have a position in Louisiana or Michigan which I am not excited about.

Hello, I just signed up to this forum so I will figure out where to post a couple questions I have right now in the appropriate area. I am excited and raring to go, but of course safety first right.

Hi

I am new in Mexico city and looking for job. I am english speaker.

Spanish is tuff language and i am learning now..but i also looking for job anyone can guide how and where i can get job as English.

butt.ca wrote:

Spanish is tuff language and i am learning now..but i also looking for job anyone can guide how and where i can get job as English.

Ok b.c,

First, you should read your post and see if you can make it clearer. I see you want a job, and that you think Spanish is tough otherwise your post is not clear. What is your native language? where do you plan to go? and a job doing what?

Hi, my name is Jacqueline. I love to travel, I like the good life, good food and enjoy meeting open minded people from all over the world. I am proud to say that I was probably one of the first people that spent time in Tulum, when there was absolutely nothing the first time I was there, except paradise. Yes, it was really paradise. Since then, I try to go there every year and while I look back and I wish I would have done things differently. I am now trying to correct those mistakes and am planning  to eventually move to Tulum for good, so I am currently learning about my options for buying a property there where I can call home. look forward to chating and learning from those individuals who would like to share their experience and share similar interests with me.  Thanks

There's a guy (sorry, I don't remember the gent's name) in SMA who plays the folk harp beautifully and gives regular concerts at the public library.  He might steer you in the right direction.

Hello, my name is Richard. The wife and I are considering moving to Cancun. I am retired and have a pension. I have no plans to work. We are looking for a furnished apartment with a pool, reasonably close to the beach with utilities includred. Is it reasonable to do this for under $1000 usd? Where would i start to look for an apartment? I would probally like to rent for 1 to 2 months to see if this is what we want to do. Are there special visas or documentation needed? We would like to be located somewhere in downtown, or the hotel zone. Thanks in advance.

Hi Richard,
Before getting a contract for 6 months or a year, i suggest use an Airbnb apartment or house, it would be easy to get and prices could be lower than a 1000 US $, its just to get in there see the place and choice properly on site.

Hello, everyone!  I'm Claudia and I currently live in Knoxville, Tennessee.  I just visited Chicxulub Puerto, Yucatan for the first time in September and I fell in love with Mexico.  I have decided to retire there in two years.  I would welcome hearing from any of you who have moved to that area.  I have a lot to do!

Hey there everyone

My dogs and I are moving to Mexico, arriving on 1 November.

We're looking for a place to live - not too expensive, with a closed outside area where the dogs can move around. They'll need a few weeks to recover from the move, but they are quiet and possibly the friendliest pups in the whole world!

If you have something, we're easy-going and considerate and are happy to send an advanced payment.

Thanks for reading this.

Shaun, Tequila, Lupo and Bup

Well Shaun, Tequila, Lupo and Bup,

Nov1st is very soon and Mexico is a big place. I would suggest that you go to the top of the page and look at the housing tab.

Hello,
I have just relocated with my husband and 2 daughters from New York City to Cancun! While I am super excited to be here, I am also nervous about my professional career ... I have worked in Marketing for big CPG companies my whole life and I am looking for new opportunities here in Cancun. What is the best way to look for a job here?  I am really not sure where to start, so any advice will be greatly appreciated !
Thanks !
Lorene

Hi,
I have lived in various parts of the U.S. all my life, most recently in a forest reserve in Puget Sound although I'm a native Californian.  A year and a half ago I moved to South Africa with my husband and we bought an old farm in the greater Kruger National Park - elephants in the back yard!  Well, turns out marriage and a life of adventure aren't his cup of tea so we will divorce and sell the place in the next year or so and he will move back to the community he grew up in.

So I am looking for a suitable place for an independent woman of 66 yrs to explore new environments, fit into new cultures and hopefully meet like minded people to discuss ideas, appreciate nature and travel a bit with.  But I'm an introvert so just in case I don't magically stumble across those people I need a place with movie theaters, book stores, and maybe a senior center that does day trips?  I speak a little Spanish, have petted whales in baja, ridden chicken buses in Guatemala, traveled by boat in Honduras and hitchhiked in Belize.  I think it may take me a little while to get used to being single again so I am leaning towards moving to Rosarito or San Felipe so I can visit the U.S. easily if I need to stock up on comfort food or surround myself with the familiar for a day.  Advice, anyone?  Encouraging stories to share?
Thanks!
Pam

Hi Pam,
It sounds like you already have a plan, so you might want to stick with that until you get the rest of your life figured out.  By senior center are you thinking of some sort of assisted, or almost assisted living? Because if you are close to the U.S would definitely be a good plan. I'm assuming you want something that is more like you might see in the U.S. libraries with books in English, groups of fellow Americans, housing with fellow Americans,  Checking the housing section at the top of the page might help.

Your budget would definitely be a big factor also. If you have any more questions once you have chosen wherein Rosarito you plan to go, let us know.

Good luck

No, definitely not assisted living.  My main concern is that there are activities I can do solo till I meet some people.  Something like a senior center that offers talks or classes or day trips, movies, a bookstore or library in town.  Ideally I will live among the locals in a little casita where I can have pets.  Something private, not a high rise townhouse.  And visit the expat community periodically when I'm missing the shared frame of reference of US living.  The transition to a new life may be easier if there's expats to show me the ropes but I do plan to assimilate to living like the locals asap (with occasional "extravagant" trips, from a local's perspective).  Not quite sure about budget - depends what we get on the sale of our property here in Kruger but maybe $2500 USD/month plus a nest egg for travel or unexpected expenses.  Now I'm looking at Ajijic as well. 

When we moved to Africa, Al stayed in the US to sell our house while I flew to the general area we wanted to live and I bought a place 2 days later.  Then we coordinated move in here with closing the sale in the US so that he and 5 cats would arrive after I'd taken possession of the house here.  It will be a little more complicated this time since he's going to WA and I'm going to Mexico and probably I'll be having him ship me dogs and/or cats.  But I'm pretty adaptable (my mom used to complain that I took up several pages of her address book) so if I can get some advice from other expats I think I can choose a community online, fly there and find a way to make it work.  But maybe I'll rent, not buy, if that's possible with pets.

Thank you for any guidance you can give me!

faunadocpam wrote:

No, definitely not assisted living.  My main concern is that there are activities I can do solo till I meet some people.  Something like a senior center that offers talks or classes or day trips, movies, a bookstore or library in town.  Ideally I will live among the locals in a little casita where I can have pets.  Something private, not a high rise townhouse.  And visit the expat community periodically when I'm missing the shared frame of reference of US living.  The transition to a new life may be easier if there's expats to show me the ropes but I do plan to assimilate to living like the locals asap (with occasional "extravagant" trips, from a local's perspective).  Not quite sure about budget - depends what we get on the sale of our property here in Kruger but maybe $2500 USD/month plus a nest egg for travel or unexpected expenses.  Now I'm looking at Ajijic as well. 

When we moved to Africa, Al stayed in the US to sell our house while I flew to the general area we wanted to live and I bought a place 2 days later.  Then we coordinated move in here with closing the sale in the US so that he and 5 cats would arrive after I'd taken possession of the house here.  It will be a little more complicated this time since he's going to WA and I'm going to Mexico and probably I'll be having him ship me dogs and/or cats.  But I'm pretty adaptable (my mom used to complain that I took up several pages of her address book) so if I can get some advice from other expats I think I can choose a community online, fly there and find a way to make it work.  But maybe I'll rent, not buy, if that's possible with pets.

Thank you for any guidance you can give me!

Thanks for clearing up the confusion.
So it really isn't a senior center you are looking for but a community. In the places, you mentioned you will find that.
Rosarito has many natives who speak English as well as Spanish so that should smooth things out. You will find that those places will be more expensive. Yet those areas are expat-heavy so there will be plenty of English living and speaking people to communicate with.
Renting would probably be the safest option although many have decided to buy. The environment and politics would keep me from going that direction. Renting gives you freedom of movement and more options. I never thought of buying because that option no longer has the value or safety it did years ago.  I knew of someone here who decided to return to England and trying to sell her house became both costly and time-consuming. It took her over a year to sell her unoccupied house.

Buena suerte

My name is Jarrett and I live in Washington DC. I had originally planned on moving to Mexico last year, but I decided to move to the East Coast from California with a family member because I wanted to try the job market here. In so doing, I've learned more over the last year than I've ever thought I would learn. I received more than a job. I received an education, about ruthlessness in human nature. I've realized I don't do well in an environment like this. I'm returning in thought to my desire to live in Mexico. However, I think it's more of a pipedream at this point because I have a mental condition which requires daily medication and my last psychiatrist told me it was "extreme" to move to Mexico due to probable lack of care. However, I'm very open to a place in Mexico that would have mental health care, and I assume Mexico City would. I'm also not sure what I would do for a living there, as I'm certified to teach English but have tried this and don't like the idea of doing it full-time. I'd have to do a location independent type job. I'm looking forward to seeing if Mexico offers psychiatric medications. That's really the main barrier for me in ever living in a foreign country.

Mexico is awesome and yes, I'm very familiar with intermediate Spanish.

Hi everyone! I just moved out here for work last week, my wife will be joining me next month and we plan on living here for a couple of years so hoping to meet some new people! I am currently living in the Polanco area. If anyone is around here or has any recommendations I would definitely appreciate it!

Hello and thank you for the welcome note!
I just moved to Queretaro which is about 50 minutes from San Miguel de Allende.
I was wondering if there is a way I can meet some American groups or attend some events there.
It will be nice to make new friendships here in Mexico.
Any advice is appreciated!   
Pennsylvania2

Pam, have you checked out San Miguel de Allende?  I'm older than you by a few years, but husband and I plus 4 cats plus 2 dogs are heading there for the summer of 2019. Maybe longer if the political climate here in the States keeps deteriorating. 
We spent some time there this last summer and were absolutely delighted with what we found.  Tons of friendly expats who, within 24 hours, had supplied us with basic information on the local scene.  The central library/theater/lecture place/cafe/movie theater has lots of expat volunteers and is one heck of busy, charming place.  There's a very clean no-kill animal shelter where I intend to put in time as they can always use volunteers.  We're Jewish and had Shabbat services with the tiny, super friendly and welcoming congregation there (I'm thinking of the horror of Pittsburgh - and that situation will only get worse in the US under the current administration).  So, between those 3 places I feel like I'll have plenty to keep me busy. 
We found the expats in San Miguel expats to be well educated, interesting, and approachable.   It's an artsy community because of its history of art schools attended by US citizens.
At our age, buying real estate just gets too fussy in case we do something dumb like kicking the bucket  or if we want to/need to return to the States.  In San Miguel we found a lovely 2 BR 2 bath place to rent with an eye to inviting friends to come visit us there.  It's about a 10 minute walk from the center of town where the library is.  Long-term rentals are affordable.  Hotels, not so much.
I lived on Lake Atitlan for 4 years and from there it's chicken bus all the way to civilization...  I have spent time in other countries, too.   San Miguel is different:  not as depressingly poor as Guatemala, much nicer people than say Costa Rica.  My Spanish had sort of evaporated since Guatemala, but the locals seemed to have no problem understanding my pidgin Spanish.  The17th century town is so charming, it's a wedding destination for (wealthy) Mexico City people.
Check it out!  Marty

Hi Pam,

We're around the same age and I am also a single woman planning to move to Mexico. Sounds like we're both adventurous souls. I'm also an introvert but believe that the move will force me to be less so. I visited San Felipe with the thought of relocating there. There is a large expat community there but I found it to be too isolated, no cities nearby, about a four hour drive from Tijuana. I then checked out Ensenada and found it to be a good mid-sized community with a significant expat presence. Like you I grew up in California and still have family there, so the idea of being able to easily visit them is appealing. So, I am currently looking for something to rent in either Ensenada and Rosarito. I wish you luck in your search. Also, with the monthly amount you have allocated for housing you will not have a problem finding a nice place. I'm looking to spend much less and have seen places around the $1000 range.

Thanks, Marty!  I am definitely considering SMA for all the reasons you listed and I hope I can rent rather than buy... but it depends on the pets.  Depending on how they get split up in the divorce I may be moving with 5 cats originally from the US plus one that came with the house here in Africa (partially blind from a run in with a spitting cobra) plus one of the neighbor's cats I took in when she moved.  And then there are the two boerboels, African mastiffs we adopted to keep the *@#$ing baboons out of the house.  I hope whoever buys our house will want the dogs but even though we've only had them a month or so I love them dearly and they will either get a great home here in Africa or move with me.  So can I find a landlord who will take up to 7 cats and two giant dogs?  I hope so!  But if not I will be buying.

I am currently leaning towards Lake Chapala because I am a nature lover.  Well, you probably knew that since I currently live in the Kruger!  The sun is coming up over the Olifants River, I'm whaling away at mosquitos as we head towards a 98º high temp and watching a jackal and duiker trotting past the waterhole.  In Mexico I hope to befriend wild parrots.  So although I want a first world level of civilization (books! movies! arts and lectures!) within a short drive, I am hoping to live in a rural area/suburb.

I have moved many times without knowing exactly where I am going and fortunately the destination has always been good enough in most ways and outstanding in some.  I came to Africa 3 months ahead of my husband and the house I bought us here two days after I arrived was a poorly maintained mess, but ... elephants!  Within arm's length of the windows!  So I am pretty confident any area I shortlist will have many things I love once I'm there and it's all good as long as I can find a home for me and my menagerie.

But if I get as far as SMA I'd love to meet you and hear about your experiences!
Thanks,
Pam

Thanks!  Ensenada is one of the towns on my shortlist - I like the idea of ocean view and the US border being near so I could get a "fix" of American life if need be.  At the moment I'm leaning more towards Lake Chapala because it has a big enough expat community to ease my transition to Mexico/divorced life ( movies and libraries in English, stores with American products), Mexico's second biggest city, Guadalajara, within an hour's drive, and it puts me closer to areas I hope to explore like Oaxaca, Cuernavaca, the Yucatan.

But that being said, Ensenada is on the route to the "whale petting" bays and I'd
love to do that again.  Plus it would be convenient for a ferry to Los Mochis and on to the Copper Canyon train.

Although I hope to rent I will be moving with an inordinate number of animals (depends on the divorce agreement and whether any animals stay with the.house here in Kruger) so I may have to buy and that is much easier for a foreigner inland away from the borders.

But thanks for the input- there are a lot of good options to choose from!
Pam