DrGriz wrote: I'm sorry to do this, but, I love my country...she may not be perfect, but she's leaps and bound above the rest and why anyone would want to give up there citizenship I don't understand. Traveling south in the winters...that I might do. If you give up your citizenship you run the risk of being denied re-entry. I don't know, maybe you could have a dual citizenship. For me though, I'm perfectly happy with right where I'm at.
2007 GMC DURAMAX,LBZ,4 by Crew, Allison
Magnaflow Turbo Back Exhaust
Predator Tuner
18by9 Helo's on BFG's
5year old boy
3 year old baby girl
Sea ray boat
Wilderness 5th wheel
SandRail
HD WideGlide
FORD Expediton
honda Eu3000
Fortunately we all have different taste and opinions or this would be a very boring world. And crowded too as we would all be in the same location doing the same thing. BORING! Some people have a wider range of taste and acceptability. Some narrow and the same rut thu out their lives. Luckly we enjoy the world and not just the USA.
rocmoc n AZ/Mexico
Ride around and find the right spot for you in Mexico. Like anywhere else, there are all sorts of places from which to choose. I would prefer the boonies for the peace and quiet, but someone else might want to be closer to a city.
No, it sure isn't 8 times cheaper here in Lake Chapala, south of Guadalajara, which is the place I assume you're talking about. We live in Ajijic, better known as the "gringo ghetto" and the COL is maybe 20 percent less than where we lived in Albuquerque, NM.
You don't move here to save the big bucks. If you want to do that, you move to some place where there are few norteamericanos, and then you'd better be very fluent in Spanish and able to connect with the locals.
We live next to Chapala in Ajijic, a village where we can walk to everything and the climate is about as good as it gets, year round. Move here for climate and life style, certainly. To save money, don't bet on it.
DanHouck wrote: You don't move here to save the big bucks. If you want to do that, you move to some place where there are few norteamericanos, and then you'd better be very fluent in Spanish and able to connect with the locals.
Thanks Dan, I have said it before but some don't seem to get it. Mexico is cheap only under the above conditions.
If you want American lifestyle and good weather, it comes at a cost.
RGV still gets my vote as a place for retirees on a budget. You can't beat the price, the Texas culture and the proximity to the border, Mexico travel, dental and health care.
Second best option is to boondock. Beaches are free on the East coast, in the Winter months no people, no problems and shopping and eating out in small towns still cheap.
Today we had a shrimp cocktail here by the house 75 pesos. Same thing on the Gulf coast 35. I know, I've done both. But the East coast small towns don't have big box stores, gourmet foods or cheddar cheese. You won't find a Grease Monkey, franchise restaurants, or frozen margaritas, and English-speaking staff. But you will find peace of mind and lots of quiet.
I have been to CostCo four times (checking new solar products) in the last month and haven't bought a thing yet. Don't know what all the hoopla is about bulk buying and American products. I guess I have been here so long that I am accustomed to Mexican food products, Mexican wines, Mexican cheeses, even though the label isn't in French it is still pretty good to us.
If you want cheap, move to a small town, check the climate first to save on heating and cooling (trust me, I'm paying 27 cents a kwh). Use cyber cafes, and basic cable. You can make it on 1000 dollars a month and even less if you can afford to buy a small place and are willing to use IMSS medical and live fairly well without pinching pennies, travel around the country on first-class buses or use your rv with less expensive fuel.
Chris and Dan bring up some intersting points about the COL. Moving to a small town without Anglos usually ends up in failure. Not necessarily the fault of the Gringo. Many small Mexican communities do not "take" to foreign outsiders. If you have never lived amongst Mexicans, culture shock will become part of your vocabulary. Visit Mexconnect and do a search on this subject. Lots of foreigners have moved to smaller non gringo communities thinking it was Nirvana. In a short time they are gone. This seems to be more of a mainland thing. Many do move to small towns in Baja and love it. This is probably the rwong forum for valid information on this subject. Most here are RV'rs or live in Gringo communities.
moisheh wrote: Chris and Dan bring up some intersting points about the COL. Moving to a small town without Anglos usually ends up in failure. Not necessarily the fault of the Gringo. Many small Mexican communities do not "take" to foreign outsiders. If you have never lived amongst Mexicans, culture shock will become part of your vocabulary. Visit Mexconnect and do a search on this subject. Lots of foreigners have moved to smaller non gringo communities thinking it was Nirvana. In a short time they are gone. This seems to be more of a mainland thing. Many do move to small towns in Baja and love it. This is probably the rwong forum for valid information on this subject. Most here are RV'rs or live in Gringo communities.
Moisheh
Right on Moisheh. It is a reality we all live with. As much as I have assimilated the Mexican culture and lifestyle I will always be considered a Gringo. You can't shake it. Most people will always believe that I have more than they do, will always attempt to charge me more for things, most of the time treat me better than the average person, and the list goes on.
Gringoitis can be an advantage and a disadvantage. Although I am well-accepted and known around these parts, know more Mexican history than most Mexicans, I will always be a gringo.
People do treat you differently. Many people are willing to go into conversations with me as long as no one else is around. If there are others around it is usually a quick hello.
Hey, that's life. I have made some good friends here, love where I live and what I do. Had I not lived here I would never of had the opportunities that I have had over the years to travel, make money, live in peace and quiet and most of all rv.
Reminds me of Rose from the Golden Girls when she decides to take Spanish lessons. "I'm only going to speak in Spanish, eat Spanish food, wear Spanish clothes". It's not that simple!
Really enjoying this discussion, especially the contributions by qtla9111(Chris?), Dan and Moisheh. I have been reading your comments on this forum for many years, and they are always reasoned and informative.
We are looking forward to our seventh winter trip to Mexico, and this forum is a vital part of my SOB community.
We are Canadians, and appreciate many Canadian values. We have traveled a lot in the USA and met some wonderful people and seen some great places.
Yet Mexico is special. We love the t-shirt and shorts winter weather and the friendly and hospitable character of typical Mexicans.
However, I would like to especially mention the typical fellow gringo RV'er that winters in Mexico. We find that they are adventurous, curious, open-minded, and interesting. There seems to be less focus on status or money, and more on being who you are. One of the thing that keeps many people away from traveling in Mexico is anxiety and fear of the unknown. So it is self-regulating, keeping the paranoids out.
I know too, as someone said earlier, that people are different, and there are many roads, many journeys that will lead us to our ends.
In the meantime, enjoy!
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