They may find themselves on Trump's persecution list.
Or most of their money is gone thanks to Trump.
Or Trump has destroyed their careers. (Medicine, law, science.)

... whatever, right?

And avoiding the death camps.

People in the US are already facing death camps.
And more of it to come.

I won't stand by and let my family be killed.
Some of them have targets on their back.

And shame on those trying to shame them for making possible escape plans.

... think I know what personal decision I might have made, while at the same time I admit I really wouldn't know until faced with that particular set of options.

I know my friend Irvin's family delayed leaving Poland and the only survivors were his mother and father, his mother's sister and her brother and two cousins.

They spent five years in a DP camp in Germany before Irv's parents and sister (born in W. Germany) and aunt and uncle went to Akron. Irv's dad died just after Irv's birth. The two cousins: one went Montreal, the other to Ecuador.

The first time I saw an actual wrist tattoo was on Irv's mother's wrist. It's a moment absolutely burnt into my mind's eye.

Without knowing all this: I do not know what I would have done in that same situation, in 1939.

Querétaro is about 1.2M people….

Kinda the new upcoming Tech center,
Roughly One Million population, depending on what and how
it’s counted,,, Metro, City, etc

COSTCO stores
H.E.B Grocery stores

😎


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Querétaro_(city)

Economic growth has been outstanding during the last decade. Today, Querétaro is a middle class city in terms of PPP GDP, with $20,000,[24] The municipality of Querétaro was ranked 23rd in Mexico on the United Nations Index of Human Development.[25] Querétaro debuted in 13th place in the 2006 rankings of the "Best Cities to do Business in Latin America" in América Economía, a leading economic magazine.[26] In the 2007 rankings, it is considered the second best place in Mexico to do business,[26] after Monterrey and the fifth best in Latin America, ahead of Miami in 6th place. The ranking takes into account variables such as telecommunications, innovation, quality of life, urban expansion, and crime statistics.[27] In its 2007 survey entitled "Cities of the Future", FDI magazine ranked Querétaro as having the third highest cost effectiveness of all North American cities between 500,000 and two million people.[28] In the overall classification of large cities, Querétaro was ranked sixth.[28]

…….Both Standard & Poor's and the newspaper Reforma have ranked Querétaro as one of the safest cities to live in with the highest quality of life in Mexico

I don’t hold it against them.

Both my father's and mothers families fled persecution, from Scotland and Germany, respectively. My mother's ancestors, we believe, were being religiously targeted (haven't gotten enough details to be sure).

My father's people fought against England, trying to get the Scottish royal family back in charge. They had no choice but to go, or they would all have died.

Both families been in America since about 1600. Some of my ancestors have been here longer than that, though. We have significant native American blood on both sides.

I don't blame anyone in danger if they can get out. I wish we could. I can't, I'm old and poor, and my sons simply won't go. So, here I stay. If I have to, I'll fight as best I can for America. It's all I can do.

Lots of people LEAVE for a better life.
Better standard of living.

The USA has NOT been the best place to live for a long time.
The standard of living in the USA is below a lot of other countries
Freedom in USA is not the great compared to other countries
Healthcare in USA is pretty poor

The US as a country rates poorly time and time again

https://www.timeout.com/news/world-happiness-report-the-full-list-of-countries-for-2025-032025

USA isn’t even in top 20…..

These are the 50 happiest countries in the world right now

Finland
Denmark
Iceland
Sweden
Netherlands
Costa Rica
Norway
Israel
Luxembourg
Mexico
Australia
New Zealand
Switzerland
Belgium
Ireland
Lithuania
Austria
Canada
Slovenia
Czechia

... my choice would be Montreal. If and when I go, it will be my personal decision

My mother was pregnant with me in Canada

My family, mom dad n older siblings,, lived in Toronto from about
1954-1956

So I consider myself a “Made In Canada”Canadian 🤩

I gotta say the past couple of weeks around here have been enlightening - and not in a good way.

... the beginning of WWI. My Dutch family decided to cut and run in the 1840s, My Scotch, Scotch/Irish, and Irish family made the personal decisions to cut and run from 1670 - 1730 to the Baltimore area and became four Governors, four or five Senators, a handful of Congressmen, American Revolution patriots, a founder of Union Carbide. I'm glad they were able to make the decision to cut and run. I have no idea why my Swiss family came here, but I will bet it was a personal decision. Maybe to escape justice, who knows; though I think it had to do with something about religion. Another personal decision.

Such an existential decision deserves a better euphemism than that, IMO.

... for those who cut and ran before us, and those who have to make personal decisions about cutting running today.

I certainly wouldn't want immigrants to this country be denied an exit from their origin, or denied entry to the US.


All I claim is cutting and running is a personal decision. I cast no aspersions on either personal decisions or cutting and running. I am a firm believer in both principles.

In transport records Ireland to Australia

There was a person with the exact same name as one of my siblings,,,

Convicted and sentenced for SHEEP STEALING, and sent to Australia

☘️😎🤩

... of being sent to Australia and the noose, chose the noose.

Great novel about these times: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gould's_Book_of_Fish

the illustrations of the fish are worth the price for the hard back, but I love this book and finally lent it to someone who didn't return it several moves ago.

I'm going to have to get another.

in Ontario, Canada, the best country in the world 🇨🇦
Gord

there. Same goes for every country where the cost of living is currently less than it is here. Which means it not only quickly becomes less affordable for the people who move there from the US, especially if they're retired, but it creates hardship for the Mexicans who want to continue living there. (Think of what happens just in the US when outsiders flood in with more money than most locals can make. Places like Aspen.)

And the more liberals leave the US, the more likely it is that authoritarian conservatives will continue to control this country.

San Miguel de Allende already has TONS of ex-pats

San Miguel prices have been rising of course,
Not as inexpensive as it once was, BUT I know of no place in the world
where people want to move to that doesn’t have price increases

Decades ago,,,, I dreamt of moving to a cottage on the West Ireland coast
Back in the late 1980s….Could have bought for somewhere around $40,000 USD

Now in 2025….Would have to pay around $400,000 or a lot more USD
for similar place in Western Ireland .

Maybe in Costa Rica,, in or off the beaten path is still inexpensive

Costa Rica is generally cheaper than Mexico

For the person selling the guide.

in my 77 years. The police stop you for nothing and it is either go to jail or bride them. Mexicans have always been
portrayed as bandits in movies. I hear some places are great but if you venture out of tourist compounds you get your throat cut.
While I would like to visit Mexico, if it is a bad as I have always heard I will stay here.

how is this different than the US?

publicity deserved or not. The crime rate in Mexico is much worse than the US. We always hear how nice Canadians are and have no worries about visiting there but not Mexico. Although now the MAGAs think Canada has been ripping us off for decades, to them Canada is our biggest enemy.

I'm not talking cartel violence, I'm talking about getting mowed down because you dared to enter a grocery store or a school or a concert venue or a church or a mall or a post office or a workplace (etc. etc.) where there is some angry male gun humper who feels entitled to exercise the ultimate control over others' lives because ... 'Merika.

It’s really humorous all the bullshit negative news the US corporate
‘News’ media spews nonsense nonstop to its Americans

movies from the westerns up to today Mexicans have always been the bad guys.

have never been to Mexico? Holy shit. People waiting to knife you? Wow. That sounds just like the scary, dark, frightened world of MAGA. What a tragedy you let your mind be twisted like that.

Te doy el Mexico de hoy:






Time to move past the mid-20th century stereotypes of banditos and donkeys. Jesus.

that way. I have heard from many that have gone there, they loved it but say you have to stay in the resort areas. The list of the safest countries to visit neither Mexico or the US make the list.

bought most of my clothes and housewares there. At least half the time I went alone.


The people who sold you that line of bullshit were just as terrified and poorly informed, and susceptible to racist propaganda as you were made to be.

Fucking sad as hell. You missed out on meeting beautiful people in an amazing country. That’s the saddest part. But you should stop spreading that crap now. It actually is racist propaganda, burros and bad guys waiting to knife you. Such bullshit.

The general talk I hear from US citizens living in Mexico,

Is they are extremely reluctant to return to the USA even to visit.

The US is now currently an authoritarian government,
A place to be avoided.

Numerous countries have issued travel warnings advisories
Against travel to the USA

reports. That is just what most people have been led to

believe about Mexico. I have never heard anyone say they would be afraid to visit Canada. Is it all just bad publicity? I don't see where it is racist to state
what everyone has heard about Mexico over the years.

IT’S A FUCKING RACIST STEREOTYPE.

"I don't see where it is racist to state what everyone has heard about Mexico over the years.” EVERYONE my ass. You heard that from racists.

Lucky for you, now you should know better. You can continue promoting racist stereotypes that harm real people, or you can choose not to act like a racist and stop that shit.

anything everyone of us haven't heard a thousand times unless you haven't ever watched TV or been to a movie. Like nobody ever heard this before. Why is it racist to point out what the American people have been conditioned to believe for a hundred years. I guess if it makes you feel better to blame me for what other people do fine.

between fiction, racist propaganda and the actual planet you live on. It does, however, explain FoxNuze.

It doesn't. Furthermore, most people don't have the money or the wherewithal to move across town, let alone to another country.

Some people can see the writing on the wall. Nearly half the population supports this tyrant and are willing to die and kill for his cause.

Right now even legal pro-Palestinian protesters are being rounded up.

Its an apt comparison

It was rendered moot again when thugs carried swastika flags on Jan 6.

Any remnants of relevance were wiped out when Elon Musk gave a Nazi salute at the Trump inauguration.

Godwin's law no longer applies.

LOTS of Americans retire elsewhere than staying in USA.

Pretty simple decision.

Better standard of living elsewhere.

Be it for US retirees living ONLY on their Social Security benefits,
OR for middle-class Americans,,,,who sell their house in USA,
then buy or rent in another country. Living on their pensions and
their retirement savings, living on their stock dividends etc.

Thousands and thousands of retirees in US can’t afford to stay in the USA,
So they move to places like Mexico, Portugal….so they then can
AFFORD to pay for their housing, food, medical care etc.

For many that leave the USA, it’s mainly an economic decision,
Cheaper elsewhere. And FREEDOMS are usually greater elsewhere than staying in USA.

For myself, I have relatives and friends and family THAT GOT THE HELL OUT
OF THE USA for many reasons…Usually the prime NUMBER ONE REASON
is for a BETTER LIFE.

Happier elsewhere.
Less stress.
Better Standard of Living.
Safer than in USA.

Even MEXICO rates higher by far than the USA for “happiness”
Mexico is at Number 10 in the world.

Way too many gullible Americans believe the crappy US corporate news propaganda.

Do you feel that way about all immigrants, or are you only biased against those who leave the US?

Mexico overall is safer than the USA.

Sure there are indeed areas to stay away from,
Just as in the USA.

Mass shootings are in the USA.
Mass school shootings are in the USA.
Mass shootings in churches and malls are in the USA.

Every day,, almost every day in the USA there are shootings,
Shootings on the highways, shootings at work places,
Shootings Road Rage.

The rest of the world sees ALL the endless gun violence happening
in the USA, and see that Republicans REFUSE to stop it,
Republicans REFUSE to limit put effective restrictions in place in the USA,

So the rest of the world sees the USA as the violent place to be

Or are you planning on using the 180 tourist visa?
BTW, it's spelled Queretaro. Do you speak Spanish?

The OP is probably not going anywhere, actually. Many people say things they don't intend to really do. My response to this is:

"Send me a postcard when you get there."

When you can't even spell the name of the city you want to move to, it's sort of telling that you don't have a clue. Many people are just now finding out that you have to have a visa to enter (along with your passport) which has been the law for as long as I have been visiting Mexico. It's folded into your airline ticket!

OP could very well be taking a short break from the Saffron Savior. It’s still allowed for the moment. I hope the OP doesn’t have any tattoos when trying to return to the US though. That seems to be a real thing now.

I’ve been to Mexico a lot,
But not as often lately over the past 10 years.

When I was younger , traveled there a lot.

Many around northern Mexico,
And Yucatán etc.

And Cancun,

I can recall Cancun at the beginning,
Isla Mujeres was there ‘First’,
And just a few hotels before located on the ’7’ shape Cancun island
Madonna at one time owned a beach house there in 1980s 90s?

Then Cancun turned into “Las Vegas On The Caribbean” disaster
it is now.

Before that damn toll road highway got built in Yucatán between Cancun
and Merida…..It was indeed ‘better’

Too many damn tourists now

They live in a small town on the pacific and absolutely love it. There are these little towns everywhere with a lot of American expats.

This week the chef visited a finedining Mexican restaurant and winery. This was in Baja. It's beautiful and delicious. You'll enjoy it there, or at least i would.

We have no kids and wanted to have an adventure in our retirement. I had lived out of the country three times in my life. I coached basketball teams in Belgium, Germany and Mexico and enjoyed my experience every time. We were married in Tuscany and loved italy...too far away. Other ex-pat spots Panama and Costa Rica...too hot and humid except high in the mountains and no golf courses up there.

I coached and played for the Charros de Jalisco in 1973 in Guadalajara... "La Pearla de Occidente" and it was back then. I was there six months and we traveled all over Mexico by bus and train. There were bandits in the countryside, but no cartels in those days. The Mexican that owned the team used to ask me to come with him on weekends to his place at the lake. It was a two hour drive and I didn't like him a lot, so I always politely declined. But, in 2013 I looked up lake Chapala near Guadalajara Mexico and found out it had become a large ex-pat community of Canadians, US Americans and some Europeans. Mexico has always received bad press from the US and I figured my wife would be apprehensive about moving there. I told her I had enjoyed the people, the climate and the relaxed way of life. I asked if she wanted to try a short vacation in Ajijic, the most popular village there for ex-pats. She said sure and we went for ten days. She loved it and when we returned we sold our house and moved within a year.

Lake Chapala is the largest natural lake in Mexico. It is in the mountains west of Guadalajara. there are many villages along the lake and there are estimates of 10,000 ex-pats here. Many are only here 4-6 months. You don't have to speak Spanish to get by, but why would you not learn the language of the place you're living? We live in the mountains outside Chapala, a nice town on the lake. We have three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and a view of the mountains and the lake. We have rented this house for nine years and pay $1,000 US a month. Our power bill is $70 a month water is from a well in our community. A good meal, with wine and desert varies between $35- $45. There are Mexican restaurants, Italian, Asian, Steak Houses and Seafood. I play golf, or go to the gym five days a week. My wife meets her friends every day in the village for lunch and they play cards and do whatever women do. I have missed six days playing golf due to bad weather in 10 years. The average year round temperature is around 71. The humidity is in the 20-30 range most days. We are at 5,000 feet elevation. The climate is rated among the best in the world. There is a rainy season from mid June to mid October, but it almost always rains in the evenings.

Yes there is crime. Mostly burglaries etc. There is some violent crime In Guadalajara, which is 45 minutes away. We walk the streets here at night without hesitation. There are many places in Mexico where the cartel is strong. But, the violence is almost always cartel vs cartel, or vs the military. Those places are well known and easily avoided. We have driven to the coast, 4-5 hours, several times with no problems. The Guad airport is 45 minutes and we can fly to Atlanta in three hours, or anywhere in the world. We feel much safer here than we did at night in Atlanta. I had a cabin in rural South Carolina for many years. In 2009 it was burglarized and set on fire. Shit happens everywhere.

Mexico, like every country, has problems. But, the people are gracious and fun loving. If you accept their culture they welcome you. They take care of their elders. We moved my wife's aunt here eight years ago. She was in an assisted living place in the US and it was very expensive and the care was spotty. The place she is in now is half the cost and much nicer. They treat her with respect.

So take your cheap shots, but we are never moving back to the US. I do care what happens to my country of origin and we still vote.

Te la vaya bien.

We just bought a house and moved to Lake Chapala (Riberas del Pilar) permanently in February. Love it here!

and I kinda sing and play some blues harp. Ask the waiter where Wanda and Rafa are sitting. They all know us. We'd enjoy meeting you. Their food is good. We are there almost every Wednesday.

when I was growing up in NJ, bought a house with his wife in Ajijic several years ago. They sold their house in Gig Harbor, WA a couple of years later and moved to Mexico full time. They are apparently quite pleased with the relocation.

Really, you'd have to be pretty well-connected to effectively insulate yourself from the damage F47 is going to cause for the next decade.

etc, etc.