General Discussion

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.