Musings With MI
Life in Mexico is NOT Always Easy
Here are some more cultural differences you should know before relocating to Mexico.
In Mexico tomorrow (manana) does not mean tomorrow, it means just not today.
Never expect anyone to be on time, and I mean no one.
Don’t expect for anything to be done right the first time.
Don’t take for granted that the person or people you hire know what they are doing. Example-I hired an electrician to install electricity in a spare room. When he said he was done I went to check his work only to find he had connected the electrical wires with black plastic bags because he had no electrical tape. True story.
The toilet broke so I called a plumber. I had to wait two days for one to show up only to find out he couldn’t fix it. So, 3 plumbers and 5 attempts later, I had a toilet that was working properly only 90% of the time. Let me tell you, I was ecstatic with that. So you see, I know not to expect 100%. . .90% is really good. I paid him and it still only works 90% of the time, but at least it works. You see, it’s a cultural thing.
If these kind of things agitate you, I’d say Mexico is not for you.
Living in Mexico has not been easy. One has to adapt to living in a totally different culture. The language is not the biggest challenge. It’s all the other cultural differences that one has to adapt . So I am going to tell you some of the real differences you need to know if you want to be as happy living here as I am. If you can’t adapt to these differences you will always be stressed, complaining and wondering why you decided to relocate here in the first place. Besides that, it’s less expensive than where you lived previously, or so you thought.
I talk to a lot of people who worry about crime. I can’t figure out why they would think that Todos Santos would be crime- free. So, I’ve asked them, “Where you’re from, there isn’t any crime”? If you guessed their answer to be “No”, you’re right. Then why single out Todos because someone has told them about some crime that has occurred here? The reality is – yes, we have crime here just like anywhere else in the world, but less of it, and usually less violent. It’s beautiful here, but hey, it is not the Garden of Eden.
I get really tired of hearing people complain about the roads. The fact is not all the roads are paved. Most of the roads off the main drag are not paved, and yes, some are much worse than others. I tend to remind them that there was a time in the Americas that there were no paved roads. They came with time and lots of tax money. So, if paved roads are a necessity for you, you may want to reconsider your move here.
Corrupt government is another frequent complaint. Here’s my answer to that ~ Is there a government anywhere in the world that is not corrupt? The difference here is that even the poor man has a chance to profit from government corruption. Whereas, in many other countries, including America, only the rich can buy what they want. As a poor person, I prefer being here. I am not ashamed to say that I have been able to use my female charm, and a few pesos, when necessary.
Police corruption, another complaint. Let me give you my analogy on this topic. Because I have not lived in every state in America, I will use California to share my thoughts about this with you. It’s Friday night and you joined a few friends for dinner, drinks and a little dancing. It’s 2 a.m. and you’re on your way home. The Highway Patrol pulls you over for speeding. He asks for your driver’s license, proof of insurance and smells liquor on your breath. He goes back to his vehicle to run your name and car plates. They all check out, and now, he asks you to take a breathalyzer test, which you fail. Now he has you out of your car, handcuffed and sitting in the back of the police car while you wait for the tow truck to come take your car away. Since its Friday night, you have to spend the weekend in the county jail. Arriving at the jail, you’re taken into a room where you have to strip for a cavity search. You’re then given some ugly and uncomfortable jail clothes, a rough blanket and no pillow, and escorted to a cell with some real criminals until Monday morning. At this point, they cuff you, load you on a bus and take you downtown to the county court building. The holding cells are in a dingy basement with two long, hard benches and about 100 other people.
Let’s not forget the no-privacy, dirty toilet in the corner, to be used while you wait for your turn to see the judge. After a few hours, you’re up. No sense trying to fight the charge, as you’ll be wasting your time. Just take your punishment, so that you can get on with your life. It’s your first DUI, so there’s a huge fine, classes for AA are included; you get a stamp on your license and a year’s probation. Finally, you are back on the bus returning to the county jail, waiting to be set free. They decide to let you out at 10:00 p.m
. You don’t have a car, so you have to have someone pick you up. If you have someone, you’re lucky, because if you don’t they make you stay till morning. It’s Tuesday morning, and you have to get your car out of impound. It’s been there since Friday night, so it’s probably going to cost you a grip of money to get it out.
Altogether, that intervention by the Highway Patrol, cost you about 4 grand. Nowhere in Mexico, would the same scenario happen. The difference is, they don’t care if you have insurance, or even if you have a driver’s license. You both know you have been drinking, so they tell you that the fine for a DUI is 200 dollars. You tell them you don’t have 200 dollars. All you have is 50 dollars, and, would it be possible to settle the fine on the spot? They may badger you for a while for more money, but, if you hold your ground, they’ll take the 50 bucks and you go home. Which would you prefer? Me? I’ll give up the 50 bucks and be home before daylight. If this goes against your grain, then maybe Mexico is not for you. Visit Miriam Sanchez's Website
In Mexico tomorrow (manana) does not mean tomorrow, it means just not today.
Never expect anyone to be on time, and I mean no one.
Don’t expect for anything to be done right the first time.
Don’t take for granted that the person or people you hire know what they are doing. Example-I hired an electrician to install electricity in a spare room. When he said he was done I went to check his work only to find he had connected the electrical wires with black plastic bags because he had no electrical tape. True story.
The toilet broke so I called a plumber. I had to wait two days for one to show up only to find out he couldn’t fix it. So, 3 plumbers and 5 attempts later, I had a toilet that was working properly only 90% of the time. Let me tell you, I was ecstatic with that. So you see, I know not to expect 100%. . .90% is really good. I paid him and it still only works 90% of the time, but at least it works. You see, it’s a cultural thing.
If these kind of things agitate you, I’d say Mexico is not for you.
Living in Mexico has not been easy. One has to adapt to living in a totally different culture. The language is not the biggest challenge. It’s all the other cultural differences that one has to adapt . So I am going to tell you some of the real differences you need to know if you want to be as happy living here as I am. If you can’t adapt to these differences you will always be stressed, complaining and wondering why you decided to relocate here in the first place. Besides that, it’s less expensive than where you lived previously, or so you thought.
I talk to a lot of people who worry about crime. I can’t figure out why they would think that Todos Santos would be crime- free. So, I’ve asked them, “Where you’re from, there isn’t any crime”? If you guessed their answer to be “No”, you’re right. Then why single out Todos because someone has told them about some crime that has occurred here? The reality is – yes, we have crime here just like anywhere else in the world, but less of it, and usually less violent. It’s beautiful here, but hey, it is not the Garden of Eden.
I get really tired of hearing people complain about the roads. The fact is not all the roads are paved. Most of the roads off the main drag are not paved, and yes, some are much worse than others. I tend to remind them that there was a time in the Americas that there were no paved roads. They came with time and lots of tax money. So, if paved roads are a necessity for you, you may want to reconsider your move here.
Corrupt government is another frequent complaint. Here’s my answer to that ~ Is there a government anywhere in the world that is not corrupt? The difference here is that even the poor man has a chance to profit from government corruption. Whereas, in many other countries, including America, only the rich can buy what they want. As a poor person, I prefer being here. I am not ashamed to say that I have been able to use my female charm, and a few pesos, when necessary.
Police corruption, another complaint. Let me give you my analogy on this topic. Because I have not lived in every state in America, I will use California to share my thoughts about this with you. It’s Friday night and you joined a few friends for dinner, drinks and a little dancing. It’s 2 a.m. and you’re on your way home. The Highway Patrol pulls you over for speeding. He asks for your driver’s license, proof of insurance and smells liquor on your breath. He goes back to his vehicle to run your name and car plates. They all check out, and now, he asks you to take a breathalyzer test, which you fail. Now he has you out of your car, handcuffed and sitting in the back of the police car while you wait for the tow truck to come take your car away. Since its Friday night, you have to spend the weekend in the county jail. Arriving at the jail, you’re taken into a room where you have to strip for a cavity search. You’re then given some ugly and uncomfortable jail clothes, a rough blanket and no pillow, and escorted to a cell with some real criminals until Monday morning. At this point, they cuff you, load you on a bus and take you downtown to the county court building. The holding cells are in a dingy basement with two long, hard benches and about 100 other people.
Let’s not forget the no-privacy, dirty toilet in the corner, to be used while you wait for your turn to see the judge. After a few hours, you’re up. No sense trying to fight the charge, as you’ll be wasting your time. Just take your punishment, so that you can get on with your life. It’s your first DUI, so there’s a huge fine, classes for AA are included; you get a stamp on your license and a year’s probation. Finally, you are back on the bus returning to the county jail, waiting to be set free. They decide to let you out at 10:00 p.m
. You don’t have a car, so you have to have someone pick you up. If you have someone, you’re lucky, because if you don’t they make you stay till morning. It’s Tuesday morning, and you have to get your car out of impound. It’s been there since Friday night, so it’s probably going to cost you a grip of money to get it out.
Altogether, that intervention by the Highway Patrol, cost you about 4 grand. Nowhere in Mexico, would the same scenario happen. The difference is, they don’t care if you have insurance, or even if you have a driver’s license. You both know you have been drinking, so they tell you that the fine for a DUI is 200 dollars. You tell them you don’t have 200 dollars. All you have is 50 dollars, and, would it be possible to settle the fine on the spot? They may badger you for a while for more money, but, if you hold your ground, they’ll take the 50 bucks and you go home. Which would you prefer? Me? I’ll give up the 50 bucks and be home before daylight. If this goes against your grain, then maybe Mexico is not for you. Visit Miriam Sanchez's Website