Thoughts about living in Mexico
from a gringo's point of view
_______________________________________
*The electric or phone service is interrupted about once a week.
*That truck is traveling down the road at me IN REVERSE!
*I will never be able to understand what any Mexican lady tells me on the telephone.
However, I have a similar problem with norteamericanas.
*That kid thinks I have a funny accent.
*That cop actually thinks I am supposed to give him money.
*They have gasoline station attendants who sometimes wash your windshield.
The gasoline is cheaper here than in the States (the price is supported by the Mexican government).
*There are potholes everywhere in the streets.
Tire vendors/repairmen and suspension/drive train mechanics make a good living here.
*I will seldom beat the currency exchange rate.
*A cobblestone road is a good road!
*I asked a street vendor for a bowl of fruit, and he gleefully put powdered chili on it. ACKKK!!
*Some doctors still make house calls.
*There is no such thing as three-wire home electrical wiring.
*Every home has a cistern and a water pump.
*The renter who just moved in across the street was just deported from the U.S.A. He eventually stole everything he could get his hands on and left – a nasty sort.
*I saw the mailman the other day. I actually received a letter from the States in my mailbox!!
Life is good.
*My neighbor showed up at the front door with an extension cord.
He forgot to pay his electric bill, and the Electric Commission cut down his service drop the day after the bill was due – no mercy.
*A family from the States rents a house down the street and spends the entire weekend riding up and down the narrow streets of our "Colonia" in some sort of noisy, off-road/all-terrain thingy while drunk.
At night they shoot off fireworks (which are prohibited in this locale). The security guard shows up at their door and tells them they are at risk of being escorted to the border by the Tijuana police. They are indignant.
When they leave, they drive down the street while beeping their horn. Creepy...
*Our maid, who has worked for us for about eight years, has never stolen anything.
*A dinner or gathering with other expatriates, or neighbors, is a really big deal.
If you don't show up, you will have to explain this to everyone.
*People will stand in the middle of the main thoroughfare and sell almost anything.
*Since The Christmas season is celebrated in a different manner in Mexico, children in Baja California have two days when they expect to receive presents:
1. The first day is the birth of Jesus, in December (American-style celebration - this is when gifts are traditionally given in the States. Baja Californians, or at least their children, have adopted this custom).
2. The second day is the arrival of the three wise men from the East, which is in January; this is a part of the traditional Mexican Posada celebration (the children here receive another batch of gifts).
*Firemen will first attempt to put out a fire with a fire blanket; water is expensive.
*Beggars have a social status, and must be respected.
*Taco Bell (home of the very bad Stateside taco) opened a restaurant in Tijuana I am told.
This is a scary development....
*Foreigners cannot own real property in most parts of Baja California.
Don't believe anyone who tells you differently. Don't invest in anything in Baja California unless it has wheels on it.
*Many laws in Mexico are quite different than the ones in the States.
Why are you surprised?
*The only place I knew of that features American-style home baked pies is "Cha-Cha's" on the old road south of Rosarito, on the way to Popotla.
Yum!!
*There is a Starbuck's in Playas de Tijuana!!
Yesss!!
*The functions and qualifications of a plumber or electrician, as commonly accepted north of the border, do not exist here.
There is no apprentice training as far as I am aware.
*Expect to wait in the north-bound line at the border for at least two hours during the Christmas or Easter season.
(if you have a rapid-access pass).
*The national universal health care system in Mexico isn't universal.
*Laws intended to restrict the possession of firearms here don't restrict the use of firearms by criminals.
Mexico doesn't have the Second Amendment or the NRA.
*If you walk up to a native here and start babbling in English, he or she may not understand a single word you say.
(This is Mexico) It is hilarious to watch a gringo do this.
*If you are arrested and put in jail; don't sign anything.
It will be held against you. As of now, the Mexican legal system holds you guilty until proven innocent. The legal code is implementing changes however.
On June 17, 2008, President Felipe Calderón signed legislation designed to establish oral trials and create a presumption of innocence for criminal defendants. This legislation is probably one of the most significant developments in Mexican jurisprudence since the implementation of the Napoleonic Code.
Until now, guilt or innocence consisted of a series of fact-gathering hearings. The record of the proceeding was not available to the public. The trial was accomplished behind closed doors by a judge relying on written evidence. Prosecutors and defense lawyers will now argue their cases in court, and judges must explain their decisions to defendants. "This is perhaps the most important reform to the criminal system that Mexicans have had in a long time," Calderón said after signing the amendment.
Mexico now faces the long process of implementing the changes, which must be in place by 2016, according to the law that is expected to go into effect June 18, 2008. That includes training thousands of lawyers and judges across the country on the logistics of holding a trial. Even courthouses must be modified to make room for Mexicans who will be able to attend trials for the first time.
*Everyone here is a smuggler.
There was that truckload of toys and beans for the Posada celebration ....
*CALIENTITOS (Christmas fruit punch) is tasty!
*The woman pushing the baby carriage, horses, goats, dogs, and the nitwit zig-zaging between cars on a bicycle have the right-of-way even if the guy behind you is honking his horn as you slow down or stop.
*Most Mexicans are polite, happy, good dancers, and can sing well (even if a little off-key sometimes).
Norteamericanos find this perplexing, but very cool.
*Mexican soldiers assumed security posts at the Palacio (city hall) when the local police were out-gunned by a band of thugs.
A Rosarito police officer was killed in the gunfight.
There is presently an effective nation-wide clamp-down on the drug and smuggling cartels. The good guys are winning this one, at least in Baja California.
*A good cop in Mexico is one of the bravest people you will ever meet.
Too many wind up dead.
*A neighbor was held up at gunpoint in broad daylight.
It happens in the States also. They caught the guy later when he shot at a policeman.
*People here are fed up with how widespread crime effects their daily life. A neighbor writes (in May of 2008):
"I have lived (here) for 14 years now and had no problems until the last 2 years...and have been here on and off about half that time..Here is what has happened to my family during that time:
1. Home robbed twice
2. Two cars stolen
3. attempted shake down by the police in TJ 4 times
4. Daughter and friends shaken down by police and physically threatened
5. Asked to pay money by various public officials to do there [sic] jobs..
6. Even the trash pick up guys want beer every time I see them
The problem is not the people or the laws. but those who enforce them and who we hire to represent us."
*A "coconut warning" from a friend in Yelapa, near Vallarta:
"There is fruit everywhere! Raul needed some limes for the bar, and ha, ha, he just went out to the tree and got them. I saw this tree moving like it was being blown with hurricane force winds….it was Raul… and I said 'What are you doing?' his reply…'Picking limes.' We have avocados that are bigger than softballs, coconuts, and all sorts of tropical fruits.
One thing I learned is that you don’t sit under a coconut tree!! When they drop, and you are under their path, they will kill you."
*Tamale recipe tips from my neighbor, the tamale genius:
The masa, made from white corn, should be fresh; not reconstituted from masa harina.
I imagine the best place to find this would be a tortillaria. She says masa is available "anywhere."
Knead the masa well. If you don't do this, it screws everything up.
The masa and meat are placed he shiny side of the corn husk. Fold the husk around the masa, then fold the bottom half up and place in the tamale pot.
Pour the drippings from the cooked meat (she uses a beef and pork concoction which is delicious) into the pot.
Place a wet cloth on top of the tamales, cover with a lid and steam them.
The tamales are ready to eat when the masa is firm. If the masa is soft or runny, simmer them some more.
It takes about two days to make a pot of tamales. You have to know what you are doing; it's tricky.
*WATCH FOR THE STORM DRAINS THAT ARE MISSING THEIR COVERS IN DOWNTOWN PLAYAS DE ROSARITO!
They are about 6 or 7 feet long X 3 feet wide, and located next to the curb in the northbound lane of Bulevardo Benito Juárez, across from Smart & Final. There are no traffic cones or barricades.
*"TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE CACTUS"
Advice from a friend
*I watched the moon set over the Mar Pacifico this morning.
It was gawdawful beautiful. There are things in Baja California that are priceless. You had to be there.
*"This isn't Mexico. This is the border."
Overheard
*You moved to Mexico because of the cost of living is cheaper, and now you want to move back home.
SURPRIZE!! Now you know why it is cheaper (sometimes).
*The Tijuana motorcycle cops quit harassing me after the 2007 National election.
I do not specifically know who was responsible for that, but thank you very much!
*You can dial 911 with your Stateside cellular phone while located in Tijuana.
(Assuming it is configured to connect to the Mexican cellular network). You will be connected to the 066 Mexican emergency operator. You will then be connected to an English-speaking operator if needed. This operator is linked to Police, Fire/Rescue, and the Cruz Roja (Red Cross).
I do not know how well this works in other municipios.
Tourists can obtain urgent and emergency information by dialing 078.
*Mexican Friends:
*That truck is traveling down the road at me IN REVERSE!
*I will never be able to understand what any Mexican lady tells me on the telephone.
However, I have a similar problem with norteamericanas.
*That kid thinks I have a funny accent.
*That cop actually thinks I am supposed to give him money.
*They have gasoline station attendants who sometimes wash your windshield.
The gasoline is cheaper here than in the States (the price is supported by the Mexican government).
*There are potholes everywhere in the streets.
Tire vendors/repairmen and suspension/drive train mechanics make a good living here.
*I will seldom beat the currency exchange rate.
*A cobblestone road is a good road!
*I asked a street vendor for a bowl of fruit, and he gleefully put powdered chili on it. ACKKK!!
*Some doctors still make house calls.
*There is no such thing as three-wire home electrical wiring.
*Every home has a cistern and a water pump.
*The renter who just moved in across the street was just deported from the U.S.A. He eventually stole everything he could get his hands on and left – a nasty sort.
*I saw the mailman the other day. I actually received a letter from the States in my mailbox!!
Life is good.
*My neighbor showed up at the front door with an extension cord.
He forgot to pay his electric bill, and the Electric Commission cut down his service drop the day after the bill was due – no mercy.
*A family from the States rents a house down the street and spends the entire weekend riding up and down the narrow streets of our "Colonia" in some sort of noisy, off-road/all-terrain thingy while drunk.
At night they shoot off fireworks (which are prohibited in this locale). The security guard shows up at their door and tells them they are at risk of being escorted to the border by the Tijuana police. They are indignant.
When they leave, they drive down the street while beeping their horn. Creepy...
*Our maid, who has worked for us for about eight years, has never stolen anything.
*A dinner or gathering with other expatriates, or neighbors, is a really big deal.
If you don't show up, you will have to explain this to everyone.
*People will stand in the middle of the main thoroughfare and sell almost anything.
*Since The Christmas season is celebrated in a different manner in Mexico, children in Baja California have two days when they expect to receive presents:
1. The first day is the birth of Jesus, in December (American-style celebration - this is when gifts are traditionally given in the States. Baja Californians, or at least their children, have adopted this custom).
2. The second day is the arrival of the three wise men from the East, which is in January; this is a part of the traditional Mexican Posada celebration (the children here receive another batch of gifts).
*Firemen will first attempt to put out a fire with a fire blanket; water is expensive.
*Beggars have a social status, and must be respected.
*Taco Bell (home of the very bad Stateside taco) opened a restaurant in Tijuana I am told.
This is a scary development....
*Foreigners cannot own real property in most parts of Baja California.
Don't believe anyone who tells you differently. Don't invest in anything in Baja California unless it has wheels on it.
*Many laws in Mexico are quite different than the ones in the States.
Why are you surprised?
*The only place I knew of that features American-style home baked pies is "Cha-Cha's" on the old road south of Rosarito, on the way to Popotla.
Yum!!
*There is a Starbuck's in Playas de Tijuana!!
Yesss!!
*The functions and qualifications of a plumber or electrician, as commonly accepted north of the border, do not exist here.
There is no apprentice training as far as I am aware.
*Expect to wait in the north-bound line at the border for at least two hours during the Christmas or Easter season.
(if you have a rapid-access pass).
*The national universal health care system in Mexico isn't universal.
*Laws intended to restrict the possession of firearms here don't restrict the use of firearms by criminals.
Mexico doesn't have the Second Amendment or the NRA.
*If you walk up to a native here and start babbling in English, he or she may not understand a single word you say.
(This is Mexico) It is hilarious to watch a gringo do this.
*If you are arrested and put in jail; don't sign anything.
It will be held against you. As of now, the Mexican legal system holds you guilty until proven innocent. The legal code is implementing changes however.
On June 17, 2008, President Felipe Calderón signed legislation designed to establish oral trials and create a presumption of innocence for criminal defendants. This legislation is probably one of the most significant developments in Mexican jurisprudence since the implementation of the Napoleonic Code.
Until now, guilt or innocence consisted of a series of fact-gathering hearings. The record of the proceeding was not available to the public. The trial was accomplished behind closed doors by a judge relying on written evidence. Prosecutors and defense lawyers will now argue their cases in court, and judges must explain their decisions to defendants. "This is perhaps the most important reform to the criminal system that Mexicans have had in a long time," Calderón said after signing the amendment.
Mexico now faces the long process of implementing the changes, which must be in place by 2016, according to the law that is expected to go into effect June 18, 2008. That includes training thousands of lawyers and judges across the country on the logistics of holding a trial. Even courthouses must be modified to make room for Mexicans who will be able to attend trials for the first time.
*Everyone here is a smuggler.
There was that truckload of toys and beans for the Posada celebration ....
*CALIENTITOS (Christmas fruit punch) is tasty!
*The woman pushing the baby carriage, horses, goats, dogs, and the nitwit zig-zaging between cars on a bicycle have the right-of-way even if the guy behind you is honking his horn as you slow down or stop.
*Most Mexicans are polite, happy, good dancers, and can sing well (even if a little off-key sometimes).
Norteamericanos find this perplexing, but very cool.
*Mexican soldiers assumed security posts at the Palacio (city hall) when the local police were out-gunned by a band of thugs.
A Rosarito police officer was killed in the gunfight.
There is presently an effective nation-wide clamp-down on the drug and smuggling cartels. The good guys are winning this one, at least in Baja California.
*A good cop in Mexico is one of the bravest people you will ever meet.
Too many wind up dead.
*A neighbor was held up at gunpoint in broad daylight.
It happens in the States also. They caught the guy later when he shot at a policeman.
*People here are fed up with how widespread crime effects their daily life. A neighbor writes (in May of 2008):
"I have lived (here) for 14 years now and had no problems until the last 2 years...and have been here on and off about half that time..Here is what has happened to my family during that time:
1. Home robbed twice
2. Two cars stolen
3. attempted shake down by the police in TJ 4 times
4. Daughter and friends shaken down by police and physically threatened
5. Asked to pay money by various public officials to do there [sic] jobs..
6. Even the trash pick up guys want beer every time I see them
The problem is not the people or the laws. but those who enforce them and who we hire to represent us."
*A "coconut warning" from a friend in Yelapa, near Vallarta:
"There is fruit everywhere! Raul needed some limes for the bar, and ha, ha, he just went out to the tree and got them. I saw this tree moving like it was being blown with hurricane force winds….it was Raul… and I said 'What are you doing?' his reply…'Picking limes.' We have avocados that are bigger than softballs, coconuts, and all sorts of tropical fruits.
One thing I learned is that you don’t sit under a coconut tree!! When they drop, and you are under their path, they will kill you."
*Tamale recipe tips from my neighbor, the tamale genius:
The masa, made from white corn, should be fresh; not reconstituted from masa harina.
I imagine the best place to find this would be a tortillaria. She says masa is available "anywhere."
Knead the masa well. If you don't do this, it screws everything up.
The masa and meat are placed he shiny side of the corn husk. Fold the husk around the masa, then fold the bottom half up and place in the tamale pot.
Pour the drippings from the cooked meat (she uses a beef and pork concoction which is delicious) into the pot.
Place a wet cloth on top of the tamales, cover with a lid and steam them.
The tamales are ready to eat when the masa is firm. If the masa is soft or runny, simmer them some more.
It takes about two days to make a pot of tamales. You have to know what you are doing; it's tricky.
*WATCH FOR THE STORM DRAINS THAT ARE MISSING THEIR COVERS IN DOWNTOWN PLAYAS DE ROSARITO!
They are about 6 or 7 feet long X 3 feet wide, and located next to the curb in the northbound lane of Bulevardo Benito Juárez, across from Smart & Final. There are no traffic cones or barricades.
*"TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE CACTUS"
Advice from a friend
*I watched the moon set over the Mar Pacifico this morning.
It was gawdawful beautiful. There are things in Baja California that are priceless. You had to be there.
*"This isn't Mexico. This is the border."
Overheard
*You moved to Mexico because of the cost of living is cheaper, and now you want to move back home.
SURPRIZE!! Now you know why it is cheaper (sometimes).
*The Tijuana motorcycle cops quit harassing me after the 2007 National election.
I do not specifically know who was responsible for that, but thank you very much!
*You can dial 911 with your Stateside cellular phone while located in Tijuana.
(Assuming it is configured to connect to the Mexican cellular network). You will be connected to the 066 Mexican emergency operator. You will then be connected to an English-speaking operator if needed. This operator is linked to Police, Fire/Rescue, and the Cruz Roja (Red Cross).
I do not know how well this works in other municipios.
Tourists can obtain urgent and emergency information by dialing 078.
*Mexican Friends:
- Are the reason you have food!
- Will give you a big hug and a kiss!
- Borrow your stuff so long they forget it's yours.
- Will show you where the good restaurants are, and swear you to secrecy.
*Canadian friends
- Will show up by the truck load from Alberta to work at the orphanage in Ejido Porvenir because it is their idea of a good time.
- They actually brought hockey sticks as gifts and showed the kids how to play.
- Relish water balloon fights.
- Find the weather in August here somewhat perplexing.
- There are 52 orphans and economically destitute children living at the Casa de Paz Orphanage; 10 of them are handicapped.
A neighbor of mine regularly scrubs the front stairs to her home with soap and water. The stairs ascend a full flight from street level next to her garage to her front door, which is actually located on the second floor of her house. The steps are covered with smooth decorative ceramic tile and are very attractive.
As many of you know, I am the proverbial nosy neighbor. I walked over to talk with her about some painting she was having done, while she was washing the stairs a couple of days ago. While we were chatting, she teetered, her eyes got wide, and the next thing I saw was literally the soles of her feet. She did a partial backwards half-gainer and landed on the her back and her head.
She somehow sat herself up while her husband and I gingerly assisted her, and cried for a couple of minutes. Oh brother, I was concerned that she had seriously hurt herself! Apparently she is OK now.
IMHO smooth ceramic tiles should not be used as a flooring material. It is recommended that slippery or smooth flooring around the home, especially stairs, be treated with a "skid-proof" material of some kind, or replaced with flooring that provides suitable traction.
Decorative Mexican ceramic tiles are colorful and attractive, and you see them everywhere around here. However, they are virtually impossible to walk on when coated with oil, soap, and/or water. Hand rails should be installed that run the entire length of a stairway
*Chula Vista Canine chooses Playas de Rosarito as vacation retreat
A little female golden retriever named Dodger appeared at the ReMax Baja Realty office on August 15 (at the main entrance to the Rosarito Beach Hotel by the arch on the boulevard). Apparently, she got loose. She has a registration from Chula Vista but the folks in the office cannot find the owner.
For information regarding retrieving the retriever contact:
LHT Ana Isabel Carrillo A
Broker Assistant
ReMax Baja Realty
Office: 011+52-661-100-2076
NexTel: 125*166048*13
Email: anytacarrillo at gmail dot com
