Living lakeside

[jguerin]

Agreed with you Holdrja

[ajijicis4me]

Shouldn't you disclose that you are among the many who have been trying to sell their home (for over a year as I recall in your case) and are moving back to the US?

Has nothing to do with it. We are still happy here and enjoying the weather. Moving not because we don't like Mexico, but for health and other reasons. And it's NONE of your business.

[carib]

We are moving. I miss my family. Been here for 8 years and if we had family here I would not think of leaving. When we go all we have is good memories and the kindness of this amazing and ever changing country.

[Monessen]

We've been here for only a year and arrived from Florida. I know you will think we're crazy but we found Florida to be boring. We only had work friends and Florida has very little exciting to see after the first 5 years. In Pennsylvania you could take lots of side roads into farming areas, the Amish places, historical towns, other states and wonderful museums. There was, however, a little thing called winter that made us decide we just couldn't bear the "cabin fever" one more year. Florida had the weather but also had the traffic, high cost of living, insurance requirements and costs, etc. Most roads led to housing developments with only one way in and one way out and house after house after house looking the same. We lived in Florida for ten years. We had travelled the world over and had come to Chapala every year for the past 5 years just to visit.

We don't regret our move. We determined to retire from work and to integrate, no matter how tough it might be, into the Mexican community. We joined the local Catholic parish and slowly started meeting the neighbors. We avoid the English Mass because you meet mostly gringos (that's nice but we already find gringos easy to meet and talk to and we really don't meet MEXICANS there). It has forced us to learn more Spanish and we see our Mexican neighbors and they, in turn, are introduced to us. We met mostly abuelas and their grandchildren at first but we started meeting the young couples and their kids, too. We're still learning Spanish (probably until we die, it seems ) and we've made new friends (our own age and even younger) who are Mexican both Lakeside and in GDL.

We wouldn't exchange living here for anywhere else we have lived or been. Our NOB friends are afraid to visit us because of what they follow in the press but once they are here they love it, too. As for eating out late; we ate home cooking on the street in front of neighbor's houses as late as 10 pm and made excellent friends in Ajijic. We now live in the home we bought in Chapala and we visit and are visited by Mexican and gringo neighbors after dark and we sit on the Chapala malecon until 10 pm most nights greeting friends and neighbors. Who says it's boring here? We have lots to do almost every day. We dumped the cars and learned to use the public transportation system here and in GDL and it is a new adventure everywhere we go on the bus and it gives our new Mexican friends something to teach us.

We plan on living and dying here and we'll be planted along side our Mexican friends and neighbors. As for going back to the States? Only for the funerals of our friends and families.

[gringal]

I don't think you're crazy....far from it! It sounds like you're having the time of your life. Enjoy your retirement in this beautiful place.

We don't regret leaving CA, even though it was an interesting place to be. This is a new kind of adventure and we've been enjoying it for around nine years, warts, topes and all. Like most others, we're a little concerned about crime, though that is ironic since we did live in big cities up north and had an alarm system. We wouldn't consider going back to the States. Life is good.

[jkgourmet]

I have heard that more people would leave if they could sell their house but this is proving difficult to do. I do not know if this is true.

Now that I am NOB, I can tell you that this is the case with between 40 and 50 percent of the people we met while during the time we were in Lakeside. Many choose not to relate that information to locals still living in the area. (Perhaps they feel they will be socially ostracized.) Those people have lived in Lakeside for 1-12 years, and the number nearly doubled after last year's tragic deaths. But few changed their minds. Few actually put their houses on the market, knowing they could not get the price they needed to make the move NOB.

Believe it or not, your choice. But I've had the emails, skype and phone calls that confirm it.

[El Saltos]

I still don't understand all the whining. We've been here 8 years and rules have changed once. It appears to me that Mexico;

Eliminated the option to be a perpetual temporary resident.

Made it easier to become a permanent resident.

Raised the income requirements for 1st time immigrants.

Grandfathered all that were already here on a legal visa.

Have I missed something? Why the big negative reaction to this?

[CocinaMod]

Keep it on topic, folks. Go back and read the OP - this is NOT a thread about immigration rules.

[El Saltos]

Sorry, I thought I was on topic. Probably should have said that I'm happy here and the changes in INM Laws haven't made me unhappy.

[headpooch]

Headpooch, are you doing research for an article or documentary? I hope not because you won't get valid informtion this way.

Actually, I'm getting ready to move there for semi-retirement. Just trying to get all the info I can.

[cookj5]

After almost 6 years living here full time, I can look back without a moment's regret about leaving the US. The climate is better than anywhere I've ever lived (which includes both northern and southern California). That is a major plus because you can live outdoors 12 months out of the year, instead of hunkering down to escape the bitter cold or scorching heat or incessant rain of other climes.

The immediate environment is gorgeous, and would be totally unaffordable if I chose somewhere with a similar ambiance NOB. I have many friends including both Mexicans and expats, and among them are a collection of the most interesting people I have ever met all in one place. There is a very international flavor here and many people have a very broad and tolerant attitude about life, something that is often in short supply NOB.

There are so many fascinating things to do and see here that I am always baffled by those who complain that they are bored. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, boring is as boring does.

The cost of living is between 1/2 to 1/3 of what I would be spending up north. Some things are harder to get down here, but then I have to ask myself "do I really need them." Very often the answer is "no".

Are there problems here with crime and bureaucracy? Absolutely! Are there problems with crime and bureaucracy up north? You bet! Would I go back? Not unless absolutely forced to do so by conditions beyond my control.

P.S. We chose to be renters here when we came, and see no reason to change that status. House prices are still grossly inflated and people with houses they want to sell often have to wait years for an offer, if they get one at all. Rents, on the other hand, are actually lower than when we arrived.

[valbogyo]

I wish I looked at other cities. I really like it here and feel safe, most of the time. I adore the weather. Still, I did not explore alternatives.

Regarding people that are leaving:

I would say that half the people I met when I came here as a visitor, five years ago, have leff or want to leave.

Number one concern: Health

If you do not have Insurance, and the body begins to break down and they are shelling out a lot of money. They want to go "home" where they will be insured.

Number two concern: Family

They miss the Grandkids.

I personally do not know anyone who is leaving because of the change in INM rules.

[bdmowers]

Been here a year. Creative environment, food, weather, culture, lack of stress, medical costs, mood of people all much better than where I was living in the US. No thoughts of returning, have not had the desire to see or read reports from US which I consider alien and insane. Mostly normal and natural human beings here, very few in the US. OK, I'm from L.A.! There might be a few blue state places I'd live in but the weather in New England and Oregon/Washington would defeat me.

[bookwoman]

We came here ten years ago for a week and we just loved it right away. We had traveled lots before but never to Mexico, Central or South America. Mostly Europe, South East asia and Australia. We were in our mid-forties and not looking for a place to retire.

We have lived here full time for over eight years now. We would not go back to Canada, although we had a nice life there. Lots of things have changed here during this time - mostly for the better. We love exploring Mexico, Central and South America. In many ways, these places remind us of Europe in the 70's and 80's. we have Mexican friends who we are closer to than our own families. Sounds awful, but we have no kids, just elderly parents. Our Mexican friends mean the world to us.We go back to Canada once a year and we are shocked at how expensive and stressful it is to live there. I borrowed my parents' car to visit some friends and wanted to fill it up before I returned it. I waited almost fifteen minutes for an attendant to come before I realized that I would have to do it myself. I could never move back again. I would have to pump my own gas, carry my groceries, clean my house, water my garden.Call me shallow, but this is the most fun I have ever had and I have been blessed with a pretty good life over all

[lakeheron]

We are happily relocated NOB after toodling around Mexico for the better part of two decades, first in a motorhome and then settled in the Lakeside area. I can understand those who are still enchanted by Mexico because my husband and I were for a long time. It was time, for a variety of reasons, for us to move on and seek new adventures. There is a lot I miss and a lot I don't, but that is to be expected.

[virgogirl]

I'm glad to have read what Privado said as I share some of that sentiment. Exactly, it does not feel like Mexico, but an ex-pat town. I'm still sorting my feelings and trying to adjust. After living in GDL for 2 years, and a few other times before that in earlier years, I thought lakeside would be the answer. I do like the slower pace. I feel like many Mexicans are burned out on the ex-pats, and could care less about their money and do-gooder activites. I don't like being the target for every handout in the world. I can see how, in some ways, I was so much better off living among a general workingclass Mexican population, because I still work, and have an affinity for the common worker, and the professional who crawled up from nothing. These are the people I relate to.

Sometimes I see the ex-pats having fun doing their thing. I am happy for them. But their concerns are mostly not mine.

I am getting worn out working in the country. I might try to get a "real job" and make some "real money" back in the states before I actually retire. It could simply be a pipedream. Plan B is to get a real job somewhere right here in MX, but out of the Ajijic zone.I'm out-growing this scene real fast.Not Mexico, or even Lakeside, but specifically, Ajijic. No offense to those of you whole love it and enjoy it.

[gringal]

Virgogirl: What is the "Ajijic Zone" ? I live in Ajijic and can't think of anything different about it from the rest of Lakeside, except that the downtown is more touristy.

[Kevin K]

Thanks all for a particularly good thread with some insightful comments.

We haven't been able to pull it off financially, but doing the snowbird thing as, seemingly. 75% or so of expats here do, certainly seems like the best of both worlds to us. Lakeside is lovely and the climate unbeatable, but we do miss many things about life N.O.B., from hiking and biking or good trails to Asian cuisine to.....

The other thing is that it is living in a very small town/village, and not having a whole lot going on or much (real) choice of food, drink, etc. is the price you pay for the slower pace and beauty of the lake. Privado's alternative of iiving in Guad. doesn't appeal at all, but it does get to be a bit of a slow-paced gringo "bubble" here after awhile. We lived in San Miguel de Allende for six months and it has some significant advantages culturally and culinarily but equally large disadvantages, starting with serious air pollution from the brick ovens and extending to lousy airport access and much higher prices for routine medical and dental care and international cuisine.

That said we are generally content here, but would certainly welcome the chance to live in Oaxaca (city) or San Cristobal de las Casas at some point. Traveling withing Mexico is easy from here, and with the passage of time we appreciate the areas of Mexico with large indigenous populations more and more. No doubt our perspective on life here has a lot to do with being quite a bit younger than the expat average age, and I have no doubt we'd be very happy to stay put here and enjoy the slower pace later on.

[carib]

I wish I looked at other cities. I really like it here and feel safe, most of the time. I adore the weather. Still, I did not explore alternatives.

Regarding people that are leaving:

I would say that half the people I met when I came here as a visitor, five years ago, have leff or want to leave.

Number one concern: Health

If you do not have Insurance, and the body begins to break down and they are shelling out a lot of money. They want to go "home" where they will be insured.

Number two concern: Family

They miss the Grandkids.

I personally do not know anyone who is leaving because of the change in INM rules.

You hit it girl. These are the reasons why we are leaving. Otherwise this is a great place to retire. Most of the people are leaving or left for the same reasons.

[gringal]

I've heard the same reasons that Val Gal has. They are very compelling ones.

As far as having too slow paced a life around here.......people who aren't prepared to entertain themselves will probably not be content anywhere for long.

[satnrose]

I've heard the same reasons that Val Gal has. They are very compelling ones.

As far as having too slow paced a life around here.......people who aren't prepared to entertain themselves will probably not be content anywhere for long.

It is fallacious to draw this conclusion about any individual.

[gringal]

It is fallacious to draw this conclusion about any individual.

Strictly an opinion based on observation and experience. I have never met a contented person who relied entirely on being entertained. YMMV

[Arti Riberas]

My partner and I have lived here 9 years. I/we have lived in a number of great places in the US and abroad. I have no regrets whatsoever. I think this is the greatest choice for a place to live we have ever made. I love Lake Chapala, its communities both Mexican and foreign and love being so close to Mexico's 2nd largest city. I feel we have a full and rich life in Mexico and harbor no intention of ever living NOB. There is no such thing as utopia, but this is close enough for me. Viva Mexíco!

[privado]

Interesting, people are coming in out the sun and the responses to the OP are getting more truthful about their experiences- BUT there are so many WE LIKE We Do, We go etc-

Single people who made the move needed a lot more courage and fortitude than the married couples, who come with built in dependents, which makes the big adjustment much more comfortable and easy in a foreign country-

so take it a step further- usually one person in a couple writes on this forum

it would be interesting to ask your spouse the following question and post both answers

How many of the WE Couples would stay if their circumstances changed and they lost their spouse or partner and were now Single you would not have a companion to go out to dinner, help when you are ill, drive to GDL see a doctor or shop, help with responsibility of home maintenance and maybe live on less income-????

[Hud]

Interesting, people are coming in out the sun and the responses to the OP are getting more truthful about their experiences- BUT there are so many WE LIKE We Do, We go etc-

Single people who made the move needed a lot more courage and fortitude than the married couples, who come with built in dependents, which makes the big adjustment much more comfortable and easy in a foreign country-

so take it a step further- usually one person in a couple writes on this forum

it would be interesting to ask your spouse the following question and post both answers

How many of the WE Couples would stay if their circumstances changed and they lost their spouse or partner and were now Single you would not have a companion to go out to dinner, help when you are ill, drive to GDL see a doctor or shop, help with responsibility of home maintenance and maybe live on less income-????

Tough questions ! No one wants to think about that time, nor can imagine how much life changes for most then.