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Why do people leave?


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On July 3, i will have completed living here for 20 years. I came here alone, and have always lived in Ajijic centro, once near the Nueva Posada, then near 6 Corners, and now near the Farmacia Guadalajara. I have had the same housekeeper for almost 20 years, one gardener for 14 years till he retired and now my current gardener of 6 years. I came here and adjusted easily because I worked in NYC with Hispanics, although not Mexicans, for 34 years.

My Spanish was decent, and since living here, it has accelerated to about 95% fluent, both speaking and understanding. I did not come for the weather or the lower cost of living. My workers have my keys, as do a few trusted friends and neighbors. If I need help some day, I don't want them to have to break the door down. I have never been robbed, burgled nor cheated. I do not feel afraid in my house or outside. The majority of my neighbors are Mexicans whose families have lived in the same homes for generations.

I feel tremendously blessed to be living here, and I try to remember to count my blessings often-my house, my dogs, my friends both Mexican and ex-pats, the beauty all around me.

I am surprised that so many posters have had such opposite experiences from mine and the friends I have made here. I hope to have another healthy and happy 20 years and be buried in the Ajijic cemetery so my Mexican friends can visit me on The Day of the Dead when they visit their family members.

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Why do people leave here?

Here are the reasons clients tell me

Death - they just die and leave in an urn or pine box

Better or cheaper medical care in their home country

To die with their family around them

Sick of the petty thievery

Sick of lazy public officials

Cant take the high altitude for medical reasons

Fear of crime and lazy police / prosecutor and little investigation for deterrence for crimes

Sick of police shakedowns

Sick of their family nagging them about living in Mexico

Nobody trustworthy to care for them and pay their bills without tappin the till as they have no family and few friends

Cannot qualify for the higher immigration financial requirements

Cant keep their foreign plated car

Poor financial management (theirs) and the lack of a Mexican welfare system for the poor

Being pursued by criminals

Being pursued by creditors who know where they live and can attempt to attach assets

Couldnt adapt to life without their home country creature comforts

People running from the law in Mexico

There are probably more but I cant recall everyones story or comments.

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Why do people leave here?

Here are the reasons clients tell me

Death - they just die and leave in an urn or pine box

Better or cheaper medical care in their home country

To die with their family around them

Sick of the petty thievery

Sick of lazy public officials

Cant take the high altitude for medical reasons

Fear of crime and lazy police / prosecutor and little investigation for deterrence for crimes

Sick of police shakedowns

Sick of their family nagging them about living in Mexico

Nobody trustworthy to care for them and pay their bills without tappin the till as they have no family and few friends

Cannot qualify for the higher immigration financial requirements

Cant keep their foreign plated car

Poor financial management (theirs) and the lack of a Mexican welfare system for the poor

Being pursued by criminals

Being pursued by creditors who know where they live and can attempt to attach assets

Couldnt adapt to life without their home country creature comforts

There are probably more but I cant recall everyones story or comments.

Don't forget paved streets with real curbs and lunch at Nordstrom. And Fletcher's corny dogs at the Texas state fair too!

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On July 3, i will have completed living here for 20 years. I came here alone, and have always lived in Ajijic centro, once near the Nueva Posada, then near 6 Corners, and now near the Farmacia Guadalajara. I have had the same housekeeper for almost 20 years, one gardener for 14 years till he retired and now my current gardener of 6 years. I came here and adjusted easily because I worked in NYC with Hispanics, although not Mexicans, for 34 years.

My Spanish was decent, and since living here, it has accelerated to about 95% fluent, both speaking and understanding. I did not come for the weather or the lower cost of living. My workers have my keys, as do a few trusted friends and neighbors. If I need help some day, I don't want them to have to break the door down. I have never been robbed, burgled nor cheated. I do not feel afraid in my house or outside. The majority of my neighbors are Mexicans whose families have lived in the same homes for generations.

I feel tremendously blessed to be living here, and I try to remember to count my blessings often-my house, my dogs, my friends both Mexican and ex-pats, the beauty all around me.

I am surprised that so many posters have had such opposite experiences from mine and the friends I have made here. I hope to have another healthy and happy 20 years and be buried in the Ajijic cemetery so my Mexican friends can visit me on The Day of the Dead when they visit their family members.

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It probably depends on your lifestyle NOB as well. I don't believe I have ever been in a Nordstroms. I think we had a few in the giant shopping malls but I didn't shop there. I rarely ate at chain restaurants so I don't miss them. I miss going to Capitol Hill People's Fair, but after being at nearly every one for well over 30 years, I've probably seen most everyting at least once. Maybe Mexico was less of a culture shock.

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A friend emailed me about this thread. (He was banned so does not post anymore).

He left here to go to another part of Mexico. He did not feel this place was a good fit. He loves the beach and I do not think he felt the people here were that welcoming. Some people fit in easily, and others: not so much. I think, for a single man, who does not want to hang out at bars,,,,,, if you do not play golf, its not so easy to make friends here.

Come to think of it, I know two other people who moved to the beach (PV), I have lost touch, but it would be interesting to know if they are still there and happy. Beach people are cool, laid back, more easy going.... so I hear.

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And here i felt Ajijic has more issues with breakins. Being I live in one of those out of Chapala fraccs, it's not been anything like the villages up here in the past 3 years. And even 3 years ago, it wasn't any worse than what was happening in the villages below! When will the village people catch their "american" thief with pepper spray? Sigh, last we had dog poisenings and found out they were bit by rattle snakes whereas in the village fantom "crazies" supposedly throw poisenous food to many dogs at the same time each year. Couldn't have been a scorpion bite now. A family member in Riberas had one dog poisened by a scorpion, he lived. We know what it was because witnesses saw my dog eat the bug. Another puppy died from a spider bite. There are bugs, snakes and bad people all around the world.

I've seen people leave for medical and when the wife misses the family. Some after the passing of a loved one move NOB to be with family but the good news is, some are remarrying and coming back! In fact, i know a couple moving back soon after a few years working stateside.

I've heard a lot of people making an exodus from California, taxes are too high.

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Drift: If you like Nordstroms up north go to Liverpool in Galerias for example. Very well trained help. A few years ago I asked for help in English and an announcement came over the PA and I could see six people from all different direction come to help me. It did remind me of the old Nordstroms when they had the Piano out front with somebody playing. It was nice to know a store still has service like the old days (as I push my teeth back in laugh out loud).

Back to regular program:

I think Spencer covered most of the reasons. I think folks either get this expat lifestyle lakeside or they don't. Some folks can't take the trash on the side of the road or whatever. Mexico is not for everyone that is one thing I know for sure. I hear every reason in the world for leaving at LCS sometimes. It is also amazing the folks who have done very little research before arriving. My favorite was the fellow from the middle of nowhere up north who didn't stop to get a Visa, Didn't stop to get a sticker for his car, Didn't have Mexican insurance. You get the idea. He said how come they didn't have signs to tell him what to do? Yes these folks exist. For the curious I told him to stop driving his car and take the bus to Chapala and visit Spencer if you wonder what I did. How about the person who didn't know what a boy dressed up as a girl was and wouldn't listen to me. Hope he had a nice time! I could tell other stories about folks here who confuse the law with justice. I could go on and on. I believe most of us are happy here and some would not be happy anywhere. Interesting topic.

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Drift: If you like Nordstroms up north go to Liverpool in Galerias for example. Very well trained help. A few years ago I asked for help in English and an announcement came over the PA and I could see six people from all different direction come to help me. It did remind me of the old Nordstroms when they had the Piano out front with somebody playing. It was nice to know a store still has service like the old days (as I push my teeth back in laugh out loud).

Back to regular program:

I think Spencer covered most of the reasons. I think folks either get this expat lifestyle lakeside or they don't. Some folks can't take the trash on the side of the road or whatever. Mexico is not for everyone that is one thing I know for sure. I hear every reason in the world for leaving at LCS sometimes. It is also amazing the folks who have done very little research before arriving. My favorite was the fellow from the middle of nowhere up north who didn't stop to get a Visa, Didn't stop to get a sticker for his car, Didn't have Mexican insurance. You get the idea. He said how come they didn't have signs to tell him what to do? Yes these folks exist. For the curious I told him to stop driving his car and take the bus to Chapala and visit Spencer if you wonder what I did. How about the person who didn't know what a boy dressed up as a girl was and wouldn't listen to me. Hope he had a nice time! I could tell other stories about folks here who confuse the law with justice. I could go on and on. I believe most of us are happy here and some would not be happy anywhere. Interesting topic.

One thing I notice some people are not used to in all places in Mexico is the extremely large number of people they see in the streets, walking, chatting with each other, waiting for busses etc. and how they actually get to see what all types of people look like and are doing as compared to many places NOB where you might only see a large number of people in the streets of a large city in the office building areas walking around dressed for work in nice clothes or at a Walamrt or mall etc. and in most other areas they are driving around in their vehicles . It is something that takes getting used to. I also read comments how poor [poorly dressed] some of these people in the streets look to some foreigners.

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Fed up with crime. Never felt safe, each year got worse. From students murdered to civilians murdered, to police ambushed, just wanted out. I am happy to be back in USA where I can call the police for help and count on getting it! I feel safer crossing the border into TX, Never plan to return to MX.

Just be careful going to church NoB,people get massacred while attending Bible study classes.

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elevator, mass murders? armed robbers in atlanta? this has to be in the innercity where no one dares to tread.

bennie, I know you think all crime in the US happens in the "inner cities", but I would be interested to see the stats over the last 20 years of people killed in schools, universities, churches, synagogues, mosques, theaters, shopping malls, in the US, compared to the same locations in Mexico.

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Guest bennie2

slanite39, the US is 3xs the size of mex. stats dont mean anything. its location location location. sometimes something strange happens where you may not except it. then again, you dont hear about what happens in the mex barrios. much violence between mexicans. someone mentioned missing junk food? you dont have to travel 1000's of miles for that. this is junk fast food capital. gringal, if you are happy w/the cleaning service stay w/it. i dont like a different person in the house each time. that means more people know your layout doors locks ect. just saying. someone mentioned the english spanish "problem". mexico was always a resort for americans. now it is a retirement place. most people come here for weather/ less expensive living arrangements. (not to assimilate). some spanish words help, but it is a paraelle universe if you want that. its a global world.

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I have heard comments that the NOB people dressed poorly compared to the locals.

Oh, this is so true!

To have oneself and one's children "bien peinado" (well groomed) is frequently mentioned and highly prized by the Mexican women I know. Having never been a "primper" I frequently feel a bit frumpy by comparison.

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Wow, this topic has been a real eye-opener. I find it amazing that some people move to Mexico and then expect it to be not-Mexico, but rather a cheaper version of where they came from. I honestly know some people who seem to view the Mexicans as a pool of potential employees rather than potential friends. I know the language barrier can be a problem but there IS a cure for that -- learn Spanish. Yes, it's hard and takes a lot of time, but you're living in MEXICO.

So the first key to living here happily is to accept it AS IT IS (admittedly not always easy) and find the good things about life here.

The next key, for me, is to have a good social network. I would never hire anyone without a personal recommendation from at least one other person who I trust. Luckily these social networks are very easy to find here.

That said, I would not judge negatively anyone who decided this place wasn't for them and moved away. I reserve that for people who move here and then expect it to change to suit them.

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Sambrit10, you assume incorrectly, I grew up in farm country, I have no problem with a "hoofed" animal on a plate in front of me, it happens almost daily. I do have a very large problem with people, MXN and/or gringo, that treat "pawed" animals as commodities. While in MX I paid to take a number of animals, primarily infants, abandoned, to shelters and regularly fed a number of others.

I have no idea how to respond to this. If you can treat a "hoofed" animal as a commodity than I don't see how you can judge others who treat "pawed" animals as commodities. It's just drawing a line in a different place. Both lines are arbitrary according to the personal feelings of the individual and the culture in which they are raised.

I also have no problem with eating animals. The problem I have is with factory farming or any kind of animal husbandry that mistreats the livestock while they are alive. I get very upset about mistreatment of BOTH hoofed and pawed animals.. And the mistreatment of farm animals happens just as frequently up north as down here (if not more frequently). So I can'y see that the countries NOB have the moral high ground here.

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It's quite easy, I am a "thinking" adult and quite capable of making decisions for myself without assistance from others, nor conforming to any politically correct ideologies. I just had a double cheeseburger on the way home from driving 50 miles to get special food for my cat because he's having some allergy problems. Your response isn't necessary, I am who and what I am and it's always been that way, always will be.

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Oh, this is so true!

To have oneself and one's children "bien peinado" (well groomed) is frequently mentioned and highly prized by the Mexican women I know. Having never been a "primper" I frequently feel a bit frumpy by comparison.

People around here often go out to lunch dressed as though they were going to mow their back lawn.

Some of the older women wear outfits suitable for a 20-something party bar.

Conclusion: no class at all.

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It's quite easy, I am a "thinking" adult and quite capable of making decisions for myself without assistance from others, nor conforming to any politically correct ideologies. I just had a double cheeseburger on the way home from driving 50 miles to get special food for my cat because he's having some allergy problems. Your response isn't necessary, I am who and what I am and it's always been that way, always will be.

I am just trying to point out that these other people you are judging so harshly for the way they treat their animals are also "thinking" adults, so who are you to criticize them? The are also who they are and by your own logic your original comment about them wasn't necessary, either. Just to be clear, I'm not judging your choices about eating vs. caring for animals, but I am bothered by your willingness to judge others so harshly for the choices they make.

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Let's don't get diverted into a debate about the various opinions on the treatment of animals.

As far as I can see, all the reasons why people don't stay here have been listed, some many times over. It was an interesting thread but seems to be complete.

Closed.

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