How it All Started

For three and a half years now, my husband Fred and I have lived in Mexico. We are transplants from Colorado, and previous to that, lived our lives in Chicago. My husband retired in 1995 and we moved to Pueblo, Colorado, to get away from the hustle and bustle of big city life and have a relaxing time in the southern Colorado mountain foothills. We loved life in Colorado and made lots of great friends within the eight years we lived there.

On a fluke, we decided to move to Mexico one dark cold night in October of 2002, after having a discussion about our daughter’s plans to move to Mexico and spend time after college perhaps teaching, but mainly traveling. We had been waiting for 3 years for her to make her move after graduation, telling her our future vacation plans depended on where in Mexico she was going to go! Well, rather than wait for her to do it, we did it ourselves. We were on a highway, and got off at the Barnes and Noble bookstore near the highway and found the travel section. There was a book sitting on the shelf that seemed to have our names on it: “How to Retire to Mexico” (or perhaps some name similar) boldly shouted to us from the shelf. I glanced through it, thought it covered lots of topics I had no idea about, and we found a couple other travel books to help us learn about where we were going. When I got home, I discovered that the book was already six years old, and sure hoped the information wasn’t too outdated! So my next move was to start searching the internet…something I had never done before. It was so much easier than I thought to start gathering information…and the more I found and shared with my husband, the more excited we became.

Over the next few months we bought probably 4 Spanish courses for the computer, 15 books on Mexico living and Spanish, and I filled a 3 ring binder full of information, categorized by several different topics. There was lots to learn, and I sorted the information into these categories: Home, Finances, Medical (our medical records from home and copies of prescriptions and vaccinations), Travel (Cities in Mexico to visit), Immigration Visa Information, Records (Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificates) and good internet sites. The book was indispensible and I referred to it all the time.

Less than eight months later, we had sold our property, had 3 garage sales, packed the rest of our things we couldn’t bear to part with in storage, and drove to Texas to catch a bus to take us to the central Gulf of Mexico state of Veracruz, our first destination in Mexico. We carried 7 bags for the two of us, filled with clothes in space bags with all traces of air sucked out to make them more compact. We didn’t know what to bring, so we tried to bring everything! Only in hindsight did we realize that we should have packed lighter…but when you don’t know you just don’t know! We took the luxury line ADO bus for our 14 hour trip…then 2 more from Veracruz to our new little home in Xalapa.

We planned to stay there for 6 months and get acclimated. We knew it wasn’t a ‘touristy’ destination, so we thought we would really experience a ‘Mexico feel’ for our first six months. It is a hilly city, lush with vegetation and flowers, so beautiful and cultural. It is the capital of the state of Veracruz, about 2 hours west of the Gulf of Mexico. June through September had great weather, and when the fall seeped in, with a light rain most days (called a chipi-chipi) we were feeling like we were back in the mountains of Colorado! The weather is a little nippy from October through February, but many people enjoy that change in seasons.

Midway during our stay, we needed to plan for our next destination…the Yucatan. In September we had taken a long bus ride over to Merida (MARE e da), Yucatan, (the capital) to explore the ocean towns of Progreso and Chicxulub(Chick shoo loob) nearby. I had read about the area, and looked for a beach house to rent, based on the recommendation of friends in Xalapa who had family there. They told us this was an area not spoiled by tourism, and it was very tranquil. It’s funny…tranquil is the most-often-used word to describe the area by the Mexican people who live there!

We said goodbye to our friends on New Year’s Eve and headed over to Merida in a rented van with 3 guys and all our stuff that we had accumulated over those 6 months…There were 3 guys because the driver brought 2 friends with him to share the driving there and back to Xalapa. It was a 14 hour van ride and we enjoyed their company, even though we didn’t speak much Spanish yet, and they spoke very little English! When we arrived at our destination home on the beach, they unpacked our things, said ‘adios’ and were on their way. We were soon lulled to sleep by the rolling surf outside our front door. It was a great beginning to a new year for us and the life by the sea began.

Coming Out of Our Shells

We have been here 3 years now, and have been experiencing life here as if we are small children learning how to do everything. Of course we have had to learn how to talk (Spanish), and that has been a challenge that was much harder than we anticipated. Spanish is not a difficult language to speak, but it can be real difficult to understand what other people are saying in response to what we say to them! Listening is hard in a foreign language, so practicing with people is important.

We have had to learn to get around, ask directions (now that’s a chore!) order food, shop in the grocery store, talk to the gas company, electric company, and phone company. We took local buses for the first year and a half, and explored through the windows of buses and taxis, drinking in all the scenery and road signs, keeping my fingers poised on my electronic translator at all times to help me understand what I was seeing on the road and in the shops. Talking on the phone has been a very difficult thing to master, because without seeing someone’s body language it has been hard to understand phrases that are so common here and totally foreign to outsiders! But we keep chugging along because the people here are so lovely and willing to help us.

Even thought we have a home library chock-full of Spanish instruction books, cds and computer learning systems (well, actually it’s a bookshelf…) I have found that the most important thing for me has been to be with people who speak Spanish and try to remember how they phrase things (not always how it’s written in the textbooks!). I also read the subtitles on our television whenever I can. Yes, it can be intimidating but you have to get our of your comfort zone to move forward, yes?

About Merida

Merida is a city of about 800,000 people, spread over a large geographical area. It was founded in 1542 by a conquistador from Spain, Francisco de Montejo, a full 78 years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in the North American colonies in 1620. It has been called “The White City” largely due to the large use of white limestone and white paint. But it’s not boring, by any means! There is lots of color in the buildings, in the people and in the culture. It is a fascinating mix of the old colonial and the new modern, and the government of the city of Merida keeps the facades of the buildings in their original condition, providing re-habs for those buildings needing repair, to restore them to their original.

There is a grand boulevard which was modeled after the Champs Elysee, called Paseo Montejo. The grand homes along the tree-lined streets tell the story of the lavish lives lived in days past, and the money that flooded this city. Many of the homes have been purchased by businesses and banks, but they still maintain their old splendor. Tourists stroll down Montejo daily, visiting the Archeological museum, the old and new restaurants and coffee shops.

Merida is a very safe city, and one rarely hears of crimes against people being committed. Homes are surrounded with walls and fences, and that also adds to the privacy factor that is so important to the locals. There is lots of traffic, especially in the downtown area, and the streets are mainly one-way. The north and south bound streets are even numbered, and the east-west streets are odd numbered. Makes it a bit easier to find something, but then again, there are several colonias (neighborhoods) and each one numbers their streets the same way within the boundaries…so a good rule of thumb, if you are getting directions, is to ask which colonia something is located in, and then take a taxi there. The local buses are plentiful, but they are very confusing if you don’t know the language and the layout of the city.

Large American stores have branches in Merida too. You will find Sears, Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart, and Costco, McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, TGI Fridays, Bennigans, Wendys, Carls Jr and so on……..but the abundance of Mexican eateries far outweighs the franchises. There are many fine dining restaurants, cafes and clubs. You will see a large array of Mercedes Benzes, Jaguars, BMWs and Porsches alongside the 1970-something VW bugs.

We love Merida for the diversity in culture. The Mayans, who were here first, still are a strong influence. If you like entertainment, you can see free concerts each night of the week throughout Merida parks, and stroll the streets of downtown every Sunday and listen to salsa bands, mariachi bands or rock bands, and watch dance concerts. We love the movies, and we frequent one theater which features leather recliners and waiters to bring you your choice of refreshments while you are viewing the movie. This includes a full bar besides soda pop and popcorn. The movies (except for childrens’s movies) are in English, with Spanish subtitles. It’s a nice night out for only $8 admission! The other movie theaters charge $2.50 Monday through Thursday, and $5 on the weekends.

Beach Bums

When we first moved here, we lived on the beach. We had our first house, then a second down the street. When you rent a beach house in this area, you understand and agree that you cannot rent during July and August, as this is the time when the owners have their summer vacation by the sea. We were faced with a dilemma of what to do with our things during those months, and the first house offered a storage area where we could leave them while we went back to the U.S. for a visit. We decided the second year to get a rental house in Merida, so we would have a year-round place to keep our slowly growing accumulation of stuff…we just couldn’t keep it simple! We got another beach house the following season, and spent lots of wonderful quiet time there, with no television, no internet connection, or other distractions. How lucky we feel to have this option!

I mentioned earlier that we didn’t have a car here in Mexico. Well, that was the first year. When we took our first trip back to the U.S. we decided to bring down our car with us, and had a wonderful journey driving the Gulf coast road all the way to the Yucatan. This past summer we went back up and bought a second car, since our first car was a sports car and too small to fit our guests when they visited. We were tired of renting cars when we had company, so we bought a larger car and drove it down too. Now we are a 2-car family, with 2 houses, furniture and appliances. Hmmm…makes us wonder if this plan for an adventure hasn’t turned into something more permanent!!

Why We Live in Merida

The decision to live here has evolved over three years, based on some of the following information…

The first and foremost reason we live here is that the people are so wonderful! There is a certain warmth and easy-going attitude of the people of the Yucatan and they have always made us feel welcome. I’m sure some people think that people of Mexico are welcoming to foreigners because they think foreigners have money to spend…I disagree with this theory where the people here are concerned. We have been enough places to understand the difference. They try to understand our Spanish…they don’t chastise us because we are not fluent in their language…they just try to communicate with us, plain and simple. It feels good to know that people can take a moment of their time to help us, and talk to us.

Merida is located about 30 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and the port of Progreso is there, along with other small beach communities like Chicxulub (Chick shoo loob), Uaymitun (Y mee toon) and Telchac to the east and Chelem and Chuburna to the west. Several hundred people come down each year from November through March to get away from the cold up north, and typically rent houses or condos. Most homes and condos along the beach are owned by Mexican families in Merida, and those families only use the homes 2 months or so during the year (July and August). Some come to the shore at Easter as well, but for the most part these homes are not owner-occupied for 10 months per year. At the beach, rentals can be found for as little as $400 a month, up to $2500 a month, depending upon the amenities. If you choose apartments or houses away from the beach prices drop considerably.

Sunset in Merida

Merida’s real estate prices are still far lower than you would expect, and good values are plentiful. A nice home can still be purchased for under $50,000. Mortgages are now available for Americans wanting to buy a home here. This is very exciting, because in the past people paid for their homes in cash. If you need more information, contact me and I will put you in touch with the right people…see http://www.mexicoanswers.com/

If you enjoy renting, you can find houses to rent from as little as $150 a month in Merida, and of course, you can find executive homes for rent as well. Whatever your budget, you can find it here!

The city of Merida is a wealthy city, and mansions fill many neighborhoods from north to south, east to west. Hollywood or South Beach could not rival the style and grace of some of these places, with parking for 10 cars, 24-hour guards, pools, fountains and acres of grounds. Don’t let that inhibit you, however! There are middle class neighborhoods along with the modest neighborhoods as well. There is a home price for everybody and homelessness virtually doesn’t exist here.

Medical

There are several top notch hospitals here, and many are affiliated with hospitals in the United States. The care is wonderful, and the costsare very much lower than you will find in the U.S. Don’t be afraid to come here if medical issues are plaguing you…you will be able to find excellent care. If you need insurance to pay for your procedures, please check with your insurer to see what is or is not covered while you are in Mexico. For our medical insurance, we pay any bill here and submit to our carrier in the states and get reimbursed for what we paid.

Schools

We don’t have school-age children, but we do have friends whose children go to school here in Merida. They have found some wonderful bi-lingual schools and their children are thriving.

Arts and Culture

The Yucatan peninsula is ripe with arts and culture, along with the archeological sites known throughout the world. Mexico’s archeological sites are world renowned, and many are stll being unearthed today. Chichen Itza is just 90 minutes away from Merida.

Hotels, Restaurants

The Hyatt Regency has a hotel in Merida, as does the Fiesta Americana and the InterContinental, along with the Holiday Inn and many boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts and also moderate-priced places.

I could go on and on, but for now, I’ll just say that Merida, Yucatan is a wonderful place to live or just vacation. If you are looking for a place in Mexico that is not too touristy, with culture, medical facilities, schools and great real estate prices, come to Merida! See more about it at www.mexicoanswers.com I welcome your comments and questions, so email me at janbek@mexicoanswers.com

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Real Estate in Mexico