The driving force of your expatriation in Mexico

I came down here for a two week visit 45 years ago. Just never left.

Mexico had always been my primary vacation destination, so much so, that I eventually bought a vacation home in the country which served as my travel hub for exploring more of Latin America.
During the economic downturn, in 2009, I divorced.  This was really poor timing because the terms of the divorce required putting multiple California properties on the market at time when their value had deflated 50%. Much of my planned retirement income was destroyed.  A few years later in the recession, my job was eliminated and I couldn't find work that would allow me to continue to keep up the mortgage with high HOA payments of my primary residence in California.  The house in Mexico was paid for, so I retired in Mexico. 
In short, I moved to Mexico permanently out of economic necessity.  However, in Mexico, I have been able to live much more comfortably on my pensions than would be possible in the US.  Today, years later, I enjoy two beautiful homes in opposite coasts of Mexico and am happily remarried.  I am thankful to México for its hospitality and for offering an economically secure, comfortable retirement and a nice life.

After having a man threaten to rape and kill my wife... the police then came to talk to him and he then had to be restrained.... but was let loose and not arrested because in Colorado you have to commit at lease assault with a deadly weapon to be taken to jail.  One of the officers told us he was leaving and we should to because they don't even arrest drunk drivers in CO anymore.  Ticket and on your way....

She got attacked and bitten by a dog the judge said $40 fine it could happen to anyone right?

So we looked into Mexico and found the large mountain areas.  And Lake Chapala was Mexico on training wheels for newbies.  We got our full time residence in Denver and left Denver for Mexico that same day.  3 Days later we were in Lake chapala and we love it.

I feel super safe down here in Lake chapala.  Only felt unsafe while crossing the boarder in laredo but once we were on the toll way it all felt good.  The rest of the trip was great loved the scenery and all the people we delt with were great.  Google translate is used a lot here and we love that.  First night we went to a local restaurant and had to use google translate with the teenage server and she was smiling and laugh with us the whole time.  It always works out.. we want to buy something they want to sell so we work thru it with a smile.

That was oct of last year.  We live in a nice walled in house with a great roof view of the entire lake and mountains.  We feel like we now live in heaven.

I was an expat in Germany many years ago. The US military was my introduction to Germany.

My current residency in MX as a Residente Permanente is a result of working in the maritime industry in MX for three years before retiring.
Being an expat in Germany prepared me psychologically to repeat the process in MX.

Two primary considerations prompted me to settle here. Financial,  and the congeniality of the people, inspite of the lack of infrastructure comparable to the US and the bureaucracy. I have been here for 15 years. I go to the US once a year for a month, primarily for my annual physical and visit family.

MexicoAfterlife wrote:

you have to commit at lease assault with a deadly weapon to be taken to jail.  One of the officers told us he was leaving and we should to because they don't even arrest drunk drivers in CO anymore.  Ticket and on your way.....

You are joking right!?

Colorado has some of the toughest punishments for DUI/DWI in the entire country. I just moved from there. A friend just got his first offense in DUI and served 2 days in jail, 3 years of supervised probation at $60 a month, fined almost $10k and lost his license for a year. He has a driving permit for work times and has to blow into a breathalyzer to start and operate his car, which also costs him about $80 a month.