Top 5 tips to live in Mexico

Expat.com wrote:

Hi,

When you are going to live abroad, you may have a lot of questions. Hence to facilitate you in this process, we are inviting expats to share their top 5 tips with regards to settling and living in Mexico.

What recommendations would you give soon-to-be expats in Mexico?

How should they prepare efficiently for their expatriation project and settling in?

Please share with us your best advice for a successful expatriation in Mexico!

Thank you in advance

Only five? Okay I will consolidate and simplify.

!. Learn at least some Spanish no matter where you plan to go. If you don't you will always be the outsider. Think about people who Speak Spanish coming to your country. If they don't learn the language of your country how well do they fit in ?

2. Leave your household stuff behind. You can buy most of it cheaper here with the exception of perhaps electronics and dvd's in your language, or hard to get herbal supplements. Clothing is very reasonable here and all the top cosmetics are represented, even more organic cosmetics are showing up. Shipping is expensive , tedious and time consuming. Take only what you can get in your car or luggage. If you bring your car , be aware that it will come in on your visa for 6 months and there is a fee. They want you to buy a car here if you live here so you won't be nationalizing that car. It goes where you go. You get your fee back when you leave  with the car.

3. If you want a job here, get a job in your country that will transfer you, or work on line. Do that before you move Don't figure your skills will be essential here They have lots of people who teach English, lots of nurses, plumbers electricians etc. If you have a unique computer skill research that possibility.

4. Meet people and greet them in their language. People here speak to those they pass in their neighborhood. If you do that often enough you are recognized and accepted.

5. Always have some Kleenex in your pocket. That's the first lesson I learned. Toilet paper is not always available or they charge 3 pesos to buy a piece. That was the first living here lesson I had.

Clearly finding pastrami in Mexico is not going to happen. Se we did the next best thing. We made our own. Last night we ate it. Wow...99% like the "real thing". Of course this was not completely locally sourced. You can't have a great pastrami sandwich without fresh rye bread; deli mustard and a half sour pickle.
Well the rye bread and half sour pickles were the real challenge. I went back to the US for a brief visit and returned with those key parts of the meal. Although we intend to make those items as well.
I added another NY delicacy potato knish. I found a recipe and it turned out great. All of this has made our stay in Mexico a lot more enjoyable.
Of course there are a lot more practical tips for surviving in Mexico but food from home makes us all smile a lot.

1 Learn as much Spanish as you possibly can.
2 Bring all the pacience you can muster.......you will need pacience for lines, dealing with paperwork, understanding the systems of business etc are different. etc.
3 open your heart and mind to your friends and neighbors
4 Keep the ¨stuff you bring to a minimum.¨...most everything you could want is here.....certainly everything you need.
5 Expect to be amazed at the colorful festive lifestyle.

This sounds so trite...but the first things i thought of.

1. Learn some Spanish and always greet people with a "Buenos dias", "buenas tardes, or "buenas noches", depending on time of day.  People are a bit more formal here than in the US, although we've noticed that in Playa del Carmen, "hola" is used extensively, especially among younger people.  Carry a small Spanish-English dictionary with you or have an app on your phone for on-the-fly translation.

2. Carry cash (pesos) rather than credit cards.  You can get pesos out of ATMs everywhere in Mexico. Many smaller shops don't accept credit cards or will charge you a fee to use them.  Hang onto small bills and coins as often change is not available, even at larger shops at times.

3. Be flexible and patient.  Most Mexicans work hard and do a very good job, but things aren't always done as quickly as you might expect from the fast-paced environment of the US.

4. Don't be afraid to try street food.  It's delicious, cheap, and not nearly as dangerous as many people fear.  Hot food is safer.  Same with the small local restaurants -- some of the best food in Mexico can be found here and is very reasonably priced.

5. Be friendly, open-minded, and enjoy the culture.  Mexicans can be reserved at first but most are very sweet and friendly if you extend yourself to them.

Typical greeting here as I am walking down the road is ........Adios.......never have quite figured that out.

Jean Ann wrote:

Typical greeting here as I am walking down the road is ........Adios.......never have quite figured that out.

Have not had that one, Jean Ann.  Where in Mexico?

Small town on the ocean in Guerrero  Coyuca de Benitez

1) Make sure your finances can sustain you and your family, always add a contingency

2) Get wired into the local way of life

3) Most Furnishing are available in Mexico so unless its super special dont ship,  its lots of stress and paperwork.

4) its worth bringing a SUV, a Toyota 4 Runner or Jeep Wrangler or similar normal vehicles don't survive as well and run through tyres on the speed humps or topes, in the rains roads can have lots of pot holes, unseen when full of water!

5 Make sure your passports have a good life span not just 3 to 5 years!

Be kind to fellow US citizens and help them out if you can. I recently went to San Miguel Allende for a day trip and asked an oblivious US couple for street directions. They told me they were very very busy and scurried away.

Hello Jean, in the first years in Mexico i created a small boutique hotel at Tulum powered by green energy,  it was very small and rustic place, now its a mecca of up market expensive boutique hotels and spas!
Good Luck with your venture, its hard work and fun, never forget why you decided to change your life. Few people have the courage to do that enjoy the journey.......

1.  Bring all your documentation notarized and with an apostille. This includes: birth certificates, school records, diplomas, transcripts, marriage certificates, divorce certificates, and death certificates.  Trying to obtain these records once in Mexico is much more difficult.

2.  Remain positive.  This is a different country and therefore the culture, language, and lifestyle will not be what you were accustomed to in your previous life.  Learning the new "rules" will be frustrating.  Maintaining a positive outlook is essential.

3.  Leave behind your preconceptions of how life should be.  This is related to tip #2. You can not compare and should not try to imitate your life in your previous country.  This is a new beginning.  Make a life that works for you even if it appears odd to others.

4.  Be respectful.  Remember the saying "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar." and live by it.  You are the foreigner after all.

5.  Enjoy the journey.  Expect the unexpected.  Open your eyes and see the beauty that is Mexico.  Focusing on things you think should change will just frustrate you to no end.

DON"T LISTEN- BRING THE THINGS YOU NEED see below.  You can't get good cosmetics here unless maybe a big city but I haven't seen them there either.  If you don't have dark skin you probably can't get the color or quality you want.  Aqua Net and Treseme (sp) are about the only hair sprays.  Salon shampoos are hard to find and spendy.  Walmart is carrying higher quality store products.  The clothes are all synthetic polyester, usually tight and small or expensive and most in Mexican style.  These are the reasons why so many expat women can't wait to take shopping trips to the u.s.   Vitamins and herbals are here but cost prohibitive.  Iherb online ships here for $4usd per order.  It takes awhile but you get them.  Electronics are outrageous, TV's, computers with Mx key boards (a real challenge) and little do- dads.  Bring them because while you can find companies that will ship for free, especially from China, you really don't want to take a chance that a too spendy item makes it past the Custom's officers pockets.  Ditto small household appliances.  Sheets are another in a long list of items.  Most here are low count or poly, yeeeees poly!  Bring them!  Towels are thin but getting better unless you travel to the bigger cities and pay through the nose and not a lot of design choice.  I could go on... batteries outrageous, etc.  If you are going to the Lake Chapala area, Lake Chapala Moving is very reasonable, English speaking, reliable and well priced.  You buy by the foot and they drop a trailer off at your home, come pick it up and deliver to your new home.  They can load and unload, your choice.  They do the Custom's paperwork.

Hi - I have spent a lot of time in Mexico - I have heard that adios thing somewhere! (I did pass through Guerrero) - I would say, quickly: Mexicans are some of the politest people in the world and they expect the same. It can only be positive to imitate them! Smile - and you will open hearts right away. You are not superior, and do not forget that! They really appreciate all efforts at speaking Spanish, and of  course you should make them. If you are not willing to do that, stay home. No, you dont need furniture, linens etc, but you should bring the kinds of cosmetics, body care products, etc you like with you. Whatever you might in Mexico that is American, will be much more costly. Be extremely - as in very - cautious about any kind of business venture or commercial transaction. Do not take on a partnership with a native, I have heard nothing good. And buying is tricky, get a good lawyer, a recommended one. There is a post here about an area near Campeche, read it! Take time to know the place and lifestyle and visit various areas before making important decisions. In other words, be nice but be prudent! Good luck!

Hi, I lived in Spain  for several years and  often when I was walking   Past an older person they would say Adios . I think it was more common in an earlier time . Adios  is used now to say goodbye but it really means  "go with God".    I don't remember ever hearing it used in the town . Only on the road . Maybe a travelers greeting ?

I am sure that it was intended originally as a blessing, like Namaste or Salaam Alekhum - People used to be much more spiritually minded....It certainly makes sense on the road!

"4. Don't be afraid to try street food.  It's delicious, cheap, and not nearly as dangerous as many people fear.  Hot food is safer.  Same with the small local restaurants -- some of the best food in Mexico can be found here and is very reasonably priced."

Sorry CaribeGal ,
But I have to disagree with the street food idea. My background is medicine, and The street vendors often have no immediate access to a bathroom or hand washing. So I would advise sticking to places where you can see that hand washing and a bathroom are available. The exception would be whole fruit you can wash. I am aware of more than one reported case of parasites acquired from eating at road side stands.

If you can't wash your hands between customers, and after dishing up food there is a problem. You also don't know how well that hot food has been maintained. Caution and observation is definitely advised.

iamgatita wrote:

DON"T LISTEN- BRING THE THINGS YOU NEED see below.  You can't get good cosmetics here unless maybe a big city but I haven't seen them there either.  If you don't have dark skin you probably can't get the color or quality you want.  Aqua Net and Treseme (sp) are about the only hair sprays.  Salon shampoos are hard to find and spendy.  Walmart is carrying higher quality store products.  The clothes are all synthetic polyester, usually tight and small or expensive and most in Mexican style.  These are the reasons why so many expat women can't wait to take shopping trips to the u.s.   Vitamins and herbals are here but cost prohibitive.  Iherb online ships here for $4usd per order.  It takes awhile but you get them.  Electronics are outrageous, TV's, computers with Mx key boards (a real challenge) and little do- dads.  Bring them because while you can find companies that will ship for free, especially from China, you really don't want to take a chance that a too spendy item makes it past the Custom's officers pockets.  Ditto small household appliances.  Sheets are another in a long list of items.  Most here are low count or poly, yeeeees poly!  Bring them!  Towels are thin but getting better unless you travel to the bigger cities and pay through the nose and not a lot of design choice.  I could go on... batteries outrageous, etc.  If you are going to the Lake Chapala area, Lake Chapala Moving is very reasonable, English speaking, reliable and well priced.  You buy by the foot and they drop a trailer off at your home, come pick it up and deliver to your new home.  They can load and unload, your choice.  They do the Custom's paperwork.

Wow,
sounds like things are very expensive and somewhat limited in Chapala. I have not found any of that to be true of the Yucatan / Campeche areas. There are many makeup sources, including the body shop which is more organic. The clothes are many of the same clothes found in the U.S. at a more reasonable price. Costco is 2 hours away from me if I need something more. I ordered a lap top here and the cost was identical to the U.S. I know Guadalajara which is about a half hour from Chapala has all of those things and a massive mall..
So I guess the message is bring everything if you are moving to Chapala.

Definitely agree- street food can be very dangerous and newbies have little resistance. Be careful with all food and water" Why do t hey sell disinfectant for veggies in every supermarket? Maybe because it is a good idea! Use it! The flies carry bacteria, etc....There are strains that can really cause problems - even for life - and there is not always a good treatment. Prudence pays!

One cannot compare the quality of cosmetics one can find in the States with those in Mexico. And if you find good American products, they are much more expensive/ Bring them! I dont agree about sheets and towels either but I am not fussy. Just no synthetics! Of course bring all electronics you can. And the clothes are conceived for the typical Mexican body (speaking of women) - if you are tall and long boned and thinnish, it will be very hard. Of course some women adapt the blouses, huipils, etc - they are lovely if that is your style. Not all of us want to be a Frida Kahlo look alike though!

Where are you buying your makeup and clothes ?

The local Liverpool has 7 top cosmetic brands, they are the same brands found in the U.S. and it's the same product. A product costing $30 would cost 500 mx and it does. Are these products you buy in the market ? The stuff you find in markets here is similar to the stuff you find in the U.S. in fact some of it is stuff from the U.S. especially at Sally stores. I tend to use natural products so I mostly limit my cosmetic spending to the body shop or l'Occitain which are much less polluting than the average product.


The women here want to be 5'9 so they buy stylish American products sold locally and wear 3-4 inch heels. I haven't seen anyone in peasant gear except those working in native restaurants. Most of the local women look like they just came out of any-store U.S.A. In Cancun you can find Gucci, Hermes and all of the very top end shops. You can buy Benefit or Dior makeup if you choose, or Mabeline in one of the less posh stores. If you need special makeup designed specifically for your skin type by prescription, of course you will have to bring it.

Hello all

Thanks for your contribution, but please let's stay on topic ok?

Kenjee
Expat.com Team

Actually it is on topic, about what to bring. If you buy any American product in Mexico it will be much more expensive - obviously - so why waste miney? Bring as much as you can. The Body Shop and Occitain do NOT sell the good cosmetics you can find in health food stores in the States, anyway, learn to read labels. Not everyone is a fashion victim designer clothes addict and in most places in Mexico those stores do not exist anyway. And most people cannot afford them in any case. You think all expats are rich and that Mexico is Cancun? Good grief! BRING your things with you! I have the body they want and believe me, I cannot find clothes that suit and fit me in Mexico or Central America. If course I visit much more interesting and authentic places than Cancun. So please, before you leave, stuff those suitcases!

Research is key. I read a great deal about different areas in Mexico before we investigated specific destinations. My needs included proximity to an airport, lovely weather and not overly touristy. This eliminated many areas. We then made visits to the top contenders and eliminated as we went along. People suggested we rent before buying but we've bought so many houses and traveled so much that that wasn't necessary.
The move itself can be difficult if you decide to bring your own furniture however if you rent a furnished place that eliminates a big step.
Once you are in Mexico develop a relationship with a lawyer that can help you will residency requirements, purchasing property etc.
Bienvenido

1.  Patience will go a long way to solving problems.  Expressions like in a little while and right away can mean anything from a few minutes to hours.  Be firm in asking for committments.  Even then, be prepared to be disappointed.

2. You are allowed to stand up for your rights.  But never lose your temper or you will lose the encounter.  Courtesy and a smile are a must.

3. Mexicans do not like to disappoint.  If you ask a question and doubt you got a complete or accurate answer, rephrase your question.  Ask more than one person at different times and places.

4. I'm not a good example of it, but great every stranger you pass on the street in your neighborhood.  It's custom and says you want to be a part of the community.

5.  Courtesy is partly formula, partly sincerity.  Saying please and thank you is never wrong.  Say thank you even if you paid for the service, i.e., the taxi driver or bus driver whan you get off; the merchant or sales clerk when they hand you your change; the server when they bring you your food or complete a request.

Take the the advice about the toilet paper seriously.  I went to Mitla, Oaxaca and didn't find out about it until I got there.

Good advice!

There's a point I skipped over.
I usually stuff a pocket with paper napkins.
In some places commodes won't have a toilet seat and will be cold.
Having enough napkins to cover is a comfort in more ways than one.

On the other hand, any place that caters to tourists will have TP and towels.  Almost all the time.

PEMEX (gasoline) stations are a good bet to have clean restrooms.
Intercity bus stations are also pretty reliable these days though you will have to pay and possibly look carefully to find TP and towels.

Excellent advice, gudgrief! 

As you say, politeness and courtesy go a LONG way in Mexico.  This culture is like the US used to be in that regard, before rudeness and entitlement seemed to take over.  I love the fact that people treat each other with respect and courtesy here in Mexico.  It's VERY refreshing!

Paying toilets are common in Mexico and many other places. It means that there is someone there to clean them, so usually it is the best choice....The courtesy is quite pleasant but sometimes - like everything in life - it can have a negative factor. Like teachers cant give bad grades or fail a student because you have to be nice to everyone. This lowers the educational level and does not motivate effort. Or you cant complain to your landlady (the women always take care of the rentals, all that has to do with housing() even though your complaint is perfectly justified. Well, I guess you could say something one time very politely but this does not always work. Actually, my advice would be to try and rent from gringos. Generally the  place will be much better equipped and decorated; it will be cleaner, and more functional. And there might be a serious response to a problem. Even Mexicans agree with me on that! It might be more expensive too, of course! There are always exceptions, however. Once I rented a dirty and dilapidated place for good bucks from an American woman, but she had been in Mexico for decades and had a serious drinking problem. The main decoration in her own house was tequila bottles! And of course higher level Mexican rentals might be nice. But as a general rule, that is my advice....Depends on your budget too, of course....

Agree re. renting from gringos.  For me that is mostly because I want a lease I can read and understand, and I need to be able to communicate precisely with the landlord to hammer out any issues.  It's difficult to communicate with our Spanish-speaking housekeeper, so I would not want to have to do that with a landlord/property manager.  Yes, we pay more, but we feel more comfortable this way.

And of course I am learning Spanish, but it's slow-going, and achieving fluency is probably not going to happen in my lifetime, especially since there are so many people who speak English here.

Clarity is very important, for sure, crucial even, and mastering the language requires a lot of time. Keep trying! It is good you are making the effort. Tranquillity is worth paying a bit extra, if you can afford it....

"A Dios" may sometimes be used the way Hawaiians use "Aloha", both as a passing greeting, whether coming or going.

~ Skye

Great info!  Thanks everyone 😀

Adios means goodbye not hello in Spanish. Hello is "hola" [hello] or "Buenos días" [good day], "buenas tardes" [good afternoon], or "buenas noches" [good nght -  but as a greeting not as a goodbye].

Oh yes gudgrief,

It has become such a habit I forgot about it. It is not at all uncommon to find toilets without seats and without toilet paper. you must always be well prepared for that probability. Sometimes there is a woman collecting 5 pesos for paper by the bathroom door, but that is only sometimes.

Actually that is one of the reasons I asked about fitness. If you are unable to squat and hold that squat for several minutes, you have to work on that. There are a number of things that challenge fitness, but the main one is the bathroom. Another is stairs, stairs everywhere.

Never take anything for granted in Mexico.

  I got a new deb it card in the mail I picked up in McAllen on Monday.  I checked my balance at my bank's ATM in the Xalapa bus station on Wednesday and promptly got the correct balance displayed.  OK, my PIN worked fine.  then I asked for 1000 pesos and the friggin thing said it couldn't give it to me.

So, figuring I better see if I can get cash for my rent or use some other strategy, I went to the bank here in Coatepec this morning.  The line was kind of long for this close to payday and 2 ladies were doing things at a couple of machines that looked like they might be reprogramming them again, again.

I waited in line and when it came the guy's turn ahead of me, I hesitated to see if he was waiting for one of the special machines for doing payments.  Quick as a flash a little old lady scooted ahead to the second machine from the left.  My turn came and I got the leftmost machine.  Asked for a withdrawal of 5,000 pesos and got it without a problem.  Meanwhile the old lady was still struggling .

Patience can be its own reward in Mexico and sometimes comes with a bonus.

Yep, patience, and observation are critical especially in Mexico. Someone else will pop in front of you if you hesitate at all, so it's best to size up the situation as you approach it.

Traffic is really crazy making that way. Yes, it does cause accidents , so I try to carefully play the game.  I also walk a block or two rather than fight for one of those highly desirable parking spots. Viva la Mexico