The E-book Mexico: The Trick is Living Here will help you enjoy
your first year in Mexico
HOME-SWEET-MEXICO.COM
LIVE OR RETIRE IN MEXICO:
A PRACTICAL, DETAILED GUIDE
Now in its
Second Edition
Doesn't "retire in Mexico" have a lovely ring to it? You know that
there is more to life than what you can experience in the United
States or Canada. You also know that it's relatively easy to visit
Mexico as a rich "American" on vacation, but it's quite another thing
to live here.
To be honest, when you live or retire in Mexico, the first year is
especially difficult -- worth it, but difficult. I found my first year
full of challenges and culture shock. Everything seemed so hard as I
figured it out for myself. A practical guidebook full of how-to
details would have been a huge help for me.
After accumulating a set of hard-earned how-to knowledge, I began to
write about my experiences. I developed my writing into an e-book that
I believe will help others. I named my e-book Mexico: The Trick is
Living Here and I am offering it to you as a tool to help you live or
retire (or travel extensively) in Mexico.
Now, I have expanded Mexico: The Trick is Living Here and created a
second edition. Many of my readers are Canadians, so I have added two
sections just for Canadians looking to live in Mexico. I have also
added more information about the cost of living, driving in Mexico,
health care and doing paperwork in Mexico, among other things.
Here is the table of contents [1] of Mexico: The Trick is Living
Here Second Edition so that you can see the types of practical things
I've included. (Notice the unique section on cultural information,
available nowhere else in print or on the web.)
For a few dollars you can have this detailed handbook at your side
during the months of planning as well as the first year of your stay
in Mexico. Purchase Now [2]
To be sure that the e-book was a good as I thought it was, I asked
a variety of people to review it. The first person to read Mexico: The
Trick is Living Here was a Canadian expatriate. Here are her comments:
Dear Julia:
"I was really excited to read the e-book. I had a few ... 'ah-ha
moments' as I read along. It felt good to know that I am not alone in
this and that the way I feel about things is normal! It wasn't just
that but... I feel pretty helpless about doing things most of the time
here... I have always been independent. Now I can't do things without
[my Mexican friend's] help. You helped me to see that I will be able
to (no matter how different the process is here!)
"I think that you have a real talent for speaking the truth without
offending....I wish I could do that. ...I pulled my inflatable bed up
to my laptop on fruit crates and bunked down and read the whole thing!
...
"The other thing was that I thought that you had a really nice flow
to it all. I just kept reading with ease. I think it is fabulous and I
am totally inspired."
--Cheryl Allaby, Canadian expatriate living in Mexico
Like Cheryl, I wanted to know that what I was feeling was normal.
THERE IS NO OTHER SOURCE LIKE MEXICO: THE TRICK IS LIVING HERE SECOND
EDITION
I read things written by others who had supposedly "lived" here. I
wanted affirmation that the culture shock I was experiencing was
normal. I wanted effective ways of viewing my experiences so that I
could learn how to better deal with them. I wanted to know how to get
my household set up.
I got none of this. I found that what others wrote showed them
living as Americans in Mexico--apart from the Mexicans that surrounded
them. But I hadn't moved to Mexico to remain separate from Mexicans
and I didn't have the money to live the same way I had lived in the
U.S.
I finally decided to write the book I needed, so that I could share
what I learned with others. The result is Mexico: The Trick is Living
Here and I'm confident that it will give you the practical "how-to"
information you need and truly enrich your experience in Mexico. And
it's funny, too!
Did you know that the culture will even effect the quality of your
mail service? Click here to read a special preview of the e-book [3].
Purchase Now [4]
GETTING BEYOND THE HYPE
I'm sure you've noticed that most of what you read about Mexico on
the Internet and in books is all about how cheap it is or how perfect
the weather is. But you're not cheap. That's no reason to move to
another country. Is weather really that important? After all, you
could just move to New Mexico or Hawaii and have good weather without
the international experience.
You would embark on the international experience because Mexico
itself has something to offer you, right?
But it's hard to know what exactly it is that Mexico has to offer.
You recognize the "cheap Mexico" and "Mexico is paradise" hype for
what it is. Hype. You are left with a desire to get beneath the
surface and find out more about what it is really like to live or
retire in Mexico.
Click here for a special preview of the e-book [5]
GETTING UNDERNEATH THE SHALLOW IMAGES OF MEXICO
Let's face it, we get two opposite messages about Mexico. Message
number 1 is sponsored by the tourism industry. They want to sell us
pia coladas under palapas. For them Mexico is a "cheap paradise."
Hmmm. Not your idea of a real life? Do you suspect some ulterior
motive behind this message?
And Message number 2 is a little scary. This one comes from the news
media. Mexico is a poor, third-world country where the government is
corrupt. ...Oh, and lots of drugs are grown and sold here. Not your
idea of a comfortable life?
So where can you get information on what it's really like to live or
retire in Mexico?
For example: Do you know how to get phone service in a country where
having a phone is a luxury? Click here to read a special preview of
the e-book [6]
Do you know what a croquis is?
Those questions and many more like them are what I address in
Mexico: The Trick is Living Here. I'm not employed by either the
tourism industry nor the news media. The "how-to" information I
include in my e-book is based on my real-life experiences. I know what
a person needs when they live or retire in Mexico because I've lived
the experience.
The book covers the things that you will experience in the first
months when you live or retire in Mexico. It includes the information
you will need if you are going to stay on your own. It is ideal for
those living at least 2 to 12 months in Mexico. If you are going to
live here, it will be invaluable in getting your home set up and
making you comfortable in your new Mexican residence.
If you are just coming for an extended stay, it is still highly
recommendable because of its focus on getting around, communicating
with family and friends back home, eating well and safely, connecting
with the community, etc.
Purchase Now [7]
Will you need more information in order to figure out how to move to
Mexico? Of course. Any move, especially one to a new country requires
planning in many areas of your life, including legal and financial
matters, which are well-discussed in many excellent web sites and
books.
But you know that there is more to life than finances. And guess
what? Mexico is a place where planning is practically futile. Mexico
can pull apart the most carefully made plans in minutes! This e-book
shows you how to roll with the punches and take Mexico in stride. If
you decide to read Mexico: The Trick is Living Here Second Edition it
will help you through the difficult first months when everything is
new and culture shock can get you down. Purchase Now [8]
WHEN YOU PURCHASE MEXICO: THE TRICK IS LIVING HERE SECOND EDITION YOU
GET...
* Over 140 pages of original, richly descriptive text.
* 16 pages devoted entirely to cultural information.
* How-to information on getting necessities such as...
* choosing a house
* choosing a health care "plan"
* getting a telephone
* traveling by bus
* driving (includes navegating turnabouts)
* doing laundry click here for a special preview of the e-book [9]
* banking
* Direct, honest discussion of culture-shock not found anywhere
else (additional to what is on this web site).
* A unique, humorous insider's view of Mexico.
* The author's first-hand anecdotes, demonstrating the points made
in the book.
* Special comments on Mexico's unique neighborhood festivals by the
author's Mexican husband.
* The all new section titled "Documents" on doing paperwork and a
variety of official transactions in Mexico including...
* getting your FM3 (no matter where you are from)
* getting birth certificates for children born in Mexico (U.S. and
Canada)
* receiving your social security benefits (for expats from the
United States)
* See the table of contents [10] for more information
* All new special sections just for Canadians discussing...
* residency
* planning to move to Mexico
* birth certificates
* other issues unique to Canadians
* All new section on health care in Mexico.
* 13 full-color photographs of real life in Mexico that help bring
the text alive.
* A special Day of the Dead photo gallery with photos taken during
the 2005 celebration in Cuernavaca and surrounding areas.
* Easy to read Adobe Acrobat format with hyperlinks in the table of
contents that allow you to jump directly to the section you want.
ARE YOU READY TO READ MEXICO: THE TRICK IS LIVING HERE SECOND
EDITION? YOU ALSO GET TWO COMPANIONS -- FOR FREE.
When you complete the secure order form, in addition to Mexico: The
Trick Is Living Here Second Edition you also get the companion "Useful
Links," a $15.00 value, for FREE. This companion contains over 70
links to web sites on Mexico!
Find additional information on getting your visa, bringing your
household items, health care, real estate, the expatriate experience
and more--simply by clicking on the links in the guide. I save you
hours of research by doing the searches for you. You don't have to
weed through the unrelated, the badly written, the advertisements, and
the pointless fluff. You just click on the link right in the document
and go straight to good information. Plus, I've included some less
known, but excellent sites created by some of the great people I've
gotten to know as I write about Mexico. Google is good, but not
perfect. Some of these people's great sites don't show up on Google
searches, so take advantage of my experience and connections, which I
want to share with you.
Finally, just for fun, I include (also for FREE, of course) a second
companion called "Tamales," a $5.00 value. "Tamales" shows how tamales
are made, step by step, with color photos.
All together, this is a $40 dollar value, which you can purchase for
only $19.95 (USD)!
HERE\'S HOW TO GET YOUR OWN COPY OF MEXICO: THE TRICK IS LIVING HERE
SECOND EDITION (PLUS THE TWO COMPANION GUIDES, INCLUDED FOR FREE)
It's easy. Your new book and the free companions are available for
instant download as soon as you complete the secure order form and hit
the "submit" button. You'll be taken to a page that gives the download
instructions so you can easily save the book to your computer. Start
by clicking on the "Click Here to Purchase" button below.
The purchase will be made through ClickBank. They provide a secure
way to pay over the internet. ClickBank allows you to use a credit
card, electronic check, or paypal to make your purchase. If you have
any difficulties with the ebook I will be happy to assist you. You
just need to e-mail me at
Mexico: The Trick is Living Here Second Edition and the companions
take about 10 minutes to download, and are in PDF format using Acrobat
Reader - a free program which works on all computers. (It is probably
already installed on your computer but you'll receive directions for
getting your free copy on the download page, just in case.)
Order Now for only $19.95:
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE [11]*
*If you are concerned about making a purchase online, click here
[12].
If, as you are reading Mexico: The Trick is Living Here some
additional questions come up, I would be pleased to respond to your
emails about your decision to live or retire in Mexico.
I'm confident you will enjoy my ebook and will learn a lot about
living in Mexico from reading it.
Thank you. I wish you the very best.
Excerpt from the
Mexico: The Trick is Living Here Second Edition
section "Communication"
The first installation of your phone will cost you $170 and more
than you can imagine in patience.
Once you have chosen your place [to buy or rent], you should make
what is called a _croquis_ (pronounced kro-kees), which is a map of
your neighborhood depicting the location of your house. _Croquis_es
are required for most official interactions so that people can
actually find your house. In a country where there are at least five
_Avenida Emiliano Zapatas_ in each city and where the houses are
numbered chronologically by date of construction, they are quite
necessary. In your telephone _croquis_ you must include....
With your _croquis_ and an hour's worth of interesting reading
material in hand, go to the TelMex office. Find the
customer-lack-of-service desks and wait your turn. You can keep a
positive attitude by enjoying your reading material. When it is your
turn, you can go up to the desk and ask nicely to have a telephone
installed. Be patient while the TelMex employee flips through the
screens on her DOS-based computer program and talks to her coworkers
for thirty minutes. She may try to tell you that it is impossible to
install a phone in your house, your neighborhood, your city, planet
earth.
Return to the description of the e-book [13]
Click here to return to the table of contents [14]
Purchase Now [15]
Excerpt from the
Mexico: The Trick is Living Here Second Edition
section "Transportation"
Buses are different than in the States in another way. One such way
is that the service approximates the speed of a car as they drive just
as fast--and whether you are seated or not is your problem, not
theirs.
Basically, it goes like this. You select your bus by reading the
signs painted on or hung in the front window. When you spot your bus
approaching you raise your right index finger to shoulder height. The
bus pulls to the curb near you. You hop on and keep one hand on one of
the hand holds mounted within. With your free hand you give the driver
your fare (N$ 4.50 in Cuernavaca). Keep holding on tight while he
makes change (that's right folks, you don't have to have exact change)
because he will be accelerating at mach 10. Once you have your change
you monkey-bar your way back to an available seat, trying not to fall
into people's laps while he careens around corners. If there are no
aisle seats available....
Click here to return to where you were reading
Click here to return to the table of contents
Purchase Now [16]
Excerpt from the
Mexico: The Trick is Living Here Second Edition
section "Laundry: No, You Don't Get to Operate the Machine
Yourself"
Coming from the Pacific Northwest, I have been engendered with an
unbendable self-reliability. But here in Mexico, there isn't the big
trend toward do-it-yourself processes.... [T]here are people to do
every small task, even people who guide you as you back out of your
parking space in a parking lot. Gone are the days of shooting your own
photocopies; of packing your own groceries. Also gone are the hours of
sitting in stiff plastic chairs, dividing your attention between soap
operas on wall-mounted big screens and the gray slop flopping around
and around in a Laundromat washing machine. Here you must take your
clothes to someone else to do it.
You must advise them on what they can and can't dry, what can have
bleach and what can't, what bleeds and what doesn't. Then, you have to
walk away, leaving your wardrobe in the hands of another person. You
should find a laundromat (_lavandera_) somewhere close to your house
and get to know the people who run it. They will charge you by the....
Click here to return to where you were reading [17].
Click here to return to the table of contents [18]
Purchase Now [19]
Excerpt from the
Mexico: The Trick is Living Here Second Edition
section: "Communication"
There are no rules for mail. It is a surprisingly individual service
and different at every house. In the cities the mail will be delivered
to your house by a mail person on a motorcycle with saddlebags. Get to
know this person's id and face. Greet him warmly, ask him from where
he hails. Tell him where you are from. You don't need to invite him in
for tea, but spend a minute in a basic Mexican greeting ritual. This
is the person who will leave your mail at your door or with a
neighbor. He will learn whether or not you have an untrustworthy
neighbor and avoid giving it to that person. ... His feeling that he
is appreciated will go a long way toward you receiving excellent mail
service. You can give him a nice big tip in an envelope whenever you
would like, especially....
Click here to return to where you were reading [20]
Click here to return to the table of contents [21]
Purchase Now [22]
WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING ABOUT MEXICO: THE TRICK IS LIVING HERE?
Hi Julia,
Mexico is hard to adjust to. I did not think I would make it here
those first 2 months, but now that I know what to expect it is a lot
easier. Your book helped me a lot. I would read it and laugh at the
parallels I would see.
Well write back and let me know what is going on in your life and
how your journey goes here.
--Mike, U.S. expat. living near Puerto Vallarta
Hi, Julia
Mexico: The Trick is Living Here is a very useful book. Good luck
with the POD version.
"Julia Taylor has written an excellent book. There's no theory here;
just down-to-earth advice that you're unlikely to find anywhere else,
with real-world specifics on everything from health care to public
transportation to social behavior, and from shopping to street vendors
to finding a public bathroom. She doesn't sugar coat the reality, but
she also obviously loves the people and the country. Moving to a new
country can be very stressful. This book can make the change a whole
lot easier."
--Mick Winter, BoomersAbroad.com [23]
Julia,
Your book is an excellent read for anyone considering moving to
Mexico as a seasonal snowbird or full-time resident. It is packed full
of interesting stories and insights that will enhance the stay of
anyone considering living in Mexico. I would highly recommend this
book.
--Douglas Gray, LL.B. Author of 24 bestselling books, including, the
national bestseller: The Canadian Snowbird Guide (Everything You Need
to Know About Living Part-Time in the USA and Mexico). The 4th edition
is being released in the Fall of 2007, and is published by John Wiley
& Sons. Vancouver, B.C. www.snowbird.ca [24]
Hi Julia,
I starting reading your book and I couldn't put it down. I loved it.
I chuckled at some of your experiences and felt your frustrations at
others. I will definitely like to promote it.
I would like to interview you over the phone. ...
--Linda, creator of secondactliving.com
Dear Julia:
The descriptions are wonderful! There are so many places that make
me laugh, because you feel like you're really there. The parts where
you tell about riding the crowded bus, and going to the market really
zing because you let your personality and opinions show through.
--Jonni Good,
experienced e-book publisher
HERE\'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT MEXICO: THE TRICK IS LIVING
HERE.
Hi Julia,
Happy New Year!
Thank you for your reply. I've read your book cover to cover and
found it very useful, particularly the sections on what to expect from
Mexican culture and how to get by with people.
I look forward to reading your next edition. I would find it useful
if there was more information on cost of living including typical
salaries although I realize that, given the size and diversity of the
country it may be difficult to make generalisations.
Thanks once again for your email and please let me know when you
publish the next volume of your book.
Kind Regards
Edward
Hi Julia,
I really enjoyed reading your book :o) Great information! I hope the
review below is what you need.
-----------
Detailed and thorough, Mexico: The Trick is Living Here is a
must-read for anyone contemplating a move to this U.S. neighbor.
Relocating to Mexico is often thought of in romantic terms, but this
very informative ebook tells it like it really is, stressing the
day-to-day challenges of adapting to a Mexican lifestyle, from
navigating the banking system to mastering social etiquette to
shopping in the markets.
As a transplanted U.S. citizen, the author's honest assessments are
a breath of fresh air, and her personal story makes the read all that
much more interesting. Also included are very useful links for finding
further information.
I highly recommend that anyone considering embarking on a
life-changing move to Mexico read this in-depth ebook first!
Kris Nicovich
Owner, mexicoadventure.com [25]
Julia,
It is so very good to hear from you! I am delighted you are offering
a second edition of your book. I have been buried in teaching work,
but your e-mail reminded me I didn't send you a promotional quote.
...
I want to recommend Mexico: The Trick is Living Here to anyone
thinking of moving to Mexico. The information contained in Julia
Taylor's e-book is forthright and entertaining, and Ms. Taylor's
polished prose illuminates the cultural and economic issues from the
vantage point of someone who is experiencing Mexico at the ground
level.
Personally, my primary interest when I purchased the e-book was in
lifestyle. I am deeply concerned with the skyrocketing cost of living
in the United States, and I honestly think "Baby Boomers" need
straight-from-the-shoulder information on how much more purchasing
power is available to them in Mexico. Refreshingly, Ms. Taylor lays
bare not only the cultural hurtles one will encounter while in Mexico,
but she also gives great hope to those wondering daily if their
retirement income will sustain them anywhere in the world.
Frankly, this e-book opened the door for me to the delightfully
practical possibilities of moving to and living in Mexico.
If you are thirsty for specific details about life in Mexico, and
you want those details served with wit and candor, I heartily
recommend Mexico: The Trick is Living Here.
I bought a copy, and I think I struck a wonderful bargain.
--Michael Greene, Online Instructor
HERE\'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT
MEXICO: THE TRICK IS LIVING HERE.
Dear Julia;
"Your tone in [Mexico: The Trick is Living Here] is terrific. You
couple humor with your usual wry observations, not always flattering,
but very honest. Reading this makes me want to come to Mexico, and
also makes me aware of the pitfalls."
--Nancy Thompson,
author and university writing instructor
Ever wonder what it is "really like" living day to day in another
country with people whose expressions, attitudes and lifestyles you
are not familiar? Afraid you will feel out of your element, certainly
out of your comfort zone? Getting on the bus, shopping at the market,
chatting with neighbors can be a bit different in Mexico.
I felt after reading Mexico: The Trick Is Living Here that I had a
much better understanding of what lay in store for the beginner
American expatriate. Thanks to Julia Taylor for an instructive and
also entertaining read.
--Doug Stewart
Hello Julia,
As an instructional manual your book is excellent-the best I have
read-and I've read 8 or 10 different guides in living and traveling in
Mexico. I think that your book is an invaluable reference to getting
things done in Mexico. I know that I will be consulting it from time
to time, if not for myself, then for other people to help them through
their transitions.
Your book is a very good, concise, guide to the handling of the
paper work involved in accomplishing a person's dealings with the
bureaucratic side of the Mexican government. I could really get the
feeling of the attitude that one must have to participate in these
dealing in a Mexican manner. People from the U.S. are used to having
everything done for them, and aren't used to dealing with public
transportation to get everything accomplished, so this information
will be very useful for them.
The personal parts of the book lend a very nice spice or Mexican
flavor to the content. I can feel the warmth you have for this way of
life that you have found. Mexico is a very diverse people and country,
but all things have that bit of flavor that makes it Mexico. Each
person's introduction to Mexico is as diverse as the land itself, but
this book will provide the information to make these transitions a
much more rewarding experience.
--Timothy Olson, full-time resident of Mazatlan since 2000
READ THIS EXCLUSIVE EXERPT OF MEXICO: THE TRICK IS LIVING HERE SECOND
EDITION\'S ALL NEW SECTION ON DRIVING IN MEXICO:
"...Since the majority of stupid things happen at slow speeds, you
have time to wiggle your way out of them.
"It all happens through the process of "nudging". I learned how to
"nudge" by observing other drivers and it works like this. If there is
no traffic officer or light to stop traffic in the lane that you need
to enter, no one will ever let you in, so you have to nudge your way
out until traffic can no longer go around you. (This will make sense
when you see rule 1 of "Julia's Rules for Driving in Mexico" below.)
Once you've won the lane, it is yours.
"Just in case your nudging skills aren't up to speed you can benefit
from other drivers' skill in this area. If a car in front of you
nudges its way out and claims the lane and you are so close to that
car that others can't nudge in and take the lane back, the lane is
yours. This is how I've learned to get through turnabouts and other
uncontrolled intersections (discussed in detail below). I'm not so
good at being the first one to nudge my way out, so I attach myself to
the bumper of an experienced Mexican. If he/she cuts in front of other
cars, I do, too. If he/she stops, I do too."
READ THIS EXLUSIVE EXERPT OF MEXICO: THE TRICK IS LIVING HERE SECOND
EDITION\'S SECTION ON TAXIS IN MEXICO:
"...Women do not ride in the front seat of the taxi. I realized my
mistake the instant I closed the door and saw the elated look of
surprise on the driver's face. It was too late to get out again as we
were in first gear and already rolling.
"I stuck out the trip, which was thankfully a short one. On our way,
I gracefully deflected the questions of the driver. Was I married?
Wouldn't I like to go somewhere with him? Our apartment was in a busy
area of our neighborhood, and as I gratefully indicated where he
should let me out I was aware of the store owners and neighbors who
would see me, the stupid American, getting out of the front seat of
the taxi (at least I hoped they would just think me stupid and not
loose).
"What I didn't count on was that my husband had locked himself out
of our apartment and was waiting for me to get home. He was on the
roof with a bunch of our landlords' sons watching the street below
(that's what you do on the roof--watch the movement of the
neighborhood below)...."
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