MTMG #12 -
Moving to Mexico Group Newsletter #12

                                 
October 11, 1996-

1) INSURANCE
2) ANY MEXICAN SPANISH LANGUAGE REALAUDIO SITES?
3) BRINGING A CAR INTO MEXICO
4) OBTAINING AN FM3
5) MOVING MTMG TO MEXCONNECT

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Posted by Eino Loukko on September 01, 1996 at 11:32:19:

INSURANCE - A.S.D.

Following is letter I sent to ASD in reference to my trip in January, and
their reply to it follows:

Wed Jul 3 11:03:59 1996-
Letter : 13633789 From: Asd
Address : asd@dconn.com
Subject : insurance - Mexico

To: eloukko@mindlink.bc.ca

-> A.S.D. International Insurance Services
-> 28636 Front Street
-> Suite 203
-> Temecula, CA 92590

-> Dear A.S.D.

-> I've obtained your address and some information from @amigo! on the WWW.
I would have preferred sending this to you via EMail but I was unable to
find your EMail address anywhere on your data sheets. (This has since been
rectified).

-> I am looking for insurance for a Mexican trip. I will be driving from
Vancouver, B.C., during the first week of January 1997 to Guadalajara,
Mexico. My intentions are to remain there from January until the end of
April (4 months). Would you be kind enough to advise me of some rates for
my van insurance please. I'm driving a 1992 Plymouth Voyager Van XL model.
Currently it is valued at $17,000 Cdn Dollars.

-> I will be checking with my bank where I pay monthly payments for the van
as to their requirements. What is a Mexican Car Permit and will I need one?
I understand that if I'm involved in a traffic accident that I will go to
jail, guilty or not. If I have a certain waiver (Legal Aid?) then this will
not happen -- is this correct -- I'll certainly want this -- costs?

-> What type of auto insurance coverage do you recommend for the four
months; including my driving there and back via the USA. What about medical
insurance for an old man of 62, single and without any bad habits.

-> Naturally I'm fully covered for auto and health insurance here in BC. If
I can leave on January 2nd, what time frame am I looking at for obtaining
all necessary documents? What will my costs be and how do you expect to
receive payment? How do I receive my documents (on time)?

-> If at all possible could you email me your response to the above,
please.

-> Thank you and best regards.

Eino,

I spoke to you early this week re: insurance. I have sent the applications
to you by mail they should get to you bu next week. The turn around time
for us to issue a policy is 15 - 20 min. We will get it out the day we get
it. -----YOU WILL NEED MEXICAN INSURANCE---It is a felony to drive in
Mexico without it-----So please buy it,if not from us --from someone.In
Mexico legal services are provided separately please purchase this also.
Now I have sent you a packet with info on taking the car south through
mainland Mexico. You will need to pay a $ 10-15U.S. service fee . Call your
insurance agent about driving in the U.S. and coverage.Good Luck

Chris

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Any Mexican Spanish Language RealAudio Sites?

Posted by Ernie Gorrie on September 02, 1996- at 10:37:27:

Does anyone know of any Spanish language, Mexican RealAudio radio stations.
I've found a couple of English language rock stations in Tijuana and a
Spanish language station in Spain, but nothing Spanish language from
Mexico. Or how about an English language Mexican RealAudio station that has
news, not just rock and/or sports?

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Re: Any Mexican Spanish Language RealAudio Sites?

Posted by Cashmere on September 27, 1996- at 23:26:21:

In Reply to: Any Mexican Spanish Language RealAudio Sites? posted by Ernie
Gorrie on September 02, 1996- at 10:37:27:

Also in the New York area there is 93.1 con musica muy
linda de todos los paises de habla espanol. En New
Jersey el canal 41 de television, se escucha la musica
mas linda de este lado de el cielo (Heaven) En los
Domingos (Siempre en Domingo) With love, Cashmere

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Posted by Ken Madsen on September 03, 1996- at 14:08:54:

In Reply to: Any Mexican Spanish Language RealAudio Sites? posted by Ernie
Gorrie on September 02, 1996- at 10:37:27:

I use my daily two-hour commuting time to
listen to Spanish as part of my attempts to become fluent (in preparation
for retiring in Mexico in a few years). I have been trying to find cassette
tapes of books being read in Spanish. I have checked in the local book
stores where they sell them in English, but have been unable to find a
source. I have even tried to find them in Latin American cities during my
travels - again without luck. If anyone can put me onto a source, I would
appreciate it.

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Re: Any Mexican Spanish Language RealAudio Sites? Yes!

Posted by Ernie Gorie on September 02, 1996- at 16:37:13:

In Reply to: Any Mexican Spanish Language RealAudio Sites? posted by Ernie
Gorrie on September 02, 1996- at 10:37:27:

This isn't Mexican, but it might be useful for some people.

I've been looking for Spanish language Mexican radio stations on the WWW. I
haven't been able to find any (just a couple of English language stations
out of Tijuana). But I did find a RealAudio station at
http://www.catradio.es/cr/cr-ecr00.html.

For people who don't have access to much Spanish language, listening to
this site using RealAudio might be a way to develop/keep one's Spanish ear.
(Recognizing of course that Mexico Spanish and Spain Spanish are like
Canada English and Britain English.)

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Posted by Sotirios Nikas on September 24, 1996- at 21:15:25:

In Reply to: Re: Any Mexican Spanish Language RealAudio Sites? Yes! posted
by Ernie Gorie on September 02, 1996- at 16:37:13:

Sorry guys but that link is not to a radio station in spanish that language
is called Catalan, and is not spanish it may sound similar bet its not.
look in timecast.com and you'll find two radio stations in spanish.

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Bringing a car into Mexico

Posted by Jennifer Rose on September 02, 1996- at 16:52:45:

Sun Sep 1 16:18:10 1996-
Letter : 14207624 From: jenniferrose
Subject : [Fwd: Re: Bringing car into Mexico]

Umit Terzioglu wrote:

> I would like to drive around Mexico in my car for a month or so, but I
don't want to go throguh the hassle of driving back >(the car is worth less
than $1,000).

If you're driving, you'll be able to temporarily import your car for a
180-day period. At the aduana, you'll need 1) the original certificate of
title, 2) an affidavit from the lienholder authorizing the temporary
importation of the car, 3) a valid state registration, 4) a valid driver's
license issued outside of Mexico, and 5) Mastercard, VISA or American
Express, in the driver's name. You will use the credit card to pay the $11
fee. If you don't have a credit card, then you'll be required to post a
bond based upon the car's value. The car permit is good for multiple
crossings during its six-month life.

When you apply for the car permit, you're required to sign a promise that
when you leave Mexico, you'll take the car with you. You are not permitted
to sell the car while you're in Mexico. If the car is stolen or completely
wrecked, then you are required to obtain additional documentation and
verification from the Mexican government to that effect.

If you're only going to be in the border area, you do not need to undergo
the temporary importation process. However, at the 26-km checkpoint, you
will not be allowed to proceed southward without the necessary car permit.
One alternative might be to obtain the temporary importation permit for the
purpose of driving the car clear to Mexico's southernmost border (akin to a
transit permit), actually drive the car to Guatemala, leave it there, and
return. Frankly, I doubt that you'd want to go to that much trouble for the
pleasure of abandoning a motor vehicle, even one of minimal value.

> Am I going to have problems in Mexico when returning to the US?

In theory, yes, if you return without the car. The Mexican government does
have the power to assess the value of the abandoned car to you. In
practice, you might be able to cross the border twice: once with the car
and the necessary permit, and again without the car, obtaining only the
non-car tourist card. This does smack of fraud, and it leaves you exposure
to penalties.

> And, what kind of papers am I going to need when crossing the border into
Mexico?

Your last name indicates that you may be Turkish. If you're an American
citizen, you'll need proof of citizenship. While a valid passport is the
document of preference, a certified copy of a birth certificate accompanied
by photo I.D., naturalization certificate, or an affidavit of American
citizenship accompanied by photo I.D. will suffice. If you are not an
American citizen, I would imagine that your national passport should
suffice, although you should consult the Mexican Consulate for further
particulars.

The above is not legal advice (especially since you didn't pay for it), and
no attorney-client relationship is created.

************

Obtaining the FM3

Posted by Jennifer Rose on September 02, 1996- at 17:05:34:

Kim Martin Meetzger queried about obtaining the FM-3 before moving to
Mexico.

Although the FM-3 may be applied for at any Mexican immigration office
within Mexico, commonly it is applied for at the Mexican Consulate assigned
to your region in the States. This procedure is fairly easy and
straightforward, and it's one that doesn't rquire legal counsel.

Contact the Mexican counsel in your region to determine its requirements.
Each office has its own idiosynracies and style; what might pass muster in
New York might be quickly rejected in San Jose. The process can be
conducted by mail.

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Re: Menaje de Casa

Posted by Jodi Dinsmore on September 04, 1996- at 13:52:34:

In Reply to: Obtaining the FM3 posted by Jennifer Rose on September 02,
1996- at 17:05:34:

Kim wrote me asking about moving belongings to Guanajuato from Tijuana. As
my belongins entered in a truck from Nuevo Laredo I cannot guarentee that
the company my belongsings were transferred to will work, but it is worth
the call. They are called SEYMI (Servicios de Empaque y Mudanzas
Internacionales, S.A.de C.V. out of Guadalajara. The address is Calz.
Independencia Nte. No. 3450, Guadalajara,
Jal., Mexico 44300. Tel. (3) 603-02-56, 603-01-28, 603-00-00, 603-10-84.
Fax (3) 603-15-53. I dealt with Lic. Berenice Covarrubias in the
International Dept. I did all the contracting through a local carrier of
Allied Movers in Massachusetts where I used to live. It was they who found
SEYMI, but as Allied had no idea of the papers necessary Lic. Covarrubias
got in touch with me directly in Morelia to finish up the work. Their truck
arrived at my home within a few hours of when she said that it would, and
the contents was intact. The SEYMI employees unloaded quickly and without
destroying anything. They even dealt with our spiral staircase without
complaint.

Kim mentions he and his family will be coming with cats, but does not
mention mode of transportation. My vet in the states refused to sign health
certificates for my 2 then eight-year old female cats if I planned to put
them under the plane in cargo. I made a point to fly twice, as there can
only be one animal in the cabin per flight. I find that amazing as they let
in lots of screaming babies, but that is another matter. I got a cat
carrier bag. The animal must be able to stand in the carrier, yet it must
still fit under the seat in front of you. At least on Continental I could
not reserve my cats´ spaces prior to arriving at the airport. It was luck.
I used a low dose valium from the vet to calm them down. There is
supposedly a rule about not letting the cat out of the bag, so to speak,
while in the plane. My cats were frantic despite the valium and my attitude
with the flight attendants became somewhat obnoxious after they tried to
insist on the cat staying in the bag and under the seats. I finally
challenged them to throw us off. No problem after that.

Once in customs at the airport in DF the people at the animal desk barely
skimmed the health certificate, more content to pet the cat and comment on
the size and beauty of the
animal. There was a lot of cooing going on there...

* Centro Mexicano Internacional (CMI)

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Moving MTMG to MexConnect

Posted by Thom McDonald on September 03, 1996- at 07:52:18:

In general, I think this looks pretty good. It certainly takes a tremendous
burden off Eino, and it does open the discussion up to many, many more
participants, (as apposed to our "little E-mail club"), but I do have some
reservations:

E-mail does have a couple of inherent advantages. It is conducted almost
entirely off-line, (this will be much more expensive for those of us who
don't have flat-rate unlimited usage, and may therefore discourage more
frequent, lengthy or better thought-out postings.) E-mail allows use of a
built-in spelling checker, which for people like me who can manage spelling
better in Spanish than in our mother-tounge, (and I'm just beginning to
learn Spanish!)

Secondly, the MexConnect Forum appears to have a much broader focus than
the implied focus of our MTMG, that is, one may have to sift through a lot
of stuff that has little or nothing to do with moving to Mexico.

Thirdly, I am still not sure why David's resource lists, etc. are sometimes
less complete than our little group had accumulated in a couple of weeks,
e.g. The Hotel list for the Lakeside area lists only one hotel! I could not
find the Colony Reporter among the listed newspapers.....what gives. I hope
this kind of incomplete information is not due to comercial reasons.

'Luego!

Thom

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