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Carmen in San Diego

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #1 of 8 (525 views)

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Questions on the Possibility of Moving my Family to Tijuana

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Okay, here is my situation:My husband and I live here in SD. I am a US citizen of Mexican desent and am bilingual. My daughter (age 4) attends a bilingual pre-school in Bonita because my husband and I feel it is sooo important for her to learn Spanish. Ideally, as well as English. A big problem though, is that her school only goes to Kinder, and then I have to place her in a monolingual school. My husband is a US citizen who doesn't speak a word of Spanish.
We have two older cars: 91 volvo, 96 Disco Land Rover. I work as an website editor from home and my husband works downtown.How realistic is the possibility of moving to TJ, my husband commuting daily, my daughter attending a good private school there, and taking both our cars? In some ways, I feel it would be the best of both worlds. We could give our daughter the experience of growing up biculturally and bilingually, my husband might actually learn Spanish, and I think I would feel closer to my heritage, mi patria. We could still keep the same Doctor, visit our friends and family here in SD frequently, and anything else we would need here would be an hour away, tops.
We plan on getting the Sentri pass to commute freely back and forth whether we can pull this move off or not. Concerns:
My husband's language barrier
Finding adequate housing
Resident Visas
Internet providers in TJ (as I work online)
Private Schools in TJ~costs/curriculum
Car Insurance and keeping both cars insured here and in TJ
Extracurricular activites our daughter
Would we have to keep a US address in order to keep our health insurance
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this email. If you have any thoughts on our situation or can address any of my concerns, it would be greatly appreciated.

Have a great day,
Carmen

Heather

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #2 of 8 (523 views)

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Questions on the Possibility of Moving my Family to Tijuana

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Hi Carmen, Anything's possible!!I am married to a MX man and we lived in TJ for 3 years before recently making the move across the border. If you plan to do this, apply for the SENTRI now as I hear there is up to a 9 month wait and that dang border crossing got to be a real drag!! (My hubby just went down to see some friends in TJ, but I let him go solo, just thinking of the border coming home!)I would say the best area to live is Playas de TJ. It's got great access off the International road, without going through downtown TJ. Playas has a little mall, an uncrowded and large grocery store, the cable, electric, and phone company nearby. I paid from $400-$600 to rent 2 bedroom apartments. (We have recently moved to Imperial Beach and are paying about a $1000 more in rent, and a stone's throw away!!)There are a few private/bilingual schools around the area, although my little one is only 2, so we had a nanny to come in and watch her.My Spanish is pretty good, and improved, but am sure your husband can get by with English. Many people from Tijuana are bilingual (but those from other parts of MX living there are not).I kept my car registered in the US, with US insurance. You can also get MX insurance for your US registered car as a resident, but I just used my year-long tourist policy (actually never had to use it).An FM#3 will allow you to move your household items down. I was never asked for it while living there, and since I was never there for more than 72 straight hours, I didn't renew it after the second year.I had internet access with both Cablemas ($40/month), and TelNor ($20/month) at different times. Getting a phone line may take a month or two, but it also may take them that long to set up your cable, so be prepared for a wait.I have a PO Box in Chula Vista which allowed me to get mail delivered regularly. Good luck if you decide to do this, I enjoyed living there and was able to do most of the things that I could do here, but the border gets real tiring!! H.
: Okay, here is my situation:: My husband and I live here in SD. I am a US citizen of Mexican desent and am bilingual. My daughter (age 4) attends a bilingual pre-school in Bonita because my husband and I feel it is sooo important for her to learn Spanish. Ideally, as well as English. A big problem though, is that her school only goes to Kinder, and then I have to place her in a monolingual school. My husband is a US citizen who doesn't speak a word of Spanish.
: We have two older cars: 91 volvo, 96 Disco Land Rover. I work as an website editor from home and my husband works downtown.: How realistic is the possibility of moving to TJ, my husband commuting daily, my daughter attending a good private school there, and taking both our cars? In some ways, I feel it would be the best of both worlds. We could give our daughter the experience of growing up biculturally and bilingually, my husband might actually learn Spanish, and I think I would feel closer to my heritage, mi patria. We could still keep the same Doctor, visit our friends and family here in SD frequently, and anything else we would need here would be an hour away, tops.
: We plan on getting the Sentri pass to commute freely back and forth whether we can pull this move off or not. : Concerns:
: My husband's language barrier
: Finding adequate housing
: Resident Visas
: Internet providers in TJ (as I work online)
: Private Schools in TJ~costs/curriculum
: Car Insurance and keeping both cars insured here and in TJ
: Extracurricular activites our daughter
: Would we have to keep a US address in order to keep our health insurance:
: Thanks so much for taking the time to read this email. If you have any thoughts on our situation or can address any of my concerns, it would be greatly appreciated.
:
: Have a great day,
: Carmen

Heather

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #3 of 8 (526 views)

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I should add...

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My husband returned home from TJ last night at 1:30am, after a 3 hour border wait. Only 1 or 2 lanes were open on a Sunday night...you never know! Hope you make the right decision. H.: Hi Carmen, Anything's possible!!: I am married to a MX man and we lived in TJ for 3 years before recently making the move across the border. If you plan to do this, apply for the SENTRI now as I hear there is up to a 9 month wait and that dang border crossing got to be a real drag!! (My hubby just went down to see some friends in TJ, but I let him go solo, just thinking of the border coming home!): I would say the best area to live is Playas de TJ. It's got great access off the International road, without going through downtown TJ. Playas has a little mall, an uncrowded and large grocery store, the cable, electric, and phone company nearby. I paid from $400-$600 to rent 2 bedroom apartments. (We have recently moved to Imperial Beach and are paying about a $1000 more in rent, and a stone's throw away!!): There are a few private/bilingual schools around the area, although my little one is only 2, so we had a nanny to come in and watch her.: My Spanish is pretty good, and improved, but am sure your husband can get by with English. Many people from Tijuana are bilingual (but those from other parts of MX living there are not).: I kept my car registered in the US, with US insurance. You can also get MX insurance for your US registered car as a resident, but I just used my year-long tourist policy (actually never had to use it).: An FM#3 will allow you to move your household items down. I was never asked for it while living there, and since I was never there for more than 72 straight hours, I didn't renew it after the second year.: I had internet access with both Cablemas ($40/month), and TelNor ($20/month) at different times. Getting a phone line may take a month or two, but it also may take them that long to set up your cable, so be prepared for a wait.: I have a PO Box in Chula Vista which allowed me to get mail delivered regularly. : Good luck if you decide to do this, I enjoyed living there and was able to do most of the things that I could do here, but the border gets real tiring!! H.:
: : Okay, here is my situation:: : My husband and I live here in SD. I am a US citizen of Mexican desent and am bilingual. My daughter (age 4) attends a bilingual pre-school in Bonita because my husband and I feel it is sooo important for her to learn Spanish. Ideally, as well as English. A big problem though, is that her school only goes to Kinder, and then I have to place her in a monolingual school. My husband is a US citizen who doesn't speak a word of Spanish.
: : We have two older cars: 91 volvo, 96 Disco Land Rover. I work as an website editor from home and my husband works downtown.: : How realistic is the possibility of moving to TJ, my husband commuting daily, my daughter attending a good private school there, and taking both our cars? In some ways, I feel it would be the best of both worlds. We could give our daughter the experience of growing up biculturally and bilingually, my husband might actually learn Spanish, and I think I would feel closer to my heritage, mi patria. We could still keep the same Doctor, visit our friends and family here in SD frequently, and anything else we would need here would be an hour away, tops.
: : We plan on getting the Sentri pass to commute freely back and forth whether we can pull this move off or not. : : Concerns:
: : My husband's language barrier
: : Finding adequate housing
: : Resident Visas
: : Internet providers in TJ (as I work online)
: : Private Schools in TJ~costs/curriculum
: : Car Insurance and keeping both cars insured here and in TJ
: : Extracurricular activites our daughter
: : Would we have to keep a US address in order to keep our health insurance: :
: : Thanks so much for taking the time to read this email. If you have any thoughts on our situation or can address any of my concerns, it would be greatly appreciated.
: :
: : Have a great day,
: : Carmen

alex

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #4 of 8 (520 views)

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I tried that excuse

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when I came home en la madrugada from Tijuana, but my wife didn't go for it....
(you know I'm kidding Heather 8<))

Heather

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #5 of 8 (520 views)

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You're too funny, Alex!!...

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He was visiting some buddies that are drinkers and brought a six of some American beer down there with him!! But...my hubby doesn't drink much, and he was pretty frustrated about the linea. He kept talking about it yesterday, and explaining how the lines all merged together, and they kept closing the lanes, and the honking, etc!!

He's new at this border thing, not old pros like us!! Saludos! H.Your wife sounds like she's adjusting very well, helping at the school and everything!! My man's still in culture shock I think!: when I came home en la madrugada from Tijuana, but my wife didn't go for it....
: (you know I'm kidding Heather 8<))

Marky

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #6 of 8 (523 views)

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Questions on the Possibility of Moving my Family to Tijuana

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Having Thought about this course of action myself (Until I actually started looking for a job in San Diego, but that's another story) Here is my take on your concerns.: Concerns:
: My husband's language barrierI would make every effort to get a grasp of the language. It will make life much easier as you get off the path beaten by tourists.: Finding adequate housingSeems doable, but be prepared to pound lots of pavement.: Resident VisasTechnically you will need an FMT or FM3 if you intend to spend more than 72 hours in Tijuana.: Internet providers in TJ (as I work online)Telnor (www.telnor.com.mx) offers Prodigy Infinitum (DSL) for MXP 499/month + iva as well as other flavors that start as low as MXP 199/month + iva. Internet via cable (Cablered, whose web site is http://www.cablemas.com) runs MXP 250 - 990/month depending on the speed. To get the same speed as Prodigy Infinitum (256kbps) runs MXP 400/month: Private Schools in TJ~costs/curriculumDon't have kids, so I don't know. Expect the cirruculum to be done the Mexican way which is quite different.: Car Insurance and keeping both cars insured here and in TJDo make sure that you have both US and Mexican policies.: Extracurricular activites our daughterAgain, I don't have kids, so I really cannot answer your question.

: Would we have to keep a US address in order to keep our health insuranceThe way I understand it, you do, but an MBE box should suffice.I have two other thoughts. First Alex and Heather (posters who know the drill intimately) probably could provide better insights than I. I also think that, thanks to the bottleneck at the border, commuting for me would get real old, real fast.Whatever you decide, good luck!

alex

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #7 of 8 (519 views)

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imported beer

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Yea, Bud Lite seems to be the beer of choice. Isn't it funny how we go on and on about the special qualities of Mexican beer, and the folks I associate with in Tijuana crave the US cheap stuff. Goes to show you that where ever you are, what the other country has is more exotic and interesting.
Alex

visitor

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #8 of 8 (519 views)

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Questions on the Possibility of Moving my Family to Tijuana

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In the Mexico City newspapers (at least, that's where I thought I saw it) was a recent article stating that some employers in California are offering reduced cost health insurance for those who wish, for a variety of reasons, to get medical treatment south of the border. I am assuming it is not most employers, but still an interesting phenomenon. There are some technical problems, including which doctors are honest and competent, much like north of the border.