Forums > Areas > Southern Mexico

Ken&Winnie

Feb 28, 2006, 2:12 PM

Post #1 of 12 (5026 views)

Shortcut

Oaxaca

Can't Post | Private Reply

We have just returned home to North Carolina from 5 weeks in La Manzanilla. We crossed into the US at Piedras Negras/Eagle Pass - small and easy - after spending the previous night in Torreon. (Rolly, I only just learned that you live there) If you stay in Torreon find your way to the Zocalo and stay at one of the very comfortable hotels there for about 300-400 pesos. The road from Torreon to Piedras Negras is a very good one - very little traffic, spectacular scenery, straight and smooth - I highly recommend it. You return your vehicle permit at the end of Zaragosa Street in Piedras Negras - took us a while to figure that one out.

As soon as we sell our house in NC we plan to move to Oaxaca as a base from which to figure out where we want to live permanently. We hope that it will turn out to be Oaxaca. Depending upon how much we sell our house for, I (Ken) may have to continue working for six months or a year and so I need some answers to a few questions:

I can work as long as people from NOB can call an 800 number and reach me directly. Can anyone suggest a way to make this happen? Forwarding? Redialing? Internet service of some kind? How about to a cell phone? How do the tech support people in New Delhi do it?

Are high speed internet connections (cable, satellite, DSL, whatever) available in Oaxaca?

Ant general advice about living in Oaxaca?

Thanks,
Ken&Winnie

Bloviator

Feb 28, 2006, 2:26 PM

Post #2 of 12 (5020 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Ken&Winnie] Oaxaca

Can't Post | Private Reply

We have high speed DSL and Vonage. We have a local number in Oceanside, CA and for an additional $5 per month a nationwide 800 #. The whole thing runs about $30 per month for unlimited service. Occasionally we have some static, but almost always we have good reception and no problems getting through.

Gringal

Feb 28, 2006, 2:38 PM

Post #3 of 12 (5017 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Ken&Winnie] Oaxaca

Can't Post | Private Reply

Go to the Vonage website for the information. I know I can call any 800 number through it, but don't know if it works in reverse. Good question about India. Customer misinformation center.

If you do a search here on Oaxaca, you'll probably find a passel and a half of information.

Papirex

Feb 28, 2006, 3:44 PM

Post #4 of 12 (5001 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Ken&Winnie] Oaxaca

Can't Post | Private Reply

I also have a toll free US 888 number with Vonage here in Cuernavaca for an additional US$4.99 per month. It includes 100 prepaid minutes per month. I have never had to do it, but if I was close to using all the prepaid minutes, I would ask the caller to hang up and I would call them back on my unlimited Vonage plan.

You use regular telephones on both ends using Vonage. Vonage provides an adaptor at no charge to connect to your broadband modem. You do not need a router to use Vonage, or even a computer, but it would be a little costly to have a broadband connection with no computer.

I don’t know what choices you may find for broadband providers in Oaxaca, but I would try to avoid using the Prodigy Infinitim service. There have been many reliable reports that they are actively blocking VoIP use on their system in some areas.

http://www.vonage.com/index.php?refer_id=27400178

Rex

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

Bubba

Mar 1, 2006, 8:38 AM

Post #5 of 12 (4968 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Ken&Winnie] Oaxaca

Can't Post | Private Reply

Ken & Winnie:

You have to have a special attitude to live in Oaxaca but no one can advise you since no one can know what you value.

We thought of retiring in Oaxaca and, in fact, were encouraged to do so by Central American friends who were sold on the area. One of them died so they never made the move down here.

Ajijic, where we actually settled, is an entirely different experience. We have friends in Oaxaca and visit there often but the fact that we retired at Lake Chapala tells you something about our mind set so anything I say must be interpreted with that understanding.

Oaxaca City is isolated, poor, corrupt and conservative. The income and urban services distributions are disgraceful and elitest. There seems to be no respect whatsoever for the poor, rather they dote on the wealthy, tourists and passers-through. It is beautiful in its colonial core but, outside of that core, it is ratty, noisy, polluted, overcrowded and frenetic. Its main physical features are concrete and ugly, noisy buses. The town has overgrown its infrastructure so people drive like idiots and disrespect each other on the road.There is also a cynical atitude there that almost guarantees you will be overcharged as a foreigner. On the other hand, there are wonderful villages in the surrounding countryside that are great places to visit but living in those environments is another matter and I speak here of community acceptance as much as anything. The countryside can also be violent with land and political disputes. People have been known to hack each other to pieces over the ownership of some trees. Do not kid yourself that you belong there.

You can enjoy the charming rural aspects of Mexico within a short distance of such marvelous conurbations as Guadalajara, Veracruz, Merida, Queretaro, Monterrey, Cuernavaca and Mexico City. Why isolate yourself in the middle of some hellhole?

(This post was edited by Bubba on Mar 1, 2006, 8:42 AM)

Bubba

Mar 1, 2006, 8:47 AM

Post #6 of 12 (4964 views)

Shortcut

Re: [RexC] Oaxaca

Can't Post | Private Reply

Prodigy must be blocking VOIP at Lake Chapala. We gave up on the service and went back to callback at $0.21US a minute to call France. It wasn't worth the trouble.

Papirex

Mar 1, 2006, 9:48 AM

Post #7 of 12 (4954 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca

Can't Post | Private Reply

This article might prove interesting. http://www.skypejournal.com/blog/archives/2005/05/is_telmex_block_1.php
One of the posts in it is a long winded CYA clause in Telmex’s terms of use.

Rex

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

DoDi2

Mar 1, 2006, 10:38 AM

Post #8 of 12 (4947 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca

Can't Post | Private Reply

In Reply To

Ken & Winnie:

You have to have a special attitude to live in Oaxaca but no one can advise you since no one can know what you value.
...
Oaxaca City is isolated, poor, corrupt and conservative. ... The countryside can also be violent with land and political disputes. People have been known to hack each other to pieces over the ownership of some trees. (etc)

haha...

Or you could try Lake Chapala area out. But be careful, the locals have been known to lynch newcomers who overpay the maid or passersthru who make disparaging remarks about the lake... then there's the problem of dangerous desperados on the lam who use the area as a hideout (and sometimes find themselves getting extradited back to civilization much to the surprise of thier neighbors!)

cuidado!
:-)

Bubba

Mar 2, 2006, 7:45 AM

Post #9 of 12 (4910 views)

Shortcut

Re: [DoDi2] Oaxaca

Can't Post | Private Reply

DoDi2:

That's why I hide behind high walls. In a thousand years you will never trick me into defending the Lake Chapala North Shore area.

Good try, though.

Your fan:

Bubba

skye22

Mar 2, 2006, 8:43 AM

Post #10 of 12 (4906 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca

Can't Post |

Just was wondering how many years you lived in Oaxaca. I met quite a few North Americans who have resided and owned businesses there for many years. They love their city and mentioned nothing about people being hacked to death over trees and land disputes. Again, impressions are subjective.

DoDi2

Mar 2, 2006, 9:34 AM

Post #11 of 12 (4890 views)

Shortcut

Re: [skye22] Oaxaca

Can't Post | Private Reply

IMHO if a little hacking to death bothers someone that much then I think they need to reconsider if Mexico is really for them.

CCarol

Mar 3, 2006, 10:39 AM

Post #12 of 12 (4838 views)

Shortcut

Re: [DoDi2] Oaxaca

Can't Post | Private Reply

They may also reconsider living in the USA too. "Stuff" happens everywhere there are people (can't live with um' and can't live without um') unless you reside on an island by yourself. But then you'd tire of yourself and who know what you might do?

That's why God created so many unique places on this planet. No size fits all!
Carol

"Be kind, for everyone you know is facing a great battle." (Philo of Alexandria)