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mexigrl

Jun 22, 2003, 5:02 PM

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Anyone living or lived in Cuernavaca area?

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On my search for places to live Cuernavaca keeps coming up. I have spent some time there and wasnt exactly in love with it. I spent my time in the centro area, which usually would be where I would enjoy being. It just seems like a huge urban sprawl, a suburb of DF. Maybe there is an area that would be nice to live in? Is anyone on this board living there, or has lived there? I do have some contacts there and that is always a good thing when you are new to an area. Are there any other cities around there that might be interesting?

Thanks!

Mexigrl

(This post was edited by mexigrl on Jun 22, 2003, 5:04 PM)

Papirex

Jun 23, 2003, 2:47 PM

Post #2 of 4 (852 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Anyone living or lived in Cuernavaca area?

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We have lived in Cuernavaca for two years. My wife is from The DF, during the years of our marriage I made many trips there. After my retirement, we lived there for a while. The difference between Cuernavaca, and The DF is as day is to night.

There is low crime against persons here, no real pollution, and traffic is manageable. Several of our neighbors moved here from The DF to get away from the high crime there. They commute to work in The DF every day, and are happy to live here. It is a relatively safe city.

There are many nice colonias, and fraccionamientos here. Since you spent most of your time here in the Centro, you would find the crowded conditions you described. Urban sprawl seems to be the norm in any old Mexican city. They were all built a few hundred years before city planning was even thought of. I don’t believe many of them do much ,if any, city planning now, either.

I think you will need to spend some more time here, driving around and exploring, to really find out if this is the place for you. If you can’t dispel your negative feelings, this is definitely not the place you want. There are many adjustments we all have to make to be happy in Mexico, if you have negative feelings about a place, it may be too much to overcome, added to all the other differences.

Cuernavaca is not a large city. The latest population figures I have seen, (on a new road sign) is 338,000. Census figures in Mexico, as elsewhere in the world nowadays are notoriously questionable. An older very faded, road sign on the libre says the population is 500,000. I have seen articles claiming the population here is as high as a million. I don’t believe that for a minute, the whole State of Morelos is supposed to have a population of only a million and a half.

There are good hospitals here. I have not used them, but last December my wife had to take her elderly grandmother to one of them. She said the care was excellent. Our friends here said it is a very good hospital.

There are several smaller towns nearby. You have been to Tepotztlan, there is Temixco, Yautepec, Cautla, and a few more. Get a map of Morelos State. They are nice places, but you won’t find the shopping or services that you will here. They are not that far away though. I just saw on the TV news today, that Cautla is having a severe flood, affecting 4 colonias there. I think I would find out which ones they are before settling there.

We have good shopping places here. There is a city market here, and in Temixco. There is a open market once a week in Temixco and Tepotztlan. There are many small markets, aborrotes, etc., as well as the big Supermarkets, Sears, Sams Club, Malls, etc. A new Costco is scheduled to open in September. Wal-Mart, and Liverpool are going to build new stores here in the next year. You said you know a few words in Spanish. That is good, few stores here have English speakers readily available, if at all. A few words in Spanish will usually be enough when shopping.

I am going to attach a list of links for sites in Cuernavaca. Cable Internet access is available with Telecable De Morelos. You might want to contact The Newcomers Club. They have an interesting site, opportunities for volunteering, a library, bookstore,etc. I have never contacted them myself. I have nothing against my countrymen, but over the years I have bonded strongly with my wife’s family. All our friends here are Mexicans. I just have not met an American personally yet.

There are quite a few expatriates here, the number I see most often is 5,000. I don't know how accurate that may be. We seem to be invisible though. I have only met a couple of Americans that actually live here, in stores. My wife has met a few more. She can spot an American a mile away.

We have met several American students in stores, and restaurants. They come here to study Spanish at the many language schools here. Cuernavaca is widely noted for it's many language schools. Many of them are accredited by American colleges, and universities, and are recommended to their students. Spanish language schools are one of the biggest industries in Cuernavaca.

I hope this info will be of a little help in making your decision.

Rex

About Curernavaca: http://www.mathopt.edu.mx/cuernavaca.html

Cuernavaca, Morelos. Mexico: http://www.cuernavaca.cjb.net/

Newcomers Club: http://www.clickoncuernavaca.com/newcomers/Newcomers.htm

Freeman Real Estate: http://www.freeman-realestate.com/index.htm

Primavera Real Estate: http://www.primavera1000prop.com/

ReMax Real Estate: http://www.jcbienesraices.com/

Newspapers in Curnavaca:

http://www.diariodemorelos.com.mx/

http://www.launion.com.mx/

Telecable de Morelos

http://www.cableonline.com.mx/

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

mexigrl

Jun 23, 2003, 7:17 PM

Post #3 of 4 (832 views)

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Re: [RexC] Anyone living or lived in Cuernavaca area?

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Hi Rex,

Thank you so much! That was the most incredibly informative answer I have ever received on anything :) Lots of great info and web sites. It was nice to hear from someone that has been there. In many ways Cuernavaca would be an ideal location for me. My boyfriend lives in DF and we would like to visit from time to time. Some of his brothers live in Cuernavaca and fly for a local airline that is based there. I have been a little hesitant to be too close to the family - always seems better to not get in the middle of all the chaos ;)

I understand the Spanish schools are excellent and really my main point in spending a few more months in Mexico is to work hard on my Espanol. I did find an excellent Italian restaurant while there last time...Marco Polo. It would seem there is quite a bit of variety if you know where to look.

I also met the most wonderful couple who rent out rooms, a small hotel type of place. They are originally from New York, but have lived in Mexico for 50 yrs. Their names are Beatrice and Manuel Bennett. He is an incredible artist, the house is really a large gallery. She was a teacher for many years. The hospitality was wonderful, they made us feel like part of the family. The location was very close to el centro. I know they are active in the local arts scene and have some contact with the Newcomers Club. I am sure they would be great resources.

So, I guess, it would seem there are some very good reasons for moving to Cuernavaca. I would bet it will depend on real estate and location since my experience has really been in the centro area so far.

Thanks so much, I really appreciate all the info!

Mexigrl

Gayla

Jun 24, 2003, 9:07 AM

Post #4 of 4 (811 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Anyone living or lived in Cuernavaca area?

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Quote

I understand the Spanish schools are excellent and really my main point in spending a few more months in Mexico is to work hard on my Espanol. I did find an excellent Italian restaurant while there last time...Marco Polo. It would seem there is quite a bit of variety if you know where to look.

I can vouch for at least one of the language schools in Cuernavaca, El Centro Bilingue. It's been around for a long, long time and has ties with a number of U.S. colleges and universities. I did 2 summers there and both summers there were Candian and other foreign diplomats there learning Spanish in preparation for upcoming posts in Spanish speaking countries.

The classes are small and concentrate on getting you to learn to speak and communicate. If you know English grammar it helps, but it isn't essential, it just makes the process a little easier. There are also classes that focus on Mexican culture, history, traditions and heritage that were truly fascinating, all conducted in Spanish, of course. Most of the language schools also offer after school/weekend excursions to points of interest that help to expand your understanding and exposure to Mexico.

Both summers I stayed did the homestay with a wonderful family that lived in Colonia Amatitlan. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything, these folks were great, not to mention fabulous cooks :-). I ate EXTREMELY well.

It sounds like you may have the lodging part already under control, but if you're serious about doing some language study in Cuernavaca, you're in the right place and there are many options open to you. I, of course, am somewhat biased, having had a stellar experience at El Centro Bilingue :-). But already being in the country and Cuernavaca, you have the advantage of actually being able to visit the schools before enrolling and finding the one to which you may be best suited.

The other great thing about the language schools is that they give you nearly instant friends with which to hang or do things...............