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mrstorres

Jan 5, 2003, 5:18 PM

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moving to monterrey

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My husband is a mexican citizen and I plan to move to Monterrey in the few months. I have traveled to Monterrey several times for extended visits. As an American in Mexico, specifically in Monterrey, can anyone advise me as to what I can expect? I am somewhat familiar with the area, but not a native. Any information would be very helpful.

Thank you.

awcharro

Jan 8, 2003, 3:44 PM

Post #2 of 6 (422 views)

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Re: [mrstorres] moving to monterrey

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I lived in Monterrey for over eight years before moving here to Aguascalientes six months ago. Compared to Monterrey, I feel like I am living in heaven!

Without knowing more specifics as to where your husband is going to work (and if you are going to be working or not), it would be hard for me to answer your questions. If you have taken extended visits to Monterrey, you must be aware that, in general, the city is very dirty and the climate is not very good. Summer lasts for about six months or more and temperatures frequently get over 100 degrees. Even though Monterrey is almost completely surrounded by desert, it has a humid climate for being in a desert area. In other words, you sweat a lot in the summertime in Monterrey. In December and January, it can be close to 90 degrees one day and below freezing the next. And there is very little heat in Monterrey. This is why many people in Monterrey have colds and the flu during these months. I used electric space heaters when I lived in Monterrey. Gas heaters can be very dangerous in Mexico.

Traffic is bad and the local bus drivers are terrible! The one thing that I liked about Monterrey was the Metro. It is fast and costs very little more than the bus.

The economy in Monterrey is probably the best of any economy in Mexico. There is very little unemployment in Monterrey. This is because many of the factories are owned by Mexicans rather than by foreigners. So, the factories are not as subject to the ups and downs of the economies of other nations as in other parts of Mexico (like here in Aguascalientes and in Saltillo) that depend heavily on maquiladoras.

I really like the food in Monterrey. I miss the tamales of northern Mexico and the barbacoa.

I find that most of the people in Monterrey are nice, with the exception of the drivers of the local buses in Monterrey. There seems to be more anger displayed by drivers in Monterrey than here in Aguascalientes, perhaps because the city is a lot bigger and the heat provokes more anger.

Do you speak Spanish? If not, you will have a problem in Monterrey. The people may try a few words of English on you, but relatively very few people can speak English in Monterrey.

I do not miss the local immigration office in Monterrey, either. I felt like I practically lived there with all the times I had to go back and forth to the office to check on my paperwork. The last few years I lived in Monterrey I discovered that I could call the office to find out if my visa had arrived or not from Mexico City. (For the type of FM3 that I have, all paperwork has to be approved by Mexico City.)

When looking for a place to live in Monterrey, or anywhere else in Mexico, for that matter, you need to look in a "colonia residencial" as opposed to a "colonia popular", unless you love listening to loud music at all hours of the night. True, you will have to pay more rent, but it will be worth it!

Please let me know if you have any more questions.

mrstorres

Jan 8, 2003, 6:25 PM

Post #3 of 6 (404 views)

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Re: [awcharro] moving to monterrey

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I do speak a little spanish. My husband is a robotics engineer, as he graduated from ITESM in Monterrey in 1999. I probably will not work in Monterrey. My spanish, I believe, is probably not good enough at this point.

We do own a home in Monterrey. It is located in the same neighborhood that my mother and father in law live in. It seems to be pretty nice with a nice little park not too far away. Any idea if Colonia Tuxtla. is a nice area or not? This is the area that our home is located in.

I have visited Monterrey quite a bit and I have to agree that the traffic is very wild and congested. Yes, the people are angry and seem to cut one another off often. Nothing like here in Evansville.

My husband was telling me about a social club for American wives married to Mexican men. Do you know of anything about this?

I do like the city alot. It isn't the small town that I am from in the midwest. I know that the heat is kind of insane there, but I am somewhat used to the humidity being from Southern Indiana.

Also, have you ever heard of the American School Foundation of Monterrey? We are thinking of sending our daugther there this fall.

Did you have an air conditioner when you lived there? And did you have a maid? My mother in law and father in law have 5 maids (which I think of more as persoanl assistants because they help my mother in law a lot with her business). My husband wants us to have a maid, but I don't feel like that is really necessary. I figure since I am not going to be working that it will not be a problem for me to take care of things.

I appreciate your information. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

~Misti

awcharro

Jan 9, 2003, 7:20 PM

Post #4 of 6 (353 views)

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Re: [mrstorres] moving to monterrey

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I have not been able to find the Colonia Tuxtla on the map of Monterrey on the Guia Roji website. Doesn't your husband know what part of town it is located in? What are some of the colonias around it? Is it in Monterrey proper? I know some of the colonias in Monterrey, but not all of them. I think I know most of the ones that have a bad reputation.

I did not have air conditioning when I lived in Monterrey. I had an "aire lavado", which is known as a "swamp cooler" in Texas. I had it and a fan blowing on me at the same time when I went to bed in the summertime. I never have had a maid. However, there were women in the church that I attended there that washed my clothes every week.

I don't know of any organization for American wives, but I will ask the next time I am in Monterrey, which will be about the middle of March. I also have never heard of the school you are asking about, but I will also ask about it when I am visiting Monterrey.

(This post was edited by awcharro on Jan 9, 2003, 7:26 PM)

mrstorres

Jan 9, 2003, 8:43 PM

Post #5 of 6 (346 views)

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Re: [awcharro] moving to monterrey

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Yes, my husband tells me that we are in a residential area. Our home is located near a public high school. According to my husband, the area is pretty good. I know that there is a 7-11 a few miles away and also an El Pollo Loco. I think that there is a whataburger caddy corner from the El Pollo Loco. I don't know if this would help you locate the area or not. Gee, I am dense or what. :)

I have heard of the swamp cooler before. Are these the only kind of air conditioners in MTY? Also, what are the electric bills like there? I have heard different things. My husband claims it is expensive to run the air conditioner 24-7 like I do here. I know when I have vistited in the past, my mother in law didn't use the AC in JUly and it was HOT! But there were pleanty of fans in the house. That helped keep cool at night.

My mother in law is a doll maker. She has a shop out of her home. Is this sort of thing common?

Thanks for your information. I am full of questions. :) thanks! Any feedback would be helpful and appreciated.

~Misti Torres

gastelum

Jan 14, 2004, 1:09 PM

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Re: [mrstorres] moving to monterrey

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Hello. Like you, I am also planning an imminent move to Monterrey from the Midwestern US (Chicago). I found this website to provide lots of interesting and helpful information about Monterrey. There is even specific information about the American School: http://www.talesmag.com/...osts_monterrey.shtml

From conversations with friends, I know that Prepa Tec high school and Prepa UDEM high school (affiliated with the University of Monterrey) are also excellent schools and both offer curricula in English. I'm also interested in schools since I am applying for work as a teacher there. You can find more info here: http://prepatec.mty.itesm.mx/english/ and http://www.udem.edu.mx/...enida_vicerector.htm (in Spanish only).

Best of luck in Nuevo Leon!