I've been to Mexico only in the winter. What is the rainy season like? Answer: Beautiful. Where we live, everything, from mountains to front yards, switches from brown to a lovely shade of green. Lake Chapala gets a much-needed gulp of new water and rises up to gently lap at the new malecones along the north shore. In theory, it only rains at night. We're not talking drizzles. There are downpours. Thunder rattles windows and lightening over the lake is at least awesome. There have been times I actually uncovered my eyes and ears and took it all in.
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For some, illegal immigration is a simple equation, what you risk for what you get.
Luis Alberto Martinez Gomez became an illegal four years ago. He was 16.
The family concluded Luis might be better off in the United States. There was an uncle who once made a promise to help the nephew if ever needed. He came through with cash for a border coyote.
Going north sounded so simple.
It wasn't.
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If man's best friend is really a dog, Nick Lampiris is richly blessed. He has 37. Nick lives in Mexico, at the end of a mile-long dirt road, on ejido land, in the high country above Lake Chapala, in the colorful state of Jalisco. From his back door, he can see Mount Garcia and the lake, all the way to Scorpion Island. To the front is Mount Viejo.
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About one million U.S. expats already live in Mexico, and that number can grow to five million by 2025, according to estimates based on U.S. Census figures. And healthcare costs in Mexico are approximately 70 per cent lower than healthcare costs in the U.S. Nine Mexican hospitals have already been certified by the U.S. Joint International Commission, and others are currently awaiting certification.
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Spring is the time for home maintenance before the summer rains. What annual issues have you been putting off that you should be reviewing, repairing or replacing? From water purification systems to leaky roofs to cisterns and water tanks, it's often the little things that can cause problems. I think it is safe to say that everybody has a screw loose… somewhere in the house.
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The
Best How-To Book on Moving to Mexico is written by three people who have made the move. Carol Schmidt and Norma Hair moved to San Miguel de Allende in May of 2002. The third editor, Rollins "Rolly" Brook, "after visiting all 50 states in the USA and many countries around the world… found himself most at home in Mexico." In 2000 Rolly retired to Lerdo, Durango. Clearly this is no trio on extended vacation. They actually live here… permanently. These authors are bold and direct and the book is divided into four parts. Hats off to Carol, Norma, and Rolly! This just might be that best book.
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Larry Herman and his best friend Lynda escaped subsidized senior housing, packed suitcases and moved to Mexico — even though neither one had ever been south of the border.
They stayed in Bucerias for a month and explored the area by bus.
Their modest apartment in Sayulita, one block from the beach, costs them about $500 U.S. per month, depending on the exchange rate the day you pay.
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Question: What is a Mexican roof dog?
Answer: Glad you asked. It is a low-budget form of homeland security, a four-legged alarm placed on flat roofs of homes and businesses to look down on and discourage intruders, door-to-door salesmen and other nuisances.
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Here in Mexico, there's one term I hate to hear on a job site. No, it isn't "oops." It's the term "mas o menos." It is the Spanish term that literally translates to "more or less."
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Life in the mountains may be the secret of longevity. It is not uncommon for mountain folks to live past their nineties and complete more than a century on this earth. Country folks usually eat what they grow on their ranches. Corn plays such a fundamental role in the Mexican diet, as well as beans, chilies, tomatoes and onions.
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