Some expatriates muse knowingly that retirement is a state of bliss, while others declare emphatically that it's the State of Jalisco. So much to do and for once, so much time in which to do it. Many r... read more

"Don't go near the water," mothers caution their children, "You might drown." Good advice, but it has another meaning in Mexico and Texas. Moms living near the Rio Grande are protecting their children ... read more

In the ancient Nahuatl language, Ajijic means "The Place Where Water Springs Forth." This year marks the 40th anniversary of an historic event: the Great Geyser Eruption. It is said to have been the ta... read more

Back in the old days of Pirate Island, an island only by definition, located along the Rio Grande near Ysleta and San Elizario in El Paso County, Mexico and the U.S. had a boundary by treaty mdash; the... read more

"You can become anything or anyone you like the day you cross the border," they tell us when we arrive in Mexico. They're right. In Ajijic, a man wearing a U.S. Navy cap and respectfully referred to a... read more

Along with many other expatriates living in Mexico, we occasionally hear of a famous one who lives, or once lived, among us. We know that Helen Hayes, Erich Fromm and Maurice Evans lived in Cuernavaca... read more

When Elvira Arellano illegally crossed the U.S. border in 1997, she had no idea that one day, she would become a beacon of light in the darkness of U.S. immigration politics, nor that Time magazine wou... read more

Interactive map of Oaxaca What is it like in Oaxaca? It's like no other place in all of Mexico. It is as close to a true mixture of the various Mexican cultures as can be found. Visitors to Oaxaca Cit... read more

There's been a big U.S. flap over the fact that honeybees seem to have gone missing. North Americans are becoming alarmed that, without pollination, foods such as almonds, apples, blueberries, peaches,... read more

This Christmas will really test a person's ability to stretch a dollar, especially a U.S. dollar, since we've been watching it shrink for quite awhile now. It certainly isn't necessary for big-mouth m... read more

The sun was shining, the breeze was gentle and Mark Alvarez was in a really good mood. "People call me all day when it starts raining," he said. They call because they need to find out if they'll be ab... read more

I am the ghost of Pedro Gonzales-Gonzales, a guy so nice, they named me twice. My mother was a Mexican dancer known as "La Perla Fronteriza" who once danced for Pancho Villa and his men. You can imagin... read more

The English-speaking people of the world aren't always as smart as, say, Stephen Hawking who writes about cosmic stuff like time, black holes and the universe, but wouldn't you think the people in char... read more

In the Bible, Jesus turns water into wine and multiplies two fishes into enough to feed 12,000 people, including women and children. Can China top that? Seems as though they're going to try. Sun Keman... read more

Until yesterday, I had never heard of Charlie Foster. Today, I'm writing about him. One of the benefits of being a writer is the fact-checking, because you can end up with provocative information. That... read more

"Move to Mexico? What, are you crazy?" said friends and relatives alike, adding, "Don't you know it's full of drug pushers, kidnappers and corrupt politicians?" This attitude, prevalent among North Am... read more

"What is Christmas like in Mexico?" asked my friend, Edward. It didn’t take much encouragement for me to eagerly share this experience: Once upon a Christmas nighttime, in a tiny village on the shor... read more

By popular demand, this column has reverted to its original title, “A Balloon In Cactus.” Well over three fan letters urged me to go back to the original title. Here’s what I mean: ... read more

We who live in Mexico, whether full- or part-time, have a duty to correct the enormous amount of misinformation perpetuated by foreign media. More creatures live with their heads in the sand than the o... read more

At the Oscars as in all of show business, the green room you hear about is an ordinary place where celebrities wait until it's time to go onstage. It's not really green. Ajijic has been called God's g... read more

Oscar Hammerstein II probably didn't realize when he wrote the lyrics for Broadway hit Oklahoma! that "The corn is as high as an elephant's eye," were prophetic words. Corn, at $4.21 a bushel (as of... read more

It's unusual for me to write about anything other than Mexico as seen through the eyes of a humorist. But this month's article is different, because someone familiar with the culture around which Gibso... read more

Unable to achieve world peace, though I had resolved to do so last year, it's probably a better idea to keep my New Year's resolutions simple and in line with my limited capabilities. Toward that goal... read more

Associated Press reports the U.S. Department of Immigration apprehended Santa Claus attempting to illegally enter the United States from Mexico. He was caught maneuvering his sleigh over a fence recent... read more

Is no one thinking of the ordinary people of Oaxaca and how this event is causing distress and loss of income? read more