Chicho gently took my hands in his, leaned in close and locked in on my eyes with a soul-penetrating gaze. "¡Qué bonitos ojos tienes, güerita!" he whispered huskily. Geez, I wondered to myse... read more

Is driving in Mexico safe? Can I take my young children in the car? Are the toll roads expensive? There are so many questions and stories about driving in Mexico. Unless you're in Chiapas, driving is ... read more

Juan Mata Ortíz is a small village of potters, farmers and cowboys in Northern Chihuahua. About 30 years ago, an unschooled artistic genius, Juan Quezada, taught himself how to make ollas, earthe... read more

"Melley Klischma..." That's what I heard when I opened our back door that Christmas morning. A very young David L. Eppele was bleary-eyed from the yule lights, the tree and the presents. I was right i... read more

Juan Mata Ortíz is a small village of potters, farmers and cowboys in Northern Chihuahua. About 30 years ago, an unschooled artistic genius, Juan Quezada, taught himself how to make earthenware jars i... read more

This photo was taken in one of the few buildings left standing at Piña Palmera, on Zipolite beach. By now, the foot or so of mud on the floor has been mucked out. By now, also, relief should be reachi... read more

Refugees from Loxicha, near Huatulco, brought their animals with them to the zocalo in Oaxaca. They set up a tarpaulin over a sewer grate for use as a bathroom. The governor did not invite them to use ... read more

Juan Mata Ortíz is a small village of potters, farmers and cowboys in Northern Chihuahua. About 30 years ago, an unschooled artistic genius, Juan Quezada, taught himself how to make earthenware jars i... read more

One of my readers asked me to describe a typical day here in the Lake Chapala area of Mexico. Others have asked, "What do you do all day?" So, I am inviting you to spend this day with me in the charmin... read more

This is my 73rd article. The other 72, as well as a "letters to the editor" section, answers to some Frequently asked Questions and a subscription Newsletter sample, are also available on this site. Ta... read more

While I’m perfectly aware that this country has more than its share of bad people, I have to say after four years here that some of the nicest people I’ve ever met are Mexicans. read more

Every time I hear the word “bandidos” the hair on the back of my neck starts to rise. The word sounds scary, doesn’t it? Where do these bandidos come from, anyway? I’d give anything to see a bo... read more

Last year, I arrived in Mexico from the States. I decided to spend the first few years of my retirement on the inland Mexican Riviera. There are several towns - really just large villages - along the s... read more

The transition from childhood to womanhood is a significant passage for adolescent girls in almost all cultures. In Mexico, it is marked with the celebration of the Quinceañera, or 15th Birthday. From... read more

The ubiquitous land crab — about the size of the palm of a hand © Barbara Sands, 2010 "If you've ever traveled the mainland side of the Sea of Cortez, just south of the town of El Golfo de Santa... read more

Not long after her husband died, our friend Lila decided to leave Mexico and return to the USA. She chose Florida over her native New York. As a newly single senior, it seemed like a good place for her... read more

Imagine a language course that starts off with the instructor giving a monologue that lasts all of sixty minutes, delivered almost entirely in Spanish. What our teacher, Hugo, gave us on that first day was a rundown, delivered at a normal conversational pace, on what we could expect in the next month. There were very few English words used, other than those we obviously didn’t understand. The only saving grace for us was that Hugo repeated his message constantly in several different ways. read more

Let’s start at the beginning. The five most commonly asked questions before I came to Mexico were: Why not stay in California and retire? Won’t you miss your friends a... read more

I write for fun, and I love my adopted Oaxaca. Don't take me literally. I try not to take myself too seriously; neither should you. Still, there is truth in here somewhere, and it's as much about me an... read more

You can stop looking for paradise. It's only 5 hours south of the Texas/Mexico border at McAllen or Brownsville. Most guidebooks dismiss the Gulf Coast uninteresting. They couldn't be more wrong. El Pa... read more

Mexico is a noisy place. Unless your cave is very high up the mountain, far beyond human habitation, noise is an integral part of your life. Certain kinds of noises are universal, occurring with equ... read more

Juan Mata Ortíz is a small village of potters, farmers and cowboys in Northern Chihuahua. About 30 years ago, an unschooled artistic genius, Juan Quezada, taught himself how to make earthenware jars i... read more

Below are some archives of letters to the editor that Stan has chosen to answer with open responses. August 23, 1996: A Border Resident Shares Her Experiences Sandy Weisel writes: Hi, I just love ... read more

I wrote his in early 1995. Thankfully, the decency and good will of the average Oaxacan had not vanished along with their purchasing power and hopes for the future. Teen age gangs, on the rise, have m... read more

In a place where the image of something can attain more significance than its substance, the propaganda war is waged without letup. Just like at home... (The wall of the governor's official residence, ... read more