Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Mexican New Year

Tonight is New Years Eve and there will be many festivities in town – parties, street parties, fireworks, great food and drinks. It probably sounds a lot like where you live – isn’t it interesting how in every country things can be so different and yet many things are the same?

We will be heading down to the beach again to ring it in. Are you surprised? I’ll be counting my blessings of how fortunate I feel to be able to live in Mexico with my husband and children as I gaze out over the ocean with the distant lights of Cozumel and the twinkling blanket of stars over us. I will probably have no jacket on (Big Smile).

I don’t know how late we will stay there but I do know that whenever we get home the neighborhood parties will still be in full swing. Well if we can’t sleep we can always join them.

By the way, one fun tradition that is observed in Mexico is the eating of 12 grapes - one with each stroke of the chiming bell at midnight. This is to bring good luck for the coming year.

May your New Year be full of fun, love, prosperity and travel.

Enjoy the Adventure! Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My book: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Our Mexican Christmas

First you put the turkey in the oven then you go to the beach for a swim in the ocean.

Christmas in Mexico for us is a wonderful blend of old and new traditions. We put the tree up after we have gone swimming in the pool in our yard. We still string up lights outside but they are in the palm trees.

I’m going to go for a practice swim right now. I really love a tropical Christmas!

May your Christmas be filled with many wonderful old and new traditions!


Enjoy the Adventure! Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My book: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Our Mexican Gingerbread House


This is a tradition from Canada that we finally decided to reinstate last year. We did not make a gingerbread house for several years after we moved to Mexico because I was concerned ants would carry it away. Anyone who has lived in or visited a tropical climate will know the validity of my concern. Ants love food, especially sugar!


However last year our gingerbread house was just fine as we built it on a board which we placed on an upside down pie pan in a jelly roll pan. This created room for a moat that we filled with water. Ants can’t swim! Not one ant was found near the house. The only challenge the house encountered was the erosion caused by my 15 year old son slowly eating all the candy!


This picture is our result this year. From our house to yours, Merry Christmas!

Enjoy the Adventure! Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My book: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

A Mexico Holiday - How to be a good house guest

Blend Christmas with high season and it means company will definitely be coming to our house in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Well the truth is I do love company so I am indeed happy - especially when the company knows how to be a great house guest.

How can you be great company for someone who lives in Mexico? Just bring lots of stuff that we still can’t get here. In my case it would be chocolate Oreo cookie crumbs, graham wafer crumbs, Dream Whip, instant puddings, large jars of crunchy peanut butter, and vitamin C caplets (I can only find horse size tablets here). You get the idea, so ask your hosts what they need.

When we still lived in Canada, we visited friend who were living in Thailand. They had a ton of stuff they wanted that they could not get there. We brought it all but did not really understand the pleasure of receiving it until we moved to Mexico.

Also, tell your hosts that you just came to chill and that we do not have to entertain you! Feel free to strike out on your own sometimes. Don’t ask a lot of questions about why they do things this way or anyway here as we don’t know either. Oh and bring a bottle of tequila back to the house with you now and then.

Enjoy your holidays! I know your friends or family that you are visiting will love your visit.

Enjoy the Adventure! Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My book: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

Friday, December 5, 2008

My road is paved!

Joy to the world! The road in front of my house here in Mexico is now paved.

That’s all my news for today. It is a perfect example of Mexican maƱana time as it only took five years. I don’t care my road is paved – my road is paved – my road is paved.

I knew it would happen! I think ... maybe.

Enjoy the Adventure! Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My book: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Mexico - high season is almost here!


It is the beginning of December and high season in Mexico will soon be here. If you are interested the official Mexico high season start date is December 15th. Now what does that actually mean for those of us who live in a high tourist area like Playa del Carmen?

It means there will be a lot more people in town and way more activity. Party! Party! Party!

There is a buzz and an excitement as we are joined by people from all over the world. So many different languages spoken!

It also means increased traffic and it may be a little harder to find parking spaces in some areas – but who cares? The humidity is gone and the temperature is perfect. Except for a few mornings when we will awake to a bone chilling 16 degrees Celsius! That by the way is 60.8 degrees Fahrenheit!

You can tell the locals in winter because we are wearing long sleeve shirts, sweaters, scarves and boots. The tourists will be seen in shorts and bikinis.

So do you wanna come play? You can wear whatever you want.

Enjoy the Adventure! Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My book: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.