Mexico's High Wire Act

What to do on a not so lazy afternoon in Playa del Carmen Mexico?

Well if you work the cities electrical department you could grab yourself some electrical cable and shimmy 100’s of feet up to the top of a high tension power pole to string it!

Can you believe this? And no fall net was in evidence. Oh my!

I hope they got paid extra. Do you think they work part time for the circus?

Only in Mexico you say?

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/

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – One Stop Real Estate, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Adventures in Mexico, I taught my son to drive!

You know what? I didn’t drive in Mexico for the first four years we lived here because it scared me! You see in Mexico they don’t quite have all the same rules as Canada or the US. In fact driving here can be kind of wild and chaotic. I have learned to embrace wild and chaotic – thus I now drive in Mexico.

Yes seat belts are the law and speeding is ticketed but as for the lines on the road? I think they are considered guidelines only. The idea seems to be to use every possible patch of pavement and having two lanes turn into three or four lanes is not uncommon.

So what did I teach my son besides the regular driving basics? Well a lot of it was informing him of the differences between driving in Mexico and other countries. For instance that you will find “x” driving habit in Mexico but if you go to Canada or the US this will not be allowed.

I taught him to

- Watch for people who may suddenly turn up on your right when you actually have your turn signal on to turn right.

- Watch when you want to turn left because other drivers may think you want them to go around you when you put on your signal so they will pass on your left

- Hesitate before you pull away at a light because someone may be running the other light.

- Watch for turtles crossing when driving in beach towns.

- That you don’t have to drive like dad if you don’t want to.

When he finished my classes, he took six hours of mandatory classroom drivers’ education (where he was taught things like the time it takes your vehicle to stop at various speeds and that no makeup should be put on in a car as an accident could force your makeup applicator into your eye causing serious injury). After that he took his written and practical test and received his own Mexican drivers’ license. Yea!

I also have to say that the Playa del Carmen Department of Licensing had the friendliest, nicest people working there that I have ever encountered. Everything was handled with a smile. The instructor for his classroom education even came and shook his hand as he held his new license.

So look out Playa del Carmen – you now have another new driver - my son.

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/

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – One Stop Real Estate, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Want to live in Mexico? Top things you should know

Awhile ago ExpatExchange.net posted a question on their forum asking what are the top 10 things people should know if they are planning to come to Mexico to live. I asked permission to post BajaGringo’s post because I enjoyed his humor and his truths. Here it is …..

I have a few more than 10 – here goes... Living in Mexico is not for everybody. Of course neither is Arkansas, but that is for another thread on a different forum.

If you are even thinking about retiring in Mexico, my suggestion would be to come down first and find a vacation home rental in a community where you are considering and spend a month minimum there. Once the new car smell wears off you will have a better chance to see the country for what it really is, with all its warts and cultural charm together. Only then can you know if you might be a good candidate to live here and actually enjoy the experience. Some thrive here, others don't. It depends a lot on who you are.

I have made my own list of the general traits I see in folks who seem to do well down here: 1. Bohemian 2. Self sufficient 3. Thick skinned 4. Easy going 5. Adaptable / flexible 6. Open minded 7. Adventurous 8. Non-complainer 9. Culturally inquisitive 10. Doesn't believe that you can't teach an old dog new tricks In my 30+ years living in various parts of Latin America (Argentina / Venzuela / Brazil / Mexico); I have had a pretty good opportunity to see how this works. My experience is that expats who can be identified by these traits (I probably missed some others that could be included) are the ones who truly do well in Latin America.

Now you need to be able to ask yourself some questions and give brutally honest answers. Your retirement / expat life happiness may depend on that honesty. Do any of the following particularly bother or upset you: 1. Your neighbor who leaves his trash cans out, days after the garbage truck goes by. 2. Your neighbor who likes to play loud music at 11:30 at night. 3. Your neighbor who mows his lawn only once a month. When he does it is usually on a Saturday morning at 6:00 AM. 4. Your neighbor who likes to work on his car in front of his house. He has 3 more in back that he will get to eventually. 5. Your neighbor who likes to have family get togethers every weekend and their family is bigger than many mid-western towns. 6. The grocery store frequently does not have 2 of the 5 items you went there to buy. 7. Electricity going out 5 minutes before your favorite TV show is to begin. 8. Water pressure going out the evening your family arrives to spend the weekend. 9. The mechanic tells you he will have your car ready at 5:00 PM and you thought that meant today. 10. The plumber hooked up your new sink with the hot and cold water reversed. 11. Barking dogs, blasting advertising from loud speakers or honking vendors in your neighborhood at 7:00 AM. 12. Are you the type to call the police, the city zoning enforcement officer or write letters to the editor of the local newspaper for everything that bugs you about things going on in your neighborhood back home, including any of the first 11 items in the list? A yes answer to two or more of any of the above or especially to question 12, indicates that there is a strong possibility that Mexico may not be a good choice for you for anything more than vacations and an occasional dental appointment.

If you are coming to Mexico to eat the same food you ate back home, live in a home with all the same features and amenities you had back home and want to maintain basically the same lifestyle you had back home... Then just stay back home. You will probably be a whole lot happier and the locals will probably be just as pleased to have never had the pleasure of staring at your grumpy, complaining mug every day as you gripe about any and all of items 1 through 11 on the list.

The expat life is not for everybody and it isn't a Scarlett Letter or anything. Just a simple fact and being able to be honest with yourself and realistic in your expectations. If you are the type that can focus on the side of Mexico that does appeal to you and not let some of this stuff bother you too much, then you just may be able to survive life as an expat in Mexico. In fact you might (gasp) actually learn to see life from a different perspective and come to the illogical conclusion that maybe there are a couple of things a third world country can teach us. (God forbid) It is all about perspective and attitude.

Thank you BajaGringo. Questions anyone?

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/

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – One Stop Real Estate, Playa del Carmen, Mexico