{"id":2775,"date":"2016-03-04T18:24:39","date_gmt":"2016-03-04T18:24:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/?p=2775"},"modified":"2016-03-06T20:37:47","modified_gmt":"2016-03-06T20:37:47","slug":"next-stop-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/winter-2016\/next-stop-mexico\/","title":{"rendered":"Next Stop: Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"

Where to Retire Series. . .\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n
By Megan Monachino<\/em><\/h6>\n

C<\/span>lose your eyes and picture this\u2014feet in the sand on a warm January evening, watching the sun melt into the sea. Colorful, palm-fringed buildings behind you and a jungle in the short distance; local vendors greet you with a smile on your walk home through cobblestone streets while music and chatter can be heard from inside homes with open doors.<\/p>\n

The dreamlike vignette may sound like a vacation but don\u2019t be so quick to assume. The warm weather, natural beauty, rich and colorful culture and low cost of living can be your new everyday if you pack your bags and make the move to Mexico.<\/p>\n

\"CROPIX-Caminata-Mazatlan-Tourism-Board\"

Photo: Mazatlan Tourism Board<\/p><\/div>\n

Over 1 million Americans already live in Mexico, and more and more retirees are moving abroad to enjoy the rich Indian and Spanish culture in charming, colonial, hill towns with spectacular beaches. Mexico offers a relaxed lifestyle as well as access to affordable healthcare and retirement benefits programs for a lower cost of living than both America and Canada.<\/p>\n

Mexico\u2019s healthcare system is also very good and very affordable. Costs for common surgeries and procedures can be 25-50% of what it costs in the US. The price for a doctor\u2019s office visit ranges from $35 to $50, and lab tests cost a third of the price paid in America. An overnight stay in a private hospital room costs less than $100, and a dentist visit for teeth cleaning costs around $30.<\/p>\n

Worried about distance? The country\u2019s close proximity to the United States makes it especially appealing for relatively easy and reasonably priced travel back and forth to visit friends and family or to have friends and family visit you!<\/p>\n

Focus On Mexico<\/a>, a website produced by American expats Ray and Marie Dwyer-Bullock, reveals that what expats and retirees find is, \u201ca new lease on life. They awaken a sense of adventure while exploring a new culture, they adopt a more creative and healthier lifestyle and they find the space to get back to really living life to the fullest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Expat communities throughout Mexico are thriving and growing. They have the perfect terrain for new adventures and exciting opportunities. Our favorites are Lake Chapala, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatl\u00e1n.<\/p>\n

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Lake Chapala scenes. Photo: Focus on Mexico<\/a><\/p><\/p>\n

Lake Chapala<\/h4>\n

You can find the largest community of US retirees outside the US in the towns along the north shore of Mexico\u2019s biggest freshwater lake. Lake Chapala<\/a> is in the country\u2019s central highlands, about 45 minutes south of Guadalajara.<\/p>\n

The coastal towns boast cobblestone streets, Spanish-colonial architecture and low humidity, year-round, spring-like temperatures. Home to 10,000 full time expatriates, the tight-knit community provides support and amenities to retirees\u2014paved bike paths, year-round tennis and golf, over 50 English-speaking organizations, jazz and big band music venues and a variety of affordable restaurants that offer Greek, Italian, French, German, Chinese, Argentinean, Mexican and more!<\/p>\n

Vibrant, colorful boutiques and houses painted oranges and blues and pinks line the roads, and murals inside and out at schools, churches, shops and museums. The colors throughout the community mimic the glorious array of pigments in Lake Chapala\u2019s sunrises and sunsets.<\/p>\n

The lakeside area has a safe and secure environment, located just 30 minutes away from Guadalajara International Airport where a direct flight to Los Angeles (LAX) takes about three and a half hours.<\/p>\n

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Puerto Vallarta is a popular American retiree destination. A home in Puerto Vallarta and the marina. Photo: Healthy Aging staff photo<\/p><\/p>\n

Puerto Vallarta<\/h4>\n

Located on the Pacific Coast in Nayarit is the region of Puerto Vallarta<\/a>\u2014a high-class, urban amenities community where palm-fringed villages offer the best of both worlds.<\/p>\n

With designer shopping, world-class dining, professional tournament golf clubs and an international airport, this expat community is an admired tourist attraction and offers outdoor activities, art galleries, charitable events and more.<\/p>\n

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Margaritas are served at the Botanical Gardens, lobster taco (Photo: Puerto Vallarta Publicity), Coconut water for sale. Other photos: Healthy Aging staff photo<\/p><\/p>\n

The beachfront promenade and lively downtown scene is a popular attraction, but just a few blocks from the noise rests the treasure of Puerto Vallarta\u2019s charismatic town; plazas where locals and expats interact through meal and conversation and white houses with beautiful flower beds hanging from windows.<\/p>\n

\"Tables-by-sea-Puerto-Vallarta-c-worthington\"

Endless dining possibilities in Puerto Vallarta such as this inviting setting where you can curl your toes in the sand. Photo: Healthy Aging staff.<\/p><\/div>\n

Jungles, waterfalls and hills inhabit Puerto Vallarta, and in the newer luxury area Nuevo Vallarta, American style complexes and shopping malls can be found.<\/p>\n

A direct flight out of Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta to LAX takes about three hours.<\/p>\n

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El Quelite, Sinaloa, is a beautiful town just 25 miles north of Mazatlan and makes a fun side trip. Photo:\u00a0Mazatlan Tourism Board.<\/p><\/p>\n

Mazatl\u00e1n<\/h4>\n

Mazatl\u00e1n<\/a>, located on the coast to the north of Puerto Vallarta, is a lower key, 16-mile beach town. It\u2019s one of Mexico\u2019s oldest and most well-known vacation and retirement destinations. Built on a world-class, deep-sea fishing reputation, John Wayne used to visit for sport fishing!<\/p>\n

A blend of beach resort with distinctly Mexican flavor makes the reasonably priced real estate especially appealing. The shores are lined with shopping, dining, banks and other commercial establishments, and downtown has seen new life.<\/p>\n

Plaza Machado sits in the heart of town and is surrounded by outdoor cafes and international restaurants. Right off the plaza is Teatro \u00c1ngela Peralta, a restored theater that dates back to 1874 and is open for concerts and performances.<\/p>\n

Mazatl\u00e1n\u2019s excellent winter weather makes visiting the beach a year-round activity\u2014from December through March, daytime temperatures see a high in the 70s and lows in the low 60s, with little to no rain. Between July and October, temperatures are around 90, with rain fall mostly between July and September.<\/p>\n

The Mazatl\u00e1n Tourism Board shares that locals call their community \u201cthe farm of Mexico.\u201d Continuing, \u201cOur state produces 30% of the country\u2019s meals, including wheat, corn, vegetables, fish, shrimp, meat and fruits. This makes the local open markets a key spot to frequent for their great deals on fresh food.\u201d<\/p>\n

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From beaches to culture and sports, Mazatlan offers a treasure trove of activities for all ages. Photo: Mazatlan Tourism Board<\/p><\/p>\n

\u201cMazatl\u00e1n has welcomed visitors and foreigners since its foundation in the 1800s, and retirees find that we are a very friendly and hospitable Mexican city that maintains real Mexican flavor with the comforts of the modern world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Need more convincing? Carol Merchasin, an American expatriate and former attorney from Philadelphia, shares her reasons for dramatically changing her lifestyle to live in Mexico.<\/p>\n

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Abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables can be found in San Miguel de Allende markets. Photo: Carol Merchasin.<\/p><\/p>\n

Top Ten Reasons You Should Live in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico If Only for the Winter<\/strong><\/h4>\n

By Carol Merchasin<\/em><\/p>\n

When I lived in Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia, I dreaded winter. The comfort of hearty stews cooking on the stove and bright, warm fires only went so far in alleviating the endless loop of grey skies, rain, slush, ice, snow, hit repeat. My sense of being alive in the world always took a hit.<\/p>\n

Then I moved to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. There are many more reasons than the beautiful weather to make the move abroad, but in honor of the last few, more-than-catastrophic winters in the US, let\u2019s start there.<\/p>\n

10\nWEATHER<\/h4>\n

On a winter day years ago while I was walking through Chicago, I tried to blink but couldn\u2019t. As I contemplated what medical catastrophe was afoot, I realized\u2014yes\u2014the liquid in my eyes had frozen. Wind chill-adjusted temperatures of 40 below\u00a0zero can do that. This seemed normal. It built character, as my mother used to say.<\/p>\n

When you live in San Miguel and people ask, \u201cDon\u2019t you miss the four seasons?\u201d you\u2019ll laugh, because here in Mexico you have them all\u2014winter, spring, summer and fall\u2014almost every day. Brisk mornings melt into hot afternoons that transition slowly back to cool evenings. Arctic gear can be donated to Goodwill, and days can be spent in a high-altitude-induced state of climate bliss.<\/p>\n

9\nWALKING<\/h4>\n

San Miguel was not designed for automobiles, so most people use their feet and walk wherever they need to go. Not only does this make reaching the recommended 10,000 steps daily easier, but navigating uneven cobblestones stimulates pressure points on the bottom of the feet, which increases balance. Since many of us are heading into dotage, those benefits sound pretty good.<\/p>\n

There is also tremendous satisfaction in walking, not only for exercise advantages, but to arrive at the place you set out to reach, such as the library or the paper store. There\u2019s magic in motoring the body without aid of a machine, and parking isn\u2019t an issue.<\/p>\n

8\nSCARCITY<\/h4>\n

The scarcity of consumer goods may not sound like an attractive attribute, but for many who have memorized our 16-digit credit card numbers due to overuse, it is refreshing. When what you want isn\u2019t available, you stop wanting. And when what you need isn\u2019t available or requires driving to another town (See Walking above), you become resourceful.\u00a0The accumulated result of all this scarcity is the life-changing realization that there is very little we actually need.<\/p>\n

7\nFOOD<\/h4>\n

It\u2019s true that it\u2019s not often you\u2019ll encounter organic pearl barley risotto or carpaccio of anything delicately nestled in a galette of foie gras, scented with lavender (although we do have lavender). Turns out, you really shouldn\u2019t eat most of those fatty goods anyway! Mexico is abundant with plant proteins like rice and beans. The beans of the Mexican indigenous population from pre-hispanic times combined with rice brought by the Spaniards makes a complete plant-based protein.Toss in any of the 152 fresh or dried chiles, believed to lower cholesterol and protect against cancer, and you will be very healthy.<\/p>\n

6\nMA\u00d1ANA<\/h4>\n

\u201cWhen will you get the ______ that I absolutely must have today?\u201d I ask. \u201cMa\u00f1ana,\u201d she says, but ma\u00f1ana doesn\u2019t mean \u201ctomorrow,\u201d it means \u201csometime in the near or far future when everything becomes aligned.\u201d\nBeing on the receiving end of this mentality is a practice in patience and quite irritating until you realize that as part of assimilating into Mexican culture, you can be on the giving end. When your spouse asks, \u201cWhen are you going to wash the dishes?\u201d you can smile and reply, \u201cOh, si, ma\u00f1ana.\u201d<\/p>\n

5\nSPANISH<\/h4>\n

Learning to speak Spanish as an adult can be difficult, but brain science tells us that learning a new language can decreases the risk of Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia. So while you are searching your memory bank for the Spanish word for \u201cspaghetti pot,\u201d you\u2019ll be satisfied knowing you are likely to maintain sparkling mental acuity for the rest of your life. In the meantime, your imperfect attempts at communication will bring their own rewards\u2014some incredibly amusing errors and a glimpse inside Mexican culture.<\/p>\n

4\nENFORCED IGNORANCE<\/h4>\n

If you\u2019ve grown tired of the batter and banter of US politicians, news commentators and angry internet trolls, you\u2019re sure to find an advantage in not understanding what\u2019s going on with the Mexican government.<\/p>\n

3\nCIVILITY<\/h4>\n

Politeness is as essential to Mexican life as oil is to a machine. It lubricates the gears of large families and small villages where it is used as a tool to keep relationships running smoothly. This predisposition to civility extends to many activities in Mexico, like greeting passers-by with a cheerful \u201cbuenos dias\u201d (originally \u201cMay God give you good days\u201d), or the benediction of a \u201cbuen provecho\u201d (\u201cMay your food benefit you\u201d) to fellow diners as you pass their table in a restaurant. All are guaranteed to create a sense of being both literally and figuratively blessed.<\/p>\n

2\nMEXICO<\/h4>\n

There are no two countries that share a border and have less in common than the United States and Mexico. And, in the case of the US, know less about each other\u2019s culture. Mexicans don\u2019t just talk about the importance of family, respect and community\u2014they live those values. Their work ethic and resourcefulness is admirable. Many who live in American society and are overstressed, over focused on time and money and often mean spirited toward others could learn a great deal from our southern neighbors.<\/p>\n

1\nYOU<\/h4>\n

You can be a better, more satisfied person here. Learning patience and perspective from walking, waiting and doing without\u2014while enjoying life unfiltered. You have the rare opportunity to see firsthand what Wade Davis, Explorer in Residence at National Geographic Society, has said,\u201cThe world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.” Explore this new terrain for your next adventure in life.<\/p>\n

Carol Merchasin<\/a> is the author of This is Mexico: Tales of Culture and Other Complications<\/a> \u00a9 2015 published by She Writes Press, paperback.<\/em><\/h6>\n
Cover Photo: Dreams Puerto Vallarta Resort. Spa Beach along Bahia de Banderas. Photo credit. Amresorts.<\/a><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part of the Healthy Aging\u00ae Ongoing Series of Where to Retire. Explore Mexico!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3229,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47,49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-winter-2016","category-winter-2016-features"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2775"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2775\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3514,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2775\/revisions\/3514"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}