Why We Left an Anthology of American Women Expats

by Janet Blaser

  Troubling for the first few years was my dad’s unhappiness with my decision. He was a dyed-in-the-wool family man. My living so far away in another country didn’t set well. Thankfully, he did eventually come around, and he and my mother visited me in Zihua. When I pointed out it was really due to him I was here, given that he’d imbued his financial principles in me so thoroughly I could afford jettisoning my job (temporarily at least) at age 45, he became more accepting of me “living my dream” in Mexico.

  Now about the three-year sabbatical idea. Well … it took less than a year to realize returning to what I’d left behind would be very difficult. How could I go back to an environment which dictated fairly rigidly how I’d be spending all my working hours?

  I put my thinking cap on and decided a crucial component was lowering my living expenses. By then I’d made many friends in Zihua, expats and locals alike. I got myself invited to myriad social events and spread the word that I was available for housesitting. Imagine my delight when a Canadian couple invited me to their splendid ocean-view penthouse high above a popular beach and asked me to take care of it during low season. I’d pay neither rent nor utilities; I’d be the troubleshooter and get problems fixed during their absence. That sweet situation carried on for six years starting mid-April and sometimes lasting until mid-December.

  I clearly remember the first morning I blearily opened my eyes in the master suite of that two-level penthouse. It wasn’t dawn yet, but I saw bright lights outside the condo. Drifting between sleep and semi-awareness, my first discombobulated thought was … Is this heaven? Padding to the balcony, I saw a cruise ship festooned with strings of lights majestically making its way into Zihuatanejo Bay, looking like it was headed right for my bedroom. Bliss!

  Despite all that, quitting my job for good was more difficult than I imagined. It meant I’d be sacrificing more than $25,000 in accrued sick leave benefits which would pay for increasingly expensive health insurance—if I stayed till normal retirement age. But could I hang on for another 17 years? (I was 48 at the time.) I nearly drove a coterie of friends crazy with my continual litany of indecision until finally one fellow snapped and said, “Look! You’ve gone over and over and over the pros and cons. Do it or don’t do it—but PLEASE don’t bring up the subject again. Enough is enough!”

  So, I went away for a solo weekend in Wisconsin where I knew no one for the express purpose of returning with a final decision. (During those first three “sabbatical” years, I’d gone back to Madison every summer.) While taking long walks on a deserted hiking trail, I realized I really didn’t want to be one of those people who postponed a dream so long that finally making it a reality became impossible. My resolve firmed up, and all my previous uncertainty simply fell away like magic. I would relocate to Mexico … no doubt about it!

  I’d been renting out my home. I sold it during a propitious real estate market and pocketed $85,000. That money went immediately into investments to provide a nest egg without which my fiscally conservative self could not have comfortably managed. I made the crucial decision to leave my nicely-growing pension fund untouched till age 60 and vowed that if I had to dip into it before then, I’d move back to Wisconsin and go back to work.

  I flew back to Zihuatanejo late in the summer of 1998, officially homeless and jobless, but debt-free and full of enthusiasm. Soon afterwards I met Nick.

  When the housesitting ended because we wanted to travel more, together Nick and I sought out living opportunities where we’d troubleshoot in return for reduced rent. Neither of us wanted to work in Mexico and file all the required paperwork, pay monthly taxes, etc. Our solution involved handling routine maintenance and unexpected emergencies for “our” owners. Paying the bills with their money sweetened the deal! It’s worked like a charm ever since, but it’s vital to be reliable and resilient. For us, this equates quite smartly to employment without qualifying as such. Buying a place ourselves was a non-starter because we wanted the freedom to pull up stakes whenever we chose.

  Though property ownership in Mexico comes with its own set of hassles, so does renting. When owners sell, you’re out of a place to call home. We’ve moved frequently during our time south of the border, and it’s really all been good. In 2012, when yet another Zihua landlord put her place on the market, we decided it was time to transplant ourselves elsewhere. Advancing age was making medical care more important, so we decided to try Mazatlán, 10 times bigger than Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo and considerably further up the Pacific coast. An ocean location was crucial to our happiness. Mazatlán appealed because we’d been coming here for a decade every December to experience the Gran Pacifico Marathon. Relaxing beach life was great, but here we have many more cultural opportunities as well.

  Besides this “job,” another way I found to keep mentally alert involved writing for a monthly English magazine in Zihuatanejo for a decade. Later, in Mazatlán, I began writing for a similar publication. I firmly believe the idea of sharing information with other potential expats on how we did what we’ve both done provides a useful service to a motivated audience.

  With the advantage of hindsight, would I do anything differently? Hmmm … maybe some little details, but in the grand scheme of things, I’m happy to report a most emphatic NO!

  In no particular order, here are some final thoughts:

  If you’re determined, it isn’t that difficult to live on a very modest income in Mexico. What might be onerous is editing your “must haves” to a level that meshes handily with your budget.

  Though some might disagree, approach a potential move with rationality and caution. Just because you love a place initially doesn’t mean it’s the right one for you. Check it out. Talk with other expats. I was fortunate enough to find that falling in love at first sight with Zihua was indeed the right course for me, but I gave the idea time to gel and did lots of research.

  Reality check: If you can’t handle noise with aplomb, then forget about moving here. Whether it’s construction, music, traffic, loud parties or something else, noise is pretty much a constant.

  Especially if you’re not a property owner, handling your monetary concerns with a U.S. financial institution while living in Mexico is a piece of cake. I’ve been doing it since 1995. I have a bank account in Mazatlán but use it only in emergencies. (My confidence in the Mexican banking system is not that strong.) Relying on the ever-increasing possibilities offered by the internet has shrunk the distance between Wisconsin and Mexico considerably since my story started taking shape back in 1988.

  Don’t ever forget that doing business here doesn’t employ the same guidelines as those you’re familiar with north of the border.

  To repeat: Punctuality is not prized here the same way as it is in the U.S., though things are changing as the 21st century advances.

  So here’s a corollary: Patience makes life a lot more pleasurable in Mexico. I keep working at it, still hoping I will eventually get the knack of realizing my natural tendency to want things done precisely when I want them done isn’t ever going to work here.

  Though I didn’t dwell on it before, the food here is amazing! Ditto for the bus service—which can get you virtually anywhere you want to go. Plus, if you’re at least 60 years old and hold a valid Mexican resident card (either permanent or temporary), you’re eligible for a free government-issued INAPAM card that allows you to ride buses throughout the country at 50% of normal fares.

  Safety warnings—to my way of thinking—are overdone. Yes, Homeland Security needs to be proactive, but I feel more secure here than if I were living in certain parts of Milwaukee, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc. The trick is to use common sense. Don’t be stupid and wander into uncharted or sketchy territory alone, especially at night.

  The changes in “my” areas of Mexico in the last two decades are mind-boggling. The internet has ushered in massive modifications, Amazon now delivers here, health care has made major strides, video phone call
s are popular—but, alas, Ranch-Style Doritos are still not on most supermarket shelves!

  Finally, keep in mind the much lower prices that probably figure heavily in your possible relocation. Here, within easy travel time from the U.S., you can often rent a nice-sized, ocean-view apartment for $700 or less per month. You can buy a hearty breakfast for two for under $7 … including a 15% tip (that percentage being perfectly fine). Phone service, including internet, costs as little as $20 monthly in Mazatlán, where a first-class bus taking you eight hours down the coast to Puerto Vallarta will set you back about $35 if you buy it online. The comparisons go on and on.

  The frosting on the cake for me was finally claiming my Social Security benefits at age 66. Adding this income to my annual budget has made me feel like I won the lottery.

  Bottom line: America remains my homeland …. but Mexico is definitely my home.

  Nancy Seeley moved to Mazatlán from Wisconsin in 1995 intending to stay for a three-year sabbatical, but she’s still there. Traveling throughout Mexico has become a passion and avoiding Midwest winters has become a goal. So far, she claims a pretty high success rate on both fronts.

  13. “Not Quite What I Expected”

  Gwyn Higbee

  San Felipe, Baja California

  My story is one of losing control and learning to just go with the flow.

  I was first introduced to San Felipe, Baja in 1997. My husband and I had just moved from Seattle, Washington to Tucson, Arizona. He had grown up in Southern California and spent a lot of time in Baja because he raced off-road. We made the seven-hour drive from Tucson to San Felipe that year.

  My first time in Baja we stayed in a hotel and quickly learned that hotels in Mexico are not the same as in U.S. We had two rooms: one that had a heater but no hot water, and the other with hot water but no heat. (I’ve since learned that hot water is not always a guarantee at many hotels.) We explored the area, enjoyed the culture, met new people and overall were happy with our vacation and ready to do it again.

  By 1999, we’d been coming to San Felipe frequently for a couple of years and were really starting to think about our future. We figured we usually spent a minimum of a few thousand dollars each year on vacations, and if instead we saved that money, in a few years we’d have enough to buy a small piece of property in Mexico and have our own place to go instead. Since my husband was in the construction business and very handy, we knew we could buy a fixer-upper and make it into whatever we wanted.

  One day we were walking in the neighborhood and noticed a house for sale. We called the realtor and asked to look at it. He met us the next morning and told us the previous owner had been widowed, was overdue on her HOA fees and would probably negotiate. So we thought, let’s make a ridiculously low offer and if she says no, so be it. We wrote up the contract, went to the beach and came back to our friend’s house for dinner. We walked in the door and she threw us a huge pile of keys and said “Congratulations, you’re a home owner!” The realtor had brought the keys to her to give to us. That was the beginning of our life in Baja.

  The biggest thing that made San Felipe so affordable was the house. Our initial investment in our home was less than $10,000 USD. For that money we got a 480-square foot house with a 22-foot travel trailer, two solar panels, two batteries, a water tank and a septic tank, plus a year of HOA dues paid. We like to say that our house has been like a chia pet: We add money and it grows. Today we’ve grown from 480 sq. feet to 1,500 sq. feet, more than enough for a retirement home.

  Our home is in a gated expat community that’s considered the largest solar community in North America. Yep, our house is 100% off-the-grid. If you’re not familiar with an off-grid solar system, in the simplest terms it means that your solar panels gather power from sunlight and store that power in batteries. Basically once you invest in your initial solar system you have very small utility bills. The batteries have to be replaced about every 5-7 years (newer technologies will make them last longer) so you do have that expense, but it’s not a monthly expense like you’re used to in the States. We have not just solar power, but wind power as well. Our water is trucked in from the city and stored in a cistern. We have both a wood stove and propane for heat. That’s what we do for utilities.

  In those beginning years we spent every holiday and school vacation at our house. We developed friendships with people that were snowbirds. Through those friendships we could see how people were having a great life and living on modest incomes.

  My husband had a very physical job as a union sheet metal worker and he always knew he wanted to retire young. He loved Baja when he was in his teens so even before we were married he knew that San Felipe was where he wanted to live. It offers him the off-road racing and laid-back lifestyle he loves, plus easy fishing and biking nearby. When Mike turned 50 he decided he was going to leave Tucson and go and work in Seattle to finish his working career. The pay and benefits in Seattle were way better than in Tucson, so he figured he could go and work, and bank some money for early retirement. We figured if we could swing it we’d be able to retire when he turned 55.

  That left me alone in Tucson. My daughter by this time was married with a child and had moved to California. My employer had an opportunity for someone to travel once a month for a week at a time, so I thought I’d give it a try. The owner of our company had started working remotely and I thought if I could figure out how to continue to do my job while traveling maybe I could approach them about telecommuting and working from Mexico, at least part-time for a while.

  As retirement approached and I started looking through my rose-colored glasses, I pictured a life of Mike enjoying his hobbies while I telecommuted for a few more years. We would have no house payment, minimal monthly expenses and a new, relaxed and improved quality of life. When he turned 55 he started planning when his last day of work would be. We filed all the papers necessary to start drawing his pension. Then confusion set in as we got the figures back from the trust funds about his pension amount. If we chose to take monies out at age 55, it would be reduced; the alternate option was to wait and work a few more years until he was 62. Add to that if you want your spouse to get your pension when you pass, and there’s another reduction.

  There were lots of hard choices and decisions to be made for our future, and we really had to consider what was best for us. That was the moment we decided we still wanted to retire early and live in Baja, but that we’d have to supplement our income for a few years before we’d be able to draw our Social Security benefits.

  Mike decided that if he was going to have to work, he’d rather do something he likes and knows—which solar was. We started a business selling and servicing complete solar systems, batteries, solar panels, wind generators, etc. I don’t know who he talked to originally about setting up the business in Mexico, but I can tell you that it was way different than starting a business in the U.S. We ended up becoming a Mexican corporation. Neither Mike nor I speak fluent Spanish (me hardly any) and what Spanish Mike does know was not enough to understand all the legal terminology. We were lucky to find an accountant and other mentors along the way to help us get our business launched.

  One year later and I’m still trying to understand and accept the way business is done in Mexico. Cash is king here, whereas in the U.S. credit cards prevail. We’ve had to be interviewed and observed by bank officials to make sure that we’re a legitimate business and not a drug front. Banking is very complicated, especially since we only have one bank in our town. Simple tasks like asking a general question, having a password reset or getting a bank statement require sitting at the bank for a minimum of two hours waiting for one of the only two bank reps that can assist you. I find that accountability and lack of deadlines is a major problem here; I don’t know if it’s just in San Felipe or if it’s the way the whole country works, but the best way to describe doing business in Mexico is FRUSTRATION.

  I’m still finding my way
trying to develop new friendships and hobbies. As a working woman, I find it a bit challenging in our community since the majority of people are retired. With economics the way they are in the U.S. though, I definitely see more people moving here who are in their 50s and choosing, just like us, to leave the U.S. at a younger age.

  The question I’m always asked is, “Are you happy with your decision to move?” My answer is always yes. It’s very comforting knowing that I have a roof over my head that’s paid for, as well as being pretty much self-sufficient with our power supply. Moneywise our dollar goes a lot farther here, and we can enjoy our life in a much more stress-free environment with other like-minded friends. Living a more minimal life and enjoying the beauty of my environment is very fulfilling.

  Some of my family thinks it’s great that we live in such a beautiful place but can’t comprehend making the leap. I think the language barrier is one of the major drawbacks for most people. Unless someone comes down and experiences the lure of Baja I think it’s hard to explain. My daughter grew up spending time here so she loves it like we do. Now my five-year-old grandson has the Baja bug and wants to come down whenever he can.

  Reflect on your life and decide what’s best for you, but this girl definitely prefers to live here in the little fishing village of San Felipe!

  Gwyn Higbee is a full-time resident of San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico. While living in the U.S. she was a corporate travel agent for 20 years and then changed careers at age 40. Her last 16 years have been spent with one company as student services/accounting manager. Married for 32 years, she is now ready for the next phase of her life. When not working she enjoys traveling, exploring the outdoors and spending time with family and friends.