Packing up a family of five and moving out of the United States is not for the faint of heart. It takes commitment, patience, determination and a (very) open mind. Before we moved, I read tons of, “How to Live Abroad,” and “Life of an Expat,” type articles and books. They all seemed to say the same basic things:
- Moving abroad and beginning a new life requires extensive planning, coordinating and energy.
- Just because you love vacationing somewhere, that doesn’t mean it’s the right place for you to move.
- Beaches and cocktails aside, living abroad is not the same as vacationing.
These articles certainly did not lie. Even just one week into our journey, I am discovering that the Mazatlan I knew as a frequent vacationer is quite different from the Mazatlan I’m discovering as a recent transplant.
While we are only about eight days into our adventure, there have been quite a few, let’s call them, “fun learning experiences” that we have had thus far. Here is a brief culmination of FLE’s that occurred during our family’s first week here in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico. This ‘list’ is certainly not exhaustive, nor is it in any particular order, nor does it explicitly translate to any other part of Mexico (or the world for that matter), nor is it objective in its nature.
Check the local weather (for the entire year) before packing your bags. This is something I clearly failed to do. We left Chicago in the early days of fall, just as the cool weather began to settle in. I purchased new ankle booties (so cute, so comfy and on sale!) and packed a couple of my favorite fall sweaters and jeans. When I managed to pare down my wardrobe to less than two suitcases I called myself winning! Fast forward to arrival day and there I was, stepping off the plane in my ankle booties, sweater and jeans, only to be welcomed with over ninety degree weather! That being said, I will likely need to visit a local clothing store pretty soon!
Garbage is picked up at 10:30pm and only if you tip the drivers to initiate service. For days, two bags of trash sat outside our home. The rest of the block’s trash was getting picked up, but not ours. Upon returning home one evening we discovered a twenty peso bill stuck in our gate. We collected it and counted our blessings. The next morning, we saw a pile of trash in front of our neighbor’s home. So, we added our (now four) bags to the pile. When we returned mid-day, all four bags were right back in front of our home! After consulting with my sister, she recommended we wait up for our garbage collection team and tip them that same twenty pesos that was likely left by a friendly neighbor in an attempt to help us ‘poor Americanos’. Vernon sat watch and when the truck rolled up at 10:32pm, he ran out, tipped the man and our trash was removed! We now know that we have to tip occasionally: on holidays, when we have big loads and during the hottest of summer months.
Gas is delivered directly to your home, typically within thirty minutes. Unlike in the states, gas is stored in a tank above your home. When your stove pilot or the hot water ceases to work, you know you must call Gaspasa to refill your tank. They arrive within about thirty minutes and scale the side of your home with a giant ladder and hose attached to their truck. You pay in cash and you’re back in business.
Furniture and appliances come home with you, same day, via Auriga. Rather than waiting the customary three or four days that many furniture and appliance stores take to deliver, you can simply call up an Auriga (a glorified pick-up truck with seats built into the back) and have the driver and a store employee assist you in loading up. You may have to pay a bit additional for the driver to assist with lifting and loading but hey, it sure beats waiting until ?!?! to receive your new purchase.
Air conditioning is a luxury item. Most major department stores, malls, restaurants, hotels and movie theaters have air conditioning, however, many homes do not. Most homes (including our own) are designed to allow for open windows and doors and occupants purchase pedestal, ceiling or floor fans to help air circulate. While the days are hot, the evenings and early mornings are cool and comfortable, at least at this time of the year. During the summer months however, the average expat or visitor from the States or Canada would appreciate a well maintained mini-split or air conditioner.
It helps to speak Spanish, so learn it! In dealing with many store owners, service providers, taxi drivers and waitpersons, I’ve found it extremely valuable to be with someone who speaks Spanish or to have a good grasp of the language your own self. Knowing a handful of verbs (even if you aren’t perfect at conjugating them, like me), using a few key phrases, and gesticulating a lot, will get you pretty far with the right person who is willing to bear with you. Walking into a store and making an attempt to communicate en Espanol (no matter how poor) will serve you much better than walking in and expecting everyone to know (and want to speak) English.
Children are the heart and soul of the culture and it shows! From the moment we stepped off the plane and a kind baggage handler ran up the stairs to help carry Mkazo to the ground, to the friendly immigration officer who invited our whole family to step in front of an extremely long line helping us avert an impending tantrum disaster, to each and every person who along the way has gone above and beyond to make things easier and more efficient for our family, it is evident that children and families are highly regarded and appreciated. I do not owe this to being “Americanos”, it’s simply the way folks here interact with families with small kids.
Bills are paid in person, not online, which calls for quite a bit of patience. When you’re ready to pay your electric, water or cable/internet bill, be prepared to visit one of the many locations, including the local OXXO (think 7-11), scattered throughout the city. We have been advised to pay our bills about five days in advance of their schedule to avoid the very long lines that form on the common due dates.
There is no such thing as too much water; at least in terms of drinking it. While the water here is better than in other areas, it still is advisable to choose purified water to drink and cook with, rather than using the water directly from the tap. This means having lots of large containers (think the office water cooler) on hand at all times. There are services available that will deliver the water directly to your home, or you can simply call out the window when one of the men riding down the street pulling their water carts passes by calling out “Agua!”.
We are more than excited to be here and are learning a little bit more about living in Mazatlan every day. The children are acclimating and we are slowly building a schedule that suits us all. Thus far, Mazatlan has been amazing and I am looking forward to the many new experiences that await our little (big) family!
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