Focus On Mexico

Your Guide to Moving and Retiring to Mexico's Lake Chapala

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The U.S. and Mexico – Brothers From Another Mother

The U.S. and Mexico – Brothers From Another Mother

Jorge Ramos is a well-known Mexican American journalist and newscaster who has written numerous books, including the recent Stranger: The Challenge of a Latino Immigrant in the Trump Era.  In this wide ranging interview in Mexico City, he discusses the election of the new Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, commonly known as AMLO, and interviews Americans living in Mexico and Mexicans who have returned from the U.S.  This is a great birds eye view of Mexico today and why ~1.5 million Americans choose to make Mexico their home.  Check it out and join us for one of our intensive … [Read more...]

Mexico Banking Basics

Mexico Banking Basics

Now that we've talked about Mexican currency, let's review some banking basics.  Whether you are a visitor, snowbird, or making a permanent move to Mexico, knowing how and where to bank will help free your time for the all the things you really want to do as part of your Mexico vacation or life. It's Easy! First and most importantly, no matter what you may think or have heard, banking in Mexico is not difficult. It can be as simple as using your U.S. ATM card in an ATM machine for most daily transactions.  The ATM machines charge a variety of fees ranging from ~$1.50 US to ~$4.50 USD per … [Read more...]

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em

or Love it or Leave It - when it comes to the Fiestas Patronales Every town in Mexico has a nine-day annual fiesta honoring their patron saint.  The festivals are religious, pagan and secular all at once here in Mexico where contradictions live happily side by side!  Whether you will want to join in the fun or head for the hills (or in this case beach) will largely depend on how much you like to party, the proximity of your home to the town square, and your level of noise tolerance. The Guilds Ajijic's patron saint festival honoring San Andres (Saint Andrew)  is held every year from … [Read more...]

Watch Those Pesos…

Watch Those Pesos…

They Spend Like Real Money! While Mexican money may look like Monopoly money at first glance, it spends just like real money, so it's good idea to get familiar with the Mexican peso before you arrive. If you're not used to dealing in more than one currency, it can feel daunting at first to convert from your home currency to pesos quickly and confidently. It's common to see flustered people thrust a handful of cash and coins at cashiers in Mexico so that vendors could pick out the appropriate amount from their hands. That's NOT the recommended way of doing things, even though there are many … [Read more...]

What’s on the South Side of Lake Chapala?

What’s on the South Side of Lake Chapala?

Mexico is full of treasures and lakeside is all around Lake Chapala, which the indigenous used to call the sea of Chapala due to its size.  The north side of the lake that we commonly call Lakeside from east to west consists basically of the towns of Chapala, Ajijic, San Juan Cosala, and Jocotepec.  On the south side of lake you'll find from west to east the towns of San Luis Soyotlan, Tuxcueca, Tizapan, Sahuayo and Petatan (where the pelicans come to winter), Sahuayo and Jilquipan. I've been curious about the 'other' side of the lake ever since arriving in Ajijic almost two years ago.  A … [Read more...]