Recent content by mexicoblue14

Yes, there is petty theft here, although in 21 years I have never been robbed. Most ends up being an inside job (someone knows where the jewelry is hidden). Gated communities avoid most theft, being very careful who you hire is critical. My maid has a key, has access to my purse and wallet...

I'm in West Ajijic, a neighborhood called "Arroyo Alto". perhaps we can get together when you get here. Without good Spanish, I don't think you'd enjoy living on the South side.

There are also some great videos on youtube on Lake Chapala and Ajijic which will give you a sense of how beautiful this area is. And No, none of them are mine!

Different strokes for different folks. I'm glad everyone doesn't love it as much as I do, or we'd be dealing with too many expats. The only way to decide if it's for you is to come and stay for a couple of weeks. There are also thousands of blogs on living here as well as in other parts of...

Actually, you need to be careful of Internet information. Much of it is OLD. The lake is healthy now -- much more healthy than California beaches. Many people were swimming in the Lake yesterday as thousands of Guadalajarans visited Lakeside for this Easter week. The wells are continually...

Really, I just figured based on the THEN cost of living in 1996 (about $1000/month) that I had enough to live on until my SS kicked in ten years later. Of course, I figured on my investments continuing earning 10% but that turned out to be a joke. I live comfortably but modestly and still have...

I feel very safe here at Lakeside. The US and Canadian press do a real job on discouraging folks from moving to Mexico. Of course there is crime where the drug cartels are located, but other than theft, we see very little crime here at Lakeside. I'm safer here than most cities in the US...

You're talking about IMSS, the public health insurance and they change their rules frequently. I don't use them and am not current but I think they won't accept you after 70. It would be best to google IMSS and get the current rules. Seguro Popular will accept you with preexisting conditions...

Hmm, so many questions. My biggest surprises? Remember, I moved here 21 years ago and things were a lot different then. We didn't have local internet. We have one traffic light -- now we have 14! I enjoyed the laid back lifestyle, the friendliness of both the locals and the expats. I found...

I lived in La Floresta my first 12 years here. It is beautiful.

I just figured out that there were more posts. I hadn't heard anything and had expected emails to let me know. First off, I have nothing to do with international Living. Their "Retire in Mexico" conference in 1996 introduced me to this area. Now, I'll scroll on down and see how I can answer...

I had no balance in my life I was working 80 hour weeks (my own consulting company) and on the plane far too often. I knew it would affect my health. So, at age 51 I came to a retire in Mexico Seminar in Guadalajara, got all the info I needed, pasted spreadsheets all over my office and decided...

Burned out at age 51 with 80-hour work weeks in Silicon Valley, I decided I needed to retire for my health and sanity. My financial advisor said I'd need to work 10 more years, put $50K aside per year and I could retire there at half my life style. It felt like a prison sentence, so I attended...