Dialing cell phone numbers in Mexico is confusing because there are different dialing rules than for regular phones. Mexicans tend to specify when the number they are giving you is for a cell phone, though locals can usually tell by the numbers if it is probably for a cell phone. When someone in Mexico gives you a phone number to call, listen for their indication about the type of phone it is, or double check with them. Then use the rules listed below to dial successfully.

How to Dial a Cell Phone Number from Outside Mexico

011-52-1- (_ _ _) _ _ _ -_ _ _ _

To call a cell phone in Mexico from outside of Mexico you first dial the standard 011 plus country code (52), then you insert a “1″ before the area code and number.

How to Dial a Long Distance Cell Phone Number from Inside Mexico

045- (_ _ _) _ _ _ -_ _ _ _

To call a cell phone in Mexico from inside Mexico, but outside your calling area (in other words, it’s a long distance call from inside Mexico), you replace the standard “01″ with “045″ then follow that with the area code and number.

How to Dial a Local Cell Phone Number from Inside Mexico

044- (_ _ _) _ _ _ -_ _ _ _

To call a cell phone in Mexico which is in your area, first dial “044″ (which is like saying, “Hi Telmex, I’m going to dial a cell phone number now”), then dial the area code and the rest of the number.

I am enjoying Kathy Olivas’ Mexico by RV: A Step by Step Guide to R.V.’ing in Mexico and I found a good tip in her book. Many people have trouble “thinking in pesos” as she puts it. Kathy’s idea (on page 66) is to make up an index card to keep in your wallet with different amounts in pesos and their equivalent in dollars on the other side (and vice versa on the other side of the card). She suggests, 1 dollar, 5 dollars, 10 dollars, etc. and then jumping to 100 dollars. Of course you sit down and use the current exchange rate just before you leave on your trip.

This would be helpful when you start shopping and your head starts spinning when asking prices, getting them in pesos, thinking in Spanish and English, converting in your head into dollars; you just get a little short circuited sometimes! Plus, sometimes, you hear a high number like 50 pesos and your gut tells you to run away from such an expensive item, forgetting that that’s around 5 of your own currency.

Think you want to visit Mexico to see if you want to retire here? Well, why not go on a little road trip? (Note: don’t do this until you’ve read my previous blogs about the topes and the police.)

The most expensive gas in Mexico is currently $9.07 pesos a liter or approximately $34.36* pesos a gallon. That’s only $3.43 a gallon (US dollars). What a deal — unless you’re trying to make a living on Mexican wages, of course. Magna is a little over 7 pesos a liter.

And, I know you were wondering… a liter of Milk is $10.30 or about a dollar.

* 1 liter = 0.264 gallons

I’ve been thinking about shoes. Some people in Mexico have only one pair of shoes. Some people — especially trendy young women — have lots of shoes! Some children in Mexico don’t have any shoes. Since I’ve lived in Mexico, I have more than one pair, but I generally only wear my comfortable sports sandals. In December it finally gets cool enough for me to break out the others. I’ve been battling the inevitable stinky feet syndrome from the noxious combination of sweat and plastic with antibacterial soap and a special sandal dedicated scrub brush. So far I’m winning.

Imagine how sad it would be to not be able to buy your child shoes. It’s also a pain to wear ill-fitting shoes, but people do a lot of that here. I’ve seen some women wearing shoes that let their toes touch the ground in front of the shoe and others with the back sticking out behind their heel. Nobody seems to worry about this, though it would be a major thing back home. In my case, my sneakers are quite dilapidated. If I were still in the U.S. I’d surely have bought new ones to protect my feet and knees from the “inevitable” damage that they would surely (but don’t seem to) suffer. Is that because I mostly wear those stinky sport sandals?

When you live in Mexico and start to take it easy, some things you formerly considered a necessity don’t seem so important any more. You’re just grateful you have more than one pair of shoes!!!

I just got an interesting email forward — one that could only be sent in Mexico, I’m sure. The topic of the email was “scientific” studies of the manta (robe) of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which don’t seem at all plausible to me. What did catch my attention in the email is that the robe is made of woven Maguey fibers.  Magueyes, which are — very generally speaking — similar to man-sized aloe vera plants, were important for their utility and are still famous as the producers of agua miel which is fermented into the traditional, nutritious, alcoholic beverage pulque. My point was… um… that that is interesting.

One thing I miss in Mexico is seeing women being bold and boisterous. People, as a whole are reserved in Mexico,* but one advertisement shocked me to my feminist soul. The ad depicts a teen who’s peers are looking at her and her body language shows that she is painfully embarrassed by this attention. She is dressed well, looks nice, and has done nothing wrong — in other word’s there is nothing to be embarrassed about. The caption underneath says something that roughly translates to “typical girl.” If I had a BB gun I would have shot the sign! I thought, “What a terrible message to give to young women!”

Shouldn’t we be teaching young women around the world to be confident? The idea of a nation where approximately fifty percent of the population has been brainwashed into being shy — and into being shy about who they are — is terrifying.

American and Canadian tourists are surprised at how easily Mexican vendors and other locals can pick them out when they come. They assume that their touristy attire and pale skin is the major tip off — and it is. Still, there is more to it than that. There are plenty of pale-skinned Mexicans, but we “locals” can still tell that they aren’t tourists. I haven’t asked my friends what signs they look for in a person to tell where they are from, but I look at the way they walk — especially if the person is a woman. North American women often stride. Even if they are wondering aimlessly, they let their bodies move more, they don’t act shy, and finally, they slouch more. Most Mexican women walk as if someone important is looking at them; as if that someone would judge them for hurrying, acting important or having a hair out of place. A few Mexican women dress in figure-showing clothes and they want their sex appeal to be noticed so they through their shoulders back and let their hips wag. Still, that’s not the same athletic, ground-eating walk that North American women employ.

Apparently running in the street is taboo. My Mexican husband is embarrassed if I run in the street. If I jog to clear an intersection or sprint to catch the bus he tells me, “I don’t like to see you running in the street. Just walk.”

I’m actually glad I’ve been in Mexico and been exposed to how Mexicans walk since they are more graceful. My posture has greatly benefited. My family has commented on how I look good and walk well. (Actually, being a savvy expatriate, I have thought about my values and have continued to walk quickly and with confidence — I’m keeping that part of my cultural heritage and am adding on the part of having good posture.)

Still, having good posture and being confident can go hand in hand (and many of our slouchy North American young people would benefit from it too). I want Mexican women’s voices to be heard, not self-muffled. I don’t think I’d want to raise a daughter in Mexico! Society would be telling her to look cute, walk slowly, and keep quiet.

*Note: States such as Monterrey are famous for having a more bold culture, but I haven’t had a chance to live there. Does anyone out there have any experiences in “more boisterous” states in Mexico that they can share? [You can use the comments form below to put up your observations.]

– Check Dates on all References

I was just dinking around on the internet and found a nice interview by Scott Burns for the Dallas Morning News of a couple who have pre-retired in Mexico. Here’s the link.

I decided to stick it in my blog because the date on it is 2003. WARNING: Prices for food and propane have gone up at least a third since 2003, maybe doubled. Prices on rent and other service have increased.

Google is currently listing (these listing change) this article on page one for a search for the keywords “retire in Mexico” and it’s a great article, but the cost of living in Mexico has really increased since then.

I love to hate topes and I couldn’t resist writing this in my blog. A Canadian lady (Canadians travel to Mexico a lot, bless them) just told me that she heard they were called sleeping policemen. Funny huh? I wish I could come up with a joke about sleeping policemen, but I can’t.

After living in Cuernavaca for a few years, I’ve become accustomed to the way women look. On our last visit to a small town in Michoacan I was struck by the differences in the common “look” of younger women. In Cuernavaca women have “longish” hair. They don’t have short hair, but they have it shoulder- or upper back-length. Often they have layers or some other style. In the little town in Michocan where my in-laws live women have long hair. some even down to their buns. I’ve seen buns wrapped at the back of their heads that are almost as large as their heads!

Dresses and skirts are also more popular in Michoacan than in Cuernavaca where pants or miniskirts rule.

I know this isn’t an earth shattering or even important topic for my blog, but I’m hurting here. My computer crashed, I haven’t been able to get to an internet cafe…. Excuses, excuses.

Can Ice Cream really be important enough to cause you to retire in Mexico?

I say YES! It should be.

I just can’t say enough about the ice cream in Mexico. Actually, the ice cream I get doesn’t have any cream in it. And that’s just another reason it’s so GREAT. You can always get something excellent made with fruit and water. Here is a recent cup of nieve de limón that I had the pleasure of savoring. Notice the little bit of real lemon pulp sitting on top there. I was playing around with the macro function on my camera to see if I could share this important, but tiny detail with my readers. I’ll let you judge my photography, but don’t look at the picture too long. Your mouth might start watering. If you haven’t yet moved to Mexico, I’m so sorry to torture you.