Julia

I read the book – it is one of a kind. You have a wonderful writing style; the book is very helpful and a fun read at the same time. I need to work on my nudging technique when driving – being a polite gringo behind the wheel doesn’t help anyone.

Bob Lanham

Thank you Bob!

Dear Julia,

I read your book about a year ago, and found it to be so relevant to our family’s transitions to Mexico! I have recommended it to numerous people.

L.E.

January 14, 2011

Hi Julia,

We bought your e-book in December of 2009 before coming to Querétaro in February of 2010 to study Spanish. We found it to be a very useful, enjoyable and informative source of information. We ran into just about everything you included in your book and then some extras on our first ever international trip. (We are now 60 years old!) When we returned to the USA last March we breathed a sigh of relief and just about fell on our faces to “kiss the soil” of our native country.

Then the shocker! [We returned] to the country where I had said, “I would never drive a car down here! These people are crazy!”

Now on our third FMM we are living in our rented house, driving where ever we want to go, riding the camiones, handling emergencies at the hospital, trying to learn the language and deal with the incredible differences in culture, living arrangements, business practices and day-to-day frustrations (and quite a number of JOYS) that accompany the “Mexican Adventure.” We still appreciate the things that we learned from your e-book and hope that you and your husband are doing well.

By the way, it was an encouragement to us (especially my wife) that you decided to “stick with” your husband rather than take the easy way out and stay in “good ole USA.”

The only thing I really miss is my nightly Pop-Tart with my cup of hot chocolate. We can find them at the local “foreign food store” but they are four to five DOLLARS per box.

Robert and Sherry Marie, a.k.a. Roberto y María

Robert shared some good insights in his reply.  I’ve highlighted in bold the parts that I think all of my readers should consider.

ON DRIVING IN MEXICO

One of our friends explained the driving rules and we have been using it ever since with great success. He said that driving is, “like water flowing down hill.” You just have to fill the “holes” with your vehicle or someone else will.  Along with your great section on “nudging” we have not had any problems.

And I feel that the Mexican drivers around us are just as comfortable with us driving like they do. In fact I worry that if I drove like I was in the “lane restricted” mode of the USA I would confuse everybody and cause accidents. (Lord help me when I have to return north to switch back to USA style: stay in your lane, use your turn signals, if you pass your turn – go on, don’t turn right from the left lane and vice versa, etc.)

ON UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE U.S AND MEXICO

Generally as we have looked at the way things work in Mexico, at first it looks crazy. But upon reflection it kind of makes sense. We don’t see a lot of heavy equipment doing the jobs that people can do: forklifts moving pallets of cement blocks, for example. At first look we think, “That’s crazy. Why have five guys hand carrying 1000′s of pounds of cement blocks from a truck to a courtyard of a house? That takes hours compared to the USA method of one guy and fifteen minutes.”

Then the light of realization shines. One guy working or five. What makes more sense?

If you add those little pieces that help people to “shift their thinking” to the Mexican way of “reason” it would help with the culture shock problem. We North Americans have a way of thinking that our way is right and everybody else is wrong. We need to break out of that to appreciate that, people are really the same everywhere. They are reasonable human beings. It is just that their reason may be based on different assumptions.

Robert Pruitt

Many thanks to you Robert!

Though I had lived in Mexico for seven years when I was in my 20′s-30′s, that was a long time ago and when I decided to return in retirement yours was one of the books I chose for my small catch-up library.  I thought highly enough of it that it was one of the two that I finally brought with me.  Lots of good info and pretty realistic reading for those who, like me, prefer not to live in one of the walled North American ghettos (or ‘gringolandias’) that many Americans and Canadians here buy into.

…

Thanks for the good work, especially on the culture front.  People at least need to know what the local customs and expectations are – even if they decide not to comply, they will better understand the impressions they make and the cultural distance locals come to meet them.

Sincerely,
DC

Thanks for your wonderful e-book, “Mexico: The Trick is Living Here”! There are SO many useful details that you took time to include. This REALLY helps me feel that I can make my dream of spending time living in Mexico a reality.
Thanks again,
David Rosen
Oakland, California

Wow! Thanks to you, David, for letting me know that you think my book is wonderful. It’s true that the details paint a clear picture — something that makes my book very unique. Enjoy living the dream in Mexico.

Kindest Regards,

Julia C Taylor

Jane (wife) and I have lived in Queensland Australia for the last 25years – we are dual Anglo/Australians. I ‘retired’ from 30yrs in the travel business sometime ago, but Jane has been trying to retire from her VP position … for about 2 years – they keep enticing her to stay! She has finally put her foot down….

We are both well travelled and have lived in a few countries over the years, but my years in travel have shown me not to rely on “travel guides” to give comprehensive information about any country. I realise that all travel brochures and guides are trying hard to ‘sell’ their destination, rather than accurately describe it. So, obviously, all must be seen as sweetness and light. Australia is a prime example of this.

It is seen as “un-Australian” to make derogatory remarks about anything Aussie. The glass-jawed populace get quite hysterical if you hold up a mirror to their shortcomings, and retaliate with venom, (it’s unlikely Harry Connick will be invited back soon!). So to write a book about the realities-of-life, in any country, is indeed quite brave – but totally necessary reading for anyone contemplating an extended residency in said country, to be enlightened beyond the ‘spin’.

I was gladdened, therefore, to find your expose’ on the realities of life in Mexico.

Jane was delighted with All of the insights you provided (I am still absorbing and cross referring all your info at a more leisurely pace) especially regarding medical insurance, bringing a vehicle into the country (we plan to fly into Houston, buy a car there, and drive down) and your experiences with banking and other utility bureaucracies.

Fortunately, we are in a position of retiring fairly comfortably, so we plan to travel all over Mexico, and not necessarily end up in one place. San Miguel de Allende will do nicely, for a few months at least, as an introductory base to explore from.

You may, indeed, use any of my comments/name in your referencing, if you consider them worthy of inclusion.

Kindest regards,
–Graham Papworth, Australia

Graham,

Thank you very much for granting permission to use your comments on my web site.

I was surprised at how “shallow” the available information about Mexico was when we were planning our move in 2001. It was so fluffy it was useless to me when I was adjusting to Mexico. I finally had to write the book I needed–and all the credit for the depth of the book goes to my husband, of course. Whenever I thought I had it all figured out, he always had more to say on a topic!

Congratulations on beginning a comfortable retirement! Mexico is going to be a great place to be–especially since you are experienced travelers.

Kindest Regards,
Julia C Taylor

With her permission, here is a little of what she had to say about the book in her email to me:

I have to say it helped me in so many ways.

I loved the section on culture and it helped me to not feel like such a dummy when I read some of your stories about you and others you know.

Thank you so much for your book. …[A]fter reading it, I feel so privileged that you let me read it.

Again I can’t thank you enough or explain how much this has helped me to cope.

Amanda

I’m so glad to know that other people find my book as useful as I thought it would be when I was writing it!

You can read Hernandez’ review of Mexico: The Trick is Living Here on her blog and you can get your own copy of the guide on how adjust to life in Mexico here on my web site.

I love your book.

I am hoping to move to Cuernavaca in about 2 1/2 years…..jajajajajaj….but who is counting…jajajajaja

I couldn’t resist and I wrote him back asking what it was that he liked most about the book.

He answered:

Oh wow….what I loved were the stories you told about Cuernavaca.  Since I lived in Cuernavaca for two weeks with a Mexican family and have visited a lot of the sites that you talk about….your stories really came to life…..the sights, the sounds, the smells……Wowwwwwwwww

Thanks again!
Allen

He has very kindly given me permission to post his words on my blog.

The thanks go to you, Allen.

“I love what you have done with your book. I wish I had had this when I first moved to Tepoztlan in 1993 (I lived there 3 + years and Puerto Juarez 3 more years). I taught classes and workshops/trainings in NLP, communications and body therapy.

“A book like yours would have facilitated several of the embarrassing “gringo” situations I experienced. AND saved me a lot of ‘personal experience’ learning.

“Good for you!

“Sincerely, Daniel”

If anyone on your Christmas list wants to retire in Mexico, you should give them my book! You don’t even have to leave your house to buy it. You can download it right this minute and either print it out or burn it on a CD (please respect my copyright and only make one copy) and you’ll have one loved one checked off of your Christmas gift shopping list! How easy and thoughtful.

HO-HO-HO

FELIZ NAIVDAD JO-JO-JO