Mexico As A Concept And Not As A Reality Part 1

Most, if not all, Americans who decide to move tododging game . This is but one of the foibles, the dark
Mexico to "get away from it all" seem to do so basedside, of expatriation to Mexico that you will never read
on the merits of at least two books, a handful ofin any of the expat guides floating around today's book
websites, some seminars (in the Guadalajara area),market.
and a host of chat rooms and forums whose themesThey will tell you all the pluses with never any of the
are how wonderfully cheap, relaxing, easy, andminuses. They will show you the light and somehow
convenient it will be living in Mexico. These sourcesfail to tell you that any darkness exists. They will regale
also paint a picture of the Mexican people that is, foryou with all the niceties in sugary prose peppered with
lack of better words, a picturesque, pastoralgenerous second and third portions of anything you
heaven-on-earth population of saints who have beenwant to hear covered with sweet gooey promises
sitting around all their lives just waiting for theand assurances. You would think that to expatriate to
opportunity to serve the first American who comesMexico means there will be a city-sponsored parade
their way.waiting on you with humble but strong Mexican men
In addition, they move to Mexico based on an image orready to carry you on a pedestal to your new home;
concept of Mexico of what it will be like for anthat Mexico is filled with nothing but goodness
American who expatriates to Mexico. The currentabounding; that you will have reached the promised
available "expat guides," websites, and chat forumsland of milk and honeyheaven.
present to the potential American wanting to move toMexico is not like that at all.
Mexico, Mexico as a Concept and Not Mexico as aThe two seemingly most popular books, which most
Reality.Gringo expats I know have not only read but could
The title of this article I found while reading a Blogquote chapter and verse, are, Choose Mexico for
called, The Gringa in San Miguel: Musings on U.S.Retirement (Globe Pequot), by John Howells and Don
Immigration Reform, immigrant communities in VirginiaMerwin. The second book is Living Abroad in Mexico
and the Mid-Atlantic, and my current research on(Avalon Travel Publishing), by Ken Luboff. Both of
international retirement migration to Mexico & Centralthese books are fine books that should be read. They
America. In this very astute academic folklorist andare a bit fluffy and well they should be. They tend to
ethnographer's Blog, she came up with this statementpresent only a part of the picture of expatriation and
which so perfectly describes what I've been trying tothat is ok for someone who is trying to get a feel for
say during the past four years of articles, columns, andthe ABC's of expatriating to Mexico. They are, in
books I've written trying to describe what it is I've seengeneral, totally positive, easy to read, and present the
in the so-called Gringo Expat Communities, Enclaves,expat picture in the most positive light. And, as I said,
Sectors, Exclusive Gated Communities, and so on.well they should. If someone is really considering
It is Mexico as a Concept, an Image, an Idea thatmoving to Mexico, for any reason at all, and will be
attracts Americans here. It certainly would not bestaying for an extended period of time, they should
Mexico as a Reality that would bring them in droves.read these books for a quick and lighthearted
And, in droves they are coming. More than 300,000rendering of life in Mexico.
Americans have been vacating the premises inBut, because of time, book length, and sheer
America each year since 2004 with a great deal ofcommercial viability, these books do not cover the
them ending up in Mexico. Some mostly unreliable"other side of the coin." They present life in Mexico as
sources estimate more than a million Americans live insomething fairly positive100% of the time. Really, only
Mexico. The densest populations of Americans areLuboff's book goes into any substance regarding
probably Mexico City, Guadalajara, Chapala, Ajijic, andculture and I give him credit for that. In fact, in the
San Miguel de Allende.chapter on Prime Living Locations, he has a "call out" in
San Miguel de Allende has an Gringo population ofwhich he says,
about 12,000 in a city least capable of assimilating this"Because they have encountered generations of
many people who, by the way, stress thetourists and expatriates, these locales each have well-
infrastructure of that little city by playing the taxestablished infrastructures for foreign residents.