Should you consider moving abroad?
Many of us have, at one time or another, wondered about how is it to live abroad. Is it secure? Is it affordable? How is the weather? would I miss my country? Would I miss my culture?
Today, Janet Blaser will answer some of those questions.
Janet is from the United States, but she has been living in Mexico (in Mazatlan) for the past 15 years.
Fear is holding people back
One of the things which hold people back from experimenting in other countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Colombia, is fear. Fear of the unknown.
We are victims of the sensationalism created by the media. Whenever something horrible happens, it’s all over the media. When everything goes right. It’s not reported (of course).
If you live in the United States, change the lens for a minute. Think of people from the outside get to see (magnified by the media). They get to see a country run by gun violence, a country where random people go high school or nightclubs with the purpose of assassinating other people. A country with a president who is a racist, homophobic, and a sexual predator. If people would make their decisions based solely on what they hear on the press, then no one would want to go to the United States.
Janet Blaser before moving to Mexico
Janet was a single mom, with three little kids. She worked for about 10 years in the daily newspaper in Satan Cruz, California as a staff writer. And then the Internet happened, which was highly detrimental to the newspaper business.
At this time Janet was in her 50s and she was getting less and less working hours, she didn’t have a college degree and the future seemed to be bleak.
Discovering Mazatlan, Mexico
In an effort to gather her ideas and to have the clarity of mind to look for a solution, Janet decided to go on vacation to Mazatlan, Mexico.
In Mazatlan, she found the town full of foreigners. There were many activities in the town, but there was not publication which could tell people what to, where to go, and how much it cost.
As a journalist, Janet saw a business opportunity. She decided to take a leave of absence from her job and do some research about the possibility of moving to Mexico and start a business there publish information for the English market.
Moving to Mazatlan Mexico
Four months later, Janet sold everything, put all her belongings in her car and drove from Nother California to Mazatlan.
It was a culture shock. Janet thought she knew some Spanish, but in fact, her Spanish was not good enough. She missed her children, her friends, and her community terribly.
Now it’s been 15 years since she moved and she can not imagine living anywhere else.
Cost of living for a single person in Mazatlan, Mexico
Janet lives on about $1,000 US per month from her social security checks.
- She pays about $200 rent per month in a charming one-bedroom apartment in a very nice part of town with a view of the beach.
- She travels twice a year to the U.S.
- She pays about $15/month for her cell phone which allows her to call all over the world unlimited.
- $18/month for WIFI.
- $4/month for water.
- Less than $20/month for electricity.
- The veterinarian comes to the house and it cost $12 per visit.
- An office visit to the doctor costs $20 to $30.
- Breakfast in a restaurant is $6 and lunch a couple of dollars more.
How is the day to day living in Mazatlan, Mexico?
- Janet is a surfer. She finds that Mazatlan offers her a wonderful environment to surf.
- The water is warm.
- The weather is hot all the time.
- There are ex-pat community ready to help
- The Mexican government is very welcoming
Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expat
Janet also put together a book: Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expat
It is the collective essay of 27 women from all over the U.S. of different ages, of different situations, who moved to Mexico. Everyone’s story is completely different and each one of the women wrote their own story. The book deals mostly with what does it take to live in a different country.
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