Moving to Mexico—My Story

I was an adjunct instructor in ESL nearing retirement age—not that it mattered; retirement was not in my future.

I lived in the Silicon Valley in Northern California where the median income in 2015 was probably $150K or something. What with my two to four jobs cobbled together, I earned perhaps half that amount. Furthermore, my income was irregular. I usually had a full paycheck about ten months a year. The other two months brought in right around zero. Unless I scrambled to get some kind of short-term job. Perhaps tutoring a student during the Christmas break or the summer vacation. Then I would earn “cigarette money,” so to speak.

Furthermore, all jobs were part-time temporary with neither benefits nor security. I was always job hunting. I put hundreds of miles a week on my car driving from job to job. It was financially difficult. I loved it but I was burned out.

I could take retirement and continue working. Lots of teachers did that. But there was a catch—I couldn’t work for the first six months. That was not going to work. I was stuck—unless . . .

That’s when the idea came to me to live in a different country for the six-month waiting period.

However, could I find enough work and get everything started again when I returned? I’d be back to not enough income for a period of time. That was not much of an improvement.

Then I thought of Mexico. I could drive, and it wasn’t a big problem bringing the dog over the border. (In fact, bringing my car was more of a hassle.) I researched and found a small colonial town that was an ex-pat haven. I thought I could start there and then move on.

I quit my jobs, gave away my stuff, loaded my little Nisson and drove to the middle of Mexico. I parked in front of my B&B, and I chastised myself for not putting my stuff in storage. No way was I staying in this place with narrow cobblestone streets and colorful houses.

I did stay, though, and I fell in love with Mexico, Mexicans, speaking Spanish, and the slow pace of life in these parts. Mañana.