THREE YEARS & COUNTING

Hard to believe that 3 years ago this morning we were serenaded by a brass band at 6:15am. Well, maybe not serenaded because as it turned out it was the day Mexicans here in Ajijic celebrate their construction workers and there happened to be one right across the street. But we didn’t know that, of course, so we smiled with delight, standing on our terrace in the drizzling rain, while the band played on.

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It took about 10 months to go from deciding to retire and move to actually landing in Guadalajara then taking a taxi (drivers there don’t know Ajijic very well and rarely speak English) to our little pink Mexican casa. During that time I resigned from my nursing job, Ben shut down his jewelry business, we visited the Mexican consulate in Raleigh 2 or 3 times, made numerous phone calls, tried to explain to my son, had a big gathering/potluck to explain our plan then sold 85% of our belongings, including our 3 vehicles. We worked our tails off to make it happen. We were motivated, psyched. This blog was born of that effort in an attempt to share the logistics, feelings and in’s and out’s of our big adventure.

A lot has happened during that time, of course: we bought a car, got our Mexican driver’s licenses, took Spanish classes for awhile, became permanent residents, moved from a noisy construction project right beside us to a lovely modern home in a small gated community 2 weeks after the Covid lockdown hit (and all that entailed), learned the ropes on paying bills, buying food, driving through the country, explored places like Oaxaca, Pátzcuaro, Tapalpa, visited the indigenous villages and artisans nearby, began making a new group of interesting friends, and so much more. It has indeed been – and continues to be – a big adventure.

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There’ve been a few health issues to deal with. That plus Covid slowed our hopes of traveling widely. But the places we have been, on toll roads and backroads, have shown us the beauty of this country. We have felt safe. We have grown to love the Mexican people who are so much more than the US media would have you believe. They are kind and friendly and quick to smile, quick to help you with your Spanish, quick to help you with just about anything.

Part of life here involves stepping up to help those less fortunate through food banks, employment with a decent wage, helping with medical bills, etc. Recent torrential rains clawed tons of mud and debris from the mountainsides, devastating many small Mexican homes and businesses. The local government, neighbors and gringos stepped in to offer immediate support. The annual Feria held in November generates a year’s income for artisans brought from all over the country. Canceled for 2 years now due to Covid. Our local “gringo” organization that provides so many resources for those of us from the US and Canada – the Lake Chapala Society – has stepped up since protocols have relaxed (masks and gel required) to provide a venue to sell small amounts of crafts easily shipped from the artisans, giving them at least some income.

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In May of 2020 we adopted our 20 lb. mini schnauzer Tumi, thinking it might be years before we could travel. He is high energy and high maintenance but has brought us so much joy. We have no regrets…except when lightning booms or cohetes (fireworks) pop. Like many other dogs, he hates the noise and hides shivering until surrounded with loving arms. We’ve made new friends walking him through nearby cobblestoned (not as romantic as it sounds) streets, both human (we talk) and canine (he “talks” to them). Can’t imagine life without him.

The architecture of places like Guanajuato, the variety of the geography, and the craftwork of artisans, the numerous celebratory rituals, and the glorious weather (no, México is not just desert and not just hot) are reason enough to be here. And we have barely touched the surface. We have friends visiting over the next 4 months. After that we’ll plan trips to Mexico City, Chiapas, and other places of interest. We don’t want to miss a thing. So the things we thought we’d settle into, like painting classes, major hiking, Healing Touch and aromatherapy, have all been set aside for now. It’s a different time in our lives. We don’t want to waste a minute of it.

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Postscript: The hardest part of all this has been leaving longtime friends and family behind. My sweet granddaughter Hazel Grace was born 2 months after we left. Covid put a crimp in seeing her regularly but FaceTime has kept us in the loop as she grows “like a weed”. Much love and many hugs go to my son Japhy, my daughter-in-law Toni and mi nieta Hazie. I’m not sure they’ll ever understand why we did this but I hope someday they’ll come visit.