Fruits and vegetable prices went down in the first half of September, which helped drive down inflation overall, according to Mexico's national statistics agency. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
In the first half of September, the statistics agency reported an annual headline rate of 4.66%, down from 4.99% for the month of August and the lowest rate in the last seven fortnightly periods. In its most recent survey of experts, Citibanamex had forecast a rate of 4.71%.
Lower prices for agriculture and livestock products also helped keep inflation low in the last two weeks. (Government of Mexico)
Price drops in agriculture and livestock products drove the low inflation — good news for the grocery budgets of Mexican households. Fruits and vegetable prices decreased even more, down 1.54% after a spike in prices in August. Overall, however, fruit and vegetable prices are up 7.15% over what they were in the same period of September 2023.
The drop in food prices was tempered by a smaller increase in gasoline prices, after the federal government reduced subsidies.
Core inflation — which excludes volatile food and energy prices — rose 0.21% compared to the last 15 days of August and was up 3.95% year-over-year compared to 2023.
The price of services increased more than that of goods over the previous 15-day period — 0.24% versus 0.18% respectively — leaving year-over-year inflation at 2.94% for services and 5.15% for goods.
According to the newspaper La Jornada, analysts agreed that given current inflationary trends, the Bank of Mexico is likely to continue reducing interest rates at its next monetary policy meeting on Thursday. The interest rate currently stands at 10.75%, after a surprise rate cut in early August. It could face a further cut of 0.25 to 0.5 basis points.
The 52nd annual International Cervantino Festival (FIC) will bring world-class performers (including Brazil's Deborah Colker Dance Company, pictured) to Guanajuato in October. (Festival Cervantino)
The 52nd edition of the International Cervantino Festival (FIC) — set to take place from Oct. 11 to 27 — will once again transform the city of Guanajuato into a global hub of art and culture.
The largest festival of its kind in Latin America — drawing an estimated 400,000 attendees over two weeks last year, according to Viva Con Todo — has built this year’s themes around tradition, avant-garde and inclusion as it promises a rich program of performances and activities from around the world.
The closing concert of last year’s festival in the Alhondiga de Granaditas. (Cuartoscuro)
The FIC will feature 133 performances across 116 shows, involving 117 groups from 24 countries.
Named after Miguel de Cervantes, the Spanish writer who penned the novel “Don Quixote” in the early 1600s, the festival focuses on Spanish-language artistic creations.
With more than 3,000 artists performing in 18 venues, the event will showcase a diverse mix of music, dance, theater, visual arts, cinema and academic discussions, with a special focus on two guest honorees: the state of Oaxaca and the country of Brazil.
Among the many notable events planned, the festival will commemorate several important milestones, including the 175th anniversary of composer Frédéric Chopin’s death, the 100th anniversary of Mexican revolutionary leader Felipe Carrillo Puerto’s assassination, and the 190th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Brazil.
(Festival International Cervantino)
The festival is known for bridging traditional and contemporary arts, with performances ranging from classical music and ballet to modern theatrical interpretations.
Oaxaca, the guest of honor from Mexico, will open the festival with a 2.5-hour version of its iconic Guelaguetza, a colorful and lively celebration of music and dance traditions from the state’s eight regions.
The performance will be held on the festival’s main stage, outside the historically significant Alhóndiga de Granaditas building.
A former grain market and fortress-like building, the Alhóndiga de Granaditas was taken by Mexican forces from the Spanish in 1810 in one of the first battles of the Mexican War of Independence. However, the Spanish later hung the decapitated heads of insurgents Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama and others inside the building for nearly a decade, until Mexico achieved independence in 1821.
Oaxaca will be headlining 63 activities during the festival, including 26 concerts, five theater performances, three acrobatic shows and five film presentations.
“The guests of honor, Oaxaca and Brazil, have made great efforts to bring us the most representative samples of their cultures and arts for everyone to enjoy,” said Mariana Aymerich Ordóñez, FIC’s general director.
Brazil will present 18 productions — including a closing concert by six-time Latin Grammy-winning ska-Afro-Latin band Francisco, el Hombre — that reflect its dynamic cultural scene.
Other highlights from Brazil include the Deborah Colker Dance Company’s “Perro sin plumas” and a concert by soprano Rosana Lamosa. Brazilian theater will also be represented, and as for music, there will be seven Brazilian concerts, ranging from samba to contemporary fusion.
There will also be tributes to Mexican and international artists. For instance, Eugenia León will perform a binational show celebrating the designation of bolero as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
Mexican singer Silvana Estrada, a Latin Grammy winner for best new artist in 2022, is also slated to perform.
Aymerich recently noted that ticket sales are up 40% over the same time last year, adding that “50% of the festival’s activities are completely free, and there are events for all audiences and for all ages.”
Christmas comes early with these deliciously sweet pineapple cookies. (Bake at 350)
Every Christmas, I wait for homemade cookies and other favorites, like a succulent turkey filled with stuffing baking in the oven or a classic Christmas pudding brimming with hard sauce. And it’s about this time of year too, when my taste buds have been starving for about nine months, that I ask myself: why? Why do we savor these delicacies only once a year, when we can enjoy them any time we choose?
I guess it’s the time of year that makes these foods so special. The celebration of a very special birthday, one that changed the world. The family-friend get-togethers, the parties to celebrate the holiday, even the season of the year. Having grown up in Western Pennsylvania, where it often snowed on Christmas, the association between winter and Christmas was deep. The two went together like, well, love and marriage.
One of the biggest joys of a Mexican Christmas is seeing fruit in full bloom! (Tropical Table)
So, when I moved to the southern United States and then to Mexico, it was difficult to think that Christmas occurred when the flowers bloomed. But you come to adjust and it certainly doesn’t change your heart or your tastebuds.
A couple of weeks ago, I was longing for a Christmas cookie, a classic sugar variety swimming in a sweet sugar glaze. For Christmas, my cousin makes the most delicious orange cookies I’ve ever had, and I was longing for one — or a dozen. And then I found a unique twist on this old favorite, and it reminded me of Mexico.
When I used to think of pineapples, I would think Hawaii, and I’d guess most Americans do the same. But now I think differently. The pineapple, or piña, is everywhere in Mexico. You see them at local fruit and vegetable stands and all over the supermarkets. But how did pineapple become such a prominent fixture of Mexican cuisine?
It all started in 1906, in the small town of Loma Bonita, Oaxaca, where an Illinois native by the name of Frank Peters arrived as a scout to buy some land for a prominent doctor in the U.S. who wanted his property cleared and planted. At the same time, Peters bought a 200-acre tract of land for himself.
Finding many crops did not do well in the hot, dry climate, he made a trip to nearby Tezonapa and bought pineapple plants of the Cayenne variety, which thrived on his property. He then bought more plants and by 1910 he was harvesting 20,000 pineapples a year. Prospering, he acquired more land until he owned 7,400 acres. Cuttings from his original plants produced between 40,000 and 60,000 tons of pineapple per year, processed in local canning factories.
So back to cookies: How do we incorporate the delicious piña into a sweet delicacy and turn it into a classic Christmas favorite? Here’s a recipe for you. Make a test batch, then do it again for Christmas. These cookies will become a family favorite.
Mexican piña Christmas cookies
Adapted from the recipe found at marginmakingmom. (tastykitchen)
Ingredients
For the cookies
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature (mantequilla)
1 cup granulated sugar (azúcar estandar)
½ cup brown sugar, packed (azúcar moreno)
1 egg (huevo)
1 tsp vanilla extract* (extracto de vainilla) Mexican brands noted for intense flavor: Villa Vainilla; Vainilla Totonac’s; Molina Vainilla
¾ cup crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved (piña triturada enlatada)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Note: I have yet to find proper all-purpose flour in Mexico and recommend ordering from the U.S.
1 ½ tsp baking soda (bicarbonato de sodio)
½ tsp salt (sal)
¼ tsp nutmeg (nuez moscada molida)
For the icing
2 cups powdered sugar (azúcar glas)
4-6 tbsp reserved pineapple juice
Optional: Red or green tint (food dyes) for Christmas (colorantes alimentarios, rojo o verde)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 F (191 C).
In the bowl of a stand mixer, use paddle attachment to mix cream butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until it begins to lighten in color.
Add egg and vanilla extract, mix to combine. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
Add crushed pineapple and mix until incorporated.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix only until combined and a soft dough forms.
Scoop out dough and roll into balls. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden-brown.
Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, whisk together powdered sugar and 4 tbsp of pineapple juice. If needed, add more juice, ½ tbsp at a time, until preferred consistency is reached. Add red and or green tint to make them Christmasy! You want the icing thin enough to dip the cookies into, but not so thin that it runs off the cookies.
When cookies are cool, dip the tops into the icing and return to cooling rack so the icing can set.
Deborah McCoy is the one-time author of mainstream bridal reference books who has turned her attention to food, particularly sweets, desserts and fruits. She is the founder of CakeChatter and the author of four baking books for “Dough Punchers” via CakeChatter, available via Amazon. She is also the president of The American Academy of Wedding Professionals™ (aa-wp.com).
Sometimes, life in Mexico just feels really small. Overcome your inner Godzilla and embrace the wonder of mini-Mexico. (Canva)
I don’t know if it’s simply the particular algorithm vortexes I’ve been sucked into or if it’s having a moment, but I’ve seen a lot aboutAlice in Wonderland syndrome lately.
What is it? Apparently, it’s a real sense some people have that things around them are suddenly much larger or smaller than they truly are.
Mexico’s natural vistas are enormous and humbling. The same can’t be said for the cities, though. (wallpaperflare)
If you’ve spent much time in Mexico, you’ve no doubt felt this a few times. When it comes to nature, perhaps you’ve felt tiny. Vast oceans, mountains, deserts, skies — their beauty and awesomeness dwarf us every time.
If you’ve mainly spent your time in urban settings, you’ve probably had the opposite feeling.
Why is everything so tiny?
Perhaps I’m simply older and grouchier, the constrictions of middle age and gig economy capitalism pushing me in. Or maybe — probably — my expectations are too high. All I know is that when I’m out and about, I often have the urge to shout, “Get out of my way!”
Part of this is due to different ideas aboutpersonal space, which I’ve written about before. People here are just generally more comfortable with being real close together than those from my own culture are. It’s something I’ve become plenty used to when it comes to friends and people I know. But when I’m competing for space with strangers, I start grumbling.
A quiet day in Mexico City. (Edu Rivera/X)
Incidentally, this is my theory on why “chilangos” (Mexico City inhabitants) have a reputation for being a little rough around the edges. They just need space!
The truth, too, is that many places in Mexico were built for smaller and fewer people. Evidence? Look no further than the tiny bathroom closets routinely built under stairs. I’m not a very big or tall person, but I’ve knocked my knees on the wall in front of the toilet more times than I can count. Tiny chairs and tables in cafés consistently make my visiting “paisanos” gawk: “You want me to sit where?”
The same goes with drink orders at restaurants. No liter-sized free refills of soda here! You get a thin glass, and if you want more, that’s another drink order.
It’s also about a growing Mexico, in more ways than one. Last week I wrote about “the real Mexico” and what different people think it means. Most would probably tell you that it doesn’t — outside of Mexico City, anyway — mean traffic jams.
Remind me what the Spanish word for “Big Gulp” is again? (1funny)
But as Mexico solidifies its status as an upper middle-income country, more and more people are buying and driving cars. Most of these cars are sensible and compact. The sheer number of them, however, havepushed my own city and others like it over the edge. In my city, the streets are packed both with traffic and parked cars in places not made for parked cars. And most of the streets and spaces that do exist are certainly not made to accommodate the larger models that north-er North Americans are fond of — and gaining in popularity here.
Ex-squeeze me?
So it’s not that Mexico is getting smaller. We’re alsogetting bigger, and we’re getting more and bigger stuff, and there are more of us. Grocery store aisles feel small because they are small by comparison, but also because there’s more stuff in the stores. Things are bound to start feeling tiny.
Is there a solution?
Well, we can give up some of our more and bigger stuff, we can get super efficient with our buildings and transportation, and/or we can spread out more.
“Spreading out” seems to be the main strategy for now, though that will eventually cease to be possible, as continuous growth always is. It also creates a transportation problem: the further away people are from their jobs and other activities, the harder it will be to get to them. More people far away from where they need to be complicates the issue of congestion, and on and on it goes.
Whatever the solution, urban centers especially need to find them fast. We can deal with tiny bathrooms, tiny drink servings, tiny store aisles. Tiny cobblestone roads with vehicles covering every inch, though — that’s not cool.
This map from the U.S. National Hurricane Center shows the earliest reasonable times to expect Helene's effects to arrive in Mexico and the U.S. Helene is expected to bring intense rains and wind to the Yucatán Peninsula. (National Hurricane Center)
A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Yucatán Peninsula as Tropical Storm Helene barrels toward Mexico’s southeastern coast.
The warning zone goes from Río Lagartos, Yucatán, to Tulum, Quintana Roo. A hurricane surveillance zone is in effect from Cabo Catoche to Tulum, both located in Quintana Roo.
The red GPS pin indicates Helene’s location in the Caribbean Sea as of noon.
Helene formed in the northwestern Caribbean Sea Tuesday morning. According to the National Meteorological Service (SMN), Helene was located 280 kilometers east-southeast of Cozumel and 310 kilometers southeast of Cancún as of noon, with sustained winds of 75 km/h (47 mph) and gusts as high as 90 km/h (about 56 mph).
According to the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC), at about the same time, Helene was traveling toward Mexico at a speed of about 19 km/h (12 mph).
The NHC predicts Helene could reach near-hurricane strength in the Caribbean Sea at times but will remain a tropical storm. It will likely strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane once it leaves Mexico as it moves toward the United States’ southeastern coast.
The storm’s current path puts it on track to make landfall as a hurricane on Thursday in Florida.
“Helene is expected to rapidly intensify over the eastern Gulf of Mexico and be a major hurricane when it approaches the northeastern Gulf Coast on Thursday,” a statement by the NHC on Tuesday said.
Llega el primer barco de evacuación gratuita y voluntaria de la isla de Holbox. pic.twitter.com/tHjfMxzDpC
The state of Quintana Roo was providing free evacuation service by ferry to residents of Holbox Island Tuesday, in preparation for Helene’s passage.
The rain and wind forecast by state in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula for Tuesday is as follows:
Quintana Roo and Yucatán: Torrential rainfall (150 to 250 mm) with wind gusts of 100 to 120 km/h and waves from 3 to 5 meters high in coastal areas.
Campeche: Very heavy rainfall (150–250 mm) with gusts of wind from 50 to 70 km/h and waves from 1 to 3 meters high in coastal areas.
Intense rainfall could lead to landslides, increased river and stream levels, and flooding in low-lying areas. Due to the rainy, windy, and high wave conditions, the SMN urged residents to attend to its warnings and follow the recommendations of state Civil Protection officials.
On Tuesday, Quintana Roo Gov. Mara Lezama offered a free ferry service for tourists to leave the coastal island of Holbox, north of the state. Quintana Roo municipalities Lázaro Cardenas, Benito Juarez, Isla Mujeres, and Cozumel were also offering free evacuation shelters in public buildings on Tuesday, including pet-friendly shelters.
Quintana Roo is home to the popular beach resorts of Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres and Tulum.
Hurricane John makes landfall
Meanwhile, Hurricane John made landfall as a Category 3 storm in Punta Maldonado, Guerrero — bordering the state of Oaxaca — on Monday night.
Due to John, the SMN forecast more than more than 250 mm of rain in Guerrero and Oaxaca, torrential rainfall in Chiapas (150–250 mm) and 75–150 mm for Michoacán, Puebla, Tabasco, and Veracruz for Tuesday.
These weather conditions will further increase the likelihood of heavy showers in the central part of the country, including the Valley of Mexico.
Many of the artifacts that Mexico has recovered are thanks to a federal government task force that works with local authorities abroad to seek judicial redress and halt auctions in major cities. (@cultura_mx/X)
Mexico repatriated 14,048 archaeological artifacts considered to be part of the country’s national heritage during President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s six-year term, set to end on September 30.
“The recovery of historical memory, as well as the recognition of Mexico’s cultural roots, is a joint effort between various institutions of the federal government to dignify national history, cultural heritage, Indigenous peoples and the legacy of heroes and heroines,” the Culture Minister Alejandra Frausto Guerrero said at a press conference on Monday.
According to Culture Minister Alejandra Frausto, Mexico’s #MiPatrimonioNoSeVende campaign brought the issue of illicit trafficking of cultural property to the global stage. (@cultura_mx/X)
Frausto lauded the #MiPatrimonioNoSeVende (#Don’tTouchMyHeritage) campaign, launched in 2021 to establish new protocols and legal strategies to repatriate items illegally taken from Mexico.
According to Frausto, this initiative brought the issue of illicit trafficking of cultural property to the global stage. As a result, the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (Mondiacult), held in Mexico City in 2022, agreed to strengthen its “advocacy and action concerning the impact of illicit trafficking on the memory, identity and future of peoples.”
At the press conference, the Culture Ministry showed a video reporting that the National Archives has secured 75 batches of stolen historical documents and repatriated more than 19. These efforts led to the cancellation of pending sales and the voluntary return of some items, the video explained.
Some of the most significant recoveries include three codices created by Indigenous scribes between 400 and 450 years ago and which contain valuable details about the history of Mexico. The finding was described as “extraordinary” by María Castañeda de la Paz, a researcher with the Anthropological Research Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). “It is as if a Rembrandt or a Velázquez emerged today,” Castañeda de la Paz said.
Llega "El Portal del Inframundo" a Cuernavaca para su exhibición
Another remarkable recovery is “Gateway to the Underworld” (Portal del Inframundo), one of Mexico’s most sought-after artifacts of Olmec culture. It arrived in Mexico last year after it was stolen from the country “under mysterious circumstances” more than 50 years ago. The piece is now exhibited at the Regional Museum of the Peoples of Morelos in the colonial-era Cortés Palace.
Illicitly traded cultural property is often sold either in illegal markets around the world or through legal avenues like public auctions, including online. Many of the artifacts that Mexico has recovered are thanks to a federal government task force created in 2023 that works with local authorities abroad to seek judicial redress and halt auctions in New York, Paris and Rome. The task force also negotiates with academic institutions and museums to recover archaeological artifacts.
Thanks to Mexico’s efforts, countries like Guatemala, Honduras, Peru and Colombia have joined the #MiPatrimonioNoSeVende campaign as they also try to recover heritage that is illegally sold in foreign countries.
Trump made the comments while meeting with farmers at a campaign event in Smithton, Pennsylvania. (Donald J. Trump/Facebook)
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Monday that if elected president of the United States, he would impose a 200% tariff on all John Deere imports to the U.S. if the company moves ahead with plans to move part of its production to Mexico.
John Deere, known for their kelly green tractors and leaping deer logo, in June announced plans to shift production of certain equipment from factories in Iowa and Illinois to Mexico by the end of 2026, amid a hefty round of layoffs.
Unprovoked In Pennsylvania, Trump attacks John Deere, “I’m notifying John Deere right now. If you do that, we’re putting a 200% tariff on everything that you want to sell into the United States. So that if I win, John Deere is going to be paying a 200%.” pic.twitter.com/sPbm4MWFSR
Trump made the comments while meeting with farmers at a campaign event in Smithton, Pennsylvania. Polls show that U.S. presidential candidates Trump and Kamala Harris are virtually tied in the state, a race that analysts say is likely to determine the election’s outcome.
“As you know, [John Deere] announced a few days ago that they are going to move a lot of their manufacturing business to Mexico,” Trump said. “I am just notifying John Deere right now that if you do that, we are putting a 200% tariff on everything that you want to sell into the United States.”
John Deere currently has production plants in Ramos Arizpe, Saltillo and Torreón, Coahuila, as well as in Monterrey, Nuevo León. It also has its own dedicated export lane in the Laredo-Colombia International Bridge, which connects Nuevo León to Texas.
The Ramos Arizpe facility will take over the manufacturing of certain types of machinery formerly made in the United States, the newspaper Vanguardia reported in July.
President Joe Biden also implemented a tariff on steel and aluminum imports from Mexico in July, in an effort to prevent Chinese evasion of tariffs. Vice President Harris, in her campaign for president, has expressed her support of tariffs as a tool to protect American workers but has not proposed any specific measures beyond those put forth by President Biden.
Two people were killed in the municipality of Tlacoachistlahuaca when a mudslide swept away their home on Monday night. (@Moreliactiva/X)
Hurricane John made landfall as a Category 3 storm in Punta Maldonado, Guerrero — located on the border with the state of Oaxaca — on Monday night, ripping tin roofs off houses, bringing down trees and triggering mudslides before weakening to a tropical storm early on Tuesday.
Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado confirmed that two people were killed in the municipality of Tlacoachistlahuaca when a mudslide swept away their home on Monday night. She urged the public to take precautions since heavy rains are expected to continue.
#Entérate || Ante el pronóstico de lluvias intensas en varios municipios del estado, derivado de la evolución del Huracán “John”, personal operativo de esta secretaría realiza acciones de perifoneo en zonas de alto riesgo, para brindar información preventiva a la población. pic.twitter.com/gpv3BfBga2
— Secretaría de Gestión Integral de Riesgos y PC-Gro (@PC_Guerrero) September 23, 2024
According to an advisory published on Tuesday at 9 a.m. CST, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned life-threatening flash flooding is possible across portions of southern and southwestern Mexico during the next few days as Tropical Storm John moves slowly to the northwest, noting “little motion is expected during the next few days.”
AccuWeather meteorologists warned that the storm “can continue to bring life-threatening conditions and possible extreme damage around Acapulco due to torrential rain.”
While Acapulco — devastated by Category 5 Hurricane Otis last October — dodged John’s worst wind impacts, the storm will unload significant rainfall on the area. Acapulco may still face wind gusts of 40-60 mph before John loses more intensity.
The NHC forecast indicates Tropical Storm John could produce 150 to 300 milliliters of rain with isolated totals around 380 mm across the coastal areas of Chiapas to the south. Along the Oaxaca and Guerrero coasts, the NHC forecasts between 250 and 500 mm of rain with isolated totals near 750 mm through Thursday.
The governors of those three states have activated civil protection protocols while urging the public to stay alert for official advisories. According to the newspaper El Financiero, Guerrero has set up 300 shelters to attend to the 59,000 residents who live in coastal areas of the state.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador posted an alert on his X account on Monday night, telling the public to “seek higher ground, protect yourselves and do not forget that life is the most important thing; material things can be replaced. We are here.”
The U.S. NHC will issue its next public advisory on Tropical Storm John at 3 p.m. CST.
Change is difficult, especially as we age. Such is the common belief: The older we get, the more encased we become in our stiff, inflexible containers of self. As a popular book title in the 1990s put it, wherever you go, there you are. You can’t escape yourself.
Or can you? After we move abroad, many of us change much more than our addresses and zip codes. Often we change our habits, routines, friends, priorities, values and even our sense of self. After living part-time in Mexico for 20 years, I’ve been struck by how much lighter I am, both physically and psychologically. Some of that may be due to aging and no longer having to earn a living, but I know in my heart that some of it is Mexico itself.
(Instituto Allende)
And I’m not alone. I asked a number of foreigners, mostly residents of Guanajuato, where my husband and I own a home, to share their thoughts. It turns out that moving to Mexico brought about positive changes in their lives that they had never been able to achieve before.
Many were ready for a major reset and ripe for change. In my husband’s and my case, we had wanted an international base for years. Others were at a transition point: a divorce, the end of a career, children grown, even the death of the family dog. And some were exhausted by U.S. partisan politics.
Social life
One of the main areas people described was friendships and social life. Martine, a Quebecker who moved to Vancouver when she was 20, told me that she had “made more friends in Mexico in the last 12 years — mostly in the first couple of years — than I have all my life in Canada.”
Deb, an Oregonian, agrees. ”I’m much more social than I was in Portland,” she says. “And with that has come a sense of warmth towards people — even those I pass on the street! In Mexico, people are outside in public spaces so much of the time.”
(Fabrica La Aurora)
Exercise, eating change and weight loss
Many people reported becoming healthier since moving to Mexico. “Guanajuato comes with a free gym membership,” says Tom, a Texan who’s lived in the city for 24 years. “It’s easier to get to most places walking, so it isn’t discipline or exercise, it’s just more efficient.”
Others have lost weight. “Because we can’t hop in our car and drive to Popeye’s chicken,” says Billy, who used to live in Oakland, “my eating habits are much healthier. Combined with all the walking and stairs, he has lost 23 pounds since moving to Mexico 9 months ago. “And I still enjoy the same number of margaritas!” he adds.
A few adapted their eating rhythms. Cathy, from Colorado, now eats on a Mexican schedule: late breakfast and a mid-afternoon lunch. She also eats more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Others got rid of their cars, and don’t miss the cost of insurance, gas and maintenance.
Who wouldn’t lose weight in a city surrounded by mountains, with ups and downs? (Jorge Gardner/Unsplash)
Adapting to a different, more relaxed culture
“Life here reminds us of our childhoods, with friendly neighborhoods, local stores, strong community and family values,” say Kevin and Jan, a Denver couple who both grew up in Westchester County, New York. “It’s comforting to feel a part of things in our ‘hood.” They chose their neighborhood to immerse themselves in local culture and avoid the expat bubble trap. “The vibrant colors and sounds, the abuelas and kids in our neighborhood, cheer us up with their stories and laughter. It’s a society that is more grounded in gritty reality — combined with lots of personal affection.”
Cathy appreciates the less complicated lifestyle. “I rent, I don’t have a car and my needs are minimal. I no longer want more stuff, and it’s been easy to make new friends,” she says.
Evelin and Doug, a couple who moved from Pasadena, love the different values found in Mexico. “Mexicans focus more on living a happy life than financial gain,” says Evelin. “This is so refreshing, and it’s why we chose to live here.”
Jack,who with his wife Jacquie, divides his life between Guanajuato and Bend, Oregon, believes that getting angry when things don’t go his way doesn’t work. “I just go with the flow, be patient and polite. It will all work out.”
Cathy agrees. “I love living in this culture. I find Mexican people friendly, helpful and they don’t seem to take themselves too seriously. It’s nice to be able to strike up conversations with people sitting on a park bench.”
Learning Spanish
(Instituto Allende)
Liz, a woman from Austin, Texas, who lives in San Miguel, is comfortable speaking Spanish after taking a six-month, four-hour-a-day immersion course. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” she says. “But I feel it’s really helping my brain, and hopefully keeping Alzheimer’s at bay.”
“When we lived in the Bay Area,” says Billy “many people spoke Spanish, but I didn’t. Just lazy, I guess. But here, speaking Spanish is a must, and I am learning more each day.”
Deep changes
The most profound transformations have happened to people who truly immerse themselves in the culture. Tom married a Mexican woman and became part of her family. “Changing cultures involved giving up some of my desire to be recognized for personal accomplishments,” he says. “My sense of who I am is more malleable than I used to believe. Everything is more interesting not knowing things for sure, including who I am. Life is more mysterious and exciting.”
Mexico seems to change a person. We speak a different language, eat differently, move differently, even dream differently. Surrounded by new colors, textures, rhythms and sounds, many of us outgrow our old selves. Whatever once defined us shifts, our boundaries soften, and, like other species, we shed our skins.
Louisa Rogers and her husband Barry Evans divide their lives between Guanajuato and Eureka, on California’s North Coast. Louisa writes articles and essays about expat life, Mexico, travel, physical and psychological health, retirement and spirituality. Her recent articles are on her website, https://authory.com/LouisaRogers.
If I’m honest, it’s why I live in the Riviera Maya. The crystal clear Caribbean waters are stunning. So I was delighted when we found these gentle giants off the northern tip of Isla Mujeres. A mere 25 minutes after leaving Cancún, my lifelong dream came true. I found myself staring down at one as it went silently glide past.
The whale shark grounds are easily reachable in small boats, and you can jump right in with them!
The size was astounding.
So, how big are whale sharks?
Bigger than I thought. The first one was the length of our boat. The second one was a little smaller but still breathtakingly impressive.
Staring down through the crystal clear water was beautiful satiny dark skin mottled with white spots. The enormous gaping mouth sucked in everything in its path. My friend next to me sucked in her breath seeing this. But it’s okay, it’s not dangerous, being filter feeders, that’s how they feed.
And did that huge mouth deter me from wanting to jump in? No, not at all. I knew I wasn’t on the menu.
Okay, bear with me while I geek out on fun facts so you know how harmless they are!
All about whale sharks: Do they have teeth? What do whale sharks eat?
Fun whale shark fact time: Whale sharks are harmless. Even though they have 3,000 teeth. Teeny tiny teeth. In fact, they are so tiny they’re not visible, so they do not bite or chew. Whale sharks are filter feeders. That means they filter small animals from the water. Zooplankton and phytoplankton, as well as krill, jellyfish, and tiny crab larvae are favorites. Occasionally, small fish get sucked in too.
A majestic whale shark swimming past the boat.
This is why they are so close to the surface. The warm top layer of water is where the plankton live. With their huge mouths open, this feeding behavior is called ram-filtration. It channels the plankton-filled water into their mouths, where it’s strained. The shark’s gills have a fine mesh called gill rakers, which catch the plankton.
That’s why they’re so great to swim with. They’re close to the surface, so you don’t have to dive. They aren’t predatory, so you’re safe. And best of all, they cruise at a steady speed. It’s quite a fast speed, though, so grab your fins!
Swimming with the whale sharks
I’ll say this, whale sharks swim deceptively fast. I consider myself a good swimmer. I live in Cozumel in the Mexican Caribbean and swim all the time, usually 2-3 km at a time. Plus, I’m ex-Navy and have had to maintain my swimming fitness year-round for years.
I don’t say this to brag. I say this to give you a point of reference. These gentle giants cruise a lot faster than I thought. They seem to glide along effortlessly. But that massive tail sure does give maximum propulsion for little effort.
My friend, who was with me, missed it the first couple of times. By the time she jumped in and started swimming, it was gone. Nothing but tail when she looked up.
Thankfully, I learned from that. I swung my legs over the side of the boat and jumped in as the shark approached. The trick is to start swimming strongly before you hit the surface. Otherwise, it just cruises by while you pop to the surface.
Still, it was a heart-pumping exercise. I had to jump in and swim like an Olympian. I couldn’t keep up that pace for long. But this enabled me to get some beautiful pictures and videos as they glided by. And left me feeling very small as that big tail slowly disappeared in the distance.
How big is a whale shark?
Even small whale sharks are much larger than we are. (Friend of the Sea)
More fun whale shark facts. Whale sharks are the largest fish in existence. Yes, that’s right. A mature 12-meter-long whale shark can weigh eleven tons. And their mouth can be over a meter wide. Let me tell you, up close, it’s breathtaking!
So, when you see more than one close to you, it’s thrilling. Usually, whale sharks are solitary creatures cruising the seas alone. But each year, they gather in this area between Isla Mujeres and Holbox Island to feast in the plankton-rich water.
When is the best time to swim with whale sharks?
From June to September each year is best. The plankton-rich currents from South America reach the Gulf of Mexico. Meeting the warm Caribbean Sea makes a very rich feeding ground for whale sharks.
Is it worth swimming with whale sharks?
As I said at the start, this was on my bucket list. Swimming alongside the largest fish on earth…for me, was priceless. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of adventure you will tell your grandkids about.
Having said that, many of the people on our trip couldn’t keep up. While thrilled at seeing the sharks, they were a little disappointed.
So, my advice is this. Get back in the water before you go. Not like you’re training for an Ironman. No, just to feel comfortable in the water. That way, you will keep up and create a lifelong memory.
Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over 7 years now she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
