Laredo

We did not know what to expect - traffic, long lines, agents rummaging through all the cabinets and drawers in our stuffed-to-over-capacity van, or worse, being told that we did not have all the necessary documents or that we couldn't cross with two dogs and a cat. I had learned through a popular RV forum that the Columbia Bridge crossing (the third of three bridges at Laredo) was best for motor homes. Some on the forum agreed and others said they did not like that particular crossing. We decided that we would go with Columbia, and after a forgettable night in Laredo, approached the border at 8:30 AM on a gray Monday. Surprisingly, there was only one other vehicle headed our way and a young lady waved us to the stopping point. Alan leashed the dogs and took them outside while she entered the van for a brief look, not bothering to check for any suspicious items we might be trying to sneak in. She then asked for the papers from the veterinarian certifying that all were properly vaccinated, gave them a cursory glance and then motioned that we could proceed. I got back in the van, looked at Alan as if to say "is that it?"and then realized that we still needed the temporary import sticker for the van.

Inside the building were windows for Migración, Aduana and Banjercito. There were no instructions for where to begin, and after glancing around as if lost, someone pointed to the Migración entrance. The agent asked for my passport and handed me two forms to complete. I completed the forms, which were suspiciously like the tourist forms you fill out when flying, and handed them to him. He studied them for a minute, then said we must return in 180 days. Oh, no, no. I took my passport and opened it to the 30-day Residente Temporal Visa, showed it to him, and then had to fill out another form. I swear it was the same form I had just given him. Now he tells me I have 30 days in which to get to Migración for the permanent visa card. Relieved, I motioned for Alan to come to the counter to complete his forms.

We then headed to Banjercito to  obtain the 10- year Temporary Vehicle Permit, which is a special permit for motor homes. It allows unlimited crossings for 10 years. After four years, however, we must obtain the Residente Permanente cards and will no longer be able to have a foreign vehicle in Mexico.
We will cross that bridge when we get there.

Immensely relieved, we climbed in the van and headed south toward Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo, that city famous for shootouts and other ghastly cartel shenanigans.


Next...Saltillo, Coahuila

Dreaming of Warm Tropical Breezes

Palm, Yucatán
(photo Courtesy Google Images)

While the entire Eastern Seaboard of the US is huddled, trying to stay warm in extreme cold, I can find some relief by simply viewing images of beautiful, tropical Mérida and the turquoise and azure hues of the Gulf of Mexico. Currently, outside our home in Virginia, the temperature is 30℉ (-1℃). That doesn't sound so bad, but the wind is blowing and the chill factor is likely 10-15 degrees lower. When I returned from walking the dogs this morning, my hands felt like they were on fire! I'm sure our friends (who are in Mérida as I write) have checked the weather for the NYC area. It is currently 14℉ (-10℃).
Enjoy the remaining days of your trip to the tropics, guys!

Did I mention that our home is now officially on the market? We have had one showing and the couple wants to come back for a second look. We have always had very good luck selling our homes, but of course the market is the worst in the history of our experience. Nonetheless, we have high hopes for a reasonably fast sell. Mérida is calling us for an August move. We might possibly take a few detours on our way down, ending up at Casa de Las Lechuzas in September. Warm, tropical breezes...

Beachfront, Sisal, Yucatán
(photo Courtesy Google Images)

Home, Sweet Home

Immigration

The new immigration laws for Mexico have been instituted and are currently being reviewed by the appropriate government agencies for proper application. I've read the new rules, as have groups like Yucatán Expatriate Services (Y.E.S.) and it appears that everyone is waiting for the final interpretation before stating definitive actions to be taken by new and existing expatriates. Click on the link for their website and a thorough discussion of the new regulations can be viewed. In a nutshell, this is the bottom line:

The Migratory status of "Non-Immigrant" (previously known as FM3), "Immigrant" (previously known as FM2) and "Immigrated" (Inmigrado) shall cease to exist and shall be replaced by visas that pertain to the 'conditions of stay.' The new designations will be Visitor (Visitante), Temporary Resident (Residente Temporal) and Permanent Resident (Residente Permanente).

I tend to like the new designations. With the previous FM3 visa, someone with property in Mexico and who resides in the country, up to a period of five years, was considered a "non-immigrant." If so desired, after that period of time, one could apply for the FM2 visa and become an "immigrant." Those terms have been replaced with "temporary" or "permanent" resident. And, if I have read correctly, the length of time required for becoming a permanent resident has been reduced to four years.

Also, a significant change, if I understand correctly, is that the various visas are to be obtained in the United States prior to arriving in Mexico and will be valid for up to 180 days. Once you cross the border you have 30 days in which to make a visit to INM for the permanent visa card. I wonder if this will, in any way, facilitate the border crossing process?

I'm still somewhat confused about the financial qualifications needed for temporary or permanent residency. It does appear that the required minimum monthly income has increased substantially. That could be a deterrent for future Americans or Canadians looking to be expats. How will non-married partners be treated, if living in the same household? I've read that Mexico acknowledges same-sex marriages that are valid in the country of origin. Do we need to plan a wedding in Maryland, or D.C.?

      Update:  I just read that Yucatán implemented the new law on Friday, November 9.

Stepping Up the Timeline

We've been saying for a while now, both on the blog and to people we know, that we will be moving to Mérida in the near future. The truth is, we were never really sure when it would happen. We've both felt like we have one foot here and the other there, waiting for the stars to align, the cards to be right, or that blasted ferry to become a reality. We've come to the conclusion that the best way to move forward is to rid ourselves of a lifetime of accumulated possessions. The Tampa ferry is not going to begin operation in order to facilitate our move. In fact, it might never become a reality. We will most likely make the dreaded drive, with our animals and what few mementos we wish to keep, in one vehicle.

So, we have contacted an estate sale company and will have a three-day sale in late September. What doesn't sell will be taken to an auction house (furniture) or a thrift shop (clothes, books, and countless boxes of other stuff). We will hang on to the best of Alan's cookware, knives, and a few small keepsakes. After the sale, we will put the mostly empty house on the market staged with a bed and a few other pieces of furniture from our condo which is now rented. We don't know how fast the house will sell. It could be quickly or it could take several months. Either way, once that happens, we will have nowhere to live except that lovely little place in Mexico.

I have been feeling a bit anxious and frustrated lately, like we are stuck and not moving forward with our plans. There's most likely an element of fear in there somewhere, with questions like "How will we manage this?" "This move is going to be overwhelming." "How will we ever drive for six days with two dogs and a cat that has not been outside of our home in over 4 years?" I would like to be able to approach this in the way that I TRY to live my life -one day at a time. Perhaps, once on the road, our mantra will need to be 'one mile at a time.' If only we could teach that to the animals!

A really bad older exposure that I fiddled around with and converted to
black and white for fun...

Five days and counting...

This Sunday we will begin our long overdue trip to Mérida and it will be a long day as well. We leave Norfolk International Airport ( why do regional airports call themselves 'international', when you can't fly direct to any international locations without first connecting and changing planes in a 'real' international airport?) at 0600. We arrive in Houston at 0730 and have an almost 12 hour layover before the evening flight to MID. The upside to this almost unendurable layover is that we will spend the day with Alan's brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews. It has been quite a while since we last visited, so this will be a great way to spend those 12 hours. Spending a lot of time in a busy airport seems to drain every ounce of energy from my body. Even if I read, which I find difficult to do in that environment with the constant intercom chatter and loud cellphone conversations from every direction, I can't seem to relax. I finally gave in and got the Continental Presidential Plus card, that costs an arm and a leg in annual fees, but which gains us access to the United Air Club room. There are some benefits that I hope will negate the annual fee.

First, there are complimentary beverages, breakfast and afternoon snacks, comfortable chairs, free wireless access, and newspapers and magazines, not to mention thousands fewer people. We also each get first and second checked bags free, which means we can carry an extra bag loaded with towels, sheets, and other necessities that we can find much cheaper at home. Then there is this: no exchange fees on purchases made abroad. Our last trip I was astounded when I got the Capital One statement after we had purchased a few pieces of furniture. That alone would have mostly covered the fee on the new card. The clincher is this: the first year is substantially discounted and once we are in Mérida permanently, we can simply cancel the card.

So, can you agree that I have thoroughly justified this bit of extravagance?

We are really excited about this trip. The pool should be spic and span after it is drained and scrubbed clean of mineral deposits this week. The roof will have been checked and drains cleaned. There is a painter set to paint the fachada and fountain. Jazmin will have the house spotlessly clean and the floors shining and there is a photographic excursion planned for Uxmal, Yaxcopoil, and Ochil.  We plan to see the Gulf of Mexico from the shores of Yucatán. We will enjoy some great food, relax with afternoon siestas, and hopefully see some of our new friends.

Finally.

The blessings and hassles of 2011

Looking back over the past year, we have been blessed in many ways. Foremost, if not as fit as we would like to be, we both are reasonably healthy as are our three animals and our extended families. We are fortunate to be in a position to have purchased a home in Mérida and begin our plans to retire as expats in Mexico. I'm not sure I like the word "expatriate." It seems to imply a renunciation of allegiance to one's country of origin, but actually refers to anyone living temporarily or permanently in another country. There is much to not like about what is going on in the United States right now, but we are not renouncing anything. We're just thrilled to have the opportunity to experience another culture in our retirement years, especially a place as culturally rich as Yucatán. Another Mérida-based blogger, My Mérida Life, posted a rather poignant piece about how their priorities have changed over the course of a single year living in Mexico.  In many ways, we have begun this process before actually getting there on a permanent basis. Resentment, anger and frustration seem to melt away more quickly.

Leonora Carrington sculpture on the Paseo de Montejo
photo January 2011 by John Bradshaw

Patience is possible. Being without a working refrigerator for a week is annoying, but we've managed fairly well with one ice chest. We've had no nighttime ice cream for a week and I think we might have shed a pound or two.  We've also been without TV service for over two weeks and despite missing the season finale of our two favorite shows, it has not been all that bad, and our dogs have loved the extra attention. Could this be the universe preparing us for our new life in a foreign country?

A special thanks to all of the "seasoned" Mérida bloggers for sharing a wealth of knowledge and experience and for offering advice, when asked, about how to best succeed in adapting to life in Mexico.  For those of you pondering a potential move to Mérida, or any place in Mexico, a good resource is Joanna Rosado's book, Magic Made in Mexico and all of the blog sites listed on my blog list.

The Royal Tour....

....of only a few of the famous sites in Mexico ( Chichen Itza and Palenque to mention two) and a few of the not-so-well known, was nonetheless a bright star for the country. In addition, it has perhaps made a 'star' of President Felipe Calderón. He comes across as a fun-loving and fearless adventurer and an admirable family man. His lovely wife and three children accompany the President and CBS travel news producer Peter Greenberg on this fast paced helicopter tour of only a few of the 31 Mexican states. I found it unusual and quite nice to see the First Lady on the ground leaning over the edge of a deep cavern taking a phone photo of her husband and Greenberg descending from a rope into the depths of this vast chasm. He manages to let Greenberg go first and yells "it was nice to know you" as he stands at the precipice looking down. Behind the business-like facade of Calderón is a great sense of humour and a great sense of pride in his country.

One of the highlights for me was a brief stop-over in Morelia, the President's hometown and where his Mother and other family members reside. It was funny when asked by Greenberg if Calderón was a good student as a young boy and she replied with the "so-so" hand gesture. You know where he gets his sense of humour.

About all we saw of the Yucatán was Chichen Itza. There was a scuba dive in a cenote, but I'm not sure where it was located. A boat ride down a river in Chiapas with a few Mayan guides led to a sacred spot probably few have ever seen.

It is too bad that the program could not have lasted another hour and we could have seen more of the vast and breathtaking vistas of Mexico. I imagine that PBS will show this during one of their frequent "pledge" drives, so there will be a lot of exposure.