Moving to Mexico? What are you thinking??
I’ve been asked this a lot, and frankly, I have moments when I ask myself this too. Here’s what I keep coming back to …
POLITICS (obvs)
While I’m reasonably isolated from the worst of it by living in Los Angeles, I can’t ignore the fact that approximately half the people who call this country home hold opposing moral views to mine, with the divide worsening yearly. Further, as an immigrant to this country myself, there are moments when I feel my citizenship via naturalization hangs in the balance. I’m exhausted by it all and want some reprieve.
HEALTH
The last 6-8 years have been tough on me physically and mentally, with my American health coverage doing very little to help. Being self-employed, I opted for one of the least expensive health plans out there (still not cheap), and welp, I’m getting what I paid for. In the last few years, I have entered into perimenopause (0/10 - I do not recommend, lol), been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and likely suffer some effects of long Covid (which I most likely contracted in January of 2020, before it was a thing). Being treated for the myriad of symptoms that come with all of this has been a battle - one I eventually gave up on when I realized that my health coverage (Kaiser) had no interest in really treating me (they just threw medication at the individual symptoms which didn’t even solve those individual symptoms). I am so tired of the doctors telling me, “That’s just the way it is now,” after our 3-minute appointment.
Learning about care coverage in Mexico, specifically La Paz, has given me hope. All reviews I hear about the practitioners are that they are attentive and proactive. There is no rushing you through an appointment. They take their time with you, listen to you, and most importantly, work with you to problem solve. They advocate for their patients. Further, the costs are reasonable. Just a few days ago I read about a “women’s health checkup” package offered by a provider in La Paz that included a PAP smear, mammogram, and bone density test. I almost want to make you, dear reader, guess the cost of this - but I know you wouldn’t be able to. It was 600 pesos; with today’s exchange rate that is about $30 USD! In the US, without insurance, this would be a few thousand, at least. And speaking of insurance, I will have Mexican coverage for anything major that comes up (kayaking accident, fall, etc.) through a stand-alone plan I have purchased, but with the rates being what they are for routine care, the plan is to pay out of pocket for the day-to-day appointments, prescriptions, etc. and hopefully find my way back to a healthy version of myself!
WEALTH
If I could remain in Los Angeles, I would. It was my first choice when sorting out where to live after the breakup. But after looking into rentals as far north as Santa Barbara, and as far south as Long Beach, and finding nothing that fell into my budget, I knew I’d have to look beyond and perhaps make my dream of living abroad a reality.
Having spent the past decade in the comforts of a single-family home with a yard, I could not return to apartment living, especially with two dogs (one being a breed on many landlord’s no-go lists). Perhaps that’s just me being bougie, or maybe that’s me just being realistic. Making things even more complicated is that, as I had thought that the relationship and living situation I was in would last until, well, forever, I sunk more of my own money into the house/home/activities for us than I did into my savings. As such, I wouldn’t be stepping out into the world alone with a massive safety net underneath me. Thankfully, Ariel also acknowledged this and offered me what we’re calling my “severance package” (lol) to ensure I get on my feet successfully and can hit the ground running, and for that, I’m very thankful. But, even with the severance package, renting a home in Los Angeles would not allow me to save as aggressively as I would like/need, AND I’d still need to work the many hours a week I currently do (at least 40, typically closer to 60). I really don’t want to do that. On the other hand, moving to Mexico would allow me the opportunity to live in a property that suits all my needs at a reasonable price, and I can also cut back on my hours at work and enjoy my time there! Kinda a no brainer.
I have settled on a three-bedroom place (primary bedroom, office, guest bedroom for all y’all) in La Paz, Mexico, that, while just outside of the city proper, is close to everything. It’s also reasonably new construction with all the modern amenities I could need. I even have a pickleball court and community swimming pool right next door. And the rent is about half of what I’d have to pay in Los Angeles for a one-bedroom apartment.
I have promised myself I’ll stay for at least a year (as that’s the term of my first rental), but the plan is to stay a lot longer (perhaps forever), as I know it will only benefit both my wealth & health to do so.
THE CULTURE
Living in Los Angeles one is exposed to the Mexican culture on the daily, especially in our little neck of the woods, and I LOVE IT. When I returned to school in 2020 for my paralegal certificate, I had to take a few electives, and I chose Mexican History for all of them. I am enamored with the culture and the people, and in a way, moving to Baja California Sur (the state that La Paz is in) feels like I’m driving just a bit further south in Los Angeles. ;-) There’s a sense of the familiar that comes with it, making the move not quite as scary. I also want to become fluent in Spanish, which I know will take longer than a year (especially in this perimenopause fog, where I forget everything from the day before), so the ultimate goals are to fall in love with the location, people, and activities, save some cotija, and stay long enough to become a fluent Spanish speaker.
IF I NEED TO HIT THE EJECT BUTTON
As mentioned, I have promised myself I’ll stay at least a year. I have to give myself adequate time to get settled and comfortable. If I decide after a year it’s still not for me; then I’ll either drive back up to Los Angeles (hopefully with a bit more in savings), or Europe may also become an option at that time (as I also hold Irish citizenship - which leaves the entire EU as an option for me). But, for now, I’m not trying to think about the “what ifs”, and focus more on the what I need to do to ensure this move is a successful one.
