American expat Jim and his wife Carole are enjoying retirement in the Lake Chapala area of Ajijic in Mexico. Jim shares their reasons for moving south of the border, some of their favorite things to do there, and the most pleasant - and practical! - aspects of living in Mexico.	Jim Cook

-Where were you born?

Both of us started as mid-westerners, then moved elsewhere.

In which country and city are you living now?

Mexico, in Ajijic on the North Shore of Lake Chapala in Jalisco State about 30 miles south of Guadalajara.

-Are you living alone or with your family?

Carole and I share an apartment.

-How long have you been living in Mexico?

We arrived in Ajijic on July 1, 2007 from Salem, Oregon.

-What is your age?

I am 60, Carole is 56.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Mexico?

Carole has dreamed about living in other countries for years, and has read extensively about others' experiences. When I decided to retire about two years ago, we came to the conclusion that, largely due to health care costs, we couldn't afford to retire early in the US. In a sense, we are health care refugees. We picked Mexico because quality health care is available here for about 10% of what it would cost us in the U.S. But our decision was also based on proximity to the U.S., and the large English-speaking expat community in Mexico, especially in the Lake Chapala area. We are actively studying Spanish, but until we are more fluent, Lake Chapala can act as "Mexico on training wheels". Finally, we picked Mexico because of its fascinating history, architecture, and culture.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?

No, Mexico has relatively easy visa procedures, certainly much easier for us than for a Mexican to get a US visa. You can get a six-month tourist visa (FMT) at the border crossing and simply renew it by recrossing the border every six months. You can also get a Non-Immigrant Resident visa (FM3), either from a Mexican consulate while still in the US, or after you arrive. It is somewhat easier to get after you arrive, so we went that way. We utilized one of the many private expediters available to assist Gringos in getting an FM3 and it was relatively painless, although it took about five weeks and cost several hundred dollars. The FM3 is good for five years, although it has to be updated every year. After five years, you have to go through the whole process again. We weren't concerned about work permits because we are retired, but I hear from my working expat friends that it can be somewhat difficult, I suspect because of the anti-immigrant actions of various government bodies in the U.S.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

You need to have an FM3 to get on the Mexican National Health Plan, called the IMSS, but the process is fairly simple particularly if you use a local expediter. Since routine health care is so inexpensive ($15.00 US for a doctor visit, $45.00 for a dental hygiene visit) and appointments are so easy to get (same day or at least same week usually), we pay out of pocket and keep the IMSS for catastrophic coverage.

-How do you make your living in Mexico? Do you have any type of income generated?

We are retired. Jobs for expats are not easy to get, and if they are jobs where expats may be competing with Mexicans--waitress, auto mechanic, real estate agent, etc.--it may be tough to get a work permit and working illegally can get you deported. On the other hand, many expats have web-based businesses which don't compete and would be hard to track in any case. Other jobs expats hold here are house-sitting, professional artist/photographer, dog-groomer, and other kinds of personal services.

My wife had studied Spanish for a couple of years before we came, but I had no training. I believe it is extremely important to learn the local language, if only what we call "survival Spanish". I can't speak for other countries which may have more difficult-to-learn languages, particularly with a written script not based on the Roman alphabet. Spanish is not as difficult to learn as those. Many Spanish words have been incorporated into English, and some English words are easy to recognize in the Spanish form. Knowing simple greetings, please, thank you, etc. will get you a long way with the local Mexicans who are very forgiving of our mistakes and poor accent if we just try to communicate. If you know phrases like where is, do you have, how much, etc., you can get around quite well. Many Mexicans have lived in the US or have relatives who do and thus are able to speak some English. A surprising number have learned pretty fair English from watching US movies with Spanish subtitles, not bad strategy for expats too.

In terms of local customs, one must maintain an active sense of humor and curiosity. A good rule of thumb is: "assume nothing". The locals in any culture have gotten along just fine, sometimes for centuries before the U.S. even was founded, without advice/criticism from foreigners. Remember you are a GUEST, and act like one.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

Don't miss the U.S. and feel less and less like ever returning to live there. Here I can travel, engage in photography and journalism through my blog, hike and mountain-climb, meet interesting people, and do all the things I did in the States for less money, with less stress.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

We plan to use our home in Ajijic as a base to explore Mexico and Latin America and later on the rest of the world. Once we have mastered enough Spanish, we may consider living in Central or South America for a while (I have relatives--also expats--in Chile).

We are currently renting and will probably continue to do so. We have leased a two-bedroom, two-bath condo in excellent condition with access to a pool and deck with great views of lake and mountains for $600/month with a maid ($550 without). One can spend $250-350/month for a smaller place in areas with less Gringos (and the need for much better Spanish), or up to about $1500/month for a ridge-top palace with drop-dead views. We like living closer to the Mexican community with storefront groceries and shops and the ability to connect with local Mexicans as neighbors.

In our opinion, real estate is grossly overpriced in most of the North Shore area of Lake Chapala, largely due to Americans and Canadians dropping in for a few days and snapping up houses at the asking price, thinking they are getting a great deal in comparison to their home country but not realizing they are usually overpaying by 40% or more. Also, with no disclosure laws, no real mortgage system, and the not-unusual experience of houses sitting on the market for several years, real estate purchases are unattractive to us. In addition, we don't know if we will be staying in Ajijic for many years, or moving on to another part of Mexico or the world.

-What is the cost of living in Mexico?

Once again, it depends on how you want to live. If you want a lifestyle similar to your hometown, including to access to familiar U.S. products, be prepared to spend a lot of money. We live a very comfortable life for about $2000/month, not including expenses for travel. I have met expats here living on less than $1000/month, and others I would guess who are spending $5000/month and up. If you find and use Mexican equivalents of U.S. products, limit or dispense with the use of a car (good for the waistline as well as the pocketbook), shop in the local storefronts and street markets for staples instead of the U.S.-style supermarkets, exercise care with energy use, etc., you can live on 1/2 or less of your U.S. cost of living. In other words, live sensibly.

-What do you think about the Mexicans?

Our experiences with the local Mexicans has been almost universally positive. They are friendly, helpful, and are as eager to try out their English as we are to try out our Spanish. Our one negative experience was with a man who was not even from Ajijic, and carried a snotty big-city attitude I guess he picked up in Guadalajara. Not much different from what I have encountered from big city people in the U.S. The Mexicans in Ajijic are small-town and country people who are open and relaxed and generally laid-back in their attitudes. As with anywhere, one must exercise due caution, count one's change, look before crossing the street. But that's just life.

Beautiful country, much bigger than norteamericanos usually imagine. We love the old colonial cities and the fiestas and parades and the friendly people. Living around lots of expats allows meeting folks from Canada and Europe and elsewhere with different ideas and experiences and is lots of fun.

Driving can be scary. Widespread ownership if autos is relatively new to Mexico, and traffic laws seem to be viewed more as guidelines than as requirements. The roads seem lined with small crosses marking where someone met an untimely end. There is a sometimes annoying tendency of Mexicans to park anywhere that seems convenient at the moment, despite No Parking signs, and often they will block the street for a casual errand or a social interaction. But then, who is in a hurry, and why?

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Mexico?

Read up on it as much as possible before coming. I read several books on Mexican history and politics, including Distant Neighbors by Alan Riding, and Opening Mexico by Preston & Dillon. Another good book is People's Guide to Mexico, but make sure you get the latest possible edition.

There are innumerable good websites and internet forums on traveling/moving to Mexico including Living at Lake Chapala, and Mexico Connect. These have detailed and practical advice on every aspect you could imagine. Keep an open mind, remember that the U.S./Canadian way is not necessarily the best way, and Mexicans have a lot to teach us. Be flexible and patient. Things can take longer for often mysterious reasons. Remember that the U.S. media often distorts our view of the world, sometimes grossly so. Mexico turned out to be far less poor, violent and trash-filled as it is portrayed. It is a modern country in many ways, with products and services sometimes superior to anything I found in the U.S.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Mexico?

I have been keeping a photojournal blog at www.cookjmex.blogspot.com. I have focused on local life in the North Shore area including the amazing fiestas, visits to colonial cities, ruins, wildlife, and hiking opportunies. Enjoy!