By Natasha Cawston

The Quest of Finding a Job in Mexico

Finding a job can be a difficult task. Hold on. I stand corrected. Finding a good job can be a difficult task. No matter where you live, good jobs are always in demand. Obtaining one should not just be left to luck; you need to know where to look. It also can depend on who you know or being in certain places at certain times. Knowing where to start, at least, is the key.

When looking to move to Mexico, unless you are in retirement mode, you will eventually need to find a good job. Now you could up and move to Mexico on a travellers visa, find a job and then apply for a more long-term visa, (refer to my last article for information on visas), but from what I have heard, it is a much bigger hassle to get a visa in Mexico, then getting one in your home country. Sometimes you might not even get the visa in Mexico even if you have a job! (Not that it is a sure deal at home either.) I would recommend finding your job from home, having everything planned before you arrive. With an FM3, you need to be sponsored by a company to acquire one. Some companies will get the visa for you, but others will not. So look around! You might find yourself in the right place at the right time, you never know!.

By Suzan Haskins and Dan Prescher

Isla Mujeres: The Perks of Civilization

International Living / Mexico

Ron Brown, real estate agent on Isla Mujeres off the northeast coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, tells us there are pros and cons to island living….mostly pros, of course. In addition to the beautiful weather, warm, clear Caribbean water, delicious seafood and political stability of Mexico, Ron says his favorite thing about living on Isla Mujeres is the lifestyle. Ron calls it ‘laid back’ and attributes it to the agreeable (usually) mañana attitude enjoyed by Mexicans. They’ll be there in an emergency, but if it’s something that can wait until tomorrow, why not?

Ron plays tennis every morning, and he says the camaraderie and fellowship between locals and foreigners alike on the island is a huge plus in his mind. Recently, fundraisers for the local humane society and island medical clinic have brought folks together to eat, drink and make merry. No matter how good…or bad…a musician you are, Ron says, your efforts are appreciated by the island’s small community.

By Natasha Cawston

Moving to Paradise? Got Your Bags Packed?

A Ounce of Planning will Save you a Pound or Should I Say A Kilo of Headache!

Seriously thinking of dropping everything and moving to a foreign land, this is a huge decision. Maybe you plan to stay only for a few months, or maybe for years. Where do you start?

The process will take months before you actually end up in Mexico, but researching is the best place to begin. I will begin to answer some of the basic information on visas in the following article. When I say begin, I really do mean begin.

But where should I begin? That is the true question.

AS I SEE IT

By Henri Loridans

Credit - Here and There

Expatriates from the United States and Canada living in Mexico can readily see the differences in the availability and use of consumer credit in the several countries. As both a user of credit and a lawyer representing clients in financial matters, I offer the following observations.

In the United States, a consumer does not have to seek credit; it pursues him. I have represented clients in bankruptcy proceedings who showed up at the first meeting of creditors with a brand new credit card. Very often these cards were unsolicited. Ironically, many of my clients were in bankruptcy because they had used and abused a half dozen or more credit cards.

By Dan Prescher & Suzan Haskins

International Living /Mexico

On the Road in Mexico: the Yucatán Peninsula

Mexico – for many North Americans, the word conjures up visions of sombreros, tequila and mariachis. Many North Americans also feel they know the United States’ closest neighbor to the south, even if they’ve never visited. It’s familiar somehow, and in a post-September 11 world Mexico is starting to feel nearer than other countries in Central and South America, or as the new Mexican Tourism Office slogan puts it, “Closer than Ever.”

Yet Mexico is a huge country with geography as diverse as that in the US. We knew there was more to Mexico than the old Pancho Villa stereotypes, so we loaded the back of the pickup, had a last helping of Midwest comfort food, said goodbye to the chilly weather, and took off for a three-month exploratory trip on the roads of Mexico.