Hey Everyone!! Well its looks like I'll finally be making the move down, I'll be enjoying the ocean and sun in just a few weeks only this time it won't be for vacation!! Any tips/suggestions on a smooth (or relatively smooth) transition, what would you have done differently looking back, and how did you deal with the adjustment?? I'm am incredibly excited but nervous at the same time now that its all finally happening, any words of encouragement/advice are welcome!!!
I would've brought more socks and sweat pants and a hoody. Seriously. I know it's comical to people up in the frozen northlands at the moment, but it gets chilly here in the house and there is no way to heat it up at all. The first 3 months were the hardest for me. In weeks 1-3 I was on a kind of wave of euphoria, but after that all the things that I took for granted back in the USA reared their ugly head. The first 3 months were filled with quite a few "what the hell am I doing here?" moments. After that first period though, things have been pretty easy and several months have passed since then. I'm sure the adjustment period is different for everyone, but that's really the crucial point. The day where you wake up and feel you like you're at home and not just accepting the way things are, but actually expecting them, you'll be fine Good luck and welcome chica!
Take Spanish lessons before you arrive and if planning to work do your homework re immigration. Try to make friends as soon as you arrive . Be aware that it may take time to adjust and be kind to yourself. I have to say the first 6 months I packed my bags several times but now after 3 years I cannot imagine leaving. Good Luck Tracey
The main advice I would give is that coming to live here you should treat it totally different than your past experience on vacation. Do your research on immigration, finding a place to live, getting a job etc and dont expect it to all fall into place easily. But try to do everything the right and legal way if you plan on being here for the long term. Be prepared for hiccups along the way and everything to take longer than you might think. Most of all, be careful who you trust.
Having fun here is not too difficult, but living here can be a challenge to anyone, including the Mexicans. The more you try to accomplish, the harder it becomes. Most people experience culture shock after a few months, which may or may not wear off with time: many experience culture shock as a repeated phenomenon, over much longer periods of time. Some, like TraceyUK, end up loving it: others, hating it. I'm still in the middle ground, not having fallen either way, but I've met many people who've been here for more than twenty years, which says something! You'll never know what it might have held for you, if you don't try it. ____________________ Get your birth certificate, marriage license, degrees, diplomas, and any other educational certificates you may have, apostilled (or authenticated), before you come down. Whether you end up needing them all or not, it's much easier and cheaper to accomplish before you leave home, and it's hard to predict when a need will arise for one or the other of them. Bring your last three months (hard copy) of your bank statements, as well. Better to have them all, and not need them- than to need them and not have them! Last, have access to plenty of money, via ATMs, when starting up. Most landlords will ask for a month's rent in advance, and a month's rent as a deposit- possibly more, if you don't have your immigration process completed. We were asked for three to six months rent in advance during the time we were living on an FMT, and some landlords refused to deal with us at all because we didn't yet have an FM3. If you rent only short-term properties, which tend to cost more, this won't be as much of an issue.
I think Steve's advice is key! Be VERY careful of who you trust. It's much easier to find yourself in the orbit of shady characters in Cancun than other places. If the issue that V brought up of having to pay several months' rent up front because of your immigration status is a problem, look at renting a room in a house or apartment. It could get ugly really quickly, but it's better than nothing...on the other hand, there are many people living in this type of situation who have no issues, mainly because people often just use their apartments to sleep since they work so much. I'm not sure if this is still the case, but when renting apartments and houses, I had to sign a contract at a notary, which required having a valid FM3. Commit to learning Spanish, not just to get things done but also to be able to form friendships with non-English speakers...after all, immersing one's self in a different culture is why many people move to Mexico and that's difficult if you only socialize with expats or English-speaking Mexicans. Expect to have a less than ideal working situation. I worked steadily for the entire five years but working split shifts the entire time, which was exhausting.
Thanks for all the support everyone, I'm not expecting it to be easy that for sure. I just hope I have the right attitude to be patient and make it through the bumps! Hope to you all at an upcoming CC party!!
"You're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy." If you are a positive person, you will be fine. If you are a negative person, you will soon be miserable. Positive is better. Be prepared for daily frustrations but this goes back to positive v negative. Trying to get things done with the gov't, in business, at the bank, paying your bills, exchanging something, getting repairs, etc. can be frustrating and trying to correct someone else's mistake that affects you can drive you nuts. If you have a car, you take road rage to a whole new level. One of my first thoughts five + years ago was "How can it possibly take so long for a cashier to ring up a few items?" and "What can that bank teller be doing to keep that customer there for so long?" I could go on and on. I love it.
Be very careful who you trust. No, we didn't trust them, but I can't say for certain that my kids were never alone with them... Hallan a estadounidense asesinada y enterrada en bodega de Paamul - Riviera Maya AMW | Fugitives | Douglas Dishon | Case
There are so many things to say, suggestions that could be made and warnings that may be useful. When you arrive, do what you have to do with your best foot forward and your attention fully focused, just be smart. Moving here is not rocket science...then sit back and enjoy, one day at a time. Cancun is what it is...that being a different experience for each of us. I moved here solo (no man or job at this end) and have done just fine. A few (frustrating) hiccups, but nothing detrimental. I love it here! As a sidenote, I rented a house 4 days after I arrived (I'm still in the same house) and didn't show any I.D., not even my FMT and was not asked to pay anything additional than the typical first and last month's rent. I have not had any problems. Most everyone will have a completely different experience trying to accomplish the same thing. Just take your things as they personally come at you and keep a positive attitude...it's the key to success around here...that, and a great sense of humour!
