Hi All!!! To cut a long story short, I'm a Brit and i left Cancun on 30 Dec 2008 after less than 3 months living there. I was living with/in a relationship with a Mexican (that i lived with for 6 months back in 2001). I'm in a 'complicated' :roll: situation and am considering coming back but am trying to be realistic as to whether i'll be able to settle in. The strange thing is, I grew up abroad and I've worked in many countries over the last 8 years and never felt anything like the 'culture shock' (if thats what it was) that i had in Cancun. I think the language barrier was a key factor, living with someone that i hadn't lived with for 7 years is likely to have been another reason, but i think not having expats or just someone to speak english with (apart from my partner) was probably the biggest factor contributing to me not settling in. I wish i'd found this site earlier, as i could have possibly found some friends (that weren't just tourists passing through) or at least got some good advice. I'd like to give it another go in Cancun, and would love to hear from anyone that can give me some pointers to settling in, meeting groups etc, especially those that can shed some light on bi-cultural relationships and legalities of having a baby in Mexico. Looking forward to hearing from you. x
Welcome to the forum. There are quite a few Brits here, myself included and at least 5 or 6 I can think of who post on this board from time to time. Lots of people from the United States and Canada too. Several of us are in bi cultural relationships and have young children. Certainly knowing fellow expats is a key to enjoying your time here. I imagine it can be a very lonely place without. Lots of great friendships have been formed through this board and no reason why you shouldnt be able to do the same. We have a daughter born here to a Mexican Mum and English Dad, what do you mean by legalities? If you give me a bit more detail I'm sure I can give you some info.
It sounds like you were "submersed" in Mexico. Sometimes, when that happens, you need to come up for air. But, although you don't say what your Spanish level is, it sounds like you need to seriously apply yourself to learning the language before you go back. Knowing Spanish will lessen the culture shock greatly. I think, and your post attests to this, that a lot of people think that Cancun is so "Americanized" and everybody speaks English. That hasn't been my experience. You can experience severe culture shock in Cancun. Most people don't speak English, at least not well enough to carry on a conversation that goes beyond "tourist English." And the culture is very different, although not in a bad way. I think, and you already said this, that knowing Spanish and maybe having some English-speaking friends to fall back on will be the key to your successful return to Mexico. I'm curious as to wheter the local expats have regular meetings or they just get together spontaneosly? I sometimes feel like you do when I'm in Cancun for extended periods and it would be nice to meet other English speakers to "come up for air" when I feel like you do.
