So, we often bitch and moan and complain about things here (the beauty of a forum really, get it out and get over it, lol!). How about posting things we DO love or like or find amusing about Life in Cancun? 1. For me it's the ocean and I'm sure this is true of many of us. Four years and it still takes my breath away when I see it and cleanses my soul when I swim in it. (I actually refer to her as "she", the sea has a life and for me she is female). 2. The weather of course. Even with hurricanes (or almost hurricanes). Thirty four years of snow and cold was enough thank you very much. I'd rather have a hurricane than a blizzard any day. At least when you lose electricity you won't freeze to death. 3. The people, "both kinds", ex-pats and Mexican. I can't say enough about my friends here, most of whom I've met on the board. Amazing families with interesting stories and willing to help each other out with anything. My students who come to class everyday at 7am, then go to work for 8-12 hours, then go to university, then do homework and start all over again a few hours later and do it without complaint. My neighbours who are always looking out for each other and saying hello. The friendly taxi drivers from whom I've learned most of my Spanish. Even the tourists :wink: I meet who love the area and are concerned about the welfare of the people of Quintana Roo. Anyone else?
For me number one is the weather, I like wearing shorts and flip-flops everyday. I like sleeping with the windows open every night of the year (except when it's raining). And my other number one is my friends! Hugs all around. And happy birthday again Deana!!!!! And number two is the culture. Mexico is a very screwed up country in many ways. But it is a free country in ways that the US is not. And I love that. The ocean is great, but to be honest I don't go often and when I do there's stress about sunburns and sand being everywhere. I love it but not everyday. I also love working for myself and having low expenses. I can set my own schedule. And I have no debt, which is a magical thing that most Americans don't experience. And I love having lots of animals. In the US I would not have adopted 7 street cats and a street dog. I just would not have done it. But here, it made sense. And it makes me happy every day to see those slovenly lazy overfed cats lying around the house...
I love the fact that everyone greets each other in the street. In England people stare at you like you have escaped from a mental institution should you dare to say hello to a stranger. The sea, the weather, the fact I can play tennis outdoors nearly everyday. Being able to afford to pay someone else to do my ironing is bliss. Cheap petrol. My friends.Being away from family makes intimacy and sharing very important and I have been lucky to find that here so quickly. TRacey x
The people. I have never met, on the whole, a kinder, more polite and warm people. Being polite is the way here. I was just back in the States and although I have only been here a month I felt out of place. My wife and I have a saying that comes from our experiences that our friends in the US tend to "complain about today and worry about tomorrow." My impression here is that there is a greater appreciation for today. Hell, I was just at Telmex and I walked out with a smile on my face!
Here in Puerto Morelos: The genuine feeling of community responsibility. The fact that when someone visits you, they bring their dog to visit your dog. Waking up every day and looking out at the beach. Meeting people from all over the world and knowing that if and when I visit their county, I will have a friend there at the least and most likely a place to stay as well. Cheap, good, Tequila Excellent, inexpensive chocolates from Europe.
Cheap tacos, lechon. beautiful women, great friends (except the ones who stab you in the back), sandals, shorts & tee shirts every day, occasional Canadian babes who hollar my name from the street even if I am not home but especially my bestest friends B & T, without whom hurricanes would be no fun at all. And the cheap gas is pretty good too.
I Love living @ Cancun for many reasons: 1.- Love to wake up looking the ocean and fall sleep after watching sunset 2.- Love to pick from shorts, bermudas and summer shoes year round for work. 3.- Love to be at less than 10 minutes from office. 4.- Love that my kids have a multicultural experience and gow up/study with people from other countries, other religions and other experiences. 5.- Love the patience and "not in a hurry" mood all over the city, from counters at Wallmart to Police officers. 6.- Love friends and new people. 7.- Love my husband (nothing to do with Cancun but if I do now write he can kill me) :wink: 8.- Love to have direct flight almost to every point in earth. 9.- Love fishing, swimming and getting out when I am stress in a wave runer in less than 5 minutes. 10.- Love Cancun
For me, and I know were not there yet but the reasons we are moving to Cancun would have to be in this order (but they're all just as important to me)... 1a) The families, they seem to do everything together, they have sooooo much time for their own and other peoples childern, also spending time together i.e. meeting for dinner, is a way of life, not a chore, like it is in the UK! 1b) Kids grow up with culture, beliefs and a work ethic. In the UK kids are growing up hanging about in large gangs outside off licenses, wearing caps and socks pulled over their jogging bottoms, vandalising everything and everyone, with no respect, swearing and abusive to their own parents, have no Desire to get a job, unable to cook even beans on toast or capable of doing a household chore. From what I have seen in Mexico, kids in Mexico have to learn dances at school, they actually know their national anthem and above all children respect their elders and their culture. 2a) The people in general, such a warm hearted caring society (the Mexicans I have met anyway), the openness and approachability of strangers, their beautiful music, everyone hugs and kisses each other, great 2b) The food (followed by a homer simpsons esque droooooooool), Oh my god - Tacos de Trippa, Tacos de Carnitas, Burritos, Empanadas, Oxaca cheese and my favourite Pozole with Chicharron - mmmmmmmmmmm 2b) Did I mention - The food (I'm very surprised no one else mentioned the food!) . Also - Tequila. 2c) The women, uhhh I mean my wife! For whom none of this would ever be possible, thanks for marrying and for making your country a big part of my life. 2d) The weather - amazing (but only good if air con is readily available at night time!) 3) Cancun is beautiful, the ocean, the beaches (what is left anyway), the tranquility (you can find it with a 30 minute drive), the wildlife ("Dolphins baby!" - said in a Joey from Friends voice). 4) Cheap and accessible public transport (15 pesos for a long taxi ride), in the UK it costs you 300 pesos to go a little way across London! The bus is only 6 pesos :lol:, here it costs me 60 pesos to go 2 miles!!! Oh and in Cancun you don't have to wait an hour and a half for the next one if you miss it! 4b) The sunday morning market (great place to go for a bargain or twelve), just avoid the guy with no teeth and one string on his guitar trying to sing to you! 5) You can watch football games you can't see in the UK 6) The night life, it puts London to shame and that's saying something! 7) The open bars! They WANT you to get drunk! (In the UK, they WANT to sell you drink and advertise drink and charge stupid prices on it but god forbid you actually get drunk!) 8) Cheap cost of living, decent shopping malls and cheap cinemas.
