LEARNING SPANISH Having been in Cancun, now, for six months, and finding it necessary to speak Spanish, I've been learning quickly. My greatest teachers, and the people I've had the most fun with, speaking Spanish, are the taxi drivers. I take anywhere from 6-8 taxi rides a day, as I go about my business, so this provides plenty of opportunities. They tend to work 12 hour days, seven days a week, so they have little chance for diversions of any kind, other than talking with passengers. My model for social interaction, in this culture, has been the conversations I've overheard between the drivers and often middle aged women when sharing a taxi with other passengers, something that occurs, here, with some regularity. The elegance and warmth of the manner in which these women have interacted with the drivers is something to behold. "Old school," I guess we could say they are. They seem to understand, and empathize with, the difficult lives the taxi drivers lead, and offer them solace in the form of a gentle, and soothing conversation, full of human warmth. One of the things I've discovered is that taxi drivers, and perhaps most other Mexicans, have a great sense of humor. I was trying to recruit one to run in the XXV Annual International Night Marathon, Cancun, 2009 (if you think that's a mouthful, try it, in Spanish), which will include a 6KM run, as one of the events you can participate in. At the end of an animated discussion of the details, when I asked him if he would run the 6K event, he said, "I'll think about it," but with an expression on his face which said, "Just kidding," knowing ahead of time I'd think the response humorous. Now that I can interact with the local people rather easily, I find they are very responsive to attempts by foreigners to communicate with them and, more often than not, do not get involved with your Spanish so much as with trying to understand what you're saying. This makes the effort to speak their language all the more rewarding. ______________________ I've mentioned, before, what a great venue for entertainment and sporting events Cancun can be. Below, is another example of one of the many opportunities you have, from time to time, in Cancun, to try something just a little different from your usual, day to day activities, if you're here, full time. Sponsored by the Benito Juarez Municipality, Cancun, and known as the First Preliminary Race for the International Night Marathon, Cancun 2009, it was held on the 27th of September and offered 5, 10 and 15K runs for all ages down to 12 (age 12-17, 5K only). Winners were recognized overall, and by category (age, sex). Entry was just 37 pesos. Registration for the race began one hour before race time, at the start/finish line, just below the bullring, on Bonampak. Exactly 180 registered participants took part in the races. They got underway at 0730, with all runners starting together. Those who were participating in the 10K event ran two circuits of the 5K route. Bonampak, below the bullring, was closed to traffic and made a nice course for the event. As expected, all age groups joined in, with the youngest allowed just 12 years old (no upper age limit). Awards were given for men, and women's top three finishers, overall; and, for men's and women's top three finishers by age group. It was truly a "fun" race, with all ages, shapes and sizes trying their hand at it. The atmosphere was light, and the crowd urged everyone on, the last person to cross the line in the 10K, at just over one hour and 15 minutes, getting the biggest hand of all. Everyone who wanted to participate was able to do so, and complete the distances they chose. Benito Juarez Municipality provided security, emergency health services, drinks along the route and at the finish for the runners, and masseuses/trainers for those who needed assistance in the form of massage at the end of the event (a number took advantage of this offering). Sliced oranges were also provided the runners to help them get back up to speed after the event. All in all, it was a well done event, with fun the main objective, although times were recorded for every runner on the course.
MEDICAL CARE IN CANCUN I'm retirement age, and for people like me having ready access to a reasonable quality of medical care is important. Cancun is a large city, said to have almost one million inhabitants. As such, it has a range of hospitals, public and private, to choose from, as well as scores of private clinics where you can find a reasonable quality of medical services- all kinds, including specialty care- at prices well below that of the U.S. As a result, a significant number of visitors to Cancun are here to seek medical care and treatment: most popular among these are cosmetic surgeries, and surgeries designed to help control serious problems with weight. If you look at the patient boards of the private hospitals, as many as half the admissions will be for procedures falling into one of these two categories. If you are here, long term, you may want to seek official permission to live here in the form of an FM3, issued by Mexican Immigration. Those who hold an FM3 are eligible to enroll for health coverage in what is the largest provider of health care in Mexico, the Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social, or IMSS. Even for a person 60 or older, it costs a very modest 3,000 pesos per year: those who are younger, pay even less. A person with full IMSS privileges pays nothing for any of the services: this includes hospitalizations, clinic visits, specialist care, treatments of all types, and drugs, among other things. Putting it simply, having paid the annual assessment, everything after that is "free". Cancun is lucky to have one of IMSS' most modern, and best equipped of the IMSS hospitals in the system, the Regional General Hospital, Region 17. Thoroughly modern, and just two years old, it occupies an entire large city block. Regional General Hospital, Region 17, is a tertiary care center, offering treatment and diagnostics, often unavailable at general hospitals, under the direction of medical specialists. Patients come here by referral from one of the other nine IMSS hospitals, polyclinics, and family medicine clinics in Cancun. At left, a doctor chats with a patient in Cardiac Intensive Care. The machine to the left of the bed provides a continuous read of the patients blood pressure, while the machine to the right of the bed, a continuous electrocardiogram, all easily seen by the doctors and nurses caring for the patient. The machine, back left, controls the intravenous solutions flowing into the patient's body. In the Hemodialysis Unit of Regional General Hospital, Region 17, on the right, a patient receives treatment. There are twelve hemodialysis machines in the unit. At the time of my visit, seven patients were undergoing treatment, simultaneously. This very costly and sophisticated treatment is available, for free, to those with full IMSS privileges. IMSS has well developed policies, nationwide, reqarding enrollment of foreigners who are living, with official permission, in Mexico. There are exclusions for pre-existing health conditions, as well as limitations on services available during the first year following enrollment.
INAPAM Although there are many reasons why living in Cancun is advantageous for those of retirement age, one of the more amusing is the Mexican Government sponsored system of discounts for a wide variety of services and products for those who are 60 years of age, and older. It operates under the "Instituto Nacional de las Personas Adultas Mayores," INAPAM, for short. As I understand it, businesses and professional people participate on a voluntary basis, but the INAPAM card, issued by the government, is valid all over Mexico, and the savings can be great. Xcaret Park, for example, gives a 50% discount to those with the INAPAM card. For most national parks and museums, entrance is free to holders of INAPAM cards. Other examples of discounts available from participating companies and service providers, are as follows: * 50% discount on public buses * 5% discount on purchases at Gigante stores nationwide (some local stores may offer even larger discounts) * 20% discount on medication purchases at Farmacias del Ahorro pharmacies * Up to 30% discount at restaurants and pizzerias * 10% to 50% discounts from participating attorneys and accountants * Up to 30% off the cost of automobile service work and 30% off the cost of new tires * 25% off hardware, 20% off construction materials, and 20% off the cost of construction work * Up to 50% off at a hair stylist * 25% off floral arrangements * 25% off dry cleaning * Up to 50% off veterinarian and pet grooming services * 50% off language classes In the future, I'll update this with exact details on how to go about applying for the card, for those who may be interestested.
Applying for inapam i.d. Card As promised, here is the step-by-step for applying for INAPAM's, official Mexican Government discount card, for all you holders of an FM2/3 who are at least 60 years of age. This is one of the quickest and easiest of the many bureaucratic processes you will go through during your stay in Mexico, if you want to fully take advantage of all that is offered, here. To apply for your INAPAM card, you'll need the following, originals: your passport (you may or may not be asked for this, to prove you're at least 60 years of age); your FM2/3; your C.U.R.P. (Clave Unica de Registro de Poblacion, a unique personal I.D. number assigned you by the Mexican Government), and your proof of residence address. Your proof of residence address must be of the same quality as that used to secure your FM2/3; that is, proof of your actual residence in Mexico, which can be a paid utility bill, bearing your actual address, for a utility service which is billed in your name; or, if the utility account is in the name of another, then, in addition- a letter from that person, 1) signed under a declaration they are telling the truth; which 2) shows the address of the property; and, 3) names you as living there, with 4) the date on which you began living there- together with a copy of their personal identification. You take these, and go to the offices of D.I.F., Desarollo Integral de la Familia, just below Av. Miguel Hidalgo, Ruta 5, in SM94. When you enter, on the west side of the territory, you will immediately encounter an information/guard booth, where you will be directed to the back of the property, a distance of about 70 meters. If you look around, after your walk, you will find signs for INAPAM. There are two small offices in which enrollments are taking place, one to the right, easily found; and, one to the left, more or less straight across the garden, also marked with an INAPAM sign, but in a short hallway which opens into the garden. Again taking advantage of what I think I've discovered about these big agencies- that they are not so busy later in the day, after the rush of business caused earlier in the day by those wishing to beat the rush- I went at 2:30 PM. There was no one in line, but a case was being processed in each of the two offices, so I took a seat in the open air, and waited for my turn: the process involved takes about 25 minutes, so I didn't have to wait very long. You will need to take a Spanish speaker with you, unless you have confidence in your Spanish, as the whole interview will occur in Spanish. You will be asked to produce all the originals I mentioned earlier, which will be scanned, eliminating the need for you to bring any copies. You will also be fingerprinted, all ten prints, and photographed. At the interview you will be asked many questions relating to the type of dwelling you live in, its furnishings, and equipment. You will be asked, with particularity, about who else lives with you, and who is to be contacted in the event of an emergency. At the end of the process, your originals will be returned to you, and you will be presented with a wonderfully official looking, Government of Mexico I.D. card with, not just one, but two photos of you, your C.U.R.P. number, your signature, your thumbprint, your full name, date of birth, address and phone number; and, the name and phone number of the person to contact in case you're found wandering the streets, unsure of who that person on the card is! After all this, you're now ready to get out there and spend, using your new INAPAM card, which has no expiration date, meaning you only have to go through this process, once! (I asked if it was possible to get a new card, if you change address and phone number, for example: I was told it was possible, but not considered necessary, so far as INAPAM was concerned, establishing your eligibility for the card being a one time affair.) __________________ For those who may, as yet, not have a C.U.R.P. number, here's how you get one. GETTING A C.U.R.P. NUMBER To get your C.U.R.P., go to the Registro Civil, in Cancun, on a street which flows into the Parque de las Palapas, at the northwest corner of the park. The office which dispenses the CURPs is at the back of the building, on an alley, and is easy to find, once you've found the office of the Registro Civil. There is a window with a small sign above it, reading, "CURP." To get your number you present your FM2/3, and wait....... for about thirty seconds! The numbers are generated by a computer and, if there is no one ahead of you, it just takes as long as is required to type in your name on the computer. The office hours are 8 AM to 8:30 PM! As with many things, there can be a catch: you must have an INM case number entered in your FM2/3. To know if you do, look at your FM2/3, and find the page labeled, "Anotaciones de Registro Nacional de Extranjeros". You may see a number, labeled, "Expediente Num," followed by a number starting with, "CUN," and, if you do, that's good! GETTING A "EXPEDIENTE NUMERO" If you have a blank following this notation in your FM2/3, you can correct this by returning to immigration, Cancun, and asking at the desk inside, to the right, against the front wall, that your case number be entered. When they entered mine, it required they make a phone call, and wait for a response from the other agency, followed by entering the number in my FM3, once they had it in hand. It took about 45 minutes, in a busy INM office, for this to be accomplished while I waited. ________________ From this you can see that, even if you had to complete all three steps you could, by starting at around 12N (INM closes at 1 PM), have everything accomplished by about 3 PM, the same afternoon! Not bad, all things considered. ________________ It wouldn't be fair to the people I met, and who assisted me in the process, not to comment on- the taxi driver who took me to the offices of D.I.F., amused that a foreigner would ask to go there; the guard at D.I.F., who so politely gave me directions to the proper office without asking any questions; and, the young man, Gerardo, who interviewed me, prepared all the formalities and, ultimately, presented me with the INAPAM card- and say what a thoroughly pleasant task they all made of it for me. ________________ Edit, Feb 14, 2011: the new format of the FM3/2s has changed some of the details which appear above, which makes reference to the old format, booklet, in use before the "card" format came into use.
WHAT CAN YOU RECOMMEND? Anybody else out there that's got the INAPAM card? Where would you suggest I go first, to taste the pleasure of using it? Should I ask for separate checks, if my wife and I go to a restaurant, since she doesn't have one? I had the pleasure, recently, of being given a 30% discount on services at Hospital Hospiten, just because I was living in Cancun. I could easily adapt to asking for discounts, I just need a little more practice! By the way, the INAPAM card appears to be impressive to locals. Few of them seem to have seen one, and those I've shown it to marveled that a foreigner would have one (though I had learned from internet research, before coming to Mexico, that it was one of the things available to FM2/3 holders who were at least 60 YOA.)
Slightly off topic, but when we renewed our FM3s this month we asked Mauricio to take care of the Registro Nacional de Extranjeros numbers for us, which he did. Yet another reason why we avail ourselves of his services.
Inapam i.d. Card I'm sorry, Mixz1, that should have been a reference to an INM case number, not registration with the Registro Nacional de Extranjeros, in my previous post, which I've since corrected. If you've got a number, starting with CUN, in the blank following the words, "Expediente num", you're set! Still looking for suggestions: does anybody have this card? [I did a search of the posts to this forum and could find no mention of the INAPAM program, but I know that doesn't necessarily mean nobody's got one.] I did have a chance to use the card already- but as identification- in the very formal process of leasing an apt with all the legal formalities.
GETTING MERCHANTS UP TO SPEED It's now six days since I first inquired here about the use of this card by any other posters and I'm beginning to suspect that our small number of posters to "Living in Cancun" (which may be less than a half dozen, if we include only those 60 and over) may not have had any experience with this. [One of the problems I've run into, also, in trying to use the card, is unfamiliarity: the program changed names, not too long ago, from INSEN to INAPAM. Many locals have heard of INSEN, but few have heard of INAPAM, and none that I've encountered have ever seen the card.] Not having a response, I'm planning to start contacting the big retailers, at the national level, to get their programs regarding discounts, based on the INAPAM card, then educating the local store managers about their company's position, if necessary. To consistently enjoy the full benefits of this national program, it may be necessary to educate the managers of each store you like to patronize so they, in turn, can educate their staff. As you, and I, may only shop at a half dozen places, routinely, this is not as big a task as it might otherwise appear. My plan is to get the company position, in writing, then ask the store manager to endorse it, by signing. I will then have the letter available to present to the store attendants, when necessary. If I'm successful, I'll be happy to share these letters with other posters who have obtained the INAPAM card.
Some of the ones that come to mind, immediately, that I'll contact are Walmart, Chedraui, Soriana, Commercial Mexicana, and Ahorra Farmacia. If you are at least 60 YOA, and have others that you'd like me to include, please post here with the names of one or two of your favorite, large chain stores.
