When I was a child I remember watching a black and white version of TV’s Superman where he moves a couple’s house to the Arctic as their punishment for some crime. Now, keep in mind I was a child so the logistics of electricity, plumbing, future food and such were lost on me. The wife insists she needs something not in the house before they begin their exile so Superman flies back to get it for her.
In his absence the couple decides to escape. While on an icy crevice, she in her 1950’s pencil skirt and kitten heels, tumbles taking him along for their final ride.
Inexplicitly this image of a couple having a nice home to live in while in a barren environment is how I pictured moving to Mexico by myself (after my kids were grown and gone). Odd, but when I am wrong, I can be big time wrong as nothing about this vision was reality and I don’t know why it even entered my head.
For years I lived on a remote, tiny island in the Atlantic reached only by boat and I loved it! Now, that was a cultural wasteland, not even a grocery store in sight. Instead I immersed myself and the kids on living with nature having a blast.
I’ve some fellow foreigner pals that will drive back up to Texas to do their major grocery shopping unable to live without particular brands, packing coolers to make the trip. Cripes, I thought it was hassle to pack coolers to get to the island with a 30 minute boat ride. I can’t imagine driving 12 hours across the dessert to shop.
That’s not to say there aren’t certain things I prefer to buy in the US but not with that level of effort. In the US I’m a large man, here in Mexico I’m gargantuan, so buying clothes while visiting up North is a must. That and there are days I’d maim someone for access to a white chocolate covered pretzel. But those are the exceptions, not the rule.
The rule is everything you could possible want is here in Mexico. And if it isn’t, like a yummy white chocolate covered pretzel, you’ll soon find you can easily live without it and bask and what Mexico does offer a new arrival. Options include classes on dance, language, art, you name it, meeting and exchanging ideas with folks from all over the world, great food and a seemingly bottomless well of history and culture.
Jump into Mexico as the well water is fine. The few things you can’t find here, are minor inconveniences, that soon pale as you realize that rather than living beyond the pale, you are living in the midst of what is important to you: relationships and adventures.
Joseph Toone is the Historical Society’s short-story award winning author of the SMA Secrets book series. All books in the series are Amazon bestsellers in Mexican Travel and Holidays. Toone is SMA’s expert and TripAdvisor’s top ranked historical tour guide telling the stories behind what we do in today’s SMA. Visit HistoryAndCultureWalkin
