Things Google Can't Teach You

It's our Mexi-versary!!!  Three years ago today, we arrived in little La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Nayarit after making the 2,800 mile trek from the Pacific Northwest.  It's so surreal to think it's been that long already... It feels like just yesterday that I was going through the Starbucks drive thru at 5:30 every morning on my rainy commute to work, and Ty's stressful job was prematurely turning his hair gray.  

Bienvenidos a Mexico!  Crossing the border in Nogales, Arizona in May 2016... 

I was lying wide awake in bed at 5:00 this morning, when the idea for this post popped in my head.  I heard a familiar (and unwelcome!) squawking sound outside our bedroom window and I thought, "Ugh, I hope it's not black and yellow obnoxious bird season already!"  Now... I have zero idea what kind of bird it is or if they really have a "noisy season" in our area, but I do know that our first spring here, we were woken up by a flock of inconsiderate black and yellow squawkers outside our bedroom window before dawn every single morning for several weeks.  

Bored, and not sleeping anyway (as per usual)... I grabbed my phone and tried Googling, "black and yellow squawking bird nayarit mexico" and found this likely candidate... He looks harmless, but don't be fooled.  These guys make roosters sound like pigeons... 

I set my phone down and thought about how it's interesting that some things can only be learned about a place by living there for a while.  And that those are the things that make a place feel like "home."  I thought back to three years ago and silently laughed at how nervous I was to make this big move; how much planning and preparing and research I attempted to do...  I thought... "A Google search couldn't have taught me when not to sleep with the windows open if you don't want a black and yellow alarm clock."  Bingo!  An idea was born.... "Things Google Can't Teach You" 

Let's rewind a little... In early 2016, before we left Seattle, I started writing a blog (that I never posted) entitled, "Things I Never Thought I Would Google" while we were neck-deep in the visa process, researching and preparing for our big move, selling everything we owned, etc.  

Just a few of the many, many searches I did:  

• Dog groomers in Bucerias, Nayarit 
• How long does it take to get a Mexican Visa
• Mexican Consulate in Seattle 
• Mini vans for sale in Auburn, Washington 
• Eyelash extensions in Puerto Vallarta (muy importante!) 
• Requirements to bring a dog across the border 
• Quickest way to learn Spanish
• Why the hell doesn't Pandora work in Mexico?
• Does Amazon ship to Mexico?????  
• Sports bars near La Cruz de Huanacaxtle (because, priorities) 
• Which brand of sunscreen is the best? 
• Do I need to get vaccinated to move to Mexico?
• Is there a Costco in Puerto Vallarta?  
• Gyms near Bucerias, Nayarit 
• Poisonous bugs and snakes in western Mexico (I do NOT recommend this search) 

The months leading up to our move South of the Border were a whirlwind of to-dos while both still working full-time -- add to the fact that we decided to throw together a last-minute wedding / going-away party... It was a stressful time, and when we left, I had lists upon lists of items I hadn't gotten a chance to do or research, and I felt so unprepared the morning we drove away from our cute little river cottage for the last time.  Well... The joke was on me, because it wouldn't have mattered how much research I had been able to do before we got here, because I felt like an inept, culture-shocked, fish out of water for a solid 12-18 months, despite all my "planning."  

There's a million things that Google can't teach a person about moving to a new country, but I'll spare you the boring stories about banking processes, immigration, power outages, etc. and instead share with you the silly sounds that make our little fishing village feel like home. Enjoy.  

The Sounds of (Our) Mexico:

(Side Note:  The following pictures are Google images, but accurate to our area... I didn't want to go out on a scavenger hunt/wild goose case taking photos but wanted you to have an idea what our life is like.) 

• If you hear someone incessantly laying on their horn while driving by your house - don't get angry.  Instead, that's your signal to run out onto the sidewalk and flag them down, because they're selling garrafones de agua purificada (big jugs of purified drinking water) for 20 pesos each, and it saves you a trip to the corner tienda.  

• If you hear a pretty flute sound moving through your neighborhood, it isn't a kid learning to play an instrument... It's the "knife-sharpening guy" who rides around the streets on his bike-turned-mobile business, calling out to see if anyone would like their kitchen knives sharpened.  He sets up his pedal-powered sharpening wheel on your doorstep and gets to work polishing blades so Abuelita can keep cranking out her famous carne asada tacos for the local workers on their lunch breaks. 

• If you hear what sounds like the world's least-appetizing ice cream truck... It's a safe bet that it's actually a SoniGas truck blaring it's very loud "jingle" while driving around to see if anyone needs to switch out their empty propane cylinder for a fresh one.  Very convenient for yours truly, since I still only take HOT showers... 

• If you hear what sounds like loud, jibberish-y singing (that's the best I can describe it,) then there's likely a man walking around outside carrying a giant basket of bread and pastries on his head and he's letting you know he has baked goods for sale.  (This particular sound is probably very specific to our village, but Ty and I always know when "bread man" is in the vicinity.) 

• If you hear what sounds like a boombox tied to the top of a truck driving slowing through the streets in the spring and summer months - do yourself a favor and look out your window, because odds are the sound is going to belong to a beat up pick-up truck with a giant pile of watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapples or jackfruit selling for cheeeeeap.  Yes, please.   

• If you hear what can only be described as cannons going off very early in the morning, invite your frightened pup to cuddle with you in bed and just accept the fact that it's a Mexican holiday and that there are only, like, 2-9 more days of celebrations. (Just kidding.....except not really.) 

• If you can't figure out what the chirping/trilling sound is (but it's definitely coming from inside your house and not through the open windows)... Don't be alarmed, it's just a friendly, bug-eating gecko hiding behind a picture on the wall waiting for a tasty spider to scurry by.  I'll take geckos over spiders and scorpions any day!  They also eat cockroaches, so they are my bestest amiguitos. 

• If you are kept awake welllll into the night/early morning because there's a giant fiesta with blaring banda music happening in the empty field near your house... then a local family is most likely celebrating a wedding or quinceanera - which are very important (and often elaborate) events to the Mexican people.  The family usually hosts hundreds of people and likely has to work very hard and save a lot of money to make it happen.  It's a very proud, happy day for them (and the only people who'll ever complain about the noise are white people, *clears throat*.)  So, take a chill pill (or a few shots of tequila), pop in some earplugs and just go with it.  Or better yet... Join them!  Mexican parties are the BEST parties!!  Just ask Ty... 

I'm sure there are a lot of other distinct regional sounds that I'm forgetting, so if you also live in Nayarit (or spend a lot of time here), tell me your favorite "Sounds of Mexico!"  

I'm off to flag down the water guy... Adiós mis amigos!  

Where have we been?

Hola, a todos!  I was gonna say Happy New Year, but my calendar tells me it's almost APRIL already?! How did that happen?  I mean... It's normal for me not to know what day it is, but I should probably be better about knowing what month it is, I suppose.  Not to sound like a cliche, but where does the time go??  This spring marks our THIRD year living in Nayarit, Mexico as full-time residents.  Our Temporary Residency Visas are still valid for another year, and when they're due again, it's more than likely we'll be applying for permanent residency...and eventually citizenship.  Because let's face it - we're never moving back to the U.S.  But that's a topic for another post!  

Proof that we're alive and well... 

I've mentioned before that I've felt less inspired to write these past several months, because sights and experiences that once seemed "shocking" have become the (almost) mundane.  A guy and his wife riding a motorcycle on the highway with a tiny infant smashed between them?  That's just called a Mexican car seat.  Having to scoop an iguana out of the pool after he dived in to escape a pack of dogs?  That's just a typical doggy play date at your girlfriend's house any random afternoon.... And I mean... no one wants to read about how we spend most evenings on the couch watching Netflix movies with Spanish subtitles, am I right? 

Don't worry - no iguanas were harmed in the making of this post... 

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I have 3 blog posts in draft form right now, that I'll definitely finish soon-ish now that tourist season is winding down, but here are some blog titles that you have to look forward to in the near future: 

• "Oh, the Irony" 
• "Fat & (Un)Happy:  3 Years of Vacation Mode"
• "Questions I Will Probably Never Find the Answers To" 

You're on the edge of your seat, I can tell!  

While I'm still kicking those posts around in my noggin, I thought I should just update all my wonderful readers about what has been going on in our very exciting, glamorous lives these past months.  (Said with as much sarcasm as humanly possible.)

Let's recap... If you remember, we were let go last summer from the beachfront hotel we were managing and then we sort of haphazardly bounced around for a few months not sure of what to do next.  We landed a few small rental management gigs right away, but the biggest priority was finding somewhere to live before Ty got any funny ideas about living in our van.  (And don't think he wouldn't!)  

We found a little house in La Cruz that would accept our 100-pound fur ball, so we signed a year lease and moved in at the end of September.  We've been in our little home for six months now, and we're enjoying it for the most part.  We still hope to eventually find a place of our own, but for now, we aren't homeless or living out of suitcases, so I won't complain (about that.) 

We had a bit of a hurricane scare in October with Hurricane Willa, which led to lots of concerned texts and calls from family and friends up north.  Ironically, we're way less afraid of hurricane warnings than we are of just regular ol' summer thunderstorms.  Big storms hundreds of miles off the coast usually just create "bitchin" waves for the local surfers to chase and lots and lots of gray, soggy rain.  Supposedly, Vallarta is more "protected" by the geography of Banderas Bay than the rest of Mexico's western coastline, so thankfully, it was anti-climactic for us.  Unfortunately, I can't say the same for our neighbors to the north in Northern Nayarit and Southern Sinaloa where Willa made landfall as a Category 3 though.  😔

The storms that are actually scary in our area happen on a random Wednesday in September when there are TORRENTIAL downpours, dangerous flash floods, lightning-fried transformers and power outages, and hours and hours of bone-rattling thunder so unfathomably LOUD that you are forced to rethink what you've considered "loud" up until that point in your life.  Yeah.  During hurricane warnings we snuggle up on the couch and make cozy comfort foods and watch movies - during big ass thunderstorms we cling to each other for dear life!

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Over Thanksgiving week, several of our friends from Portland came down to visit us and we all celebrated "Friendsgiving" together.  Nothing says Turkey Day quite like zip-lining, golfing, sailing, waterfalls, pool parties and lots of late, craaaaaazy nights, am I right??   

And we were fortunate to have a professional photographer in our crew, because apparently I didn't take a single photo.  Ooops.  Thanks for capturing the memories, Jenna! 


Sailing trip to Yelapa with our buddy Captain Mike on Red Dolphin Cruises 

Yelapa Waterfall

The girls and Schiffer zip-lining in Higuera Blanca... 

Pool shenanigans.... 

Just a little man-tub love in a giant mermaid... nothing to see here.  

Dinner on the beach... Mezzogiorno in Bucerias 

The rest of the holidays were uneventful in comparison... When you work in the hospitality industry in a coastal tourist town, you don't really get to celebrate Christmas or New Year totally obligation-free.  We went to dinner at a friend's house on Christmas Day, but my phone rang off the hook because someone was looking for a last-minute room and I ended up having to go home for a while to take care of it.  We had dinner with friends on New Year's Eve also and watched the firework show at the La Cruz Marina, but promptly went home at 12:01 a.m. because we had 3 "turnovers" the following day.  (Guests checking out the same day new guests are arriving.)  So, the holidays were hectic, but alright. 

Since January, we've been busy with hotel things - I'll save you the boring details - but after we get through Semana Santa (Holy Week/Easter) in a few weeks, things will quiet down a lot for us.  By far, February is always the busiest and most popular month for tourism and this past February felt like the whole Bay exploded with people.  There were lost-looking folks in floppy hats as far as the eye could see!  We had rolling brown outs, internet outages, gas and propane shortages (both for home use and at gas stations) and ATMs and banks all over town were running out of cash.  It was nuts!  The socially anxious little turtle in me pretty much wanted to hide inside and wait for winter to be over... 

This past week has been a bit of an anomaly for us... We had some free time available, so we decided to "play tourist in our own town," as I like to call it.  One day we made the hour-long walk via the beach to Bucerias to have lunch and to shop at the souvenir market, just for something different to do.  And like everyone else there, I bought a hat, sunglasses, a fan and paid too much for a bottle of tequila.  Haha.  And then last weekend, we joined our good friends in Puerto Vallarta and stayed downtown for a few nights celebrating a birthday... We danced, we shopped, we swam...and we para-sailed!!  


Ty and I on Playa de Los Muertos (in said hat and sunglasses I just bought)...

The birthday crew doing some people-watching and pre-partying at the "Redneck Bar"... 

Ty coming in for a landing! 

I was the only one who took their phone up... The view wasn't terrible. 

If you didn't take a selfie, did it really happen?  

And then we came home on Tuesday sunburned, exhausted, ready to eat some vegetables and go to bed at a reasonable hour, so I'd say our "tourist week" was a success.  

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This upcoming summer will be our fourth in Nayarit and even though I always dread the soul-crushing humidity and blood-thirsty mosquitoes, the slowness and "empty" feeling of town has become really refreshing after a whirlwind tourist season.  All of the snowbirds and part-timers will go back to the U.S. or Canada in April and the Bay empties out as quickly as it filled up in November...and it kinda feels like a big sigh of relief.  It's like throwing a huge, wild, rockin' party at your house that goes well into the night, and when your guests finally leave at 4:00 in the morning, you say... "That was a lot of fun; let's not do it again any time soon."  High Season is always exciting while it's happening, but Low Season has a lot going for it too, just in a less hurried/exhausting way.... (Check back with me in October when I'm GRUMPY AS HELL, covered in bug bites and cursing Mexico summers - my "vibes" might be just a tad different by then.) 

In July, we have a trip to Portland and Seattle planned to visit family and friends, as per usual, so Ty doesn't miss his beloved yearly boys' golf trip to Central Oregon.  This'll be our third trip home, but I always hesitate to call it a "vacation"... Everyone we'd like to see while we're in town, still needs to work and run errands and deal with kid stuff and responsibilities, so Ty and I are often the only ones on "stay-up-late-and-make-bad-decisions mode" when we go home to visit.  Trying to make plans is usually us saying, "Let's get dinner on Tuesday!"...and then so-and-so saying it'll be too hard with rush hour traffic and they have to get up early the next morning, and it just doesn't happen.  Womp womp.   

A similar thing happens when people come to visit us in Mexico too, though.  They're ready to live it up on an all-day excursion sin niños o trabajo (and we wanna join them!), but we usually have to plan around rental responsibilities because we're not completely free of adulting (yet.)  

Speaking of vacations... I took it upon myself and booked Ty and I a week-long stay in Tulum in early December!!!  I wrote a really whiny post a while back, entitled, "I Need a Vacation from my Vacation" about how we don't go on "real" vacations since moving to Mexico (yes, I realize how obnoxious I sound right now), and the same kind of feeling has been bumming me out lately... 

No matter how much we love living in La Cruz, I think it's natural to want to visit places you don't see everyday... When you're just living your normal life, any place can lose its luster.  We pay bills, we go to Costco, run errands, go to appointments, walk the dog, argue about who's turn it is to put away the clean laundry, and ask each other, "What should we make for dinner?" just like the rest of the world.  

So, while pouting about all of the above one night, I happened to look up domestic flights departing out of Puerto Vallarta and found out we can fly to Cancun for a whopping 45 bucks each way, which includes luggage.  Say what???  I couldn't have whipped my credit card out any faster and then very excitedly asked Ty if we can plan a trip to Mexico's other coast in the fall.  He gave me his signature stern, we'll-have-to-talk-about-it-look, at a feeble attempt to make me think he was going to put up a fuss about it.  But I've known Ty for 13 years and in Swedish Dolphin speak, that looks always means, "Do whatever you want, babe.  But I'm gonna pretend to say no first because I like to tease you incessantly."   

I booked flights and then I spent the next two days researching hotels and must-dos in Tulum.  We're going to visit ancient ruins, snorkel in underground caves (cenotes), rent a canopy bed on the beach, and eat and drink too much...and I have 8 months to look forward to every minute of it. 

(Google Photo of the Ruins of Tulum)

WOW.  This post turned into a way longer blabber-fest than intended.  If you made it this far, congratulations.  Or, I'm sorry.  I'm not sure which.  Well, we're off to walk Bloo and make something boring and healthy for dinner... Don't be too jealous of our Sunday Funday!  

Nuestra Casa

I haven't written an update post in a while, so let's recap... When I wrote the post, "Homeless, Kinda," we had just been notified that our contract at our boutique hotel wasn't going to be renewed and that we were going to move into a lackluster rental house in La Cruz that I wasn't at all excited about.  

BUT...like, 10 seconds after I hit "publish" on that blog post we were notified that the landlord was backing out of the agreement we made months prior and didn't want to rent to us anymore because of Bloo.  Um, WHAT???  Clearly she needs to be educated on how much of a perfect gentleman he is, but I digress.  This was at the end of August and we needed to be out of our temporary summer digs by September 22nd.  Awesome!  So... With 3 weeks left and no where to go, yours truly started to panic just a tiny bit about actually being homeless.  I may have even called Ty in (crazy lady) tears while he was golfing when I found out our agreement fell through, but you can't prove it.   

Thankfully, the rental agent knew of another house that would allow Bloo and we were able to work out a deal and move in on our original move-in date.  Phew.  I don't know what it is or how he does it, but Ty just makes things work out.  I keep saying that his Engvall luck is going to run out eventually, but for my sanity's sake, I reeeeeally hope it doesn't. 

Our new place is probably the biggest house we've ever lived in together, and it's more space than we need/care to have, but we're diggin our new home.  And that's the best part:  I get to use the word HOME without thinking, "Well... Home-ish," after I say it.  For the last couple of years, we've very literally been living in someone else's home, among their clothes, decor, family photos...even toothbrushes.  So, having a space we can finally customize to our liking (well, to a point, I'm not allowed to paint the walls...boooo), has felt really satisfying.  

Our humble abode... 

For the Curious Georges back home wondering what the cost of living is like in our part of Mexico... We are renting a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house in a small, gated community.  Included with the rent is water, garbage, landscaping, 24-hour security and access to the large community pool.  We are 2 blocks from the beach and a 15-minute walk to downtown La Cruz.  Our house also has A/C, a large Smart TV and it came with all the large furniture like beds, couches, dressers, tables, etc.  For all of this we pay.....drum roll please....$800 USD per month.  (But don't even get me started on the fact that we have to pay our Mexican landlord in DOLLARS in Mexico where we earn pesos.  So annoying.)  

Like anywhere, rent ranges greatly based on location and the duration of your lease... We're kinda on the outskirts of town, so our rent is pretty cheap compared to downtown or more "exciting" neighborhoods (like beachfront, duh.)  We also have to pay for our own gas, electricity and WiFi so in total we pay about $900 USD per month.  (I'm guessing some people back home thought we paid much less because "Mexico is so cheap," am I right?)  

We signed a year lease, so it's comforting to know we aren't going to be homeless again for a while.  We'd really like to buy or build a house here, but there just isn't a lot of inventory in our price range considering we'd have to pay in cash and we can only buy "titled" land.  (Versus "Ejido" land, which can only be owned by a Mexican National.)  So, our options are very limited in the housing market unfortunately.  

We haven't told our parents this yet (or my bestie cousin, Hilary, who's been begging us to move back to Portland for 2.5 years)... But we actually put an offer on a (major) fixer-upper in our little neighborhood a few weeks ago.  We were really excited about it, but the owner came back asking for an outrageous number considering it needs $40K in renovations, so the deal didn't go anywhere.  Those of you who know us well (or have read my other blog), know that Ty likes to buy the worst house in a good neighborhood and then ask me to fix it up - the same would have been true if we bought this house.  The previous tenant was a legit dog hoarder and it is in rough shape. (No pun intended, haha.)  I got really excited at the prospect of getting to wield a sledge hammer and power tools again, but it looks like that's not happening any time soon.  

Anyway... Not much else is new with us, but we're still alive and well and enjoying our new home.  I'm off to shop for last-minute stocking stuffers for my Swedish Grinch and precious pup.  Merry Christmas from your three favorite dorks south of the border!  

The Upside

I wrote a post several months ago entitled, "The Downside" about the personal drawbacks that came with moving to a semi-tropical climate with the intention of also writing about the positives.  And this post is way overdue!  So, here's what I enjoy most about living in Mexico...in no particular order. 

Disclaimer:  There's a lot of money-saving related bullet points in this post, and as annoying as I find the reign of the US dollar in other countries, I'm going to list prices in USD instead of pesos so my "devoted followers" (hi, mom!) don't have to Google the exchange rate of stuff.  Enjoy. 

1) MY BOYS

Easily the very best thing about moving to Mexico has been getting to spend way more time with my little family.  Back in Seattle, Ty and I were both working 10-12 hour days and we really only got to spend time together on the weekends... I used to leave the house before Ty's alarm clock even went off, and got home after dark, just in time to eat dinner and go to bed so I could do it all over again the next day.  

Now, we get to spend 94.6% of our time together whether we're living, working, relaxing or playing.  (Or sweating.)  I get that some couples may not see that as part of the "upside" to "early retirement" though.  Luckily/thankfully, we've been bestest friends for 13 years and we actually really like being together! 

I also love that my puppy isn't cooped up alone at home and depressed and neglected for 12 hours a day anymore while his mama and papa are slaving away at work... Because Bloo cares about exactly two things:  being with his humans....and eating their food.  So, I'm sure he loves that the three of us are always together now.  

Have you ever seen a more majestic creature?!?!  I think not.  

2)  SPANISH:

The second best thing has been being forced to learn a new language.  I know what you're thinking... "All this chick does is complain about learning Spanish - make up your mind!"  Yes, it sucks feeling inept every day and my stress level would be much lower if I only put myself in situations where I don't need to speak Spanish (only going to touristy stores and restaurants, only befriending/hiring bilingual Mexicans, etc.); but moving to Mexico has also made me appreciate(/cringe at) how spoiled we are as English-speaking people.  

I know it all comes down to money and other countries want our tourism dollars, so they cater to our single-language-speaking asses, but I witness SO much appalling ignorance and arrogance on a daily basis (from white visitors and residents alike) and it motivates me even more to learn Spanish just so I'm not considered "just like the rest of them."  I mean...  "No, I don't speak Spanish.  They need to cater to their customer base!"  is a sentence I've actually heard come out of more than one white lady's mouth since we've lived IN MEXICO. 

Side Note:  In case you haven't read my post, "No Hablo Espanol: Accidentally Rude," I go into this problem further.  

I'm also very much an "academic" person (a.k.a. big fat nerd) and so being able to "exercise" my brain and not let it turn to total mush while we're on permanent vacation mode, does a lot to improve my mental health and confidence, so I appreciate the challenge despite how much I complain about it.   

3) HEALTHCARE:

Healthcare gets its own section on this post, because hot damn, it's great!!  I was worried about what the hospitals and medical services would be like before we moved here (we, as humans, are too easily swayed by stereotypes portrayed in movies, it's alarming...) but everywhere we've been here has been equal to (or better than) what we were used to in the States.  Vallarta is actually quite the "medical tourism" city because of its quality and affordability.  Need dental implants and don't wanna hand over 15K?  Then come on down!  I can (and I'm gonna!) get Lasik eye surgery in Guadalajara next year for like, 900 bucks.  Sign this blind lady up.  

Although health insurance is available here, we don't feel the need to have it because healthcare is so cheap and we just pay for everything in cash as it comes up, and we don't have any major/ongoing health issues since we're young-ish.  Sure, you could argue about something catastrophic happening and yada yada, but we aren't "just in case" kind of people, we're more like "cross our fingers" kind of people.  (Well, Ty is, and I blindly trust him for some reason.) 

I've probably NOT had health insurance for more of my life than I've HAD it.  (Thanks, 'Merica.)  And even when I had it, I was too afraid of getting a hefty bill to use it.  (I once paid 1600 bucks for birth control AFTER insurance!  That's a friggen mortgage payment!)  So, I actually feel more secure and proactive about my health in Mexico than I ever did in the States, because here it's accessible, affordable AND high-quality.  

Some examples:

• I had my first full-body skin check (for cancerous-looking moles and spots) with an English-speaking, highly-regarded dermatologist who had all the latest bobs and gadgets and it cost me a whopping 35 bucks.  You read that right... THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS.   We couldn't even go out to dinner for 35 bucks in Seattle.  
• You can have your teeth professionally cleaned here for about $25 USD.  That's how much my dental co-pay used to be.   
• Eye exam = 25 bucks 
• New prescription glasses that were ready in 5 days = 37 dollars 
• I'm seeing a physical therapist right now for a pinched nerve that's causing numbness in my arm and hand for 18 dollars per week. 
• I had a dry, nagging cough for 3 months that just wouldn't go away and spent 30 dollars to see an ear, throat and nose *specialist* who cured me with a 4 dollar allergy medicine prescription I didn't know I needed.  
• Yearly Lady Exam at the Gyno:  40 bucks which included all the lab work 
• Ty can buy his blood pressure medication for about 20 dollars a month.  That's less than what he used to pay after insurance.  And he doesn't need to see a doctor or get a prescription here because it isn't a "controlled" medication. 
• You can also buy antibiotics here without a prescription.  I had a UTI last year (too much information?) and the antibiotics were 3 flippin dollars and we were in and out of the farmacia in 5 minutes.  

Side note about pharmaceuticals in Mexico: Medicines that aren't controlled substances (a.k.a. they don't get abused) are sold over-the-counter here by pharmacy technicians...which means less patients bogging down free clinics and urgent care centers trying to get a prescription for their non-emergency illnesses.  Which also means people spend less time sick, miss less work and school, spread less germs, etc.  

If you've ever had a bladder infection, you know that junk is PAINFUL, so getting to send Ty to the corner pharmacy for antibiotics while I writhe in pain at home, is priceless.  Back home, I would've had to make an appointment to see my doctor (even though I already know what's wrong with me), take (unpaid) time off work to go, pay the doctor's co-pay, pay to get the prescription filled and blah, blah, BLAH.  And I would have been in pain for days rather than hours.  

Amazingly, I have yet to make a trip to Urgent Care here (which was a regular occurrence back home because I'm a klutz who happens to like power tools) but when I do, I'm sure it'll be cheap and the quality of care will be top notch, as per usual.

4) FOOOOOOOOD

Although the cost of living isn't as cheap as you might expect (rent in this area isn't anything to get jealous about since it's a tourist destination, gas is 4 bucks a gallon and electricity is expensive enough to make us cringe when guests leave their A/C running all day)...but FOOOOD is another story.

The best shrimp tacos I've ever had in my life will set us back about 4 bucks for a filling order of three.  And they make the tortillas by hand to order.  Mmmm.  Tengo hambre! 

We can walk to the fish market and buy 2 pounds of freshly-caught tuna for 10 bucks...and any other kind of seafood, for that matter!  

Ty's first attempt at making sushi rolls with locally-caught tuna...

Produce is fresh, local and dirt cheap...all of this cost about 7 dollars.  You can't even buy 2 avocados in Seattle for 7 dollars!  

The traveling market that comes to La Cruz every Wednesday... Pennies per pound, people!  

Ty brings mangos home from the golf course because they're just everywhere.  If you showed this photo to customers inside any Whole Foods store in the States, they'd be thinking, "That's some expensive-looking litter!"  Needless to say, fresh, healthy food here is bountiful and CHEAP.  

5) SPONTANEITY: 

Because we have much less "adulting" to do (especially in the summer/slow season), I can just text my gal pals to meet in the Plaza to watch local men compete to be the first to climb up a greased poll to get to the laundry basket of beer at the top while the banda plays and kids are running around chasing a pig and we're buying homemade tamales from the lady on the corner.  Then we can just decide to go to one of our houses to go swimming, because it's hot and we have nothing else going on, so then we text more friends to come over who also have beach bum schedules, and then it just automatically turns into a big, shenanigan-filled, 6-hour pool party with half a dozen of your closest expat buddies who are all acting like they're 40/50-something going on 21...and when you woke up that morning you had zero plans and had no idea any of that was gonna happen. (That ALL actually happened yesterday - I can't make this crap up, people.)

And, even cooler.... Ty and I can just be like, "I don't wanna do boring chores or errands today... Let's go to the hot springs/movies/beach/country drive/fill-in-the-blank instead even though it's a Tuesday."  And we both just shrug and hop in the car to go on an adventure.  That's pretty priceless considering our pre-Mexico life was filled with boring to-dos and jam-packed calendars.  

6) MEXICANS

One of the best parts of living in Mexico...are the Mexicans!  They are seriously the kindest, sweetest, most generous, hard-working people.  And even though they put up with a LOT of crap from Northerners and ignorant tourists, they do it with a smile because they are patient and forgiving.  They're also fun and loyal and amazing hosts.  Our most favorite parties and events down here so far have been in the humblest homes of Mexicans where we've laughed and danced until the wee hours of the morning, even though no one else there spoke a lick of English.  Do yourself a favor...befriend a Mexican.  Or 30.  

7)  MISC SERVICES:

• Have a local seamstress sew you up some curtains?  15 bucks 
• Need a cell phone plan?  It's gonna set you back 11 bucks per month. 
• Have the A/C in your dorky Dodge Caravan recharged?  16 dollars (No lie!!!!  Pretty sure we've had to pay upwards of $200 before.) 
• A movie ticket to a blockbluster film at a super fance, air-conditioned, full-service theater?  5 bucks per person.  (I haven't paid five dollars for a movie ticket since I was like, 12.)  
• Oil change?  20 smackaroos.  
• Detailed car wash inside and out??!  FOUR DOLLARS and it's ready in an hour.  And car washes are like a "thing" down here... Our favorite one has a full restaurant and bar attached, so you have lunch and get your car detailed while you eat.  Amazeballs.  
• Full coverage car insurance?  $200 for a YEAR! 
• Set of spare keys made?  A buck a key.  
• Have your house cleaned really, really well 3 times per week, including having your laundry done?  FORTY TWO DOLLARS PER MONTH.  (All the moms reading this post are droooooooling right now.) 

8) BEAUTY:

I am a self-proclaimed "lazy girl" which means I wanna look halfway decent, but I'm too lazy to spend a lot of time getting ready everyday.  I'm all about products that allow me to have both.  Haha.  

I started getting eyelash extensions a few years ago when I was a super busy personal trainer in Seattle because I was tired of sweating my mascara off during work everyday.  Not cute.  And I was instantly HOOKED because I'd essentially wake-up with "make-up" already on.  Bonus!  10 more minutes of sleeping in the morning!  And my peepers stayed perfect-looking even through the most grueling bootcamp classes and 12 work hour days... 

In Seattle, I was paying 80 bucks every three weeks to have my lashes "filled" and now I pay a whopping 25 dollars, including tip.  It's like the *one* personal splurge I've ever had, and now I don't even have to feel "guilty" about pampering myself!  

For the same reason I wanted eyelash extensions, I also wanted to get my brows microbladed so I could skip filling them in every morning only to sweat them off by noon everyday.  (Microblading is a semi-permanent tattoo done in tiny strokes to resemble hair...a.k.a. no more make-up!)  My hair is light, so without makeup I look like I have no eyebrows...I used to dye them every couple of weeks, but in Mexico, dying them has turned out to be super pointless because they fade in just a few days due to constantly sweating and wiping my forehead, I think.  (Sexy, I know.)  

I researched microblading before we left Seattle and it was gonna be like 600-700 bucks.  Ouch.  So, when I saw that a salon in Guadalajara would be visiting Vallarta and taking appointments, I convinced Ty to buy me eyebrows for Christmas for $200 instead.  

I LOVE having them. (#wokeuplikethis) As soon as someone invents a device to magically tame my frizzy ass hair every morning and lets me become an even lazier lady, I will give them all my pesos and my lazy lady transformation will be complete!  

Other awesome stuff... 

• Haircuts: 15 bucks (men's cuts, $8.) 
• Pedicures:  10 bucks!!!!
• 60-minute massage: $30
• Fancy facials with lasers and whatnot: $25
• 60-minute acupuncture session: $30 

9)  GOLF:

This one is just for Ty.  He's currently golfing 3-4 times per week with a group of retired expats and he's in Tin Cup heaven.  (He just called and asked if he can play 9 more holes...he's like a kid in a candy store.)  I personally HATE when he golfs because I feel left out and I like to hog all of my husband's attention!!  But it makes him really really happy, and he's really really good at it, so I guess I'll include it on here.  (The 5 sets of spare clubs we've been toting around for 2 and a half years does NOT make me happy though, babe.) 

10)  MISC - Some other little things that are pretty great about living in Nayarit... 

• I LOVE the plants and trees and flowers.  It's a gorgeous, luscious greenthumb's paradise and if/when we ever get a place of our own down here, I'm going to turn it into a tropical oasis.  
• I've had to set an alarm clock, like, 4 times...?  Since May of 2016.
• Another one for Ty:  He really likes "driving like a Mexican", and I gotta admit, it's growing on me too, even though it made me really nervous at first.  You know how everyone in the States SUCKS at merging and it causes massive slowdowns for miles and miles and it makes your head explode?  Yeah.  That's not a thing here.  Drivers are definitely more assertive/efficient at getting where they need to go - even if it's kinda "iffy."  
• I came out of a store once to find a parking ticket on my windshield (yeah, apparently that IS a thing here) and it was for 9 dollars.  So, it's cheaper to illegally park in Mexico than it is to park in any parking garage in the world.  Dully noted.  

Long story short, as much as I complain about how hard it's been to adapt to a new country and lifestyle...there are TONS of moments where I think to myself, "I could live here forever."  And we really just might.  Who knows....