Moving to Mexico

Another good book for those who are Mexico-bound, be it renting or otherwise, is Tony Cohan's 'On Mexican time.'
I am done. The end.

Ok, I'll go to Books A Million today for book. Thanks

Thanks everyone for such great response

I suggest you look for a place locally, that is, after you arrive and found a city or town you like. San Miguel de Allende, Oaxaca, and Merida all have English libraries, and these can be helpful in finding a place to live in those communities.

Guanajuato also has an active FREE (unlike some) English language library although cash donations are accepted. It is also a great place to volunteer your time making you a member of the small but active Expat community.

Guanajuato also has an active FREE (unlike some) English language library although cash donations are accepted. It is also a great place to volunteer your time making you a member of the small but active Expat community.

We have one as well in PV - Biblioteca Los Mangos.

Wow! Thats awesome! Do you have any specific contact of a realtor who is able to assist with a rental?

I'm assuming you've verified that you meet the immigration requirements of Mexico. That's the first step. Secondly, my observation has been that, generally, there's a lot of discrimination in Mexico based on the depth of one's skin color. Mexicans are very judgmental and prejudiced. The darker your skin, the lower one is on the economic scale ... is what I've observed (of the reaction of Mexicans to one another). Thirdly, yes, rent before buying. Maybe never buy. How much Spanish do you speak? If none, or just a little ... study before arriving in Mexico and when you arrive study more. You won't be comfortable living in Mexico without some decent command of the language (it'll cost you a lot more to live in Mexico if you don't speak Spanish, too). Since this is basically a tourism forum you might want to cross post your questions to the online expatforums Mexico Expat Forum where you'll find responses from expats living in Mexico. Best of luck.

LW

What part of Mexico have you noticed and witness the racism against people of color? Most of the Expat Ive talked to said RACE will not be a problem for the most part. I really appreciate your comment and thanks for enlighten me on this. I will do more & more research on the race issue against people of color. Im really surprise because the Costa Chica STATES are predominantly AFRO MEXICANS who some of them have really really dark skin. Thats interesting!!!! Thank you so much

"...my observation has been that, generally, there's a lot of discrimination in Mexico based on the depth of one's skin color. Mexicans are very judgmental and prejudiced. The darker your skin, the lower one is on the economic scale ... is what I've observed (of the reaction of Mexicans to one another)..." LW

This mirrors comments about individuals' skin tone that I've heard made within my wife's Mexican-American family. And, preference for light skin tones and European appearance is very evident in Mexican cinema and advertising. I find Alice Walker's concept of 'colorism', which is not quite the same thing as 'racism', useful. Unfortunately colorism is not confined to Mexico or the USA; it is found many places around the world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discrimination_based_on_skin_color

Keeping Mexico's Afro-Mexican Heritage in Perspective---In Mexico when people have dark complexions they are usually perceived as having Native-American rather than African ancestry. In reality that tends to be true. During Mexico's Spanish colonial era native-Americans vastly out numbered both Europeans and enslaved Africans. According to one estimate, even at their colonial era peak, African slaves only constituted 4% of Mexico's population.

If you have not already seen it, you might find Henry Lewis Gates' video series "Black in Latin America" interesting. Here is link to his episode about Mexico's African slave history and contemporary 'Black' population. Interestingly, as he focuses attention on that story Gates ignores Mexico's more pivotal history, interactions between Europeans, Native-Americans and Mestizos that have occurred during the past five hundred years.

Yes, arguably the histories of all of Mexico's minority groups are worth telling, including not only the the stories of Afro-Mexicans but also those of descendants of closeted Inquisition era Jews, Cornish miners, and Chinese immigrants. But, contemporary Mexican national identity is not derived very much from those minority group histories, fascinating as they may be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIzHIRCBtdE

Im really surprise because the Costa Chica STATES are predominantly AFRO MEXICANS who some of them have really really dark skin

Only a few percent of the population of Guerrero and Oaxaca, the Costa Chica states, identify as AfroMexican. They are a small minority. And I´ve found racism against locals with darker skin is widespread. Because I´ve seen so few Black Americans down here traveling (and none living here), I can´t comment on how they´d treat a gringo.