We don’t regret moving to a new country, but our expat life wasn’t rainbows and butterflies every day. We struggled with the language, setting up internet and cable, getting lost with Google maps and even writing a claim for a car accident. Most of the stories you hear from expats are all the wonderful “better…
Renting was a smart idea when we first moved to Mexico. This gave us a chance to be based somewhere that we thought would be good for us, plus have time to explore the different neighborhoods and amenities before settling into a more permanent home. The decision to design and build our semi-dream home came…
Have you ever dreamed of living in a villa overlooking the Mediterranean? Or an off-the-grid ecolodge in the jungles of Costa Rica? Strolling through the vineyards of Tuscany? Or maybe a high-rise apartment in Bangkok with the best Asian food just steps away…The perfect country is out there for you, but which one? I’m really…
Many of you probably had big plans to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Maybe it was a beach barbeque in Australia, skiing in Switzerland or one that we’ve talked about doing; celebrating in the Puerto del Sol of Madrid eating our 12 grapes at midnight. We, on the other hand, did not have any plans for…
The historical area of Queretaro is a UNESCO World Heritage site studded with beautiful architecture and monuments. Queretaro has grown from an agricultural region to the birthplace of the Independence movement, and helped shape Mexico into what it is today. The museums of Quertaro are an easy way to learn about the history and…
The freedom to explore the country with your own set of wheels is exhilarating, but just like with all things, it does come with a certain amount of responsibility. Car maintenance and ownership in Mexico is not much different than the United States, but there a few adjustments. Gas is not self-serve, registration is not…
This post was written about our experience in 2018. Prices have gone up significantly, including financial requirements for residency and having an RFC for big purchases. This post was updated in 2022. Living overseas, our goal is to not have a mortgage. The less expenses we have as we get older, the better. Buying property…
You’ve heard the saying that you “gravitate towards people like you”. I have found in my travels and many moves across the USA and overseas that this saying is very true. When making friends in a foreign country, you attract people like you. Recently I received an email from someone who wanted to move…
A question we are asked often is “Did we sell our house before we moved abroad”? Well, yes we had planned to, but no it didn’t happen. We planned to put our house up for sale 3 months before we moved to Mexico, but it didn’t work out the way we hoped. Here’s the Story……
If you are a fan of House Hunters International, you might have seen us! Our episode titled “Wine Not Move to Queretaro, Mexico” first aired in the USA on February 19, 2019. Our reason for getting on the show was not to have our 15 minutes (or 22 minutes of airtime) of fame, but to…
Dia de la Candeleria is a Catholic holiday with many names and meanings. In English, it’s called Candlemas. It’s also called Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus and Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It falls exactly 40 days after Christmas (birth of Christ) and is the final celebration day for…
I admit it, we are slacking on learning about human healthcare, but finding a good veterinarian for Hayley is a must. As a 16-year-old dog, geriatric care is important. I keep her in good health with a 2 mile walk in the mornings and almost a mile in the evenings, but things do pop up…