08 Jan Why CDMX?

Right now I’m a bit overwhelmed by answering the question of where do I live, and usually hearing “be safe” as a goodbye. My decision to retire to Mexico City is very rarely met with enthusiasm and positive curiosity. I refuse to get political about why people so predictably act this way, but what I can say about that decision is that after living here a year, I am satisfied and happy that for me it was a wonderful choice.

My children would argue that I’ve had some bad ideas in the past but I digress. I think the mind’s journey to choose Mexico as my retirement home was a long and deliberate undertaking. It started with an AARP article (July 26, 2010) about Puerto Vallarta #1 in a survey by International Living as an ideal place for retirement. I had several ideas about what kind of place I wanted as a retirement home to include: affordable cost of living, proximity to California (residence of 4 grown children and 4 grandchildren), cultural richness, diversity of people, gateway to a variety of physical and intellectual activities.

As time progressed and I came closer to the actual day of retirement, I planned a trip with my sister to actually check out Puerto Vallarta. When it was time to book the tickets, she decided it was not an attractive trip she wanted to take so I relied on some Mexico City residents I had met in the states who were relatives of a former student. I flew into Mexico City and the five of us embarked on an 11-hour road trip west to Puerto Vallarta. The beach was great, the old town was charming.

By this time, the Gang of Four (my children) decided I had lost my mind and staged an AA-style intervention. Under their verbal reasonings and scrutiny, I took the wisest course and uncharacteristically answered very little of their concerns and inquiries. As the next few years evolved one of them decided to accompany me on a more serious trip back to Puerto Vallarta to look at real estate.

Back in Puerto Vallarta, I quickly told realtor Johnny Rodgers that I did not want a golf-gated community. I could have found those in Florida or Arizona. I didn’t know quite what I wanted but I was starting to be pulled to more authenticity, less tourist destination in the mountains, on lakes or beaches with many expats.

In total I made 23 trips to Mexico, always arriving and leaving from Mexico City. Somewhere along the way, I feel in love with CDMX itself. It answered all my, at times, pretty unfocused requirements. I lived in Airbnbs in 5 sections of the city and decided like, “love at first sight,” that Coyoacan was my choice. It is the most traditional and most cultural part of the city, and with my 2 suitcases, I intended to see the long-term if this was a good fit.

And it was. It is affordable (one price for rent et al, and I mean ALL including maid service twice a week); close to California (3 – 3 1⁄2 hours to LA and San Francisco); culturally rich (dozens of museums; Cineteca, national cinema center for Mexico; National Symphony of UNAM, largest Spanish-speaking university in the world); diversity of people (Mexicans of all classes, French, Chinese, Russians, Germans, Japanese, and some Americans). I can walk anywhere to get anything I need or want. There’s also no need for me to own a car; I Uber everywhere and spend less than the cost of insurance, maintenance and gas for a personal vehicle.

My life is rich with authenticity, and intellectual and cultural stimulation. The value-added portion of my decision is the opportunity to learn a new language and to interact with the very kind and generous Mexican people, recently at the top of a survey of happiest people in the world.

So far…very good. And the absence of the need to put down roots has guaranteed that should any part of my life change, I can take my two suitcases, go back to the U.S. and try to find “lifestyle” there.