Riberas del Pilar, Jalisco, MX - September 7, 2008, exactly 2 years to the day since I first saw my home in MX. With this anniversary of sorts and an actual one coming up Oct 5^th it seemed I should probably do a bit of retrospective analysis.

Of course it all started April 6, 2006 when I told my friend George during an illegal immigration discussion, “don’t get mad, get even, they want to move up here, move down there”. It started just that innocently with a joke, but inside I knew it was time to move on from our TX home and consider the next chapter of “the great adventure”. So, I hit a few web sites and within a few days I was looking for reasons NOT to move to MX and began telling people I was moving. We all know the usual responses especially from family with the exception of my daughter; she thought it was a great idea. As the summer progressed people still didn’t believe me and were saying “but you’ve never even been there?” – so, September 7^th 2006 I used my last airline freebee miles and booked a flight to Guadalajara.

It took over a year to get all the ends in TX tied up and my initial plan was come down “for a year” to see if I liked it, to see if it fit me, I always say life is like a rack of clothes, if you try it on and it fits and you look good in it, wear it. So, now as we (Max and I) approach the one year mark I’ve been thinking and reviewing my “plans” to see if it “fits me”  – at least as much as I ever plan anything.

Moving to MX isn’t a whole lot different than any new place you move. With any new “home” you have to learn your way around, learn the people and where to buy things etc. You have to understand the people and how they think to begin to decide if you fit in and are comfortable in a new place. So it is with MX with a couple of additional challenges thrown in like I can’t speak or understand the language, I can’t read signs, customs are different and the weather is different, in TX in August it was 108, in MX it’s 78 – now, that didn’t take long to get used to, some other things take a bit longer. There are always the visa challenges requiring a lawyer, an official translator etc., the fluctuating dollar vs. peso and etc. etc. etc. People often ask me what I do with my spare time? – I tell them I sit on hold long distance trying to talk to the Post Office, IRS, ERS, SSI, Medicare, Voters Registration etc.

As I approach the one year marker I realized I should list some of the things I’ve learned since my arrival and also some things I’ve NOT learned to see which is the longer list and then make my decision based on that (an old sales technique). So, this is the first of a two or three part review of “stuff I’ve learned in MX”. There is no order, or order of importance, just every day stuff I’ve learned.

Stuff I’ve learned this last year:

Before going into the grocery store I need to have change in my pocket. I always use a credit card and normally don’t carry change, but when the kids or grandparents bag your groceries you need to tip them, it’s tradition, the positions are not paid, they work for tips.

There is no reason to have dirty windows on the car because as you park in the grocery store lot (and many other places) there will be a guy waiting there to wash you windows for a few pesos, I keep a handful of coins in the center console – think of them like tolls NOB, a necessity.

Having a dirty car (in my case) is perfectly normal unlike all my previous life. The first 200’ outside my gate is dirt, dusty 8 months, and muddy 4 months – just get used to it.

The little 6 year old kid who latches on to my shopping cart as I leave the store head toward the car is not trying to steal my groceries, he’s there to “help” me push the cart to the car, and may help load the car, return the cart to the store, and is also working for tips – they learn commerce very early.

Driving in Guadalajara is ALWAYS an exhilarating death defying experience.

When turning onto a side street and finding cars parked heading both ways on both sides of the street doesn’t mean anything unusual, it’s not a one way street either way, everyone is just parked and pointing where most convenient – drive on.

One way street signs are often painted on the side of a corner house or business, that’s just the way it is.

Folding mirrors on cars are manna from heaven when driving and parking on the narrow streets of the village which was originally built for horses and carts.

Traffic laws in MX, for the most part, are more “suggested guidelines” than mandated behavior, driving is more “free form” than regimented. Although we gringos tend to adhere to laws and not take the chances the natives assume is their right of birth.

Almost everything in MX is built of concrete and steel, wood working tools are mostly useless. The good news is that a little leak here or there doesn’t matter – there’s no wood or carpet to rot and no insulation to mold.

A car ahead of  you suddenly swerving into the oncoming lane of traffic (assuming no one is coming) doesn’t mean he’s drunk or that there’s a problem, it probably means there’s a tope or pothole ahead and the other oncoming lane is smoother (again, not recommended for gringos).

Use a Kleenex twice, paper products in MX are expensive and hard to come by so getting full utility out of a “disposable” product is wise. (this does NOT apply to TP obviously)

Rules to live by (especially in Guadalajara): Drive with conviction like you know where you’re going, spend money like you got it and never ever let them see fear in your eyes.

So much for part one of “things I learned this past year”. I’ll continue over the next couple of weeks adding little lessons I’ve acquired.

Maybe one of the greatest lessons at this stage of life no matter where you live is; “never be so arrogant as to imagine you’re in control of your life or have it planned – you are just along for the ride, enjoy it as best you can”.