There were a few questions that were asked after our first interview, so hopefully this brief video will answer those. Thanks to all of you for reading our blog.
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People have often asked us how we retired in our 40s. While living in Ajijic, Mexico we were interviewed by Jerry Brown along with his wife, Lori. They have a YouTube channel called "Jerry Brown Travels".
You can see the interview in its entirety by clicking on the link below. Make sure you check out his other videos as he has a wealth of information about living abroad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00P_RFET_RQ I knew I was overdue by about six months for my annual "lady parts" check up. Since we pay as we go for health care during our overseas travels, I want the best health care options at the most affordable price. I happened to be on a Facebook page for ladies living in the Ajijic area and found a great post. It was from a fellow expat who was advertising a "Ladies' Health Package" via the local doctor's office here in town. The package included transportation by a private driver to and from Guadalajara City's medical center, a digital mammogram, a breast ultrasound, a PAP smear and a bone density test. When I saw the price listed, I thought it was a typo at first. Only 1500 pesos?! Wait! That's only $81! How can that be? Needless to say, I called Dr. Leon's office and spoke to Marlene, his English speaking nurse. She assured me that the package price was indeed only 1500 pesos and scheduled me to go the next week (this package is offered twice monthly). The receptionist told me that the driver would leave at 9:30 a.m., and the trip into Guadalajara would take about an hour. After all my tests were completed, I would be driven home in time for lunch....amazing! When my driver pulled up to the Chopo Clinic in the city of Guadalajara, I was pleased with how modern and professional it was. I was greeted in the reception area and quickly registered for my appointment. The staff is very friendly, but their English is limited, so it's best to either take a Spanish translator along with you or have an online translation app handy for some of the more technical medical questions the staff will ask you during your appointment. After waiting for about ten minutes, I was called back to have my mammogram. The tech talked me through the process in a combination of Spanish, English, and pantomime. We had some giggles over our communication blunders but it was not an unpleasant or painful procedure at all.
My next stop was a bone density test. This was my first one so I was a little curious/nervous about what it would entail. It turned out to be completely painless. I had to lie face up on a table while an x-ray type machine scanned me head to toe from above. That test only took about five minutes. I was then escorted to my breast ultrasound. The tech was very thorough and even had a flat screen HDTV mounted on the wall for me to see my ultrasound being done in real time. I, however, chose not to look at it. I have too many "lumps-n-bumps" that it would freak me out to see her stop at each one to measure and record it (shudder!). My final station was the vaginal exam and PAP test. This test is always my least favorite but all the techs during my exams were female and very professional. They made sure I felt comfortable and informed. Before I knew it, I was getting dressed again and my driver was waiting for me in the lobby. At around 1:00 p.m. I was returned to Dr. Leon's office in Ajijic and the receptionist told me that my results would be available to me the following week. Then Dr. Leon told me that if there were any concerns I would hear from them in 48 hours or less, which gave me peace of mind. The results? All is good with my "lady parts" and my bone density test showed no signs of early osteoperosis, which I attribute to my years of running and weight bearing exercise. Whew! It was a relief to get back such a good report and to have it done and over with for another year. I would highly recommend this health care package to any ladies in the area. It was an unbelievable price for a state-of-the-art experience in a first class medical facility. Next appointment I am overdue for? Colonoscopy. Fun times ahead for me, right? ~Lori It's hard to believe that we've been in Mexico for two full months already! The time has really whizzed right on by. We are really looking forward to celebrating 2017 in our temporary "home" of Ajijic. Here are a few things we've already observed about this area that makes it one of the most desired retirement destinations in the world for expats from both the U.S. and Canada. Cost of Living: As of today, the exchange rate is 20 pesos to the dollar. In my elementary math mind, it's easier if I simply think of it as every 100 pesos I spend is equal to approximately $5.00. The rate of exchange here has doubled in the past ten years! That means our dollar is worth twice as much now. Mexico is ON SALE, people! The cost of living here is one of the main draws for retirees who are looking to stretch their Social Security and/or retirement benefits. There are retirees who are able to live on just their monthly Social Security check. Seriously! An average meal for two, including drinks (beer or soda) at a local Mexican restaurant only costs us about 100 pesos ($5) total, with tip. There are also many more international and upscale restaurants in town which can double or triple the cost. However, the price we pay at a more upscale restaurant here in Mexico for a 12 oz. filet mignon with salad, bread and baked potato is still only 180 pesos ($8.72), or a third of the price we'd pay stateside. If you've been following our blog, you know we also found a bargain of an apartment here in a Mexican neighborhood.... http://freetirement.weebly.com/blog/apartment-hunting-in-ajijic-mexico Climate: Pretty much anyone who gets to know me, finds that I am not a fan of hot, humid weather. At all. Our first year as early retirees in Chiang Mai, Thailand had me really weary of the daily oppressively steamy heat after only a few months there. I managed to stay indoors in the air conditioning during the hottest parts of the day, but I felt so out of sorts in that year round hot climate. I knew, from talking with friends and from doing some research, that Lake Chapala, Mexico has the second best climate IN THE WORLD! The #1 climate is found somewhere in Africa and I'm not ready to live that far away, so Lake Chapala was our next choice for a long term stopover. From the minute we moved here, I knew we'd made the right choice. The average temperature here year round is in the mid 70s. The winter mornings are cooler (in the 50s/60s) and the afternoons are warmer (mid 80s). We enjoy dry air, blue skies, very little rain, and light lake breezes. The sunrises and sunsets are stunning as well. I really enjoy having mountain and lake views from our apartment's mirador (upper terrace). The birds and flowers here are some of the most vibrant I've ever seen anywhere. It's a veritable kaleidoscope of color all year long! People we meet: It's rather rare to find a place where it's just so easy to meet new people. From the moment we arrived in Mexico, the warmth of the locals and expats alike was immediately evident. Everyone just seemed so...happy! We would go out for a bite at a cafe and strike up a conversation with other expats who have either just moved here or have lived here already for decades. They all agree that we made a perfect choice in Ajijic. We have had so many invitations, outings, and events to attend that we are exhausted, but in the best way. The retirees here, although many are older than us, outlast us by far most days in their energy level. We often need to apologize and tell them that we're beat and have to get to bed while they're still laughing and chatting (and dancing) the night away together. We definitely have to learn how to pace ourseslves or we'll get burned out....haha! The local Mexicans are amazing as well. Their sense of family unity, generosity, and bright smiles that light up their entire face, are all such a blessing to behold. Older Mexican men gallantly tip their hats to me as I pass by and always give me the greeting of the day. The women and children are lovely as well. I would compare the sense of community here in Ajijic to that of the 1950s in the U.S. Everyone is out and about, children play happily in the plaza parks with no apparent supervision (and are perfectly safe), and neighbors stop to chat with each other on every street corner. This idyllic, interactive setting lends a great "vibe" to the place. Even with the obvious language barrier, we have had nothing but positive interactions with the Mexican people we've met while we are here. Things to do: One of the reasons we felt that it was time to leave Panajachel, Guatemala, was the lack of activities for us to choose from. It's a much smaller community; more geared for tourists who come to the lake for their weekend getaway and like to shop for Mayan handicrafts. I found a Zumba class and we had good friends who we met up with regularly, but Randy was left with not much else to do to keep himself fit and busy. Coming to Ajijic was the perfect advice from our friends, Billy and Akaisha. They had lived in this area for four years and they felt it would be a much better fit for us as far as quality of daily life. We are happy to say they were spot on! Due to the large number of expats here (approximately 10,000 and growing!) we have a plethora of events to fill our calendar such as attending plays at the little theater, playing softball, live music/happy hours, fiestas with the locals, ladies' nights, volunteering with local orphanages, and countless other activities we have yet to discover! 2017 is looking like it will be a great year for new discoveries here in Mexico. We will keep you updated on our travels here as well as our house and pet sitting plans for the coming months. Hoping you all enjoy a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year, wherever you may be. ~Lori Click on the photos below for captions and more information about life here in Mexico.
We have also added a new travel picture page titled Travel '17-. You can see more pictures from Lake Chapala and soon we will add pictures of our beach trip to Manzanillo. |
The GrantsWe are early retired teachers and empty nesters in search of adventure during the next phase of our lives. The world awaits and we are ready to get out there and take it all in! Categories
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