Charles Tibshirani is the CEO of MEXLAW (International Law Firm in the Riviera Maya) and owner of The Playa Times (Playa del Carmen’s only English newspaper). In this interview he describes his experience living and working in Mexico, and his impressions might be the push for you to stop dreaming; and look for your ideal property in Mexico.
How long have you been in Mexico?
Originally I was travelling here for over 8 years before I decided to invest in the area and retire here. I started a local paper called The Playa Times and that led to other opportunities and investments in the area. I’ve been a permanent resident since the last 3 years.
I´d like to say and add that originally it was the weather that attracted me here, I come from a very cold country- bad weather all the time- and the weather here is absolutely fantastic year round. But what kept me here is the business opportunities
What do you think about the Mexican people?
I love them, I think they´re great. They´re friendly, they´re very much like us. You treat them with respect and they will treat you with respect. They´re very accommodating. And the first time I was here I remember walking down the street with a map in my hand and looking at the map. And a fellow said to me ¨Amigo, do you need help?¨Out of the blue. I didn’t ask for help, I looked like a lost person and he called me amigo. I didn’t know this fellow and there he has willing to help me. This is the kind of people they are.
Are you happy living here?
You can´t choose where you´re going to be born. But you can choose where you´re going to live and where you´re going to die. I´m gonna die here, I´m not leaving Mexico
What advice would you give to everyone that wants to come and live here?
Try it out. See if it´s right for you. Come down here, come spend some time. Secondly, live here with a local. It could be an expat, it could be a Mexican friend. But live here with the eyes of a local. Don´t  come here as a tourist and expect to get the same kind of products and services that you do get back home. Come here and live like a local. Experience life here, with the culture and the services and the stores and the restaurants. And then decide.
Tell us the reason you decided to start living in Mexico?
The first thing you have to consider, like you would anywhere else: Is your business going to be viable? Check out the market, see what the competition is, find out what is happening in that business or industry here locally. Do some homework and prepare a business plan, think about what you´re gonna be selling, how your gonna sell it.  Are you going to be importing it? Are you going to make it here? It´s the same exercise you would do if you were back home in your country or city and you wanted to launch a business.
Do you feel safe in life and in business here?
I feel very safe here. Like I said, I’ve been living here for 3 years full time. My wife and I we walk everywhere, we cycle everywhere we can. We go out at night, we come home after dinner at friends, and we’ve never been harassed. We’ve never had a problem, we’ve never had any issues whatsoever. So yes, I think I feel safer here than I do back home.
Compare the quality of life you have here compared to the one back home.
Incomparable. Here I get up every day and it´s sunny, it´s bright and beautiful. I get to work,  have a flourishing business, I have 18 employees, all of them are Mexicans, and I feel like I´m working with my family. It´s a great lifestyle. It´s slower, less aggressive, it´s less harassing than it was back home in Montreal. It´s peaceful. And most of all there´s a lot of opportunities here, I feel like I´m challenged every day.
If you want to learn more about the lifestyle in the Riviera Maya, why not join us for one of Top Mexico’s Live it Tours? It’s a great way to get to know them and enjoy a nice vacation at the same time. To book yourself in for the next tour and see the Top Mexico Real Estate properties we have listed in Playa Del Carmen’s downtown please contact one of our Top Mexico Buyers’ Representatives. We will be happy to assist you and help you find your very own piece of paradise.
And remember, here at Top Mexico Real Estate …
We Make It Happen!