The great greek philosopher not only wrote about physics, poetry, mathematics, rhetoric, politics and biology, he also knew the basics of friendship and, as seen in the pictures, is timeless, it doesn´t matter if you are in a beach in Greece or in Tulum!
-by Bea Lozano
The beaches of Playa del Carmen are among the most beautiful in the world, and no doubt that life on these beaches is a central part of being an expat. Yet, being an expat is much more than just relaxation on the beaches.
As we’ve seen with the stories about the Keep Kids in School program (KKIS) over the past week, many expats contribute to the community through volunteer and charity work.
We’ve also posted about the Playa Animal Rescue program. Here’s another video about this program – this time an interview from the expat woman who founded it last year:
This is such a wonderful story! She came to Playa, saw the need and did what she needed to open this shelter. I’ve been there, and these dogs are simply adorable creatures!
By the way, if anyone is looking for a dog, this is an excellent way to find a wonderful companion; as she notes in the video, the dogs are healthy and clean. It is also very possible to take the dogs back to the U.S. or Canada.
-by Bea Lozano
School started YESTERDAY in most areas of Playa del Carmen! And with the help of the KKIS Project many deserving kids will be well equipped and ready to take on the new year!
Friday was a special day for us at Top Mexico as we were invited to help the KKIS Project put a lot of smiles on the faces of kids at Pelopidas School in the Guadaulpana neighborhood of Playa del Carmen in the morning. As we have mentioned before, the KKIS Project works hard all year making various efforts to support keeping the kids of Playa del Carmen in school.
Their main effort his summer has been to collect school supplies and search sponsorships from people to help provide filled backpacks to the children in need before the start of school at the end of August. Yesterday we visited one of the last schools on the list. We loaded the back packs into the trucks and gathered into a room with 58 back packs and plenty of kids and parents.
One at a time the child’s name is called and the child or parent came to accept the back pack. It was very touching because the kids showed so much appreciation in their face. It was also very nice that each name that was called had a couple moments of fame as their photo was taken and everybody clapped. It just made the experience so lovely for the kids!
Afterwards the KKIS project was thanked graciously by one of the parents who were speaking on behalf of all the families. The kids even came around and hugged and thanked each one of the volunteers.
The efforts of KKIS are now coming to a close as the final deliveries are being made. But they will not stop! Come October they will continue their efforts with new projects all intended to help the kids in school and enjoy learning.
If you are looking for some way to give back to the community and get involved here in Playa the KKIS Project is a sure way to do it; and they are always happy to have more help!
-by Bea Lozano
On Friday I posted about the variety of health care options available to choose from on a day to day basis in Mexico. Today, I’m going to share the story of an expat who’s worked in the office here for the past few years and their experience with the public hospitals, specifically his wife and childbirth. While most expats we know won’t be going in to have a baby delivered any time soon, it reflects how good the service is even in Mexico’s “working-class” health care system.
Here it is in his own words:
“My wife and I have had 4 children; the last 2 were twins, so it was 3 childbirths for my wife – the first was in a semi-charitable hospital specialized in childbirth and maternal health in Mexico City, the second was the public-insurance hospital (IMSS) in Playa del Carmen, and the third was a hospital in Canada.
“As for cost, for the one in Canada my wife – who is Mexican – was not yet covered by public health insurance, so we had to pay it out of pocket. While they gave us easy, interest-free payment options, it was a HUGE bill, by far the most expensive.
“The cheapest? The IMSS hospital in Playa del Carmen. Our entire family was covered by my wife’s insurance; we had started a little family business, and I had “hired” her. The monthly fee was pretty low. In any case, I know you can also get full coverage on a person-by-person basis for about $350 a year. However you get this insurance, it’s simply cheap.
Best Service
“Now, you’ll never guess which was the best treatment. The specialist hospital in Mexico City was very professional, and without a doubt knew what they were doing, but my wife said it was impersonal. Canada – well, it was Canada. Nice doctors, nice nurses. Did everything right, and were very friendly, but nothing above and beyond.
“The public-insurance hospital in Playa – she remembers going in; the nurse put on music, and made a real effort to make her comfortable. It was the longest birth of all them, but she never felt like they were rushed or anything, she was comfortable and well-attended the whole time.
“After the last birth in Canada, she said the level of service and comfort was a close call, but Playa del Carmen’s IMSS hospital still won out – and this is considering that it was all but free!
The Choices
“Now we had our options in Playa. There were excellent private hospitals that would’ve charged anywhere up to about $1600 for childbirth – a far cry from the $8000 we paid in Canada! There were also private gynecologists who charged about the same or somewhat less.
“We were thinking about those options. But in the end we thought: we have this insurance already; there’s a brand-new, pretty-looking IMSS hospital in town. Previously they would’ve had to send us to Cancun, which we weren’t terribly interested in, but with the new hospital we could be a 5 minute drive from our house. We knew people who work at the hospital, and had been there for some of the pre-natal check-ups. Everything seemed professional and well run.
“We decided to go for it, and – considering it was the cheapest and BEST treatment my wife had – we’re glad we did.
The Down Sides
“Not everything is rosy and perfect. We had only one major complaint; I wasn’t allowed into the delivery room. This is standard practice in all public/low-cost hospitals in Mexico. The private options I mentioned would’ve allowed it. Since all the options looked really good, the question came to this – was it worth $1600 for me to be in the delivery room? Since we were still paying off the little townhouse we bought, we decided ‘no.’
“My wife would’ve liked. I would’ve liked it. But the excellent treatment they gave her helped to balance that somewhat.
“The other downside was the quick shipment out the door. They definitely took the time to make sure she and the baby were in good shape and that she had rested enough to go home. But the baby was born at 6 am; by 2 pm, she was at home. “Same day delivery” I guess …
“BUT Canada was no different! While I did get to be in the delivery room, she was also out the door before at the soonest possible moment.
“So, in the IMSS hospital, I stayed up all night in the waiting room, read an entire book of The Lord of the Rings, drank about 10 cups of coffee (there’s an all-night OXXO, like 7-11, across the road) and probably paced a hole into their brand-new floor.
“I remember when Tom came by to pick me up around noon so we could get my older son and mother-in-law to welcome our new baby as a family; we didn’t have a car, and I wouldn’t have been in the shape drive any way. I must have looked like a wreck, but I was the happiest man in the world. I had just talked to the doctor, who also looked like a wreck after being up all night delivering babies; but, as attested to by wife, he has spared no effort to make everything go well.
The Bottom Line
“The bottom line is that IMSS, one of Mexico’s “cheap” options, gives Canada’s first-world healthcare a run for its money, which cost about 100 times more (if we count all the usage we got out of it); even if Canada had been free, IMSS still won out on the comfort they provided for my wife.”
So, there you have it. I’m going to dig up some more health care stories from expats here in Mexico in the future. I can tell this already; while it’s not all perfect, you begin to see a pattern – lower cost, better service.
-by Thomas Lloyd
So, the word is out; world-class, high-quality, top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art hospitals are available in many Mexican cities, and they cost a fraction of what similar hospitals do in the U.S. The logical conclusion; all expats – including those who couldn’t afford such service back home – go to fancy space-age hospitals where they pamper you above and beyond what’s necessary.
The impression is true to a certain extent – at least to the extent that pretty much any expat who wanted to could go to this kind of hospital. And plenty do … when the feel they need it.
Reality is much more varied …
This greatly oversimplifies the reality of health care in Mexico – even health care that’s suitable for and really used by Americans and Canadians living here.
The reality is this: health care in Mexico offers a wide variety of options, many of which are suitable for expats at some point or another.
The “local” clinics
Think about this; would you feel it necessary to go to a world-class hospital with the best equipment to check out a cut for stitches or a cold that has been going on a little too long? Probably not. Even if the price is relatively low, it would just seem like overkill. And besides that, it might just be an unnecessary “trip.” Even if that hospital’s only 20 minutes away in taxi, there might be a good local clinic right around the corner from your home that can do the same for even less money.
Consider this story from Glynna Prentice, a seasoned expat at International Living:
“I once needed to see a doctor when I was staying in the colonial city of Guanajuato, where I have a small house.
“I got recommendations for fancy doctors in Leon, a major city of about 1.7 million people less than an hour from Guanajuato. But in the end, for convenience, I chose to go to a small clinic in Guanajuato’s historiccentro, a short walk from my house.
“The clinic treated walk-in patients, many of whom clearly were not wealthy. The waiting area had plastic chairs and out-of-date magazines. But the doctor, whom friends had recommended to me, was a well-traveled, middle-aged woman with a bright smile and a very professional manner. She sorted me out in no time. And her bill? Just $20.”
The Public Insurance Option
Besides the local doctor’s practices which can offer very good service, a growing number of expats are using Mexico’s public insurance (IMSS) for their regular needs. For a flat rate of about $350 per year, it covers everything, including vitamins, eye glasses and sometimes even basic dental work. While their hospitals lack the state-of-the-art equipment of the private hospitals, they are clean and cover more than just the basics; the state-of-the-art private hospitals are always there for anything very major, and for everything else the costs are kept to a bare minimum.
On Monday I’ll share the story of an expat who works in our office, and his experience with IMSS.
Variety
I’ve given two examples of different options here. But the point is that you can find basic doctor’s offices that can offer a prescription for a minor infection, or do minor stitches; some that are are small, but specialized in specific health issues; large public hospitals; large private state-of-the-art hospitals and a dozen other options, which you can choose from at any time according to your needs.
Of course, not all the clinics and hospitals are good. But the majority will deliver what they promise, and be honest when something is beyond their scope, usually quite willing to recommend the best place to seek the treatment you need. Asking around you can quickly find out which hospitals or doctors (of all budgets) are reputable.
Glynna Prentice finishes her article with this simple and important observation:
“In general, I continue to use Mexico’s high-tech hospitals and specialists for my check-ups and medical tests. But it’s comforting to know that in Mexico I have a range of options, depending on my needs. And all of it at wonderfully affordable prices.”
That’s the key – “I have a lot of options – at wonderfully affordable prices.”
-by Thomas Lloyd
Very much like in the 80s, Dr. Cliff Huxtable gives us some pearls of wisdom
about the past, the present and the future.
-by Bea lozano
Mexico has many wonderful places that almost everyone knows about – like Cancun, the Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta. Yet, there are also dozens upon dozens of “hidden gems” and “best kept secrets” that if you were to visit, you would swear that some mistake had been made in the international travel agencies.
Morelia, the beautiful colonial city, and the state of Michoacan of which it is the capital in central Mexico, are two examples that we’ve written about before. But to give you a glimpse of how people react to their first vist, I just found this great blog post called “The Best Place You Have Never Heard Of;” this place is – you guessed it – Michoacan.
He starts of:
“I don’t know why the state of Michoacan in Mexico isn’t more popular – well yeah, I guess I do know. American’s get 5 vacation days a year and want to spend them blitzed on a beach, while the Euros are busy dancing to terrible electronic music mixed by some greasy hipster wearing skinny jeans in Ibiza, but regardless – the Michoacan is way underrated. And by underrated, I mean it isn’t rated at all.”
Now, if that rings a bell with you already, you can guess that Morelia and Michoacan are probably your kind of place. He then continues:
“The Michoacan state really has it all, from untapped colonials cities to ancient P’urhépechan Ruins (kind of like the Aztecas) resting on hilltops revealing panoramic views of lakes. Most of the Monarch Butterflies migrate to the reserves throughout the state because it is obviously the perfect place to make love for days on end. And when the hunger sets in from that marathon, Michocan’s city of Uruapan happens to be the capital of California’s most ubiquitous beloved vegetable – the Avocado. Lastly, and most notably, the Michoacan is missing the tourist attraction I hate the most: other white tourists. I spent over 10 days in the state and didn’t see a single other white person, which for me, is like a warm bubble bath while listening to Kenny G- because traveling these days requires wading through a swath of tourist-villes. But there is plenty of love to go around in the state of Michoacan – not only from the butterfly mating but all of these happenings are spread across mountains, beaches, lakes, and most importantly, areas that harvest Mezcal”
So, you can tell that Turner (the writer) isn’t a big fan of finding other tourists! I certainly have nothing against being with other tourists, and I love talking to and learning the stories of my fellow expats, the point is this; Michoacan is off the radar, despite being a very beautiful and interesting part of Mexico.
Read the entire honest and entertaining account here.
-by Thomas Lloyd
Whether you’re looking for a less-known choice for retirement in Mexico or not, it’s always good to get a glimpse of some of the beautiful locations throughout Mexico; the travel options never run short here in Mexico, and if you’re looking for something new, you’ll always find it!
At a blog called gadventures.com, I found this great post about Oaxaca. Take a look at some of the pictures:
We’ve written about the Oaxaca culture fair in Playa del Carmen, but going there directly is, of course, always the best way to go!
The city of Oaxaca is yet another colonial gem, again with its own regional variation, distinct from what you’ll find in central Mexico, or on the Yucatan Peninsula, for instance. Here’s an excerpt from the story:
“Oaxaca’s historic city center is a photographer’s dream. Colorfully painted Spanish colonial buildings and churches line the narrow stone streets.
“Like Mexico City and Puebla, it’s compact enough to walk, yet it can take days to fully appreciate all the details and nuances. One need only pick a direction, and wander, eyes wide open, to find interesting angles.
“The center, along with the nearby archaeological site of Monte Albán, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
“Landmarks not to miss include the Former Monastery of Santo Domingo, with its gilded interior, the adjacent Cultural Museum of Oaxaca next door, which features a fabulous turquoise-covered human skull, and Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, located in the Zocalo (main plaza).”
(Read the rest here.)
The state of Oaxaca is also the most famous area for production of mescal, a stronger-flavored sister to the world famous tequila.
The city is in the interior of the state, but the Pacific beaches are only a few hours away. They are fairly undiscovered and offer a quiet getaway off the beaten track – especially off the “international” beaten track.
—
-by Bea Lozano
Mexico News has a nice little article about how many foreigners (i.e. non-Mexicans) visit and live in the Riviera Maya:
“Quintana Roo, especially destinations like Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel and Cancun, are very popular places for people from overseas to reside in. Having an Italian, German, Argentinian neighbor (or from anywhere else around the world) is no surprise at all, if you live in these destinations.
“As a matter of fact, Quintana Roo is the state that receives the highest number of foreigners of Mexico …”
The article does a great job of showing how you’ll find neighbors and visitors from all over the world, all around you. (Read the entire article here.)
However, there’s a little point that isn’t very accurate: “Having said this, those who enter Mexico across the state, generally don’t stay here.” True, I agree with that.
But then the writer begins to cite “official figures from the National Migration Institute” on the numbers of expats:
2015 Americans
1178 Cubans
737 Italians
617 Canadians
…
Are you kidding? 2015 Americans? I think there are more Americans in the condos next door than that!
Let me see, there’s Jim, Sally, Dana, Doug, … just kidding!
But in all seriousness, I’ve heard numbers upwards of 10,000. Just from the feeling of how many Americans I see around, I think that would be closer. Now, of course, the “feeling” of how many there are is boosted by the large number of tourists. But even during low season, there are expats everywhere.
On the other hand, these “official” numbers count only those who register. Most expats I know don’t register. In fact, I don’t think I know any who do.
I’ve written about similar topics before. When it comes to counting the expats, it’s mostly guesswork. But one think we can say with a good deal of confidence is that these “official” numbers are fairly useless.
-by Thomas Lloyd
