Life in Mexico

One of Mexico’s most active volcanoes roars to life with two spectacular eruptions

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But imagine having the option of driving from the U. Imagine returning to the U. Previous administrations did little in the way of infrastructure improvements, but the current government seems committed to allocating funds for new and expanded roads, ports, and telecommunication infrastructure. This goes hand in hand with increased privatization, which will allow concessions in the national airport network and the telecommunications sector. The idea is that all of those improvements will further encourage and facilitate commerce. Everyone seems to agree: Goods and services cost less…so you can afford the kinds of luxuries only the very wealthy enjoy up north.

When you can afford to hire help, all of a sudden you have time to read…time to volunteer at the local school…time to golf…time to relax on the beach…time to savor life. The key to smart shopping in Mexico is local shopping. You will find that, in general, healthcare in Mexico is very good…and in many places it is excellent.

Most doctors and dentists in Mexico received at least part of their training in the U. Every medium and large city in Mexico has at least one first-rate hospital.

The Infinite Entertaining Possibilities

A big plus is the cost of health care in Mexico is generally one-half or less what you might pay in the U. The same goes for prescription drugs. Visits to the dentist are an attractive draw for travelers to Mexico, since quality dental work costs a fraction what it does in the U. Many dentists and other medical doctors in Mexico have trained in the U. About three times the size of Texas, Mexico is a vast territory. And one of the main reasons is that the Mexican government makes it easy for foreigners to stay for extended periods. A tourist visa, given to you automatically at the airport in Mexico or at any land border crossing, gives you days.

Many expats, especially those who live part- time in their home country and part- time in Mexico, go this route. If you plan to relocate permanently to Mexico, your best course of action is to get a temporary good for up to four years or permanent residence visa, which are easy to qualify for.

A Low Cost of Living in Mexico Means a High Quality of Life

This gives you access to the government-managed healthcare system and other benefits. For many people around the world, a trip to Mexico is all about the beach. One of the major benefits of living in Mexico is that just about any modern amenity you might want…you can get. Seafood dishes such as pulpo octopus , chilpachole spicy crab soup , and ceviche seafood marinated in lime or lemon juice are more popular in coastal and lacustrine areas.

In Oaxaca and a few other states, fried and spiced chapulines grasshoppers are considered a delicacy. A favourite among the Nahua Indians is huitlacoche corn fungus served within fat-fried quesadillas. Many families and households still gather for a large midday meal at 2 or 3 pm , followed by a siesta afternoon nap , but that tradition—once much associated with Mexican life, at least by foreigners—has become less common owing to company-mandated lunch hours, long commutes in Mexico City , and the demands placed upon farm and factory workers who are distant from their homes.

Massive supermarkets now exist alongside local ferias markets , but, in smaller towns and villages as well as in many urban neighbourhoods, open-air street markets are still active. For several weeks in January, the city of Morelia celebrates its fiesta of the Immaculate Conception , and on January 17 pets and livestock in many areas are festooned with flowers and ribbons for the fiesta of San Antonio Abad. During that period and in the preceding weeks, families celebrate the spirits of departed loved ones in various ways, including erecting ofrendas small altars in their houses, decorating tombs, and eating skull-shaped candies and sweet breads.

Labour Day May 1 in Mexico is part of an international holiday. The more widely celebrated patriotic events are Independence Day September 16 and Cinco de Mayo May 5 , which commemorates a victory over French invaders in At 11 pm on the evening before Independence Day, crowds gather in plazas throughout the country to join political leaders in the clamorous grito battle cry of independence , a reenactment of the Grito de Dolores uttered by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla , parish priest of Dolores, in Mexican writers and artists have received worldwide acclaim for their creativity and originality.

Within their work both a folk and a classical tradition have been strong. The prolific critic and cultural analyst Octavio Paz is considered by many to be the foremost poet of Latin America. Perhaps the most widely recognized Mexican art form is the mural , which is heavily influenced by the extant art and architecture of the Aztec , Maya, and other pre-Columbian civilizations. The Mexican Muralist school counted among its members the most-powerful figures of the genre. His animated plaster-of-paris skeleton characters are both satirical and lifelike.

As in other Latin American countries, music and dance have provided cross-generational cohesion in Mexico.

Although traditional music, including mariachi and ranchero songs, vie for listeners with Mexican hip-hop and salsa , countless popular songs have been passed down from generation to generation, resulting in a shared sensibility that bonds families and provides a social glue for regional and national culture. Other popular instruments include four-string acoustic bass guitars, tambourines, drums, and small guitars called requintos.

Mexico has a long theatrical tradition that is kept alive by myriad professional, academic, and indigenous groups. Some would argue that lucha libre Mexican professional wrestling , with its masked heroes and cheering throngs, is a popular arm of theatre. However, those and most other dramatic events now depend more on television and other electronic media than on theatrical performance.

Living in Mexico: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Living in Mexico

Television permeates the country, so viewers in every region and socioeconomic group appreciate evening fare such as telenovelas soap operas , game shows, sports events, musical variety shows, and an array of motion pictures. Many of the most-popular programs are produced within Mexico, but others are imported from Venezuela , Argentina , Brazil , or other Latin American countries. In Salma Hayek became the first Mexican actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for best actress, for Frida. Universities and museums in every major city provide institutional support for art and cultural events.

As Big as New York City

Moreover, the Roman Catholic Church cannot be overlooked as a patron of select forms of art and entertainment throughout the country, including the street dramas and dances that accompany local fiestas. To encourage and help disseminate Mexican art in all its forms, the federal government sponsors the National Institute of Fine Arts. Under its auspices are the programs of the National Symphony Orchestra, the Ballet Folklorico , and the Modern and Classical Ballet, all of which perform nationally and internationally to promote Mexican culture.

Folk and popular culture also receive support through government bodies, among them the Native Institute, which seeks to preserve and stimulate traditional craftsmanship.

Food and drink

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Daily life and social customs Daily life in Mexico varies dramatically according to socioeconomic level, gender, ethnicity and racial perceptions, regional characteristics, rural-versus-urban differences, and other social and cultural factors.

Living in Mexico City?

Class divisions Mexican society is sharply divided by income and educational level. Family and gender issues Family remains the most-important element of Mexican society, both in private and in public life. Food and drink For the vast majority of Mexicans of all economic levels, cuisine varies greatly by region but depends heavily on an ancient trinity of staples: Previous page Government and society. Page 6 of Next page Sports and recreation.

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