Thank you for your comment ! yes, there really isn't an Afro-american as you ststed it but for lack of a better term it labels Americans who were treated as 2nd class citizens within their country of birth because of physical features and skin color. Glad to hear about the experience of such people in your part of Mexico. It probably needs to underline that the Mexican negative perception pertains to a non-major percentage. Thank you for the invitation. First of all, I must say this: There is no such thing as an "Afro-American" unless the individual was born in Africa and immigrated to the US and became an American citizen. Sorry. According to politically correctness, why am I not referred to as "Anglo-American" since my forebears are from England? Now, having said that, I have a place in Tequisquiapan, QRO - a great little town north east of Mexico City - in the exact geographical center of the country as a matter of fact. I have several American friends there (who happen to be black) and are perfectly well accepted by the local denizens of this community. One friend, Brian, is actually loved by many here because he is such a decent fun loving individual. Black, White or Purple....just be decent and treat folks with respect and the same will come back on you. Thanks, and hey - feel free to go to Mexico! Tequis Tom

Hi Guspavo, Sorry to say that my only experience is here in Mazatlan. There are many groups on Facebook for expats that may be able to help you. This forum is not very active. Good luck, Greg Thanks we hace nos decide it bus it can be Either at DF or queretaro. I have seen in DF the schools has too much people on queue

I would suggest you direct deposit your check at credit union, bank or brokerage firm, like Charles Schwab that does not charge for withdrawals..foreign transaction fees add up. Good Luck. Most are SSChecks are deposited automatically. You can use your ATM card at Banamex or other mexican ATM machines to get converted pesos. Make sure you use an ATM at a bank building not a kios in case it eats your card! And of course you may be charged service fees as well. Most ExPats do this! Keep your bank account in the USA.

Will you come down on a tourist permit, or have you applied for Residente Temporal or Permanente at the nearest Mexican consulate? Driving is just fine and you will enjoy exploring by car. However, a Residente Permanente cannot have a foreign plated car or drive one in Mexico. A tourist permit is good for up to 180 days and then you must leave Mexico. Residence visas entail financial qualifications to live in Mexico. Quality of life, anywhere, is what you make it. There are lots of rentals and homes for sale in all price ranges In Chapala, you can walk to everything you might need, or use the local bus for going to Ajijic or Guadalajara, etc. COme for a visit, then decide.

Affordable golf in SMA? That would be great! Can you provide any details? I've only been able to find down high-end courses there. Otherwise, I'm looking at Lake Chapala, as others have done. The beaches are fine, but very hot and humid in the summer months. Visit San Miguel and you will fall in love with the historic district. Many things to do. Never boring.

There have been no travel advisories issued by the U.S. for Oaxaca for several years now. I found this info on the Internet. I flew from Mexico City to Oaxaca a couple of months ago, everything seemed normal then. There is always a strike or protest going on in big cities. No big deal, just stay away from the actual protest.

How about Rentisa or a retirement visa. That used to be $500 income, has that changed too? g I kind of agree with this post--residency is not that important--and now there are some differences in have US vehicle with residencey--I am not done researching --but, have always felt comfortable with 6 mo visa--have to drive vehicle back anyway. So every 6 mo--trip to visit VA and relatives in Arizona for a week--then back to Mexico for another 6 months :-)

If you take away Baja California and the dessert areas that stretch south from the American Southwest, MOST of Mexico is green. There are many forms of green however, that correlate with climate and altitude. There's the year-round dense jungle green of the Yucatan (hot and humid), and the green trees and bushes growing in the higher elevations that define the whole center of the country (seasonal "greenness" with moderate temperatures, and virtually no humidity problem). Here's a vast generalization, but one which I think is correct: "Most" expats who live on any one of the Mexican coasts either leave during the hottest months, or suffer a bit -- or they pay through the nose for their electricity consumption (for air conditioning during the hottest months). IMHO: "Most" expats who live in Mexico YEAR ROUND don't live on the coasts. If they can afford it financially, some expats may live on a coast for the winter, and have a second home somewhere inland during the summer. Climates vary, but because the whole center of Mexico is at high altitude, the weather is cooler than you would otherwise guess given the fact that most of these places are south of the Tropic of Cancer (in "the tropics"). San Miguel de Allende has a "HIGH DESSERT" climate. Lake Chapala is famous for its very very comfortable weather. (It is generally true that homes have neither heating systems or air conditioners, because they don't need them.) SEASONAL CHANGES also make answering your question, "Where is it green in Mexico?" a little more complicated. Throughout Mexico, regions are greenest in the RAINY SEASON. For example: around Lake Chapala, the rainy season runs from mid-June to roughly mid September. ('Rains almost exclusively at night, which is amazing.) Therefore, during these months (starting in mid June) the land is green, plus it stays green after the rainy season for a couple of months (Oct, Nov) and about now (Dec) the landscape, still covered with trees and bushes, starts to turn brown. What may surprise you is that the HOTTEST MONTHS (and thus the brownest months) in this part of Mexico are April, May and June -- until the rainy season starts. (Living here year round, we love it when rainy season starts. The temperatures return to perfect, mild 70's to low 80's, and when you have a rain, the environment feels refreshed.) I suggest you do more research, and just read up a bit. Forums are a good way to get other people's personal insights. They're not really a great substitution for reading info which is already available on the Internet. There are a bunch of websites dedicated to gathering information that could be of use to you. WWW.Mexconnect.com is one of them. WWW.rollybrook.com is another. Good luck. Alex The jungle, from Puerto Vallarta up into the sierra Madre Mountains. The palms become pines as you travel upwards.