Que recomienda a los que nacimos alla pero ya tenemos muchos anios en USA pero queremos regresarnos a en el retiro, me siento como si fuera un expat, gracias.
I’m retired from the U.S. Army and moved to Mexico City for six months! It is a great place but I like tranquility and safety and looked into making a move to Merida as I had heard great things about it from many different sources. I must say that I am very pleased with my decision to move to Merida as the contrast between Mexico City and here are night and day. Whether on a short or long- term basis, one can live extremely comfortable financially here. I am quite surprised at how many other Americans have made Merida their home, we are definitely not alone here. Metida is located in such a unique place geographically… I like 30 minutes away from the beach (Progreso), Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Tulum (Quintana Roo), are all about a 3 hour drive! There are just so many places to visit and sightsee here and in the surrounding. The food is great and very affordable, beautiful shopping plazas, fresh fruits and vegetables available all year round at great prices that are unseen anywhere in the US. The houses, whether one decides to rent or buy, are unlike anything one will find anywhere back home. One can easily find a very suitable home for $50,000 and up! $50k back home is just a down-payment, here, it is a house paid for! One can easily purchase a car here for $4,000 (80,000 pesos) and up and if it requires mechanical work, it is extremely affordable to fix! The weather is muggy starting around April until about September/October, it is hot and humid but if you have a car and house with AC, you will be just fine! I do not know if this will be my forever home, but I am certainly enjoying my stay here so far. It really is a great place that is growing rapidly. It is a very safe place, perhaps the safest state in all of Mexico, great food, friendly, hardworking, and friendly people, amazing food, great markets just about everywhere and everything is a fraction of what one would pay back home in the US. The quality of life here is truly surprising in a good way. I’ve lived in so many different states and countries during my 22 years career in the U.S. Army, and I would not hesitate to recommend Merida to anyone wanting to make a move outside of the United States! ☺️
Welcome! We moved down from the U.S. a few months before Covid hit and it has been great. We spent a couple of years traveling until we narrowed it down to Mexico then narrowed further and further until we picked Merida. Yes it is hot, but you adapt, and there are just so many great things about this area. Need to learn Spanish though!! Spanish is a must!!🌴🌞🌞🏖
I applaud you for volunteering. So many seem to be leaving the US to take advantage of the low cost of living in other countries but don't give anything back. If you have more time and money than you had in the US, why not show your appreciation by helping others not so fortunate? The influx of foreigners must be driving the costs up for local people, just as gentrification does here in the US--these are cumulative impacts and anything you do to offset them, whether environmental, cultural, or economic, is surely appreciated in Mexico. When I visited Merida in the mid-1990s, it was much more socially conservative, culturally speaking. Away from the tourist areas and resort towns, going around in shorts, short skirts, and even bare arms could be considered an open invitation for men to harass you, sort of like walking around like a hooker in your neighborhood. Needless to say, it was very much more so in the 1970s when my parents did most of their traveling in Mexico and brought me along on one of their trips. They collected folk art and we went to places where the local Indians rarely saw foreigners. Their humility and respect for other cultures resulted in them making friends in many countries and being invited into their homes on repeat visits. When I see young female "digital nomads" and vloggers going around Mexican cities in extremely scanty clothing with skirts barely covering their derrieres, it makes me cringe even though I am the most casual and tolerant person at home. I am sure things are vastly different now, but it makes me wonder how much research people do on the culture of the people they are going to be living with. What is quite typical in the USA can be considered shockingly rude in other cultures and vice versa. Things that you would never guess! I have read several places that you should always keep both hands visible and above the table while dining in Mexico--who in the USA would even think that might be considered impolite? Arriving on time for a meeting or social event, or rushing through a meal, is considered rude. There are also environmental considerations--the chemicals found in most sunscreens are now known to be incredibly toxic to coral reefs, one of the most sensitive ecosystems on the planet--80% of the reefs in the Caribbean are now dead due to cumulative impacts like this. These chemicals can even have hormonal effects on marine mammals like dolphins and whales that are carried through mother's milk and reduce survival. People in the USA are often critical of immigrants that come to this country that don't assimilate, don't learn the language, or have detrimental impacts on local economies or cultures, but do we apply these same standards to ourselves when visiting or moving to another country? Please learn about the places you visit or live in so that you are not part of the problem and reflect badly on our own country. There is a reason why US tourists have been called "ugly Americans". I hope this doesn't offend anyone--that is not my intention. I'm not trying to single out US citizens. I'm saying this because the Mexican people are so warm and welcoming to strangers that the least we can do in return is be good guests.
My wife and I visited a number of Mexican locations in preparation for our retirement, and instantly fell in love with Merida. We ended up in another location, but plan to relocate in the next few years, and Merida is still on our list of prospective destinations. For those asking about learning Spanish, our learning has been, and continues to be, a combination of classes, self-directed instruction (e.g. Duolingo, etc) and simple daily interaction with locals. You'll be amazed how much you'll absorb just being around it. I am in no way fluent (my standing joke is that I sound like a 2-year old Tarzan) but I'm able to get by in most situations. And when all else fails there's always one of the translation apps. Those can be a life-saver!
Hello! It is my second winter in Merida. I am renting a studio en La Ermita and it is a very nice bario to leave in. I can walk almost everywhere I need to. I do speak Spanish which I learned 30 years ago while traveling and working in Mexico. It makes all the difference for sure. I am Canadian but I still need to work on my English. So I am juggling between those two over here. Since everybody address me in English first. But I am a snow bird, so I will be going back to Quebec in April for work still. Meanwhile I will be enjoying every minute while I am in Merida. Cheers!
We bought during Covid in 2020 and so happy with our decision. We did a ton of research online and videos like this are so helpful so thank you for doing this. We are in San Sebastien neighborhood which is very quiet but still close to Centro and so walkable.
Great interview David. One thing that stuck out to me is the price you pay for car insurance. I have car insurance, full coverage plus. I pay about 1/3 of what you said for insurance for the entire year. If that is your price you might want to shop agents. It could save you a bit.
Hello! If I remember correctly, you drove to Merida from Baltimore??? Good to see you are thriving. I'm in Montgomery County, MD and hope to be moving there by the end of the year on a permanent residency visa.All the best to you.
I am curious about the questions you were asked by USA officials on the way out. I moved (flew) to Ecuador Jan.22. I was kept overnight in Houston for additional COVID testing. When I arrived all my belongings had been seriously tossed by USA officials. And I mean TOSSED. I know because they leave you a note inside your luggage. I found it weird that my personal belongings were of such keen interest to USA customs when exiting the country.
Hi Melanie Merida gets very hot in the months of April through October If you don’t like heat, then merida isn’t for you Checkout the central highlands of Mexico
Hola David I really liked your video and have done many of the same researches myself. I will visit every Jan to April for a while before relocating from Toronto, Canada. I hope all goes well with your pueblo and would like to ask if you are going to build a business or such?
Question...I thought you mention another RU-vidr by the name of Mary Ann's... I've looked but I can't find anything like that. Can you clarify? Also your video was great. Keep up the good work
How many pets did you bring with you? Did you already speak some Spanish or were you starting from scratch? How much English is spoken in Merida, is it somewhere you need to have a grasp of Spanish to get by?
I’ll ask David to give you his feedback. But he didn’t know much Spanish before moving English is not widely spoken in Merida. But there are exceptions to everything
My husband, son and I live in Merida also and did not know Spanish and we have had to use translators to do everything and are highly motivated to learn the language.
I took my 55 lb dog and my cat. Can one get along without Spanish? Yes. Many people do. I believe one needs to consider what it costs not to have Spanish skills - and their are a lot of costs. If you have Spanish skills you’ll understand what’s going on around you, you’ll be able to meet a lot more people, you’ll appreciate the culture and history more (the nuances) than if you did not speak Spanish, Spanish brings out the nuances and “uh huh moments” of this culture. The less Spanish one knows I think The more intimidated one is to go out into the community and explore, meet, etc.
@@dwkeelan Thanks for responding. I as wondering how early you entered retirement.I have plans to be in Merida within the next few months and am paying close attention to the relocators.
I hate the Yucatán. It is like a goddamn sauna 24/7/365. But if that doesn't sap you of your energy every time you walk out the door, as it does me, you may like it.
Driving in Merida is insane lots of choques, no such thing as defensive drivers there or margin of safety, get there first or get squeezed out. I like Merida love to walk in el centro on a busy side walk, its like a living stream of people. Houses used to be cheap to buy probably still are but you dont really own the house, its held in trust for you with big notary fees every year. Hmmm i dont trust that system, better to rent.
Driving in Mexico isn't for everyone. But millions of people do it and are just fine. You can't be distracted which is why there are accidents. And we also recommend renting at least for a year. But buying isn't anything to be suspicious of. Mexican law is legit and can be trusted.