NORTHERN NEIGHBORS

by johnscherber

 NORTHERN NEIGHBORS   For the United States, the entire nineteenth century was a period of explosive territorial growth. It was launched with considerable foresight by Thomas Jefferson in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. He was shrewd enough to recognize that Napoleon needed money to finance his ongoing wars, and the Louisiana Territory, which the French […]

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johnscherber | November 29, 2014 at 8:38 pm | Tags: 1847, BAD PRESS, CEDED TERRITORY, MEXICAN–AMERICAN WAR | Categories: John Scherber | URL:http://wp.me/p4ta3h-4R

Mexican Volcano of Fire Spews High Pillar of Ash

Just Junk

The date to list the house is December 1st and we are busy touching up baseboards and doors, kitchen woodwork, deciding what furniture stays for the open house and what we move to storage. When we come back from Mexico and have committed to an apartment, we will decide what specific furniture will be moved to Mexico.

It still looks like a formidable undertaking, however we don't have to move yet, until we actually sell the house. I can tell you right now that we all have too much stuff. Too many books. Too many papers in the office that we can't seem to throw away. Too many knick knacks. Too many kitchen utensils that never get used. I went through one kitchen drawer and found 400 to 500 business cards that are never used; two garlic presses, rubber bands, push pins, a rock with the word "joy" etched into the surface and tape measures galore. I must be addicted to spiral notebooks. They are stashed everywhere, in many different sizes along with pencils with hardened erasures.

It will be great to start over with a clean junk slate. I will vow never to do it again, unless I come across a 19 cent special on 70 sheet spiral notebooks.

Interview with Author John Scherber

I just finished a real treat: an interview of John Scherber, a novelist living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I'm in the process of reading everything he has written. When he writes about San Miguel, I like to think he has set the table for our move to the city in 2015.

Mike: Will you tell us a bit about Beyond Terrorism: Survival and what inspired you to write it?

John: I started thinking about terrorism several years ago and how the next wave would quite possibly be bio-terror, since it was so much easier to get across the border than a nuclear device. I started the book in Feb. of 2012, and after two drafts I still didn’t feel like I had the relationship right between the two principal players. It was only after two more revisions that I finished it this summer, and found it was unexpectedly timely. It’s not the CIA gung-ho kind of book you often see. It’s about how people survive because of their relationships and connectedness with each other. 

Mike: You seem to have criticism for both political parties in the book. We haven’t read about this aspect of you in your other books. Did you finally just get fed up with the whole government?

John: I have stayed away from politics in the other books because the subject wasn’t directly germane. But because the epidemic in this book brings down the government, I felt it was appropriate to suggest that while we can limp along with this unresponsive system under normal circumstances, it’s simply not up to handling a serious crisis. Politically, I’m an independent, a combination of both liberal and conservative, and I don’t like either party. 

Mike: Do you stay away from the subject living in San Miguel?

John: As a noncitizen, I can’t participate in politics in Mexico. 

Mike: Switching to Vanishing Act, why Wisconsin? What kind of research did you do for the book, and what was one of the most interesting things you learned?

John: I set it in Kenniston, WI, which is a fictitious name for St. Paul, where I lived for 25 years. I know the town well, and it has several old Victorian neighborhoods that suited the story.

Mike: My wife, who you will meet in San Miguel, is one quarter Chippawa. I admire writers that take on characters from another era. How did you gain insight into the Chippawas in “Vanishing Act” and their belief in ancient people that can change shape. What was one of your favorite things about writing about those characters?

John: I am fairly ruthless in misusing the cultures of anyone, including mine. Most of the wahkonen material in Vanishing Act was made up, a variant of the shape shifter legends of New Mexico. I like the way these older cultures bounce off the one we come from, and especially how they can reveal how we’re not really that ‘modern’ after all.

Mike: Why Wisconsin? What kind of research did you do for the book, and what was one of the most interesting things you learned?

John: Aside from going to Mesa Verde National Park, I did no research. But I am normally full of obscure and usually quite useless information that I can draw on for projects like this.

Mike: Your other novels take place mostly in San Miguel and Oaxaca in Mexico and the surrounding areas. Was it fun making the switch to the US?

John: I enjoy any change up, and this one was fun. The book started with a short story that was the narrative manuscript of Peter Welsh. I was looking for a horror magazine to publish it, and but when I surveyed the scene, most of them were pretty junky. I thought the story was much better quality than that. Then we came up with the idea of having it be the centerpiece of one of the Paul Zacher mysteries.

Mike : What did you do before becoming a writer? Have you always wanted to write? Will you tell us a little more about that progression?

John: I always wanted to write, and started in high school. In college, at Minnesota, I was in the honorary creative writers’ fraternity with Garrison Keillor. I got a salaried writing job out of college in the mental health field, and wrote two bad novels while I was doing that. I quit writing, thinking I couldn’t waste a year on a book and not have it be any good. I went into designing and building custom furniture, paneled rooms, and restaurant interiors. But I missed writing, and every three or four years I would try to go back to it, but I never could. I was blocked for 37 years. In 2005 the cloud lifted and I started with the first of the mysteries, Twenty Centavos. Now there are twelve.

Mike: You have written extensively about the expat experience in Mexico. How did you end up in San Miguel?

John: We did the beach vacation thing with the kids on school breaks, but we started to wonder what these old colonial cities were like in the interior. We looked at a number of them, and San Miguel seemed right for us. We love Mérida too, but we couldn’t do the climate.

Mike: What’s one of the first things you can remember writing?

John: A ghost story as a high school junior where I was criticized for using the word phantasmagorical.

Mike: One book that is very meaningful to me that you wrote is A WRITER'S NOTEBOOK: Everything I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I was Starting Out. You’ve written how many books since that book was published and is there anything that you could add to that book?

John: I’ve written three or four books since then. The only thing I would add would be some things I’ve learned about book promotion. All the writing points are sound and they still resonate with me. After the struggle I went through, that book really came from the heart. 

Mike: Who are your heroes?

John: Reading great fiction and nonfiction makes me a better writer. I always like people writing fiction who can keep focused on their job as a teller of stories. That’s why readers stay with us. I regard that as job one. Writers have a strong obligation to their readers that is not always respected. I try hard to never forget about it. My heroes are those writers who stay with it, no matter what, because it’s all about insight and persistence. You need to keep writing all the time because no one can teach it to you as well as the process itself does.

Mike: What are you currently reading?

John: Currently some nonfiction from John Gregory Dunne on the film industry, and I’m rereading The Brothers Karamazov.

Mike: What’s next for you?

John: I have two more mysteries in the works. One is about the Paul Zacher Agency coming up against a local shaman who is able to mess with their minds. The other is set in equestrian country; a terrain full of big egos, championship horses, expensive spreads, and privileged women. In March we’ll traveling to Chiapas to research locations and atmosphere for another Zacher mystery set among the highland Maya. Your readers can find out more about me and my work, as well as get a sample of all my 22 books at my website: www.sanmiguelallendebooks.com

Mike: John this has been a real treat for me. I hope it was enjoyable for you. Thank you. Bev and I will see you in San Miguel in February.

Moving to Mexico

Expat Blog has some great information on planning your move to Mexico:

When it comes to moving large volumes or covering long distances, in Mexico it is recommended to leave it up to the expertise of professional movers who will take charge of the removal process.

Some tips to prepare your move:
Start your moving preparation 3 months in advance
You may have to obtain visas, work permits, vaccination, or cancel services which require a notice period. Make a list of all you need to do. Being well-organized will help the move go more smoothly.

Sort through your belongings
Choose which goods you would like to bring along to Mexico and which ones you prefer to leave behind either with a friend or in a storage unit. Seek advice: it might cost less to buy goods in Mexico instead of bringing over your belongings.

Choose the right moving company
Finding a good moving company is essential to any expatriation project. Independent regulatory bodies like FIDI will help you find reliable moving companies. Internal quality processes, specialized packing materials and a large network will guarantee high standard of quality and service.

Prevent the risk of breakage
Since zero risk does not exist, material damage insurance is highly recommended.

Get Free Quotes from up to 6 Removal Companies and save up to 70% by comparing quotes

Why Is Mexico Calling?

Zero hedge says it best:

Here are some of the biggest myths we see in the system today:

1. The dollar will continue to be the dominant currency.

This is a total farce. Grumblings grow louder around the world to establish a new non-dollar financial system, and China has taken the lead to make this a reality.

2. The US is still the dominant military power in the world.

If you measure by the quality of trained personnel, this is true. But what good is all of that military power if you can’t afford to do anything with it?

3. The police exist to protect the people.

Wrong again. With so much civil asset forfeiture taking place at the point of a gun(federally funded assault rifles), it’s clear they’re far more concerned about protecting those that maintain the status quo than protecting you.

4. Elections make a difference

Completely false. Most Western governments borrow money to pay interest on the money they’ve already borrowed.

In the US, they spend so much on mandatory entitlements and interest they could eliminate almost the entire government and still not run a balanced budget.

At that level of desperation, it matters not who’s in power.

5. Your bank is safe

Your bank might HAVE a safe. But if you look at objective data, many banks in the West have incredibly thin levels of capital and liquidity—the exact opposite of what a safe bank is supposed to have.

Oh yeah, they’re backed by poorly capitalized deposit insurance funds, which are guaranteed by insolvent governments.

And bear in mind that even if your bank is reasonably capitalized, you are still guaranteed to lose money on a tax adjusted, inflation adjusted basis if you you’re holding your savings there.

6. You have to go to college in order to get ahead

Quite the opposite—going to college in many cases can get you behind; just ask any 36-year old still paying down that $100,000 student loan debt.

The world is a big place full of opportunity. Skills and experience matter more than pieces of paper.

Here’s a better option, especially for young people: head overseas, and become an apprentice to a successful, knowledgeable individual that you respect.

Any young person who thinks that going to college is a good idea should just ask any of their unemployed friends saddled with $100,000 of debt if it was worth it.

7. I saw it on TV so it must be true.

Ufff. The mainstream media exist to paint a distorted version of reality so that people are kept placated, docile and largely clueless about what really goes on in the world.

8. Debt doesn’t matter because we owe it to ourselves

Whoever first said this must have a lot of whips and chains in his closet because he seems to enjoy pain.

If we owe the debt to ‘ourselves,’ that means that we will need to default on ourselves.

This means no more Social Security, Medicare, etc. It means causing the US Federal Reserve to become insolvent and spark a currency crisis. It means causing the collapse of every bank in the country.

Sure, no biggie.

9. The United States is the Land of the Free

Draconian surveillance efforts on its citizens. Punitive taxes, fines and regulation. Rising police state. Telling people what they can or can’t put in their bodies, how to grow their food, who to adore, who to hate. Preventing them to collect their own rainwater and live off the grid.

Moving To Mexico? Where To Meet Other Expats

Glynna Prentice writes in International Living Where to Meet Expats: "When you’re moving to Mexico, it helps to get the scoop on your new home city from expats who live there. They’ve already figured out which plumber is most reliable, which carpenter does the best work, and which market has the best produce and prices. They may also become your first friends in your new home. But where do you find the expats?

"There are lots of ways to seek them out. For instance, a useful first step is to search online before you ever leave for Mexico. One good source to start with is interest groups about Mexico, such as International Living’s community site. Here community experts—including expats already in Mexico—can steer you toward local expat groups and tell you how to contact them.

"Many expat havens already have local English-language websites and newspapers about the area. These include Mérida, with sites like Yucatán Today and Yucatán Living; Puerto Vallarta, with its Banderas News; and Lake Chapala, with the Guadalajara Reporter. You can glean useful information from all these sources.

"Expat Communities Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Beach towns like Puerto Vallarta make it easy to integrate with ready-made expat communities. But these are all “virtual” contacts. Once you’re on the ground in Mexico, it’s time to get physical. Most large or long-established expat communities have an expat center of some sort—a physical location where expats can meet others and find resources. Often it’s a library. That’s the case in Mérida, with its Mérida English Language Library; in San Miguel de Allende, with its Biblioteca Publica; and in Oaxaca, with the Oaxaca Lending Library.

"Lake Chapala, the largest community of North American expats in the world, goes one better. The Lake Chapala Society sits on acres of lovely, landscaped grounds. In addition to a library, it offers a range of facilities and more than 80 interest groups that expats can join. (Many other so-called expat “libraries” offer more than just books, including café facilities and bulletin boards. But the scale of the Lake Chapala Society is what makes it stands out.)

"In beach towns like Playa del Carmen and Puerto Vallarta, many real estate agencies are owned by expats or employ them. In Manzanillo, which is on the Pacific Coast, and on the Yucatán’s Costa Maya, you’ll find expats running tourist businesses like scuba shacks, as well as expats with real estate companies. In other towns it may be expat-owned restaurants or cafés, like Guanajuato’s Café Tal. All these people may know which restaurants, cafés, and nightclubs local expats frequent.

"Where the Expats Hang Out San-Miguel, Mexico Head to the centro of colonial cities like San Miguel and you are guaranteed to spy a few gringos there. Finally, expats tend to migrate to specific places within town. Historic city centers, for instance. In colonial cities like Oaxaca, Mérida, and San Miguel, you’ll likely encounter many full-time expats living in the centro, strolling the streets and sitting at sidewalk cafés just like the tourists. The beach resort of Mazatlan also has a large colonial center, and you’ll find expats living here, too.

"Gringo-style warehouse stores like Sam’s Club, Costco and Home Depot also attract expats. (And if there are specialty food stores in town, as there are in Lake Chapala and in Huatulco, on the Pacific Coast, you’re guaranteed to spy a few gringos there.) If you’re open to meeting people casually, strike up a conversation over the snow peas or the salsas. Who knows? It could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

"Get Your Free Mexico Report Here: Learn more about Mexico and other countries in our daily postcard e-letter. Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you a – free special report – Why Millions of Americans Are Moving to Mexico.

"This special guide covers real estate, retirement, and more in Mexico and is yours free when you sign up for our postcards below."

Nervous Time

My wife and I are getting the house ready to sell so we can move to Mexico. There's always trepidation about moving to another country. I came across Matt Kendall writer and editor for Mexico Business Publishing writing in Mexico ReTold about his move from the rainy climes of Bournemouth, England, to the sprawling urban environment of Mexico City. He wrote, "Once I overcame the trepidation I felt about moving to a country I had never been, once I abandoned all of my material possessions, once I finally landed on Mexican soil, and once I began seizing the opportunities that were handed to me, I was rewarded with knowledge, insight, and experience that I could never have acquired in England. Mexico has quickly become a place I am proud to call my home, and I can’t wait to see what challenges and adventures it offers up next."
 

The Real Threat to Your Financial Privacy

International Living Postcards has been providing great information. Today's postcard reveals
"The Real Threat to Your Financial Privacy" By Mark Nestmann, LL.M.

The headlines emerged in early October:

JPMorgan: 76 million customers hacked (CNN)

JPMorgan Chase bank hack: It gets worse (ZDNet)

This is why the enormous JPMorgan Chase hack is so scary (Fast Company)

The mainstream media had a field day with the story that thieves had hacked the data of nearly 80 million bank customers over the summer.

Everyday Americans were outraged, too—understandably so.

So why isn't everyone as teed off when other secretive groups can routinely "steal" the financial data of nearly 320 million Americans?

Who are those groups? They're our federal and state governments. They don't even have to be sneaky about it. They are sanctioned to ask your financial institution for information, and your bank has no choice but to deliver.

Sure, there have been some moves here and there to protect your financial freedom. The Right to Financial Privacy Act (RFPA) was enacted in 1978. It attempted to reinstate some of the constitutional protections that had been eroded by Supreme Court decisions relating to the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), an act that had effectively turned bankers and financial professionals into government informants.

Generally, the RFPA requires federal agencies to provide individuals with a notice and an opportunity to object before a bank or other specified institution can disclose personal financial information.

But in practice, it means little. The Right to Financial Privacy Act left so many loopholes and exceptions that it has been rendered practically meaningless.

For example:

The RFPA exempts most corporations, trusts, or limited partnerships from any protection by defining a "customer" as an individual or partnership of not more than five partners.

A state agency can obtain financial records and share them with its federal counterparts without violating the RFPA.

The RFPA doesn't restrict state or local government investigations.

Many government agencies, including the Treasury's financial intelligence agency (FinCEN), the Homeland Security Administration, and others, have obtained formal exemptions from the RFPA.

And, it's almost laughably easy for government agencies to obtain financial records. All the agency needs to do is to create an administrative, judicial, or grand jury subpoena certifying that the records are relevant to an ongoing investigation. While the RFPA stipulates that the customer must be informed of the investigation, in practice, such notification may be deferred indefinitely.

There's simply no way around it—and no way to say it more simply than—"we're screwed." At least here in the United States.

Thankfully, there are still protections available outside this country. With nearly 200 sovereign nations, "geographical diversification" can offer you a safer way to protect your cash from intrusive domestic government agencies.

Of course, you need to do it the right way. But there are plenty of information services to help.

Once you've identified your options and reviewed your personal goals and situation, it's just a matter of doing the due diligence needed to make sure it's the right path for you.

One way to inform yourself is to read my special report,5 Ironclad Asset Protection Strategies. It's free as part of an offshore resource that's dedicated to helping you reclaim your freedom offshore. Info about that offshore resource is here. Hurry—it's massively discounted but only until the end of today.

These 3 Tips Could Save You Thousands of Dollars

From International Living Postcards comes this article By Nick Hodges, CPA/PFS, MBA, CFP

It's easy to throw up your hands in despair at the thought of filing your tax returns. It doesn't help that it seems like the rules are forever changing; the vast amount of confusing and contradictory information out there just makes matters worse.

But figuring out your taxes can be, if not easy, then at least straightforward—and a massive money-saving measure, too. Do it right and you can cut down on your tax bill and ensure you're protecting yourself against penalties that can stretch into tens of thousands of dollars.

Here are three of my best tips to save you money and to avoid unnecessary penalties:

1. Know how and what to report on foreign bank accounts
   Many Americans who are building homes offshore open local bank accounts to fund their building project. These accounts often have balances at one time or another that exceed $10,000. This is your IRS reporting threshold.
   If you have an account like this or multiple foreign bank accounts that when combined, total $10,000 or more at any time during the year, you have an additional and separate form to file. This form is the FinCen Form 114 (Report of Bank and Financial Accounts, also known as the FBAR). It is filed separately from your individual tax return. It is due by June 30th of the year following and must be filed electronically.
2. If you disclose, you likely won't pay out more in taxes
   If you're an American living or investing abroad, you may need to file additional IRS disclosures. Rest assured, though: These forms rarely result in additional taxes. Disclosing will also ensure you avoid any penalties, which usually start at around $10,000 for each and every unfiled (or incorrect) reporting form.
   There are a few instances which might cause you to have additional forms to file with your individual tax return. These include buying foreign real estate abroad, using a foreign corporation, opening foreign bank accounts, and investing offshore in businesses, securities, or insurance policies.
   A foreign corporation is reported on IRS Form 5471. For disclosing your foreign financial assets, you'll need IRS Form 8938. There is a threshold you should know, usually starting at a total of $50,000.
   Here's a filing perk you might appreciate: If you are out of the country on April 15, you receive an automatic extension for filing your Federal tax return to June 15. The IRS still wants your money; you have to pay any tax due by April 15.
3. Leave from a no-income tax state
   If you currently file a state tax return and have some extra time before you move abroad, you should consider what we call "The move before you move." States like California and New York want you to continue to pay them state income taxes up to two years after you move abroad. Many of our clients tell us that they will just deal with it when it comes up. But who really wants to fight with a state government from a gorgeous beach two years after you move?
   Besides, if you pick the right state to leave from, you can effectively eliminate that needless inconvenience...and all of your state income tax issues and requirements.
   With just a little forethought and planning, you could potentially save yourself tens of thousands of dollars in income tax

Financial Qualifying Requirements for Immigration Visas

 Good News  

Financial Qualifying Requirements Reduced for Immigration Visas

October 10^th, 2014

It certainly appears that the qualifying financial benefits are focused on the Temporary Residency Visas. The logic behind this escapes me (other than the higher immigration fees from Temporary vs Permanent) but we’ll work with what we have. After the four years on Temporary Visa, you can transition to the Permanent Visa with no further qualification.

Temporary Residency Visas

To qualify for your Temporary Residency Visa, there are two ways to qualify; showing a required monthly income for the past six months or showing required investments consistently for the past twelve months. Note: When the law first passed they talked about also qualifying by a points system but up to now they did not give any details. Apparently in this new announcement they will finally be releasing some guidelines on how this will work.

Monthly Income Requirement

Required monthly income from employment or pension has been reduced to the equivalent of three hundred days of the general minimum age in the Federal District for the past six months. With minimum wage at $67.29 pesos x 300 days = $20,187 pesos (equivalent to $1514 USD at current exchange).

So now you need to show approximately $1514 USD per month for a six month period(instead of the prior requirement of $2100 USD per month). This is good news indeed.

(Original y copia de los documentos que demuestren que cuenta con empleo o pensión con ingresos mensuales libres de gravámenes mayores al equivalente de trescientos días de salario mínimo general vigente en el Distrito Federal, durante los últimos seis meses.) 

OR 

Investment Income Requirement

But even better is the reduction in the required amount of investments or bank accounts with a monthly average balance equal to five thousand days of general minimum wage in the Federal District for the last twelve months. Again, with minimum wage at $67.29 x 5000 days = $336,450 pesos (equivalent to $25,296 USD at current exchange).

So now you can qualify for your Temporary Residency Visa if you have approximately $25,296 USD in your investment account (or bank account) for the last twelve months (instead of the prior requirement of about $102,000 USD for the past twelve months). This is definitely a deal changer for so many people who may not have qualified before. Thanks to the Mexican Government.

(Original y copia de comprobante de inversiones o cuentas bancarias con saldo promedio mensual equivalente a cinco mil días de salario mínimo general vigente en el Distrito Federal, durante los últimos doce meses.) 

Permanent Residency Visas

To qualify for your Permanent Residency Visa, there are two ways to qualify; showing a required monthly income for the past twelve months or showing required investments consistently for the past twelve months. Note: When the law first passed they talked about also qualifying by a points system but as yet they did not give any details. Apparently in this new announcement they will finally be releasing some guidelines on how this will work. 

Monthly Income Requirement

Required monthly income from employment or pension has not changed. You still need to show proof of investments or bank accounts with a monthly average equal to five hundred days of general minimum wage in the Federal District for the past six months. One improvement is you only need to show statements for a six month period instead of a twelve month period. So that helps quite a bit.

With minimum wage at $67.29 x 500 days = $33,645 pesos (equivalent to $2529 USD at current exchange), but again, only for six months now instead of twelve.

OR 

Investment Income Requirement

Required amount of investments or bank accounts with a monthly average balance equal to twenty thousand days of general minimum wage in the Federal District for the last twelve months. Again, with minimum wage at $67.29 x 20,000 days = $1,345,800 pesos (equivalent to $101,187 USD at current exchange).

So now you can qualify for your Permanent Residency Visa if you have approximately $101,187 USD in your investment account (or bank account) for the last twelve months(instead of the prior requirement of about $127,000 USD for the past twelve months). This is a also bit of an improvement; every bit counts.

(Presentar los documentos que acrediten alguno de los siguientes supuestos: 

a. Jubilados o pensionados: 

1. Original y copia de comprobante de inversiones o cuentas bancarias con saldo promedio mensual equivalente a veinte mil días de salario mínimo general vigente en el Distrito Federal, durante los últimos doce meses 

2. Original y copia de los documentos que demuestren que cuenta con pensión con ingresos mensuales libres de gravámenes mayores al equivalente de quinientos días de salario mínimo general vigente en el Distrito Federal, durante los últimos seis meses.) 

Taken from Focus on Mexico http://www.focusonmexico.com/Mexico-Topics/Immigration/Financial-Qualifying-Requirements-for-Immigration-Visas.html#pagetop

My Sentiments Exactly

Meanwhile back at Mama's
The porch light's on, come on in if you wanna
Supper's on the stove and beer's in the fridge
Red sun sinkin' out low on the ridge
Games on the tube and Daddy smokes cigarettes
Whiskey keeps his whistle wet
Funny the things you thought you'd never miss
In a world gone crazy as this

 [Verse 2: Tim McGraw]
Well I found a girl and we don't fit in here
Talk about how hard it is to breathe here
Even with the windows down can't catch a southern breeze here
One of these days gonna pack it up and leave here

 

The Day Is Getting Closer

Our dream of living in Mexico just got closer to reality. We are putting our house up for sale. As soon as it sells we're moving to San Miguel de Allende. Big Step!

Now come all the questions. Now is the time while preparing our home to re-read answers to questions becoming an expat raises.

We have plenty of books and two friends living in SMA for the next five months. I'm sure we will be ready.

11 Things You Need To Know To Understand Mexican Men

BY ALICE LATHAM

1. When the Mexico football team ‘el tri’ play, there is nothing in the world more important. Do not interrupt a Mexican man watching football. You have been warned!

2. They’re momma’s boys. It’s perfectly normal for a Mexican man at age 25 (or 50 something) to still be asking his mom to cook him some quesadillas.

3. The spicier you eat, the more macho you are. Mexicans, especially men, start eating spicy food from a young age, so by the time they’re adults it’s practically a competitive sport. Don’t even think about not liking spiciness — that’s a no go! There’s a Mexican expression, ”si no pica, no sabe” which means, “If it’s not spicy, it’s not tasty.”

4. They’re gentlemen. Don’t be surprised if you see a Mexican opening the door for his girlfriend, or even carrying her handbag. This is how things are done in Mexico.

5. Swearing is a form of endearment. If a Mexican is swearing in front of, or even at you, then it’s a good sign.

6. They love to party in a communal way. In some countries, when you go clubbing you buy your own drinks, but in Mexico you buy a bottle together with your amigos!

7. The men always drive. You will very rarely see the woman of a couple driving in Mexico. This is because of two reasons: Mexican men don’t trust women drivers, and if they let the woman drive it makes them seem less macho.

8. They are very protective of women, especially their loved ones. Most Mexican men aren’t keen on their girlfriends taking public transport or walking the streets alone. Even when couples are walking on the street, the man will always walk on the side closest to the road so as to protect the woman from anything bad that could happen.

9. They are romantics. Mexicans woo their girlfriends by paying for dates, showering them with gifts, and showing them affection constantly.

10. They use a hell of a lot of hair gel. Every Mexicano has got this thing for using loads, and I mean LOADS, of hair product. And it’s not just the quantity, it’s also the time it takes to get that hair just right.

11. They are the number one users of deodorant and male perfume in the world. Just kidding, but seriously, Mexican men really do take care to never have bad body odor.

Alice Latham

Alice's love for travel stems from an international background that lead her to Mexico. She is a blogger and freelance writer specialising in all things Mexican with a real love for street food. Alice is the founder of Soy Poblana, a Puebla based blog that aims to increase awareness of a city and state that is often overlooked by people wishing to visit Mexico.

What is the Easiest Spoken Language to Learn?

Interesting article in Quora:

What is the Easiest Spoken Language to Learn?
Steven Grimm, uses words for communicationSuggest Bio

882 upvotes by Gregg Galyean, Franck Dernoncourt, Jess Lin, (more)

The Defense Language Institute, one of the USA's top language schools, categorizes languages into four difficulty levels based on the amount of class time they've found it takes native English-speaking students to reach a particular level of fluency. This concerns learning the language as a whole, including the ability to read books, write essays and so on, so not just the spoken language.

• Category I languages, 26-week courses, include Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese. 
• Category II, 35 weeks, includes German and Indonesian 
• Category III, 48 weeks, includes Dari, Persian Farsi, Russian, Uzbek, Hindi, Urdu, Hebrew, Thai, Serbian Croatian, Tagalog, Turkish, Sorani and Kurmanji 
• Category IV, 64 weeks, includes Arabic, Chinese Mandarin, Korean, Japanese and Pashto

Imagine 26-weeks and you can read books, write essays and so on, so not just speak the language!