Celebrating One Year in San Miguel

April first, April Fools Day, marked the our one year anniversary of moving to San Miguel. We spent February of 2015 here, and signed a rental lease beginning April One. We flew home filled the Clampett Mobile with as much of our personal belongings as we could, put the rest in storage and drove 3,300 miles to San Miguel de Allende. Dave and Cheryl Leland loaned us their casita for a few days until we could take possession of Umaran #66. The Clampett mobile is a 2001 Mazda Tribute. It has battle scars, but it has only 87,000 miles and runs at 90 mph, hour after hour, across Texas with not a whimper or hesitation.

Because the owner of the Umaran house has the house up for sale, we wanted to make sure we had a house to live in should the new owner want us out, we signed a lease on a new place to live. This time we will be at Huertas #9 and our furniture arrived on March 23rd. This house has a big yard, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a huge kitchen with a Dutch door to the outside and a living room and dining room with ceilings over sixteen feet tall. We awake to the birds singing and Doves that seem to ask, "What, what's with you?" We have a gardner that comes twice a week to water, prune the bushes and mow the lawn. He is paid 100 pesos a month - $6! Huertas is on the east side of the Jardin and close to La Parada, where we love to dine, and Parque Juarez, a beautiful large park where Bev takes Tai Chi.

Looking back on the year what have we learned?

• We learned that our decision to move here was the right one. We love the sunshine, the warmth of the people here, both Mexicans and expats, the violent thunderstorms and rain that fall in the June through August period that last an hour or so, the restaurants, the sunsets, and the walking.
• We shake our head at the cost of living. Property taxes that are less than one tenth of what we were paying in Portland. Car insurance less than a quarter of Portland-$383 for a year. Dental care, a third or more of the states. I had a root canal and a new crown for about $500. Transportation by taxi 40 to 50 pesos. One hundred pesos is right now about $6. Bus transportation to the grocery store five pesos! Last night the Scherbers and the Landfairs dined at a new restaurant to us named Pork Belly. John and I had BBQed ribs and Kristine and Bev had chicken and Salmon. It not only looked delicious, but didn;t disappoint in the taste department. With tip the bill came to 1,300 pesos or about $76. The amount included a bottle of wine, lemonade and  one carrot cake.
• A short forty-five minute drive to Celaya and we have Home Depot, Sams, and Costco. We may be in Mexico, but at Costco we can get HP printer ink for 145 pesos, sharp cheddar cheese, and the same great Costco hot dogs and strawberry sundae. However, if you love Cheetos, they are not available without bacon flavoring.
• We learned that living on Umaran is a great location, close to the Jardin and my favorite ice cream store,  the barbershop, the chicken man, restaurants, the Saturday market where they have great cinnamon rolls, BUT it is noisy with motorcycles and cars and taxis. It reconfirmed to us that when you first move here, renting is our recommendation. It just takes a while to get a feel for the different Colonias.
• We've learned that friends are easy to make here. Our friends are expats. They seem to be adventurous and eager to impart advice to make the transition easier. Every week I learn something new.
• We've learned that this is not the U.S. You need to be flexible and accepting. Those who aren't like a river, have trouble here and tend to complain. Why can't these people,yada, yada, yada.
• I learned that if you want to reinvent yourself, Mexico is the place. I want to be a writer, not just a freelance writer, but a teller of stories either as a novelist or a short story writer. I joined a writer's group. There are six of us. Each is trying to be a better craftsman and each of us trust the feedback we get about our weekly submissions. 

Do we miss the United States?

My first answer is no. Then I think of our friends, my family and Bev's family and we do miss them, but not much about the U.S. do we miss. Someone asked me, "Don't you miss the freedoms in the U.S.?" I thought does he think we don't have freedoms down here? I don't miss the feeling that the U.S. is a big target for all the loonies around the world. Someone said that envy is a big reason for the target on the U.S. I think it's also that the U.S. meddles in the affairs of every country on the planet. I don't miss the feeling of being a target.

There seems to be groups of expats. There are the expats involved in writing or painting or some form of creative arts. Then there are the golfers, the drinkers, the snowbirds who spend a month to six months here every year, the permanent residents divided into the renters and owners.Women seem to outnumber men about eight to one. They complain that all the good men are taken. 

Sometimes the little things get frustrating. If you get a parking ticket the police take your license plate. In order to get in back, you can;t just send a check, you must go into the police station. We made an appointment to have cable installed in the new house. They said they would be here after 12:00, but Monday was a holiday. So they came on Tuesday close to 5:30.

I find myself saying no entiendo, I don't understand, a lot to Mexicans. Try to explain to a Mexican woman who doesn't speak English that you are there to pick up the cable box and she's trying to explain you don't need one. You just reconfigure your TV. It's frustrating to be sitting in a dental chair hearing the dentist and assistant converse with no idea what they are saying. It's isolating. I learn a little each day, but I only catch a word or two. If I lived in another city with fewer expats, I would need to learn Spanish faster to lose that isolated feeling.

The common question we get when we've visited the U.S. is, "What do you do all day." We say the same things we did when we were living in the U.S. Except we are warm. We don't lay on the beach all day because we are six to eight hours away from the beach cities. For me I spend a lot of time writing, trolling the internet, emailing, and reading. We walk almost everywhere and that means one to two miles a day walking. For Bev that means three to five miles walking a day.

Condé Nast Traveler magazine's top 10 cities for Americans to retire to

By Gary Peterson, gpeterson@bayareanewsgroup.com

1. Coronado, Panama: "Pacific Coast beaches and perfect sunsets"

2. Penang, Malaysia: "Historic architecture, a thriving art scene"

3. Cascais, Portugal: "10 major golf courses, a castle, miles of cobblestone streets"

4. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico: "Art scene, colonial charm, and affordable living"

5. Killarney, Ireland: "Ranked high for safety, cleanliness, and overall charm"

6. Corozal, Belize: "A gateway to world-class snorkeling and scuba diving"

7. Concord, CA: "Excellent health care facilities, and free community activities throughout the year"

8. Grand Haven, MI: "A lakefront star with a boardwalk, 90,000-gallon musical fountain"

9. Santa Fe, NM: "A friendly community of all ages, and warm days with low humidity"

10. Louisville KY: "Appealing for retirees for its pace of life, climate, and culture"

Bank of America Sees More Inflation in Mexico

ERIC MARTIN Bloomberg News, writes, "With Mexico's inflation rate plummeting to an almost 50-year low in October, bond traders have naturally set about slashing their cost-of-living expectations.

"To Bank of America Corp.'s Carlos Capistran, they've got it all wrong.

"The pace of consumer-price increases is poised to accelerate as growth picks up in Latin America's second-biggest economy and a weak peso drives up the cost of some imports, said Capistran, the most-accurate inflation forecaster among 23 economists surveyed by Bloomberg."

Either your numbers for inflation in Mexico are understated, as they are in the U.S. or something else is going on. The peso over the last seven years is down from 10 pesos to the dollar to almost seventeen to the dollar. Yet there is little inflation. Or the measurement of inflation is wrong and goods in Mexico have moved up sharply in the last seven years.

"He expects the rate to rise to 3.5 percent next year and 3.2 percent in 2017. That's well above the 2.6 percent inflation implied by a bond-market gauge known as the breakeven rate.The inflation expectations implied in the market in the short term are too low, possibly as a reaction of realized inflation so far this year," Capistran said from Mexico City. "Risks for inflation are tilted toward the upside." The inflation rate fell to 2.48 percent in October, the lowest since 1968, as sluggish growth, falling phone-service costs and lower gasoline-price increases outweighed the impact of the currency's 12 percent tumble this year.

"That's not likely to be the case next year as Mexico moves beyond the immediate impact of some legal changes, such as the end of connection fees for long-distance phone calls, Capistran said."

Mexico it seems to me is experiencing the same deflationary pressures as the rest of the world.

Also, some importers who buy products in dollars may raise prices after exhausting inventories that they bought when the peso was stronger, he said.

Bank of America recommends buying inflation-linked bonds due in 2046 and selling similar-maturity fixed-rate notes.

Yields on the linkers have plunged to a record low, leaving the difference with the fixed securities at 2.92 percentage points. That's too low, said Bank of America strategist Ezequiel Aguirre.

Mexico's economy will expand 2.5 percent in 2016, up from 2.3 percent this year, Capistran said.

The U.S. is on the brink of recession and will Mexico experience higher growth as the world's economy slides into the abyss?

He's not alone in predicting a spike in inflation. Bank of Nova Scotia's Mario Correa forecasts the pace of consumer price increases will accelerate to 4.6 percent in 2016 as the peso's weakness feeds through into the cost of living.

That's the highest rate forecast in a Bloomberg survey of 23 economists and would exceed the upper end of the central bank's inflation target range of 2 percent to 4 percent.

While Correa acknowledges that the peso's impact on consumer prices has weakened, he said it's still a factor.

Each 1 percent decline in the peso's value today fuels less than 0.05 percent of inflation, compared with about 0.5 percent 20 years ago, according to Bank of America.

"The currency pass through isn't dead, though it's less than in the past," Correa said from Mexico City. "Once people realize this exchange rate move is something more permanent, we're likely to see more of an impact on prices."

I'm not a big fan of experts who project today's trend into the future.

American retirees flock to Mexican shore in Baja looking for living and financial ease

Despite what many Americans may believe about the dangers of Mexico, there are a few “brave” souls who would argue that the Mexico they know is not only safe, but safer than the U.S., and has maintained the core values America lost years ago.

Thousands of Americans annually retire to various Mexican cities, making up a good chunk of the estimated 1 million U.S. citizens that call Mexico home.

Pam Salzman and her husband Brian retired 12 years ago. They say they were vacationing in Mexico so much that at one point they decided to try living there full-time and see how it felt.

In 2013 the Salzmans sold their house in Alpine, a rural neighborhood in the San Diego County of California, and promptly plunked down $500k in cash for a 3,700 square foot oceanfront property and never looked back.

Read more at FoxNews Latino

Expat or Immigrant

Joy Diaz at KUT.org writes, "The question of how Americans define friends living in foreign lands – and how Americans define people who’ve migrated to the U.S. – has been on Sheila Croucher's mind for the last decade or so. She teaches Global and Intercultural Studies at Miami University of Ohio, and says a word as seemingly straightforward as "immigrant" is anything but.

"I think it absolutely is politically charged, and I think it is racially charged,” Croucher says. “I think it is charged in a number of ways."

In 2006 Croucher went to the colonial city of San Miguel de Allende in Central Mexico, to study a large community of Americans living there. She noticed something interesting: No matter what their legal status, none of them called themselves immigrants.

"When I would push on the issue of terminology I would be told 'look, I'm just an American living in Mexico,'” she says.

"I don't refer to myself as an immigrant,” Russell Henson says.

Henson lives in San Miguel – the city Croucher studied years ago. He’s a retired engineer and pilot who now teaches aviation in Mexico.

"We are called temporary residents on our immigration status, but socially we identify with our tribe,” he explains.

They identify with other Americans living abroad, who call themselves ex-pats, or expatriates. Professor Croucher says the term ex-pats could carry a negative connotation – as in ‘renouncing one's country’ – but it rarely does. On the contrary, the term often carries a certain cachè, and it's mostly used by Americans and Europeans living abroad.

"There have been some recent studies, and I think an interesting article in the Guardian within the past year or so about why the Brits in Southern Spain get to be ex-pats, when everybody else going in the other direction are immigrants,” she says.

It may be because immigrants are often thought of as people who leave their homeland for economic reasons. But it clearly isn’t that simple, since most of the Americans she studied in San Miguel fit that profile.

"They were absolutely moving for economic reasons and motivated by economic concerns, whether it was declining pensions in the United States or the rising cost of health care," Croucher says. "I think it would be politically interesting as a move for Mexican immigrants to say, 'OK, I'm an ex-pat too' and vice versa. I think it would be an important political move for the increasing number of Americans and Canadians living abroad to start calling themselves immigrants."

More American civilians now live abroad than ever before. Census data from host countries puts that number at around eight million.

At the same time, patterns of migration into the United States are shifting. In the last 5 years, fewer arrivals say they have come for financial reasons. The Pew Research Center says almost half are highly educated.

Juan Wah is one of them. He's a marketing expert from Mexico. His father is Chinese, and his mother Mexican. He was educated in the U.S. and once lived in Germany. Now, he lives in Texas.

So how does he identify himself?

"I don't know, it depends on who is asking," Wah says. "But sometimes I just describe myself as a 'foodie' or 'a happy person.' I don't think customs will take foodie. I don't think there's a box for foodie yet!"

Croucher believes the terminology is likely to change because millennials like Wah are the most racially diverse, gender non-conforming generation so far – and their identities often don’t fit into neat little checkboxes on official forms.

For them, "immigrants" and "ex-pats" are just people.

San Miguel de Allende's got charm

No beaches? No problem says Alice Diamond, in the San Diego Reader.

With no beach, no stoplights, and not even an airport, one might be surprised that San Miguel de Allende has been a magnet for Americans for decades. This strikingly beautiful and history-rich 16th- century town in the mountains of central Mexico got on the tourist and artist circuit soon after World War II as one of the few places outside of the U.S. where returning veterans could use their G.I. benefits to study art. No beaches? No problem says Alice Diamond, in the San Diego Reader.

Read more here

Expats in Mexico: Full-Time Dream Vacation

Deborah Charnes writes about expats in Chron

Bill Clinton recently said: “Between 2010 and 2014, there was no net in-migration from Mexico.” In fact, in the five years prior, more people moved from the States to Mexico than the reverse.*

Given the way immigration is covered in the media, this may be a shocker. Not for me. My thrifty depression-era father talked about retiring in Guadalajara. I’ve long considered Mexico my segunda patria, and have considered making the land of Tenochtitlan my home.

Read more at http://blog.chron.com/traveler/2015/09/expats-in-mexico-full-time-dream-vacation/

FACING RISING DENTAL COSTS, SENIORS HEAD TO MEXICO

Astrid Galvan of the AP, reports, "The cost of dental care has surged in the last two decades in the U.S.and continues to increase at a rate of 5 percent annually. Many dental plans have high deductibles and don't offer extensive coverage. Many people opt out.

"... many are seeking cheaper care in places like Los Algodones, where Mexican dentists who speak English and sometimes accept U.S. insurance offer rock-bottom prices for everything from a cleaning to implants. Dentists in Los Algodones say a large portion of their clients are seniors.

"Mexico has lower costs because of cheaper labor and fewer regulatory requirements. Residents in border towns like El Paso, Texas and Nogales, Sonora, often make the short drive to the Mexican side for basic medical needs and prescription medications that are much costlier in the U.S. Some businesses even offer shuttle services from the Phoenix area to Los Algodones, a nearly 200-mile ride.:

Read more here

Walking to Breakfast

By Beverly Landfair

La Vanda Restaurante with Theresa our wait person

If you are contemplating visiting us in the future, we will be walking to breakfast at LaVanda Restaurante.  Located just off Umaran on Calle Hernandes Marcias, LaVanda is a small but quaint cafe that serves us one excellent breakfast.  We have not had the pleasure of having lunch here but that will be another story.

Michael and I just had returned from a nearby lab after having to submit to blood draws, etc. for securing some Mexican Medical Insurance for us.  We were ravenous after our twelve hour fast and in need of strong coffee.  Their home brew did not disappoint.  Now, I could concentrate on ordering breakfast.

Beverly and the coffee fix

I ordered Eggs Toscanos, two poached eggs presented like presents on my plate; mozzerella dollop and a generous amount of Basil Pesto accompanied by roasted tomatoes on the side.  My breakfast also came with a fruit bowl and toast with Guava Jam.  I was having a blissful experience.

Michael ordered his favorite, French Toast with fruit with a side of bacon that arrived in a small bowl and was crispy and delicious.  I know because he thankfully shared some with me.  We will be satiated until dinner with friends tonight!

La Vanda Restaurante

Atmosphere is part of making any culinary experience work, in my book. Lavanda has many rooms, natural stone and has been set up to make you feel like you are breakfasting at your friend's home.  I give LaVanda high marks.

Buen Provecho!

Mujeres en Cambio

By Beverly Landfair

young women are selected for scholarships

"Mujeres en Cambio" or Women In Change hosted a delicious Moroccan luncheon held at Hacienda de la Flores, lush, Boutique Hotel on Calle Hospico. My friend, Kristine Scherber, invited me to attend this afternoon at 2 PM. Tickets for this event were 200 pesos = about $13.00 and all of the money is donated to Mujeres en Cambio.  I was delighted and surprised by the beautiful property and all of the wonderful women in attendance for this meaningful cause.  Let me explain.

Kay, Sheila, and Jayne

"Mujeres en Cambio was founded in 1995.  The group's primary aim is to educate impoverished young women who live in rural communities near San Miguel de Allende. Every year 150 young women are selected for scholarships with direct input from the teachers and principals of their rural schools. These scholarships allow women to study in middle school, high school and university.  The hurdles for these girls are many and Mujeres en Cambio aims to ease these challenges in order for them to stay in school.

"Education will not only improve their quality of life but also that of their future families."

Hacienda de la Flores

Which brings me back to the fabulous lunch that was served to us under the direction of Victoria Challancin, who owns "Flavors of the Sun Cooking School" and also conducts tours to Morocco.  Some of the women at our table today had gone on this tour to Morocco and raved about it.  I had not had the pleasure of tasting much Moroccan Cooking before today.  What a treat I had in store:  

• Chicken Tangine with Caramelized Tomatoes, 
• Carrot Salad with Almonds and Raisins, 
• Moroccan Zucchini Salad, 
• Beet Salad, 
• Moroccan Cooked Tomato and Green Pepper Salad and 
• finally Moroccan Cookies and Coffee! 
• Moroccan Chickpea Salad with Cumin and Garlic

It was a beautiful array and a delicious plate full of scrumptious food.

Hacienda de la Flores

The best part is that every single aspect of this luncheon was donated from the food and preparation to the generous contribution of Hacienda de la Flores to every one who worked hard to make this luncheon possible.

Hacienda de la Flores

I am looking forward to next month's meeting!  Another bonus today; Victoria (Vicky) included all of her recipes in a booklet for all attendees. Let me know if you are interested in any of the above recipe's.

Have You Tried Agua Miel For Brunch?

By Beverly Landfair

Musicians at Agua Miel

Walking into Agua Miel for brunch is like going to a good friend's home and enjoying a late breakfast on the patio. Agua Miel means honey water, and I think that the name is as gentle as the scene.  Live music is playing the Sunday sounds of flute and guitar.  The tasteful music goes so spritely with the Bloody Mary's that two of our foursome ordered.  Let me say, "perfecto!"  

Agua Miguel Patio

Kristine and I ordered the wonderfully prepared Frittata with leeks, potatoes and zucchini.  I could see the butter on top.  The flavors blended well together. We enjoyed ours with a side of bacon.  Michael had waffles with berries and syrup and a side of bacon. John ordered The Jambalaya and I could tell he was enjoying the shrimp, chicken, pork riblet and andouille sausage with garlic toast that he let us share.

After we finished eating, we lingered and had desert and coffee and good conversation.  Our two and one-half hour brunch came to an end and we all happily doddled home.  FYI:  For two with tip = 400 Pesos or $26.67. 

Mexican Peso Plunges To 16/USD - Record Lows

The Mexican Peso has devalued 23.5% in the last 12 months, breaking 16.00/USD for the first time in history today.

Charts: Bloomberg

This is the fastest collapse in the currency since Lehman.

This is terrific for tourists and for expats, but it is a hardship for the Mexican people. Prices will be surging and it will make it harder for everyone in the end.

Our New Home

We were invited to a neighborhood party tonight. We saw recently made friends and met new people soon to be friends. All were gringos. Many were here in San Miguel de Allende for many years, and many were new arrivals. All seemed genuinely happy to be living here.  They loved the fact that the weather wasn't extreme, meaning that it was comfortable with no high heat and humidity.

The people we talked to were interesting, many were travelers. There were writers or people involved with writers, artists of varied medias. Many had bought a house here and some just moving into new houses, many renting like us getting a feel for the new country of Mexico. I got the feeling that most don't miss the United States, with its homogeneous cities, its hustle and stress, and lack of time; maybe its focus on time itself.

We seem to have more time here to focus on defining who we are, more time to spend with each other, more time to devote to friends and acquaintances.

For Bev and me, all of that is true. We wake in the morning or say before falling asleep, "We are living in Mexico." with wonder in our voices. We spent time here many times, but always with the knowledge that we were just visiting or on vacation. Never with the feeling until now that this is our home. Our home is exciting with the thunder storms and the rain that comes down in big drops that cause rivers in the street. It's exciting to turn the corner and discover something new. It's exciting to see the families enjoy simply being a part of a happening in the Jardin. And yet....it's not exciting, it's peaceful. There's a calmness that comes with manana. It will get done, whatever needs to be done. Kind of like a beautiful butterfly. It knows where it wants to go, but it's going to smell every flower on the way; maybe even smell a flower more than once and then come back again before moving on its way.

A Trip to the ER

About 9:00 pm, I got a call from our good friends and neighbors. "It's an emergency." Can you take my husband to the hospital? The four of us piled into the car and drove to the emergency room over on the Libremiento. Bev and I dropped the two off at the door and parked the car. We had no idea how long we would be here. Judging by the States and my visits to places like this, we could be here for six to eight hours. Instead when we got to the waiting room, the emergency staff was already seeing  to his kidney stone(s). The docs said he needed to stay the night and they needed 7,500 pesos as a down payment, about $500.

The sky opened up as we ran through the deluge for the car. The lightning was flashing overhead. We fought high water all the way home. The rain was coming off the roof's gutters. It was like driving through a waterfall. We were home by 10:30 pm. Imagine, round trip in an hour and a half.

One note: When we first started coming to Mexico the exchange rate was 10 pesos to a dollar. Today it is 15.82 to the dollar. Assuming the hospital prices haven't gone up, in the past the down payment would have been 5,000 pesos not 7,500. That is a huge increase. In all probability, the price would probably been $300 to $400.

We have found the medical care to be excellent.

"Live Large - Live Abroad"

Nicholas Kontis, Travel Insider and Founder of World Travel List writes in Huffington Post:

Travel author, blogger and web entrepreneur, Tim Leffel, like myself, has chosen Mexico as his base outside the U.S. Tim and I live fantastic lives living in the land of the mariachis and the home of Tequila.

As Tim points out in his book, A Better Life for Half the Price, you can cut your expenses in half by living abroad, or, as I like to call it, you can be "living large". Imagine if you could keep or make the same salary as in the U.S., Canada, Northern Europe or Australia, but double or more your buying power, you would be spending less, but living a more fulfilling life. Depending on the country you migrate to, your disposable income and lifestyle will change dramatically.

Read More Here

Are there Americans Living (and even working) illegally South of the Border?

The issue of undocumented Mexican migrants in America is widely reported. But what about the thousands of Americans living illegally south of the border? Does anybody know why they come, and why Mexicans aren’t yet making an issue about it?

Last year about 1,000 US citizens were questioned over irregularities in their immigration status, according to Mexican authorities. They face a modest fine – up to $50 – if officials find them working without a permit or living in Mexico without proper documents.

Those who lose their visas or are asked to leave the country and then discovered to be overstaying are fined up to $400.

But truth is, the National Migration Institute in Mexico has absolutely no idea just how many Americans are living or working illegally in Mexico.

There are no advocacy groups defending American aliens in Mexico. Mexican politicians haven’t raised it as a major issue – a far cry from the controversy around illegal migration on the other side of the border. With thousands of people from Central America crossing into Mexico illegally every year, and the threat from drug gangs and human traffickers on their way to the US, the presence of undocumented Americans is considered little more than a minor issue for Mexico’s immigration services.

Some are American tourists who decide to extend their stay in Mexico without notifying the authorities, or students who wish to earn extra money teaching English in Mexico City. Others just fall in love with the Latin American lifestyle.

Read the rest of the article at http://www.theyucatantimes.com/2015/06/are-there-americans-living-and-even-working-illegally-south-of-the-border/

ARTS EXCURSIONS

This fall, Anderson Ranch Arts Center will host two workshops in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, to coincide with the three-day Día de los Muertos holiday (Halloween, Día los Niños and All Souls’ Day), Oct. 30-Nov. 6, 2015.

Both workshops will visit nearby small communities to experience the authentic Día de los Muertos traditions from an intimate perspective, including preparation of altars in homes and cemeteries. A day trip to the famous colonial city and mining town of Guanajuato, as well as the pre-Hispanic settlement of Cañada de la Virgen pyramid and archaeological zone, also dot the itinerary.

For aspiring and established photographers, Ed Kashi (photojournalist, filmmaker and educator) and Andrea Wallace (Artistic Director of Photography and New Media at Anderson Ranch) will teach a workshop focused on how to create a personal documentary project. Whether a series of street portraits or an exploration of local cuisine and architecture, participants will be encouraged to discover a subject that speaks to a personal passion and document it in a compelling and unique visual style.

For ceramic artists, Holly Hughes (Professor of Painting and Drawing at Rhode Island School of Design) and Doug Casebeer (Associate Director and Artistic Director of Ceramics at Anderson Ranch) will delve into decorating tiles and plates, using Mexican culture and history as starting points.

Tuition is $2,050 and includes all field excursions, welcome and farewell dinners, instruction and studio supplies. Airfare is not included. More information and registration details are available at andersonranch.org/workshops or by calling Anderson Ranch at (970) 923-3181x215.

Today In San Miguel

We are now temporary residentes. We can stay here a year and don't have to return to the states each six months. All we have to do is renew each year for a fee. We have decided to instead apply for Residente. No more fees once it is granted, we would qualify for government health insurance at $300 mas o menos more or less each year. We would also qualify for senior citizen status, much like senior citizen discounts in the US. One drawback to resident is the car would have to be taken back to US and sold.

Living here is unique. At 6:30 to 7:00 a man walks down the street clanging a bell of some kind to announce the garbage truck is coming. I, hurriedly, put on shoes, unlock the door, and grab the bags of trash. Then I go outside and wait with my neighbors. "Buenas diaz, Maria," I say. I help the little old lady across the street carry her garbage and lift it up to the men in the truck. Then it's back to bed.
Around 10:00 a truck comes up and honks his horn. It's the milk truck delivered the old, old fashioned way. A neighbor comes out with a bucket for his milk which is dipped out of a big milk can. We get our milk at MEGA, the big supermarket packaged like the milk in the US. The big difference, you can buy milk refrigerated or in boxes that sit on a shelf.

At night around 8:00 or so, a man pushes a cart up the street yelling something that sounds strangely like an inmate in an asylum might yell. I don't know what he is saying, but he is either selling nuts or corn nuts or ears of corn.

Lately, around six, black clouds roll in and you first see lightening then thunder directly overhead. The uvia comes down in sheets and the wind blows, then come morning everything is dry and sunny. We were dining one night at El Pergaso. We could see the buildup. It was warm on the upstairs terrace, out in the open watching the sunset, We finished our dinner and the skies opened up as we paid our check.

Tonight we ate at Hecho. Sue Reid invited another couple to dinner with us. Their names were Jan and Roger Capps. The name didn't mean much, but the surprise was Jan and I went to Madison High together. I recognized her right away, but had to ask her name. Roger knew Sue from the U of O, Now it turns out that Roger is the brother of Doug Capps who lived down the street from us in Portland. Liz and Doug Capps on 32nd Ave. I said we have some friends in PDX who are Ducks and asked if they knew Mike and Patsy McKelligon. Jan said of course we were sorority sisters at Alpha Phi. Well, I said the McKelligon's son Kevin married my daughter, Gilyn. Sue said she knew Patsy's sister, Libby.

Only in San Miguel. BTW we asked where they are staying and they are staying in the same complex that our friends Marsha & Darryl are renting for the winter here beginning in November

Vonage Introduces the Mexico Freedom Plan

Vonage, a leading provider of communications services for consumers and businesses, has launched the Mexico Freedom plan, providing flexible, easy and affordable communications between the U.S. and Mexico. The Mexico Freedom plan is the only residential calling plan offering unlimited1 calling both to and from Mexico for both landlines and mobile phones, and is available for $29.99 per month (plus taxes and fees) with a one-year agreement.

Staying in touch over the phone can be cost prohibitive for many with friends and family in Mexico. Since the cost of calls from Mexico to the U.S. can be expensive, the burden often falls to those living in the U.S. to call Mexico. The Mexico Freedom plan not only provides unlimited1 calling to address the increasing need and desire to call mobile phones throughout Mexico, it also offers Local Access Numbers in Mexico. Local Access Numbers are phone numbers in Mexico that friends and family can call to reach a Vonage customer, giving them the freedom to call a Vonage customer in U.S. for the price of a local call. taxes and fees) with a one-year agreement.

"We know that a big hurdle for those trying to stay in touch with friends and family in Mexico is the cost to call both to and from the country," said Vanessa Rodriguez, Director, Multicultural Marketing, Vonage. "The new Mexico Freedom plan breaks down these barriers by giving both those in the U.S. the flexibility to call Mexico easily and affordably while at the same time enabling family in Mexico to call Vonage customers in the U.S. for the price of a local call with our Local Access Numbers." taxes and fees) with a one-year agreement.

Customers can also use their home phone plan to make and receive calls on their iPhone® or Android™ smartphones2 anywhere there is a Wi-Fi or data3 connection with the Vonage® Extensions® App. Once installed, calls to a customer's home number will ring on the linked smartphones, ensuring customers never miss a call, can keep their mobile numbers private and can make low-cost international calls from virtually anywhere. With Wi-Fi calling, customers can use Vonage service on mobiles in areas with poor cellular coverage, including their homes. taxes and fees) with a one-year agreement.

In addition to unlimited1 calls to Mexico, the Vonage Mexico Freedom plan provides unlimited1 calling throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Learn more here. taxes and fees) with a one-year agreement.

"The Vonage Mexico Freedom plan provides customers with an inclusive calling experience, with the ability to make and receive calls from their smartphones using their home calling plan and providing local access numbers for friends and family in Mexico to call them in the U.S. for the cost of a local call. No other home phone service provider offers this level of versatility, convenience and value," Rodriguez said. taxes and fees) with a one-year agreement.

1Reasonable Use Policy applies. 2 Up to two mobile phones per line can be linked. 3 Data rates apply.

Vonage residential service (www.vonage.com) for individuals and families, and Vonage Business Solutions service (www.vonagebusiness.com) for small and medium businesses, run over the top of a customer's existing broadband connection. Through Telesphere (www.telesphere.com), Vonage offers service with carrier-grade performance over a private national MPLS broadband network, which is especially well suited to address the needs of larger businesses with multiple offices that require higher service level agreements (SLAs).

Antigua Trattoria Romana

Now that was a great meal. You can smell the corner restaurant a block away; garlic and hot bread and marinara sauce. Antigua Trattoria Romana sits on  a triangle formed by two streets, Zacateros and Cody,  since 1989 has been serving great Italian food to the residents and visitors in San Miguel.

Each couple split the POMODORI CIPOLLA ROSSA  Slices tomatoes, red onions, blue cheese, lettuce walnuts, raisins and olives for 82 pesos.  The olive oil and vinegar dressing weren't overwhelming for the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Then three of us ordered SPAGHETTI POMODORO E BASILICO  for 125.00  pesos. Spaghetti in a fresh tomato sauce and basil. The spaghetti was al dente and hot and the sauce stuck to the pasta perfectly.

The inside looks Italian and the serving staff, including Gustav were very attentive and joked with us.