# Queretaro/Guanajuato Bound~



## Pixielita (Jul 28, 2011)

Greetings all, 
I am a brand new member to this group. My intention to join this online community stems from years of dreaming of returning to live in Mexico. I lived in *Guanajuato/Queretaro * 18 years ago on and off.. Next month, August 2011, I will be going to *Queretaro/Guanajuato* for a visit. I hope to find Work and a place to live for my self and my daughter and our two dogs. So if there is anyone here who can assist me I am already so grateful to you. Cheers 
Gigi Perrusquia
I can be found on FB
“All endings are also beginnings. We just don’t know it at the time.” ~ Mitch Albom


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Gigi, this seems like a duplicate post but a new thread. If so, much of my input probably duplicate as well.
1st, when you say Queretaro/Guanajuato are you talking cities, states or a general area in the bajio. We just had visitors in Pozos doing the same thing and they also visited the cities of Guanajuato & Qurertaro. They like Guanajuato much better and thought Queretaro too big.
They are vastly different although both state capitals. Guanajuato is very quaint and colorful, almost reminds me of towns in southeast France or northwest Italy. It is primarily a college town with one of the best liberal arts colleges in all of Mexico, especially art & music. It has a relatively small expat population and puts a premium on Spanish fluency.
If you need to work, this could be problematic there unless you were dual language professor with a unique focus.
Queretaro on the other hand is a quickly expanding business hub with a lot of foreign companies. Since the easiest transition would occur if you were sponsored by a foreign company, I would spend time researching companies there. Samsung is building almost a building a month and Bombadier has announced a major presence and there are many more. Most of these companies are outside the main city and probably require a car. We think centro is wonderful but most expats we know settle in Jurica or Juruquilla. Queretaro is also doing a lot of expansion on the south side. Also, an outlying city such as Tequisquiapan isn't out of the question.
We live about mid-way between these cities and go to Guanajuato for the ambiance/pottery while we go to Queretaro for the shopping and restaurants.
Good luck!


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## Pixielita (Jul 28, 2011)

*Dear Conklinwh,
About 13 years ago, I lived in a little town just 20 minutes outside of Queretaro, Queretaro but in the state of Guanajuato. My children were age 1, 3 and 5yrs and I stayed home at my in-laws house learning Spanish, cooking and how to wash my clothes by hand.  My husband at the time had came into a settlement from a death in his family and neither of us were working but instead he built a home. I frequently visited little cities/towns such as Apaselo el Alto and Celaya which are in Guanajuato and we crossed the state line into the state of QRO to go into the bigger city of Queretaro for going to the movies, shopping at the big grocery stores and went on a few tours. 

I will be in that same area with my now ex in-laws at my daughters 15th Party, this weekend. I will have a 10 day visit and look forward to every second of my time there. I am open to finding work and a place to live so my daughter, I and our two dogs can relocate asap. I feel it is a wonderful opportunity for my daughter to go to school in Queretaro, us be near the in-laws (her grandparents, aunts, uncles and etc) and us live there. I am willing all I have yet to find is the way! 
*


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Sounds like a plan. I certainly have driven through both Apaseos on both the libre & cuota from Queretaro to Celaya. Sounds like you are looking at around but not necessarily in Queretaro. We did similar. We built 45min north up highway 57 from Queretaro in the state of Guanajuato and also 45 min from San Miguel. 
I would certainly spend time while near Queretaro researching the many large foreign firms that are expanding there as assume you didn't get dual citizenship or the right to work when married. This will allow you to pursue possible options where the company could sponsor you.
I would also look into Juruquilla as it is north where a lot of companies are and seems to have lots of building options. Also, a lot of Universities are locating there so there could well also be primary/secondary schooling options. I know that there have been multiple people on this site in the past that were looking for similar situations.
We think that there are a lot of positives to living around Queretaro but also not willing to live there as just too big.


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## Pixielita (Jul 28, 2011)

This is wonderful. When I was younger and married, I didn't have a plan or see my life other than just one day at a time, changing diapers and being a mommy. Now that my sons are both in college and it is just my daughter and I, it feels like the time is right for us to return and embrace Mexico. My kids were mostly raised here in the USA with visits to their grandparents home over the years and I have worked hard to keep them fluent enough to understand simple conversation. Kids learn fast and I am pretty good with Spanish. 

I have one contact in Queretaro and hope she can point me in the right direction of these many large foreign firms that are expanding there as I may not have a lot of time to do research this week before leaving. You are correct in assuming I don't have the right to work or dual citizenship, as I said those things were not even in my reality when I was living there last. I've been dreaming for years to return and embrace the wonders of the area that I was not able to enjoy while there before. 
Thank you so much for being kind and taking your time to give me your feed back. I appreciate it more than you know.
Cheers,
Pixielita~


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

De nada! We are in a very different situation but certainly will try to help if there are questions that you might have. As I said in earlier post, I'd start with Samsung and Bombadier as they are clearly expanding.


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## Pixielita (Jul 28, 2011)

*Queretaro area~*



conklinwh said:


> De nada! We are in a very different situation but certainly will try to help if there are questions that you might have. As I said in earlier post, I'd start with Samsung and Bombadier as they are clearly expanding.


Dear Conklinwk,
Well I've been back in the states for a week now. It was hard to leave and I contemplated having my sister mail my dogs to me lol. Even though it was dusty and I had to pay anywhere between 2 to 5 pesos to go to the restroom I wanted to stay, "wing it", find work, rent a place to live and enroll my daughter in school. 

I really wish I had an A to Z list that told me just what exactly to do. Now that my two older sons have went off to college and my 15 year old is game to relocate to Mexico, I feel like it is the right time. 

*Trying to search blogs and expatriate sites like this one for answers on what and how to make the move, make a living, a place to live and school for my daughter is like a full time job:ranger:, while I'm here looking for a full time job to save $$. Whew!*

My sister and the man she is seeing receive a bit of income monthly are thinking of moving down for a while to rent with me and to share expenses:clap2:. So I am going to send her a link to the area you mentioned most of the local expats live. 

I am seeing a man who is from Veracruz and I plan to see if he is willing to relocate with us. One way or the other I know I will make it down there to live etc.

I am going to re-read all your advice and see what I can find. Thank you so much!!!
Love, light and lots of salsa,
Gigi


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

We just had friends down from the US that flew into/out of the Queretaro airport. Flights from Continental & American making this a very viable option. Also gave us opportunity to see the new Bombadier plant as it is next to the airport. Pretty impressive and a lot of expansion.
We also drove through the area about 10 min north of Juruquilla(20min north of Queretaro) where the plant expansion seems to be accelerating on both sides of Hwy 57. Again Samsung seems to be the expansion leader.
We also took the opportunity to have a great seafood comida sitting on platform above the Juruquilla reservoir-a favorite spot and to shop at the new Juruquilla Superama. I'm always amazed at the building explosion of all types in Juruquilla.
Finally we splurged and spent a night at the Casa de La Marquesa in Queretaro. A wonderful place that is very well situated in the historic center.
I've seen a number of posts on threads of people that have recently moved to outskirts of Queretaro and they should have some good input.


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