# Bancomer´s "Preferred Customer Program"



## Hound Dog

Any of you expats living in areas of Mexico with large expat populations and bankiing with BBVA Bancomer are probably familiiar, at least marginally with that bank´s "Peferred Customer Program" and the fact that certain bank branches in areas with large expat populations have been cdesignated "Preferred Customer Units" (PCUs) If you are an expat living in Mexico and opened an account at Bancomer, since the establishment of this marketing gimmick, you have automatically been designated a preferred customer with the privileges that supposedly confer upon you when you enter the branch to do business the most obvious privilege of which is the special teller line open to you from which "ordinary, every day" Bancomer customers are excluded. The PCUs also made an effort to make sure that English speaking personnel were always on duty to serve customers who do not speak Spanish. I have never had the temerity to wait in that normally mostly empty PCU special teller line as we would have found it embarrassing to enter a special, express line catering to only a few clients, many of whom no doubt deserve that service based upon the profitability of the banking relationship no matter whether they are locals or expats but for the bank to designate me and my wife as preferred customers simply because we are foreigners always struck me as an absurd and misguided marketing gimmick. Just because we are foreigners does not automatically mean that we have any money (there are many dirt poor foreign retirees living at Lakeside) or are a profitable relationship for the bank even if we do have truck loads of money and I say that as a banker of some 40 years ending in 2001. In fact, here in the Lake Chapala region known locally as "Lakeside" there are lots of expats who don´t have a pot to pee in which is one of the reasons many of them retired or relocated here instead of Palm Beach or even San Miguel d´Allende. 

Perhaps another reason we never took the PUC concept seriously is that my wife is French and became somewhat frosted over the notion that these branches catered to English speaking clients with bi-lingual staff but never catered to French clients in the least. Since she speaks Spanish fluently, this is not an issue with her but, nevertheless, she found this narrowly defined concept of preferred customers based on the fact that they spoke English annoying.

I found the preferred customer designation being automatically extended to all foreigners annoying for another reason. I knew from personal experience as a long time branch bank officer that a client´s nationality, ethnic origin or manner of dress was never an indicator of whether or not that particular client should be designated a preferred customer based on a profitable relationship so the whole notion of designating a certain group of clients as special simply based on their birthplace or citizenship was always a lame concept. 

I was in my Bancomer branch in Ajijic yesterday and was discussing the PCU concept with the brarch manager, informing him that, in Chiapas where I also live, branch management limited access to the preferred customer line to merchant and business clients and clients who were known to have established profitable relationships with the bank and, since there are very few foreigners living there, the concept of one qualifying as a preferred customer simply because one was a foreigner was alien to branch managers in Chiapas and waiting in that privileged line just because one was a foreigner would likely end up with the client being ejected and told to return to the "ordinary" customer line with the other unremarkable folks.

He then informed me that the whole program had never really caught on and had been a colossal and embarrassing flop so had been discontinued since a month or two ago. Good for them. Now, when I go into Bancomer, I am simply Hound Dog once again and that high falutin PCU out on the libramiento has ben shuttered as a waste of brick and mortar.


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## Danpapa

Seems reasonable, the branch bank that I worked for in the US had a window designated for commercial customers because of the amount of time required to count their deposits. Individuals transactions normally aren't that lengthy or require a great deal of verbal communication if all of the documents are completed. Going to a special line would make me feel more self conscious than I already do in a place where my ****** appearance causes me to stand out like a sore thumb.


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## TundraGreen

Hound Dog said:


> Any of you expats living in areas of Mexico with large expat populations and bankiing with BBVA Bancomer are probably familiiar, at least marginally with that bank´s "Preferred Customer Program" and the fact that certain bank branches in areas with large expat populations have been cdesignated "Preferred Customer Units" (PCUs).


I have some kind of special status with Banamex based on their history of dealing with me. I am pretty sure they haven't established a special program for foreigners since, in six years, I have never seen another foreigner in any of the branches of Banamex that I have been dealing with. In any event, I never take advantage of the card which would allow me to jump to the head of the line in any branch. In the first place, I am generally uncomfortable with those kinds of privileges, and secondly, I have no interest in advertising the fact that the bank views me as a special customer.


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## m_p_w

Somewhat apropos of this thread, could anyone shed some light on whether any of the Mexican banks preferred customer programs provide an improved (i.e., less expensive) method of transferring funds back to the U.S.

It seems that my situation is different than many people's on this forum in that I'm not retired in Mexico, but rather working here as a consultant. I'm not looking for special treatment in the bank branch, in fact I'd prefer to have online access and never have to enter a bank branch if at all possible. What I really need is an efficient way to move funds back to my bank account in the U.S.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

M


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## Hound Dog

_


TundraGreen said:



I have some kind of special status with Banamex based on their history of dealing with me. I am pretty sure they haven't established a special program for foreigners since, in six years, I have never seen another foreigner in any of the branches of Banamex that I have been dealing with....

Click to expand...

_


TundraGreen said:


> Actually, TG, Banamex does have a "Cliente Distinguido" feature known as BANAMEX1with the slogans, "Atención Preferencial, Los Mejores Productos & Experiencia Único en el Servicio". Banamex does not, however, automaticlaly extend the program to clients simply because they are foreign residents or visitors to Mexico as did Bancomer with its "Preferred Customer" program now defunct. At the Chapala and San Cristóbal branches where I tend to my banking business in those two towns, the branches have special lines for BANAMEX1 and CITICORP customers (CITIBANK is a majority owner of Banamex). Just today I was in the Chapala branch of Banamex and there was a large crowd vying for service at the teller windows so, since I am a BANAMEX1 client for reasons that escape me except that I have a special "Cuenta Maestra" account that is a checking account with attendant computer electronically initiated investment transfer opportunities and requires a larger minimum balance ($20,000 Pesos, I believe), and the ownership of such an account apparently makes one a candidate for BANAMEX1 status. Well, since those teller lines were really long, I decided to wait in the BANAMEX1 line with a few other customers, all Mexicans except me. I had forgotten to bring my BANAMEX1 card and expected to be summarily ejected from that line and told to rejoin the "ordinary" customer line and, sure enough, pretty soon, a bank platform officer approached me and inquired as to whether or not I realized I was in the line reserved solely for BANAMEX1 customers. Well I have lived in Mexico long enough to know that apparent self confidence goes a long way here as long as one is polite and civil so I responded in a pleasant manner, "Well, of course I am a BANAMEX1 client or I would not be in this line." "Well, OK." he responded and left me alone to make my deposit.
> 
> Mexican bankers hate confrontations unlike U.S. bankers who love them and are always pleased to catch some clown pretending to be due certain services reserved for others. That is one of the charming characteristics of this culture I have adopted. I have now decided to be sure to always have my BANAMEX1 card when I go into Banamex to avoid any humiliation as would have been the case had that bank officer said, "Show me your card." I guess I could have told him my dog ate it had that become necessary.


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## TundraGreen

Hound Dog said:


> _
> 
> 
> TundraGreen said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have some kind of special status with Banamex based on their history of dealing with me. I am pretty sure they haven't established a special program for foreigners since, in six years, I have never seen another foreigner in any of the branches of Banamex that I have been dealing with....
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> _
> 
> 
> TundraGreen said:
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, TG, Banamex does have a "Cliente Distinguido" feature known as BANAMEX1with the slogans, "Atención Preferencial, Los Mejores Productos & Experiencia Único en el Servicio". Banamex does not, however, automaticlaly extend the program to clients simply because they are foreign residents or visitors to Mexico as did Bancomer with its "Preferred Customer" program now defunct. At the Chapala and San Cristóbal branches where I tend to my banking business in those two towns, the branches have special lines for BANAMEX1 and CITICORP customers (CITIBANK is a majority owner of Banamex). Just today I was in the Chapala branch of Banamex and there was a large crowd vying for service at the teller windows so, since I am a BANAMEX1 client for reasons that escape me except that I have a special "Cuenta Maestra" account that is a checking account with attendant computer electronically initiated investment transfer opportunities and requires a larger minimum balance ($20,000 Pesos, I believe), and the ownership of such an account apparently makes one a candidate for BANAMEX1 status. Well, since those teller lines were really long, I decided to wait in the BANAMEX1 line with a few other customers, all Mexicans except me. I had forgotten to bring my BANAMEX1 card and expected to be summarily ejected from that line and told to rejoin the "ordinary" customer line and, sure enough, pretty soon, a bank platform officer approached me and inquired as to whether or not I realized I was in the line reserved solely for BANAMEX1 customers. Well I have lived in Mexico long enough to know that apparent self confidence goes a long way here as long as one is polite and civil so I responded in a pleasant manner, "Well, of course I am a BANAMEX1 client or I would not be in this line." "Well, OK." he responded and left me alone to make my deposit.
> 
> Mexican bankers hate confrontations unlike U.S. bankers who love them and are always pleased to catch some clown pretending to be due certain services reserved for others. That is one of the charming characteristics of this culture I have adopted. I have now decided to be sure to always have my BANAMEX1 card when I go into Banamex to avoid any humiliation as would have been the case had that bank officer said, "Show me your card." I guess I could have told him my dog ate it had that become necessary.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a Banamex1 card as well. We are in agreement that it is independent of your nationality and just based on details about your bank account and balances. None of the branches that I have visited (3 in Guadalajara) have had a special line. I have just been told or read, I don't remember which, that you can jump to the head of the line with the Banamex1 card. I am reluctant to do that. If they had a separate line I would probably use it.
Click to expand...


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## Isla Verde

Hound Dog said:


> ... Well I have lived in Mexico long enough to know that apparent self confidence goes a long way here as long as one is polite and civil ...


Excellent advice, HD! That kind of attitude helped me get through my recent INM purgatory without losing my cool, well almost always without losing my cool.


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## Hound Dog

Well, TG, it is one thing to have a separate line for customers upon which the bank wishes to confer special status and quite another to encourage those customers so desigated to just jump the line in front of those who have been patiently waiting. I could not do that either. In fact, since there are so many desperately poor people in Chiapas who receive governmental assistance each month, around the first of each month when the assistance checks are issued, the teller and ATM lines at Bancomer in San Cristóbal are exceedingly long and out the doors into the street for several days. Those waiting interminably in line for their meager assistance allocations are 99% "indigentes". Because of these lines, I refuse to go near the bank at the end and beginning of each month and, one day, was chatting with a bank officer at the brannch and telling him of the impossibility of affecting even small routine banking transactiosn at that time and he told me that I should simply break the ATM line and insert myself in front of the first person in a line of maybe 100 people at any given moment and go about my business immediately. I can assure you I was not about to do that so, when I am in Chiapas, I make sure my banking affairs are in order before, say, the 28th of each month. 

I love Chiapas but watching those poor folks who (in the poorest state in the nation) must have governmental assistance simply to survive waiting forever in line every month for a few pesos needed for basic foodstuffs, is heartbreaking. Yeah, right; I´m gonna break that line. Not a chance in hell.


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## Hound Dog

_


Isla Verde said:



Excellent advice, HD! That kind of attitude helped me get through my recent INM purgatory without losing my cool, well almost always without losing my cool.

Click to expand...

_Ah yes, Isla, I understand completely. When we went in for our "Inmigrado" (Permanent Resident) cards at INM in Guadalajara in November, 2010 with visions of never darkening the door of INM ever again after ten years of annual visits in hell, the INM agent we were assigned by the luck of the draw responded upon our inquiry after having disappeared into the back office for about 20 minutes "We can´t find any file on you folks at all. Have a seat and we will call upon you later to discuss this matter." To which my wife replied (politely but firmly), "We wish to speak with your boss, immediately." Then, this fellow once again retired to the back office and our file and new "Inmigrado" cards miraculously appeared as if out of the ether and we were soon on our way out the door as new permanent residents of Mexico. 

By the way, this heavy-set fellow playing mind games with us back in 2010 is now assigned to the Chapala office. Good luck to the rest of you if, by the luck of the draw, you end up dealing with this person.


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## The Truth

Hound Dog said:


> my wife is French and became somewhat frosted over the notion that these branches catered to English speaking clients with bi-lingual staff but never catered to French clients in the least. Since she speaks Spanish fluently, this is not an issue with her but, nevertheless, she found this narrowly defined concept of preferred customers based on the fact that they spoke English annoying.


With the exception of Chinese, English and Spanish are, by far, the most frequently spoken languages worldwide. When you figure in the close proximity of the US to Mexico, why on Earth would your wife be "frosted" that they don't speak French - especially if she speaks Spanish? This arrogance is astonishing.


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## Hound Dog

[_QUOTE=The Truth;2468738]With the exception of Chinese, English and Spanish are, by far, the most frequently spoken languages worldwide. When you figure in the close proximity of the US to Mexico, why on Earth would your wife be "frosted" that they don't speak French - especially if she speaks Spanish? This arrogance is astonishing.[/QUOTE]_

My wife is a French citizen from Paris who spent most of her life, while outside of France, in the United States and Mexico. She speaks several languages and, apparently, unlike yourself, retains a sense of humor which I, an Alabama boy who can barely speak English, was trying, clearly if unsuccessfully , to convey in my post. Neither my wife nor I care in the least what you think. 

My wife, having been married to me for 42 years, has an ironic sense of humor which may have passed you by. If you don´t get the humor in her remark about the moronic PFC Units of Bancomer, you might wish to crawl back into that cocoon for another 20 years and try again to assimilate later. 

You might also want to lighten up a bit.


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## GARYJ65

Danpapa said:


> Seems reasonable, the branch bank that I worked for in the US had a window designated for commercial customers because of the amount of time required to count their deposits. Individuals transactions normally aren't that lengthy or require a great deal of verbal communication if all of the documents are completed. Going to a special line would make me feel more self conscious than I already do in a place where my ****** appearance causes me to stand out like a sore thumb.


What is that ****** appearance? As Mr Obama?


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## GARYJ65

The Truth said:


> With the exception of Chinese, English and Spanish are, by far, the most frequently spoken languages worldwide. When you figure in the close proximity of the US to Mexico, why on Earth would your wife be "frosted" that they don't speak French - especially if she speaks Spanish? This arrogance is astonishing.


I don't agree with this comment
Also, a poster whose nickname is THE TRUTH, talking about arrogance???


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## Isla Verde

GARYJ65 said:


> What is that ****** appearance? As Mr Obama?


Perhaps Danpapa was referring to the stereotyped ****** appearance: tall, pale, and wearing shorts and sandals with socks. This description applies only to male gringos, of course. Do Mexicans think of President Obama as a typical ******? Just wondering ...


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## GARYJ65

Isla Verde said:


> Perhaps Danpapa was referring to the stereotyped ****** appearance: tall, pale, and wearing shorts and sandals with socks. This description applies only to male gringos, of course. Do Mexicans think of President Obama as a typical ******? Just wondering ...


Some Mexicans think the typical ****** as a tall, pale, blond with excess of teeth
But nowadays many, including me, do not know what is the "typical" ****** or gringa
Just the same as the "typical" Mexican is not short, dark with a sombrero
I think never has been the case

Some minorities are not minorities anymore


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## lagoloo

Isla Verde said:


> Perhaps Danpapa was referring to the stereotyped ****** appearance: tall, pale, and wearing shorts and sandals with socks. This description applies only to male gringos, of course. Do Mexicans think of President Obama as a typical ******? Just wondering ...


Lakeside is currently jammed with folks who fit that description. They are called Snowbirds.


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## Corri

Wait a minute! I just got off line with the latest Bancomer web site and they are promoting the preferred customer in English like crazy. They even have the latest information about fund yields as well as the latest economic news. Doesn´t sound like they have cancelled out this program? Although, I did request someone to respond to a form they provide to see if they really are in the business of assisting newbies like me. So far no phone or email from them. Guess I´ll just have to wait and see if they are really in this business??


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## RVGRINGO

It is not unusual for the latest website of a Mexican firm to be several years old. Some will have a contact link or e-mail address, but they are seldom monitored. As such, getting a respons would be a true surprise.
This is still a face to face country. It is more sociable that way. Phone calls are seldom returned, either. These facts are particularly true if the response might have to be negative. Giving a negative response is impossibly impolite and just cannot be done.


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## Hound Dog

[_QUOTE=RVGRINGO;2477321]It is not unusual for the latest website of a Mexican firm to be several years old. Some will have a contact link or e-mail address, but they are seldom monitored. As such, getting a respons would be a true surprise.
This is still a face to face country. It is more sociable that way. Phone calls are seldom returned, either. These facts are particularly true if the response might have to be negative. Giving a negative response is impossibly impolite and just cannot be done.[/QUOTE]_

Well said, RV. "No problema" is the favorite phrase of Mexicans and I equate that phrase with the "Don´t worry about it, boss." of the Alabama in which I grew up in the 1940s and 1950s. Both Mexico and Alabama have long histories of enslavement of darker skinned people by lighter skinned people and, whether one was in the deep south in the U.S. or the deep south of Mexico, it was understood that bad news was not welcome by those in power over you and they had the ultimate power to take it out on you personally if displeased. Thus, in Mexico and Alabama, according to the communications rules always in play, everything is "just fine" even though, in reality it may not just fine but that´s alright and as long as everyone is in agreement that all is well then that´s just fine.

I also enjoyed your comment about responses to e-mails or phone calls in Mexico. We have long since stopped EVER and I mean* EVER*. expecting returned phone calls and especially responses to e-mails in Mexico. 

As you may know, my wife deals with many indigenous artisans in Chiapas and your comment reminded me of one very successfull artisan down there with whom she has dealt over the years who had some really fancy new business cards printed up complete witth an e-mail web site. My wife tried to access the web site only to find it did not, in fact, even exist. Later, when visiting her artisan friend, she told him that she had been unable to access his web site to which he responded; "Oh, there is no such web site. The person who helped me design the business card told me that the card would be much more impressive if there were an e-mail web site printed on it so we just made one up."


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## ojosazules11

Hound Dog said:


> [_QUOTE=RVGRINGO;2477321]It is not unusual for the latest website of a Mexican firm to be several years old. Some will have a contact link or e-mail address, but they are seldom monitored. As such, getting a respons would be a true surprise.
> This is still a face to face country. It is more sociable that way. Phone calls are seldom returned, either. These facts are particularly true if the response might have to be negative. Giving a negative response is impossibly impolite and just cannot be done._





Hound Dog said:


> Well said, RV. "No problema" is the favorite phrase of Mexicans and I equate that phrase with the "Don´t worry about it, boss." of the Alabama in which I grew up in the 1940s and 1950s. Both Mexico and Alabama have long histories of enslavement of darker skinned people by lighter skinned people and, whether one was in the deep south in the U.S. or the deep south of Mexico, it was understood that bad news was not welcome by those in power over you and they had the ultimate power to take it out on you personally if displeased. Thus, in Mexico and Alabama, according to the communications rules always in play, everything is "just fine" even though, in reality it may not just fine but that´s alright and as long as everyone is in agreement that all is well then that´s just fine.
> 
> I also enjoyed your comment about responses to e-mails or phone calls in Mexico. We have long since stopped EVER and I mean* EVER*. expecting returned phone calls and especially responses to e-mails in Mexico.
> 
> As you may know, my wife deals with many indigenous artisans in Chiapas and your comment reminded me of one very successfull artisan down there with whom she has dealt over the years who had some really fancy new business cards printed up complete witth an e-mail web site. My wife tried to access the web site only to find it did not, in fact, even exist. Later, when visiting her artisan friend, she told him that she had been unable to access his web site to which he responded; "Oh, there is no such web site. The person who helped me design the business card told me that the card would be much more impressive if there were an e-mail web site printed on it so we just made one up."


[/I]

I love it! Of course it's frustrating for those who want to access said website, but there's something so .... liberating about this attitude. Many of us take ourselves far too seriously and can impose that on others -- I would never have the nerve to make up a fake website for a business card, but I find it refreshing that this artisan did just that. 

In terms of not wanting to give a negative response and therefore simply not responding, it reminds me of asking for directions in Latin America. Rather than simply saying "I don't know", in my experience many folks will do their best to give you SOME directions even if they really don't have a clue. I long ago decided to use such experiences as a chance to explore new environs.


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## Isla Verde

Hound Dog said:


> [_QUOTE=RVGRINGO;2477321]
> 
> Well said, RV. "No problema" is the favorite phrase of Mexicans and I equate that phrase with the "Don´t worry about it, boss." of the Alabama in which I grew up in the 1940s and 1950s. _


_

Do Mexicans say "no problema"? I think they're more likely to say "no hay problema" or "no es problema". GaryJ65, we need your expert opinion here._


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## GARYJ65

Isla Verde said:


> Do Mexicans say "no problema"? I think they're more likely to say "no hay problema" or "no es problema". GaryJ65, we need your expert opinion here.


Wow!
You made my day by rating my opinion as expert!
We would say "no hay problema" 95 % of the time


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## Isla Verde

GARYJ65 said:


> Wow!
> You made my day by rating my opinion as expert!
> We would say "no hay problema" 95 % of the time


Well, you are a well-spoken, bilingual native speaker of Spanish. That puts you in the expert category in my expert opinion. I also thought that "no hay problema" is the most-used form of this expression in Mexico, so your comment makes my day!


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## RVGRINGO

Ah, yes! We learned the directions lesson early on. We expats in Mexico come from countries where everyone drives, and has even been out of town. So, we think nothing of asking the nearest pedestrian on the curb for directions. In Mexico, they will be cheerfully given with smiles and warm wishes for a good trip, even though that pedestrian may not know his way out of a six block neighborhood, has never driven a car and is seldom even a passenger. Those big green sighs remain a mystery to him, too. Once, I drove a quite literate Mexican friend, who does not drive, from Chapala to Guadalajara. He seemed amazed that I, a new arrival to Mexico, could find my way around the city and to our intended destination. He always took buses and had never considered pre-planning such a trip with a map; certainly not previewing it with Google Earth. Sitting on a bus, the big green signs are invisible to any but the front seat passenger & the driver; therefore outside of consideration. It was a lesson for me. Now, my vision makes driving impossible and being a passenger an unpleasant experience, but I do miss it for many reasons. Thanks for the memories.
Now, what was that about a preferred customer plan? I think that is history too.


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## Hound Dog

ojosazules11 said:


> [/I]
> [/I]
> _
> I love it! Of course it's frustrating for those who want to access said website, but there's something so .... liberating about this attitude. Many of us take ourselves far too seriously and can impose that on others -- I would never have the nerve to make up a fake website for a business card, but I find it refreshing that this artisan did just that.
> 
> In terms of not wanting to give a negative response and therefore simply not responding, it reminds me of asking for directions in Latin America. Rather than simply saying "I don't know", in my experience many folks will do their best to give you SOME directions even if they really don't have a clue. I long ago decided to use such experiences as a chance to explore new environs._




I love this, ojo. 

I am reminded of a driving trip we took to Guatelamala some 30 years ago when we decided to drive from Antigua to Lake Atltlan and ended up hopelessly lost in the small town of Solola some 20 kilometers from Panajachel on the lake, we could not find our way through Solola and kept asking passers-by on the street how t get to the highway to Lake Atitlan and, to the person, they always had an answer to go this way or that way and these directions always ended up in total failure untile we finally reqalized that none of those people of whome we inquired of directions had even even been out of Solola excepts perhaps, on a bus and had no idea how to get out of town but their culture required them to answer positively even though they had no idea as to how to getto Lake Atitlan in he first place.

Once you begin to understand this social phenomenon, you can live here in peace.


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## kcowan

The Preferred Client Unit (PCU) allows you to join the Adelante line which is for well-off Mexicans. In PV, if you want to deal in English, you have to go upstairs and wait your turn to get things translated and then go down to the fast line.

Many times the fast line moves slower than the regular line. It was launched with great fanfare in 2008 but is now a shadow of its former self. We are now clients of InterCam who really do cater to English clients with foreign bank accounts.


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