# Some practical questions for experienced Expats in Mexico



## ZeroTX (Apr 11, 2010)

Hi All,

My wife and I are education professionals in our 30's and are seriously considering a move to Mexico for 2 years or more, if it works out to our liking. We love Mexico, we love the culture, the language, and we are passionate educators. I know that everyone thinks they can go to Mexico and teach English, but I think our chances for this are higher, for a variety of reasons, including master's degrees in Education and connections in Cuernavaca, the likely city of choice for us.

Okay, to the point... I'd like to get some information or suggested places to begin looking for the following questions...

1) I have heard that there's a new immigration law. Does anyone know how this will/has affected work permits for Americans/Expats?

2) How feasible is it to expect to be able to find a furnished apartment to rent in Cuernavaca or other major cities in Mexico? If not, we could always rent and purchase some used furniture on arrival. I know how to do this in the U.S. (Craig's List), but I'm clueless in Mexico.

3) What is involved in bringing pets (two indoor cats, fixed and declawed) to Mexico? We have no children, but these are our "kids!"

4) Does anyone know anything about primary and secondary American or English-speaking schools in Cuernavaca? My wife's primary teaching subject is mathematics, and mine is language (English) or Social Studies. I'm also pretty well versed in Information Tech/Computers, as I did that type of work in a former life. 

5) Any suggestions on bringing a car over? We have a Toyota hatchback that would probably work and fit well in Mexico. I figure we'd limit to just one car, but I'd rather not drive around with TEXAS plates in Mexico, as that would make us a target for police hassle.

We would not be looking to buy real estate, and we would probably visit the U.S. once every 6 months for family and medical reasons, at least until we better understand how to meet those needs in Mexico.

Any input you can give is GREATLY appreciated! 

Thanks,

ZeroTX


----------



## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

1)  http://www.expatforum.com/expats/mexico-expat-forum-expats-living-mexico/51317-rollybrooks-latest-inm-forms.html

2) It might be challenging. Most houses/apartments come without even a stove or refrigerator. But you can furnish a place for less than it would cost to rent for a month in most US cities. So think of it as a deposit.

3) http://www.expatforum.com/expats/mexico-expat-forum-expats-living-mexico/95356-new-pet-rules-they-sometimes-enforced.html 

4) You will need an inmigrante or no-inmigrante visa with permission to work. There are probably only one or two such schools and you would be trying to find two openings at them. Not the best job hunting strategy. 

5) http://www.expatforum.com/expats/mexico-expat-forum-expats-living-mexico/92951-updated-border-crossing-info-vehicles.html

PS Did you try looking for this information on the forum. Most of these topics are discussed at length in existing threads and posts. It is always a good idea to search for existing answers before asking questions that have already been discussed extensively. This is true for any forum, not just this one.


----------



## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Since you seem to be interested in Cuernavaca .... try this Yahoo Group Cuernavaca Ads Email Exchange . There are others for other cities like San Miguel. There is also a Craig's List Mexico.

"New" immigration laws are months away


----------



## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

Anuncios clasificados gratis Cuernavaca - Locanto?
Casas en renta Morelos y Departamentos en renta Morelos
inmuebles en Cuernavaca
Departamentos en renta en Cuernavaca, Morelos , inmuebles en Mercadoi.com - pagina 1

Some listing that you can peruse through.


----------



## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

1) See TundraGreen's link. 

2) Furnished apartments are more common in Mexico than in the US. I'll bet you won't have a big problem. When we first arrived we did the furnished apartment thing and, although it limits your choices, we had several to choose from in our price range in Guanajuato.

3) See TundraGreen's link. 

4) I assume that this question refers to finding a job. That may not be so easy, especially if you need to support yourself with the income. Cuernavaca is the Spanish school for foreigners capitol of Mexico so the place is full of visiting English speaking foreigners, many of whom are backpackers and are willing take an English teaching job for $3 US per hour during their time there. The school owners might prefer your credentials, experience and stability but they may not want to up the pay much when people are lined up at their door to work for a pittance.
If you do find a teaching job, the work visa is easy since the schools generally take care of that for you, at least any legitimate school.
You may want to look into doing what some do (I think maybe IslaVerde did this??) -- get yourself a work visa through teaching at a school for a while (accepting the crummy money) and then have your visa switched over (since it is employer based) to an independent contractor work visa and start teaching privately and you can charge whatever the market will bear.

5) Again, see TundraGreen's link.


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

circle110 said:


> 4) I assume that this question refers to finding a job. That may not be so easy, especially if you need to support yourself with the income. Cuernavaca is the Spanish school for foreigners capitol of Mexico so the place is full of visiting English speaking foreigners, many of whom are backpackers and are willing take an English teaching job for $3 US per hour during their time there. The school owners might prefer your credentials, experience and stability but they may not want to up the pay much when people are lined up at their door to work for a pittance.
> If you do find a teaching job, the work visa is easy since the schools generally take care of that for you, at least any legitimate school.
> You may want to look into doing what some do (I think maybe IslaVerde did this??) -- get yourself a work visa through teaching at a school for a while (accepting the crummy money) and then have your visa switched over (since it is employer based) to an independent contractor work visa and start teaching privately and you can charge whatever the market will bear.


Hi, I'm Isla Verde. I live in Mexico City and haven't visited Cuernavaca in quite a while, but I know enough about the place to second what circle110 has to say about the abundance of backpacker English teachers, who are probably willing to work for peanuts. However, since you are interested in working with children in a primary or secondary school, rather than at a for-profit language school, your qualifications might give you an edge in finding a position. I don't know anything about private schools that might be interested in hiring you, so I suggest you post an inquiry at either or both of these websites that cater to expat English teachers: Job Discussion Forums :: Index and ELT World Discussion :: Index. 

It is possible to apply for a work visa that allows you to work _de manera independiente without having first worked for a school, which is what I do. However, I am semi-retired so don't need to support myself completely from my free-lance income. I think that would be very hard to do in Cuernavaca since the market for private English classes is obviously smaller than it is in a huge city like Mexico City, but I could be wrong. 

Good luck!_


----------



## ZeroTX (Apr 11, 2010)

Thanks for all of the replies. It is tricky, in that we are not independently wealthy, nor retired... For that matter, not necessarily seeking permanent relocation, but maybe a 2-3 year period of time. By then we'll either love Mexico and never want to leave, or miss Texas so much, that we can't wait to get back 

I'll continue my research.


----------

