# Family Education Experience



## danrobison (May 18, 2010)

Attorney in Southwest US. Thinking of moving family down to Irapuato (received good reviews from a client) for 3 to 4 months next year. I would stay here, and commute down once monthly or so. My wife would be there with kids (six in all--yea big huh?). 

Has anyone in this forum done such a thing. Has it been a good experience. Want to have them experience foreign culture (hopefully afordable). I am assuming that it would be deep enough in country to bypass some of the safety issues you hear about in the news.

I have personally lived 4 years over seas in Hong Kong, Nanjing, Jerusalem and other areas of trave. Obviously need to work on Spanish with the fam.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Home schooling or public/private. My experience is that your kids can attend public school but it will depend on the administrators and the time of year they want to enroll. Schools fill up in the fall. With only 3-4 months private school may be the only choice. Young kids do well without the language but the older ones will be lost. Maybe you'll just be on 'vacation' but interacting with the community/local kids will make the real experience .... school seems the best way


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Wow, this could be a great experience or disaster depending on what your objectives are and how you proceed. I must say it is rare for family to move and you to commute as normally vice versa as I expect with your previous overseas experiences. I couldn't conceive of taking my wife and kids to Mexico and then leave so I must be missing something. The kids will be fine, although schooling does need get resolved, but a lot of pressure on the wife.
Irapuato is fairly large city in business and farming area. Certainly not what I would call a resort or vacation area but has very good roads to a lot of interesting places.


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## danrobison (May 18, 2010)

We are working on having a semi host family who would take an interest in welfare. We home school the kids. My wife has been on eastern seaboard for 6 weeks without need of assistance. Would actually pre arrange a nanny to work with her. I would fly down with the fam, and set them up in housing, etc.

Oldest child is 15--youngest would be 3. We are also wanting to take them to Perth, Australia in 2 years to be with family moving over there for 3 months. That is probably the max I could be separated. In the meantime, we are going to start Spanish lessons.

Are you suggesting that Irapuato is not the best area. Don't want border town problems, so was informed deep down, but out of the Big City would be a better experience. The possible host has a 20 acre farm, where we might locate so they can work there as well. Also want access to sizeable city where they could get a flavor of urban life, football (soccer), other amenities available there.

Concerns are: 1) safety of area; 2) visa issues; 3) etc.

PS: If any of you have alternative suggestions, please advise.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

I don't have personal experience with Irapuato as just drive through it and the surrounding cities of Silao and Salamanca. What I have seen is spawling Mexican city with fair amount of industry and large farms. I think key is what your family is looking for. I would think that if want interesting place to live that Guanajuato, Morelia or Patzcuaro are more interesting and still very Mexican.
I'm sure that your family can have a great experience almost anywhere depending on expectations, especially if a friend with a farm. You do need to visit as the differences are huge.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Excellent advice: 'Visit first.' Then decide.


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## seismeses (Oct 2, 2009)

Overall, Guanajuato state is quite safe, Irapuato included. We've been living in Guanajuato city for the past 6 month, with one child, and have been very happy here, no sense of insecurity other than what you'd expect in any city. Actually, probably a little less than what I've sensed in a lot of American cities. Farm life sounds ideal, especially with a host family, as the one piece of advice I'd give a family trying to get a Mexican experience is to push your boundaries and get as much contact with locals as possible. Not always easy to do, and with a natural "in" like yours, you'd get a much richer experience. Irapuato is the "strawberry capital" of Mexico - sounds like fun.


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