# Lowdown on San Jeronimo in Monterrey



## Beep (Feb 9, 2012)

Hi Everyone,

I am moving to Monterrey with my girlfriend who is doing an internship for a financial company. The company she is with is arranging a place for her in San Jeronimo. I have heard this is a nicer area.

What is the low down on this area? Is it a nice area to live in?
Are there parks in this area? Particularly, I like to run (jog) and I´m wondering if the area is conducive to that. How is public transport?

Also, lots of people talk about safety concerns. I have lived in Bogota for the last year, so i´m no stranger to latin america. but is this overblown?

Thanks for the help!

Ben


----------



## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

I live in Colinas de San Jeronimo. Its a great area. Lots of parks and shopping. Food choices for almost everyone as well. As far as the violence, here n SJ you don't see much of it. Don't get me wrong, you still need to watch your back and be cautious, but not like San Nicholas or Guadalupe ( other side of town). The military has had a bigger presence here in Monterrey in general so it feels like the violence has calmed down a little, but i am sure it just feels like that. Every week there are still people getting killed, just not within 5 kilometers of me.

SJ is right across the river from San Pedro which is a really nice area as well. More expats there. Here in SJ there are not too many folks that speak English, but even if you do they don't look at you funny.

Pm me if you want to discuss further.


----------



## Beep (Feb 9, 2012)

Hi Conor,

Thanks a lot for your response awhile back. I should´ve replied to say thanks. Actually, I couldn´t PM you as I am not a senior enough user yet but I have actually just arrived in Monterrey and am currently staying close to alfonso reyes and avenida revolucion. But as I am new here, I am looking to meet a few people, get a little more settled in and get a better understanding of the city. Maybe we could meet up for a beer sometime if that works for you? My email is benpennington at gmail dot com. Let me know

Cheers,

Ben


----------



## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

Beep said:


> Hi Conor,
> 
> Thanks a lot for your response awhile back. I should´ve replied to say thanks. Actually, I couldn´t PM you as I am not a senior enough user yet but I have actually just arrived in Monterrey and am currently staying close to alfonso reyes and avenida revolucion. But as I am new here, I am looking to meet a few people, get a little more settled in and get a better understanding of the city. Maybe we could meet up for a beer sometime if that works for you? My email is benpennington at gmail dot com. Let me know
> 
> ...


Hey Ben. A beer would be great. I'll be pretty busy this week and traveling next week, so I think that end of next week (maybe Saturday) would be good. I'll email you.

Conor


----------



## Beep (Feb 9, 2012)

Enjoy your travels next week! Looking forward to meeting up.


----------



## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

Beep said:


> Enjoy your travels next week! Looking forward to meeting up.


Yeah! Thanks! I'm looking forward to it as well! We can maybe have a BBQ at my place next weekend. I like to grill and we have an awesome view from San Jeronimo....plus the beer is always cold over here.


----------



## Beep (Feb 9, 2012)

mmm cold beer and barbeque..speaking my language. also getting to know san jeronimo would be nice as well.


----------



## ACE_Gringo (May 3, 2012)

San Jemo is a decent area. When I used to fly between IAH and MTY we stayed in a hotel in that area. It is safe for the most part. Just watch yourself at night like you would anywhere else.

You will find the area a good location with quick access to major parts of the city and an almost straight shot to the airport.


----------



## Beep (Feb 9, 2012)

*English bookstores*

Thanks ACE_Gringo! 

Also, would any of you happen to know a bookstore in the city that carries English books?


----------



## ACE_Gringo (May 3, 2012)

I do not know of bookstores there BUT I have a friend who lives there and I will email him right now for you and see what I can find out!


----------



## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

ACE_Gringo said:


> I do not know of bookstores there BUT I have a friend who lives there and I will email him right now for you and see what I can find out!


The only one I know of is over in San Pedro. I think there are 2 or 3 over that way, but I don't know the names. I will ask around as well.


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

conorkilleen said:


> The only one I know of is over in San Pedro. I think there are 2 or 3 over that way, but I don't know the names. I will ask around as well.


A general comment about buying new books in Mexico: the ones written in Spanish are very expensive, and English-language books are even more so. Mexico is not a nation of readers, so I imagine that the low demand for books in general keeps prices high.


----------



## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> A general comment about buying new books in Mexico: the ones written in Spanish are very expensive, and English-language books are even more so. Mexico is not a nation of readers, so I imagine that the low demand for books in general keeps prices high.


Usually low demand keeps prices low. High demand should keep prices high. It really does depend on the commodity though.


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

conorkilleen said:


> Usually low demand keeps prices low. High demand should keep prices high. It really does depend on the commodity though.


I guess you can tell that I never studied economics or business  . In the case of the prices of books in Mexico, the scenario I described is unfortunately an accurate one. Except for textbooks, children's books, and self-help books, there isn't much of a market for books in Mexico. I wonder why  .


----------



## Beep (Feb 9, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> A general comment about buying new books in Mexico: the ones written in Spanish are very expensive, and English-language books are even more so. Mexico is not a nation of readers, so I imagine that the low demand for books in general keeps prices high.


I believe you. I lived in Colombia before that and I remember paying $40 dollars for a novel which was listed at $20 on the back. As well as paying $14 for an issue of the new yorker which is $6 in the states. Ouch!! But....I like reading. It keeps me inspired!


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Beep said:


> I believe you. I lived in Colombia before that and I remember paying $40 dollars for a novel which was listed at $20 on the back. As well as paying $14 for an issue of the new yorker which is $6 in the states. Ouch!! But....I like reading. It keeps me inspired!


Of course, anything imported will be very expensive, but even books published in Mexico are very pricey. You can sometimes find bargains, in Spanish and English, at one of the funky used bookstores in the Centro Histórico of Mexico City near the Cathedral.


----------



## Beep (Feb 9, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> I guess you can tell that I never studied economics or business  . In the case of the prices of books in Mexico, the scenario I described is unfortunately an accurate one. Except for textbooks, children's books, and self-help books, there isn't much of a market for books in Mexico. I wonder why  .


I think in the case of English books like the ones I am searching for, there is probably a small market of potential buyers with a relatively high demand and therefore there probably is only room in the market for a few suppliers and to make their business feasible they need to charge much higher prices to cover overhead and make the business work as their isn´t the scale to justify charging lower prices. Also, these books are printed out of country and need to be imported, therefore increasing the cost of providing them. Or something like that  maybe connor could articulate it a bit better.


----------



## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

There are economies of scale; the more that you have of something (reports/manager, products/product run) the less it costs per the something.

If English language books and magazines are not frequently imported, the importer will pay more per magazine or book, and pass the cost along to the retail customer. If not a lot of books are published in MX, than the cost/book is higher for printing them, and those costs will be passed along, too.

Keep in mind that I'm a nurse by training, and have an undergrad degree in philosophy. I understand economics insofar as it affects my own (very small) business!


----------



## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

Isla Verde said:


> Except for textbooks, children's books, and self-help books, there isn't much of a market for books in Mexico. I wonder why  .


I noticed the same thing. 
My theory on this is that because the lighting generally is very bad in Mexican houses (even of the wealthy) it is not easy to see well to read at night. If you are working all day, when else could you read but at night?
Then, along comes the TV and it offers a potent distraction for the potential readers. Hence, reading never caught on.
That's just my pet theory on why.

I am so thrilled that my wife, after watching me read a novel a week for 2 years and thinking I was nuts or some kind of egghead, wanted to see what the big deal was and she decided to try reading a book. Good fortune caused her to select volume one of a series and she got hooked and read all eight books in the series. After she finished that, she stumbled upon Jane Austin and got hooked again. Now she reads all the time. At least I made one convert!


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

circle110 said:


> I noticed the same thing.
> My theory on this is that because the lighting generally is very bad in Mexican houses (even of the wealthy) it is not easy to see well to read at night. If you are working all day, when else could you read but at night?
> Then, along comes the TV and it offers a potent distraction for the potential readers. Hence, reading never caught on.
> That's just my pet theory on why.
> ...


I'm glad to hear that your wife is now hooked on reading, and reading the good stuff too! However, your theory about why even wealthy Mexicans don't like to read doesn't convince me at all. After all, if a wealthy person needed better lighting in his or her living room, he (or she) could just go out and buy a better lamp. I think it has more to do with the habits people don't pick up in school, like reading for pleasure, not just to pass a test. I've also noticed that even educated Mexicans don't wrote very well (don't get me started on hideous spelling mistakes!), and from what I've learned about education here, they rarely have to do extensive writing in school and hence never learn how to do it well, or even think it has much value.


----------

