# How to live in the mountains?



## arbor dragon (12 mo ago)

Hi everyone. First post here.

I'm from the U.S. and decided I want to live in Mexico for a while. 

The main problem is the temperature... I'm very sensitive to hot weather. I can't handle it for long periods.

So the mountains seem like a good choice, and Mexico has a lot of them.

Does anyone have any ideas for how to live in the mountains?

Are the mountain villages/towns welcoming? (I do speak Spanish)
Can I rent a room easily in one?
Are there jobs up there?

I'm an English teacher by trade, so there are plenty of jobs down in the cities... but how likely am I to find one in a small mountain town? Are there perhaps other things I can do?

I'm basically just looking for ideas. Anything you've got.

Thanks!
Dan


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## AnneLM (Aug 16, 2016)

You do not have to live in a small mountain village. There are many large cities at high elevation with comfortable temperatures in Mexico.


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## mr_manny (Nov 22, 2013)

I live in a small pueblo in the mountains of Jalisco, 4K elevation.
It still gets quite warm during the day, even in the winter ( currently 79F daytime, 48F at night).










If this is still too warm, you may want to search for somewhere with a higher elevation.

Regarding jobs, you probably won't be teaching in a public school...maybe English Tutoring/Private lessons might be an option. Since you know Spanish, maybe translating documents?

Obviously a Larger City will provide more employment opportunities.
Heard really good things about *Guanajuato* (6,700ft elevation and 69F during the day). 

Good Luck


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Remember: You cannot just go to Mexico and work. You need special permission from INM immigration authorities, unless you are a citizen or have a 'Residente Permanente' visa/green card for Mexico. Apply at the nearest Mexican consulate, in your current country of residence, not in Mexico.


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## kphoger (Apr 22, 2020)

A lot of these questions can only be answered with "It depends".


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## arbor dragon (12 mo ago)

mr_manny said:


> I live in a small pueblo in the mountains of Jalisco, 4K elevation.
> It still gets quite warm during the day, even in the winter ( currently 79F daytime, 48F at night).
> 
> View attachment 101035
> ...


That picture looks like exactly the type of place I'd like to live.

How did you find it? Did you get work up there, or do you live up there but work down in a city?


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## arbor dragon (12 mo ago)

RVGRINGO said:


> Remember: You cannot just go to Mexico and work. You need special permission from INM immigration authorities, unless you are a citizen or have a 'Residente Permanente' visa/green card for Mexico. Apply at the nearest Mexican consulate, in your current country of residence, not in Mexico.


If I go to Mexico first, and find a job there, I can't get a work permit unless I return to the U.S. to get it?


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

arbor dragon said:


> If I go to Mexico first, and find a job there, I can't get a work permit unless I return to the U.S. to get it?


That’s right. Actually, you need to leave Mexico to apply for pre-authorization at any Mexican consulate outside Mexico, but if you’re from the US, of course it’s the most practical to do it in the US. If you can make an appointment ahead of time at a particular consulate, you can do the whole thing in a day. Then when you return to Mexico, you submit the pre-authorization and finalize your visa.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

To me - that picture reminds me of places I have been in Guatemala.

I have zero experience/knowledge but perhaps you should consider online work.

Edit : I live in the central highlands at right around 6,000 feet. It rains pretty much from Oct/Nov until May ? Then it is pretty much dry as a bone. Almost all year I wear a sweatshirt (and shorts) when I walk at 6AM. The sweatshirt comes off around 8AM. I have two fireplaces in the house which I use maybe 4 times a year. I have no A/C but I often sleep with the fans going because it is HOT. We get storms from both coasts...

Edit Edit : I got that backwards. It is now (January) dry as a bone and the rains will come in May...


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## mr_manny (Nov 22, 2013)

arbor dragon said:


> That picture looks like exactly the type of place I'd like to live.
> How did you find it? Did you get work up there, or do you live up there but work down in a city?


I was born 2 hours away from where that photo was taken.
I accompanied my parents, as we migrated to the US when I was 2years old.

After 48years and a wonderful career in IT, I was fortunate enough to move back to Mexico.
Moving back was a no brainier...more family this side of the boarder  

It's rewarding to immerse yourself in the culture and community.
Truly Blessed


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

which pueblo is it?


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## mr_manny (Nov 22, 2013)

El Cimarrón chico de la raicilla.
Yeah, long name 

In the hills of the sierra madre mountains, inland from Vallarta.


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## kphoger (Apr 22, 2020)

mr_manny said:


> El Cimarrón chico de la raicilla.
> Yeah, long name


It can get even longer if you want, too...
Congregación El Cimarrón Chico de la Raicilla

Looks like a cool place but, alas, the closest I've been was San Sebas.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

First time, I tried to go to San Sebastian, was 20 years ago from Mascota and the bus told me they did not know if they would come back the same day or not, depending if they had customers or if there was a fiesta. WHen I said is the road good enough for a car, hte bus driver answered, no problem and then he said, is it your car, I said yes and he said then I do not recommend it.
Last year when I had to get to Vallarta m the rod was closed in Ixtlan del Rio because of covid so I took the dirt road in that direction , many hors later we reach the regular road and the cops told us San Sebastion was closed and all hotels were closed so we kept going to Vallarta.. Never been to San Sebastian but the area is beautiful..I


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## mr_manny (Nov 22, 2013)

San Sebas is nice...a little too touristy for my taste.
Seemed like tour buses were arriving from Vallarta every hour 

Lots of wonderful small towns further inland.


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## kphoger (Apr 22, 2020)

citlali said:


> First time, I tried to go to San Sebastian, was 20 years ago from Mascota and the bus told me they did not know if they would come back the same day or not, depending if they had customers or if there was a fiesta. WHen I said is the road good enough for a car, hte bus driver answered, no problem and then he said, is it your car, I said yes and he said then I do not recommend it.
> Last year when I had to get to Vallarta m the rod was closed in Ixtlan del Rio because of covid so I took the dirt road in that direction , many hors later we reach the regular road and the cops told us San Sebastion was closed and all hotels were closed so we kept going to Vallarta.. Never been to San Sebastian but the area is beautiful..I


It was 16 years ago for me. My wife and I were on our honeymoon, staying in San Pancho and having rented a car in Bucerías. The car rental agent recommended a day trip to San Sebas, so we took him up on the idea. At that time, the high bridge over the Río San Sebastián was still under construction, and the detour involved heading down into the canyon, fording the river, and then heading back up the other side (here). In a rented Chevrolet Chevy (rebadged Opel Corsa), that was fun!

Anyway, when we got to the turnoff for San Sebas, there was a police officer at the junction. He flagged us down and said something my Spanish wasn't good enough to totally understand. I didn't know the word "carrera", and that seemed to be the main point of what he was saying. He could tell I didn't understand, said "boogie" in a thick Mexican accent, then said "beep beep" while making a honk-your-horn motion. I smiled and said "gracias", still not really knowing what that was all about.

The road up to San Sebas was half dirt and half paved with river rock. While we were navigating some curvy hills on the dirt portion, ZZOOOOM!! went a dune buggy past us. A few seconds later, ZZOOOOM!! went a couple more. Hey, what do you know! the officer was warning us that we'd be in the middle of a dune buggy race. Well, that was fun.

We didn't end up spending much time at all in town, just drove to the plaza and walked around for a couple of minutes, then headed back.


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## Takingiteasy (Aug 12, 2021)

I spent some time in the mountains this summer. It was san miguel de allende and also guanajuato. I also went through queretero. I found that it was not hot in the day, by and large. I come from a hot state so maybe I'm used to it but it seemed warm but pleasant and cool at night. The locals who had to work outside thought it was hot. I haven't been there in the winter but I was told its mild and not too cold except at night. Many people in sma do not even have air conditioning. 

I was considering moving there and buying a house. First of course the RT then go and rent for a while to make sure the area is the right one. They have what they call fraccionamientos which are little subdivisions with a wall around it. It also typically has security 24/7 and cameras. You can get a mansion for 1/4 million and a very decent though not huge place for 50k. In city central its more expensive so look for a frac some distance away. Cabs are cheap and public transportation is good. Renting means going in person and knocking doors. They may turn you away if you only have a tourist visa but you can rent though an agency online, just be prepared to pay more.

I'm still thinking about moving to sma, not sure when I will make my move, if I will buy right away or just rent the whole time. As for a job, simply put a notice up offering professional english tutoring. There are people with money there and they want their kids to learn english. Also for business its important, tutoring and translating documents. As far as safety, you read about stuff but we have the same things or similar in the states. The whole time I was there and also previously, I never felt in danger. Avoid obvious errors like flashing cash or valuables, stay off the streets late at night, etc and you should be fine


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## mr_manny (Nov 22, 2013)

We also rented (for 3 years in different pueblos) before we found our home.
One plan fell through, which ended up being a godsend in the end.
Buying a house isn't something that can be rushed, more so when you add moving to another country.

You reminded me of english classes I used to give on Saturdays for queso adobera once a month.
Quesadillas never tasted so good


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## kphoger (Apr 22, 2020)

Takingiteasy said:


> Many people in sma do not even have air conditioning.


I don't think that's an SMA thing. I think that's a Mexico thing. Or maybe it's a not-the-USA thing.

The Mexican town I'm most familiar with lies at above 5000 feet elevation, at the southern end of the Chihuahuan Desert. Summertime high temps are almost always in the upper 80s and 90s, and the common saying there is "El sol está fuerte". Yet I don't think I've been in a single building anywhere in town that has air conditioning.

The flip side is that nobody has heat either. That town gets occasional snowfall in the winter, and a few years ago they had enough to make snowmen. Last year, our best friends' house got down into the 40s (°F) inside for a few days during a cold snap. A true Mexican experience is waking up when it's 40°F, going to take a shower, and then realizing—naked, wet, and shivering—that the water heater is out of propane.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

It is not unusual for me to wake up in the morning and open the windows to warm the house up. The guy who built this house (maybe 20 years ago or so) was Swiss and it has very high ceiling with somewhere around 150 vigas. It is like a Mexican A frame of sorts.

A lot of folks in these parts have those A/C units that cool a room (mini-splits ??). I guess they run on electricity which would be ok with me since my CFE bill for the last 2 months was 54 pesos (the admin fee). My panels are producing more electricity than I am using... 

I've never run out of propane to drive the tankless water heaters, but on cold mornings I'm sure to shave at the sink with the hot water opened all the way up. The water is frigid at first but by the time I'm done at the sink all the cold water which sat in the pipes over night has been replaced with hot water for my shower.


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## GetMeOuttaDodge (6 mo ago)

mr_manny said:


> I live in a small pueblo in the mountains of Jalisco, 4K elevation.
> It still gets quite warm during the day, even in the winter ( currently 79F daytime, 48F at night).
> 
> View attachment 101035
> ...


Hello, Isn't it dangerous in the area?








Cartel war map shows further incursion by Jalisco cartel into Guanajuato


The Jalisco New Generation Cartel now has strongholds across most of Guanajuato, according to a security analyst based in the state.




mexiconewsdaily.com


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## mr_manny (Nov 22, 2013)

Dangerous?
Two weeks ago as I was arriving in Vallarta, I *narrowly* avoided hitting a Honda Passport.
The driver recklessly drove onto the shoulder, as he was being chased by 2 motorcycle officers.
I later found out about a bank robbery, and the dozen accidents that occurred during the chase.
Stuff like this doesn't happen in the country.









Bank robbery in Marina Vallarta leads to police chase and shootings from Jalisco to Nayarit


The robbery at a bank branch ended in a chase by the municipal police of Puerto Vallarta, the National Guard (GN), and the Navy from Jalisco to Nayarit.




www.vallartadaily.com





I believe you will find more culture and community in the country.
Try saying "Provecho" the next time your in a restaurant in a Big City...they will look at you like your speaking a foreign language.


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## GetMeOuttaDodge (6 mo ago)

mr_manny said:


> Dangerous?
> Two weeks ago as I was arriving in Vallarta, I *narrowly* avoided hitting a Honda Passport.
> The driver recklessly drove onto the shoulder, as he was being chased by 2 motorcycle officers.
> I later found out about a bank robbery, and the dozen accidents that occurred during the chase.
> ...


So there are no cartels in the area correct?


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## mr_manny (Nov 22, 2013)

I have never seen any Cartel activity in my area...if you asked any of my neighbors, they would say the same.
Does this mean they aren't here, *No*.

My mother lived in wonderful little town called Ayutla, Jalisco.
When she first moved there, I was still in the states and was curious...so I googled Ayutla.
I found a GDL reporter interview about how the mayor declined a salary, and how he was following through with all of his campaign commitments.
When I would visit her during my vacation, I quickly understood why she chose to become a resident.
Years later (2014) the president Manuel Gómez Torres was murdered, presumably because he wouldn't play ball with the Cartel.

If you were to ask the residents of Ayutla, if they have seen Cartel activity...I bet they would also say No.
If you aren't involved in illegal activity, It's *very unlikely* that you would cross paths with the Cartel.

I hope this answers your question.


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## GetMeOuttaDodge (6 mo ago)

mr_manny said:


> I have never seen any Cartel activity in my area...if you asked any of my neighbors, they would say the same.
> Does this mean they aren't here, *No*.
> 
> My mother lived in wonderful little town called Ayutla, Jalisco.
> ...


Thank u for responding and explaining. I guess the main stream media likes to write sensational articles. I agree that even if there are illegal activities such as drugs, and other non legal activity, and one is not part of that, they wouldn't know anything about any group in area. I live in Canada, and never seen any of the drug dealings etc. or other illegal activities, because I am not part of those groups, and live in a quiet rural town... it depends on where you live and what you're involved in. But my main concern would be if the cartels were to kidnap or do drive by shootings...not knowing much about how they operate, in any area, not pointing to your family's area here...I'd have to do more research...thanks.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mr_manny said:


> I believe you will find more culture and community in the country.
> Try saying "Provecho" the next time your in a restaurant in a Big City...they will look at you like your speaking a foreign language.


I live in the middle of Mexico City. In my middle-class (not fancy) neighborhood, people I don't know often say "provecho" to me in local restaurants and cafés.


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## Takingiteasy (Aug 12, 2021)

The main thing seems to be don't flash cash or jewelry. That attracts muggers and holdup people as well as snatch and run. As far as the cartels, do that and don't drive a super expensive new car. Living in a big expensive house, fancy car, clothes, etc and you are a target for not just home invasions but also kidnapping. The chances are it won't happen but those things increase the likelihood. Having a modest appearance when you go out, not attracting attention for the wrong things will go a long way, in my opinion. This is based on what the natives and long time people have told me themselves.


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## AnneLM (Aug 16, 2016)

Isla Verde said:


> I live in the middle of Mexico City. In my middle-class (not fancy) neighborhood, people I don't know often say "provecho" to me in local restaurants and cafés.


Agreed. In the 4 years we lived in Mexico we always said it, and people almost always said it to us, in restaurants high and low everywhere we traveled.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

Isla Verde said:


> I live in the middle of Mexico City. In my middle-class (not fancy) neighborhood, people I don't know often say "provecho" to me in local restaurants and cafés.


Yes - particularly when people get up from a nearby table getting ready to leave a restaurant. We might not have even looked at each other earlier but they will almost always say "provecho" as they walk past our table, on their way out.

It is kind of similar to sitting in say a doctor's waiting room and someone walks into the room. They almost always say "Buenos dias" to the room (and the roomful of people respond in kind).


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## fgod (2 mo ago)

MangoTango said:


> To me - that picture reminds me of places I have been in Guatemala.
> 
> I have zero experience/knowledge but perhaps you should consider online work.
> 
> ...


I was thinking the same I have seen the same place somewhere now I know it was Guatemala


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

We were stopped by carteles at gunpoints on a lonely road very close to San Cristobal de las casas.. They asked a lot of questions and let us go. IThat was a couple of years ago.. I just recognized one of the guys, they one in the hummer that came to talk to me.. He is the head of one of the cartels there and is in jail so we have a lot of blockeos for his release.... He had no interest in us except for the fact that they were checking everyone going through their territory.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

If you like cool and cold and cheap, San Cristobal de las Casas is your place..


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## chidopues (2 mo ago)

There's lots of nice mountains along the two cordilleras that go from North to South along each side of Mexico. The Sierra Madres. Driving South from Mexico City towards Oaxaca you also go through some big ol' mountains, the Mixtec mountains, I think. Cool spot. Lots of small little indigenous villages. 
If you go up there I imagine you could teach English really easily, though don't expect to make much money. Probably just enough to feed yourself.


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