# REQUEST FOR ADVICE and HELP



## alan-in-mexicali (Apr 26, 2018)

I can not believe that I misspelled MEXICALI!!! Oh well... growing OLD is not for SISSIES!

I am a 74 year old American male married to a Mexican national for over 36 years. We have lived in Mexicali, BC, Mexico for the last 13 years.. with a bit of time off for a year plus in China... and have lived in other SMALL towns near Mexicali for a number of years prior to retirement.... I AM TIRED OF ZERO GREEN... NOTHING BUT BROWN DIRT!

We would like to move to a village, an Ejido, a rural area not to far from a city... with bus service [getting to damn old to drive to much] that is GREEN... I want a garden... grow some veggies, fruit, have a few chickens... maybe a pig or three.... I would like to buy some land with access to electricity [without having to purchase miles of line, posts and a transformer] and water.... no more than 1,000 sq meters... build my little house... and RETIRE! I am more than willing to teach ESL free of charge part time at the local schools...[Have experience in Mexico and China, wrote ESL textbooks for China, taught teachers in China "how to teach English"... and more]

Right now, unvisited, we favor Chiapas... BUT we are open to any southern Mexico rural local.... WE are NOT the typical "rich ******" who easily pay the "****** tax"... What we want to find is a comfortable living site where we can become a part of the local community and contribute....make any sense? Our total income comes from SSA pensions... and we are below the US poverty line - just to give you the proper picture...

What I am asking for is CONTACTS whom I can email and ask / learn about various locations... we have zero friends or relatives in the areas we wish to migrate to.... ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPREICATED .....
Thanks
Alan


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

Why write 2 identical posts 20 min. apart??????
Welcome to the board...


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

Because he wanted the one with “Mexicali’ spelled correctly to persist and the other one to slink quietly off into the night. Am I right?


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## alan-in-mexicali (Apr 26, 2018)

YES Maesonna... YOU are 100% correct...fat, arthritic fingers made a typo that I did not catch in time.... Thank you for understanding... remember... Growing OLD is NOT for sissies!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Why Chiapas besides the fact that it is green_ We have communal and ejido land, not sure if once ca buy in those area. I was travelling through some beautiful land today where the towns are mostly indigeneaous. The man with me is an artist from Mexico City who is interested in buying land in the country,,we inquired if a non native of those areas can buy there and we got conflicting answers from the I do not know you would havee to ask the authorities to yes to probably not
It is not uncommon here for people being kicked out of their land by Zapatistas and other groups so I would proceed with extreme caution no matter how beautiful the place is. There are areas on the utskirts of San Cristobal where you can buy land that is not communal or ejido. The climate is on the cool to cold side in and about the valley and some areas on the mountains are in cloud forests.. 
The area around Ocosingo is also very green and much warmer, with some private land.. some communal some ejido, again an area where you really have to do your homework.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to the forum, Alan. By the way, we have another regular participant named “Alan Mexicali” who now lives in San Luis Potosí. We’ll have to remember to not mix the two of you up.


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## alan-in-mexicali (Apr 26, 2018)

Several years ago I was "registered" on this site as Mexicalialan... but Google does not seem to understand that I have BOTH a US address and a Mexican address... and shut me email down so I lost the account that the Expat's had... and am not able to log in but the "name" shows as "taken"... oh I just LOVE Google, Microsoft, Skype and all the rest that exist only for US $$$!


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## alan-in-mexicali (Apr 26, 2018)

I have purchase property in the past that was "ejido" land... it does take some work, attending meetings and becoming a "member".. BUT having a Mexican national as a wife sure helps! There are many parts of Jalisco the I love.... I spent a LOT of time there before I married my wife.... There were still small towns/villages which could trace their ancestry back to Maximillian, Emperor of Mexico's French army.... green eyed red-heads..... I have lived in Mexico a long time - off and on my entire married life... sure - there were some problems... but you reap what you sow.... IF you "fit in", making a real effort to be a part of the community, you don't have problems... IF you are a "rich American" problems drift your way.... I would like to hear how your friend does with his land purchase.... he might want to try for a 99 year lease instead of out right purchase.... this can be done by an ejido member WITHOUT approval of the entire "committee" ....
THANKS!
Alan


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

99 year lease? My dad and Mom had one of those.......in 1972.


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## xolo (May 25, 2014)

citlali said:


> Why Chiapas besides the fact that it is green_ We have communal and ejido land, not sure if once ca buy in those area.


I would think you know all of the following since you have been in Mexico long-term. 

I couldn't agree more with Citlali including "why Chiapas?" Where I have a house (far from Chiapas) there is lots of ejido land and, over more recent years, has been getting privatized and sold off. It seems this is going on pretty much word-of-mouth. After all, ejidos are a product of the revolucionary governments and we live in a neo-liberal Mexico. But _extreme_ caution is due, especially, I would think, in Chiapas. Also, I have found that even real estate "professionals" do _not_ necessarily know anything about foreign ownership. Ignorance can be rife. 

My comments are not specific to Chiapas, but beware. Especially in Chiapas if you are anywhere near to the "_caracoles_" or "_comités de buen gobierno_", or whatever the current terminology might be. Jeez, they've been around 15 years or more now.


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## JRinPV (Jul 2, 2012)

*El Tuito*

Might I suggest El Tuito, just an hour's bus south of Puerto Vallarta, actually older than PV. It up around 2,000' so not too hot in the summer rainy season. Try contacting Hank Lindsey https://www.facebook.com/hank.lindsey.5


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## KingM (Apr 2, 2018)

I would highly advise taking an extended trip through the area first. Also, my question if you're living close to the land, is how good your Spanish is. I would think excellent, if you've lived in Mexicali for 13 years . . . but, I've met a few long timers who can barely order a beer.

If you don't speak Spanish fluently, living in a rural area would be very challenging.


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## whitmore47 (Sep 11, 2009)

Hi Alan
I am a 70 year old expat married to a Mexican and living in San Cristòbal de Las Casas. I have been here for 10 years and love my life. My husband has a small ranch in Teopisca. That area might be a good place to look for land. Let me know if you have any questions.
Saludos,
Whitmore


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

That is a nice area with a nice climate, lucky you!


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## WintheWin (Jul 15, 2015)

Have you tried looking at the communities East of Mexicali, nearing towards San Luis Sonora?

Much more green than you'd find in the Mexicali Valley.

Particularly, ejido Hermosillo, just a few kilometers from Jacinto is particularly "green." Lots of crops, few unfarmed lots. I thought it the perfect place to retire. My wife loved it there, and still reasonably close to Mexicali for access to medical attention/stuff.


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## alan-in-mexicali (Apr 26, 2018)

KingM... I SPEAK Spanish well enough to get by... but can barely read the newspaper want ads... and can't write in Spanish without my computer "translator". I have taught English in various areas of Mexico and have learned "how to communicate with locals"... well at least to a degree...


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## alan-in-mexicali (Apr 26, 2018)

TO WHITMORE47
I would love to discuss your area with you and if it would suit us....


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

What a great idea to put your name via your email address for the world to see, there is a reason this site has private messaging.......


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## alan-in-mexicali (Apr 26, 2018)

The person whom I was attempting to communicate with - could not find a "private message" button... I guess my honesty in using my name comes from being old ... and, most likely, to trusting... but I have several email addresses depending on what it is for... and excellent security... I figure the easier I make it to be contacted by those on this forum, the more assistance I will receive!
Thank you.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

chicois8 said:


> What a great idea to put your name via your email address for the world to see, there is a reason this site has private messaging.......


I have just edited alan-in-mexicali's post and deleted his email address from his message.

See Forum Rules - Inappropriate Content: _Personal contact information should not be posted on the message boards for your own personal safety and will be removed. _


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

alan-in-mexicali said:


> The person whom I was attempting to communicate with - could not find a "private message" button... I guess my honesty in using my name comes from being old ... and, most likely, to trusting... but I have several email addresses depending on what it is for... and excellent security... I figure the easier I make it to be contacted by those on this forum, the more assistance I will receive!
> Thank you.


It's against forum rules for you to post your private email address on the open forum, no matter how excellent your security is! That's why I deleted your email address from your message posted yesterday at 10:08 pm.

Unless the information being offered is very private, we prefer that responses to queries be posted on the open forum so all the members can benefit from the wisdom offered!


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## alan-in-mexicali (Apr 26, 2018)

TO ISLAS VERDE:

SORRY...!! I read the forum rules but missed that one i guess... I appreciate your kind assistance! But maybe you can tell me... HOW do you send the "private message"?? I looked up WHITMORE47 but was not able to find any way to send a private message...
THANKS!


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

alan-in-mexicali said:


> TO ISLAS VERDE:
> 
> SORRY...!! I read the forum rules but missed that one i guess... I appreciate your kind assistance! But maybe you can tell me... HOW do you send the "private message"?? I looked up WHITMORE47 but was not able to find any way to send a private message...
> THANKS!


Thanks for taking the time to read the forum rules - so many new members never get around to doing it.

If you click on WHITMORE47's name on his post, a drop-down menu will appear with an option for sending a PM.


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## alan-in-mexicali (Apr 26, 2018)

Isla Verde:
I did that... and here is what came up:
*whitmore47
View Public Profile
Find all posts by whitmore47
Add whitmore47 to Your Contacts* NO OPTION FOR A PM... I checked a couple of other responders and came up with PM "buttons"... but Whitmore47/// nada...
Thanks for taking the time to explain it to me...
Alan


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## WintheWin (Jul 15, 2015)

alan-in-mexicali said:


> Isla Verde:
> I did that... and here is what came up:
> *whitmore47
> View Public Profile
> ...


I think you need a couple of more posts to be able to PM?

That's done to prevent folks from making an account and then pm-ing everyone. 20 posts I think is the necessary quantity?


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

alan-in-mexicali said:


> Isla Verde:
> I did that... and here is what came up:
> *whitmore47
> View Public Profile
> ...



That's odd. When I clicked on Whitmore47, I did get an option to send a PM. It's possible that you didn't because he has made only one post. Since I am a moderator, I can send him a PM but you can't. ¿Quién sabe? Not me!


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

WintheWin said:


> I think you need a couple of more posts to be able to PM?
> 
> That's done to prevent folks from making an account and then pm-ing everyone. 20 posts I think is the necessary quantity?


I am pretty sure the number of posts required to gain access to the PM system is 5 posts. But in the past it seems like it sometimes took the system a little time to update after a new member reaches 5 posts, so it may not be instantaneous.


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## ElPocho (Aug 25, 2017)

Hunucma, Yucatan?


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