More Spanish Learning Tips

Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart. - Psalm 37:1-4

I love the Spanish language. I fell in love with it in high school about the 10th grade and have been pursuing it ever since. It took one class all those decades ago and I was hooked.

I have run across a new site to me, which I wish to recommend to those in Guanajuato, planning on moving here, or even just to visit. It is an iTune site but well worth the downloads you have to do to play the Podcasts: NEWS IN SLOW SPANISH

Click on the above link to reach this site.

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I Am Back .......

November  2010 was my last post. Much has happened since then. I have been a busy guy accomplishing some major life goals, taking charge of my health, helping my dear wife take charge of hers, and learning more and more and more about the Mexican culture in which we live - literally.

Soon after my 2010 post, we moved into the home of a Mexican family from our Protestant church. An interesting fact, at least to my wife and I, is the head of the household, Carlos, one of his paternal relatives was the author of the Mexican national anthem. That is one of the many things, both good and bad, that we have encountered since not just living in Mexico but living, eating, sleeping in the home of Mexicans.

We have the upstairs, more or less, to ourselves and share the rest of the house for meals, laundry, internet, phone, coming and going, etc ... It has been a life changing experience full of ups and downs as we have had the privilege of an intimate and close-up look into the Mexican culture at a family level. Let me just comment, after all this is what a blog is for, that the Mexicans you meet in street encounters, the stores, the parties, in the public, are not as they seem: Mexican Culture is a Mask Wearing Society!

By the way, the family with whom we live do not speak a word of English.

My wife has been busying herself with more cooking chores making all manner of delicious things that she finds online. She has improved her Spanish tremendously! Her accent is improved as well and I am exceedingly proud of her.

I have ended a 2.5 year adventure earning my Master's Degree in Biblical Theology from a school in the States and am now a doctoral candidate in Biblical Counseling. This project will take a while to complete. I have a horde of reading and writing to do. I am also working toward becoming a licensed Biblical Therapist. In is an intense goal but worth the effort.

Where we live is nice. The locals are rather different from living in the heart of Guanajuato. They are accepting to the point of being protective. They are eager to help, patient to a fault, invite us into their homes at the drop of a hat, and we have grown to love them. Here there is not the incessant smell and noise of carbon monoxide machines belching poison into the air (read: Cars). You can walk about the barrio without
the fear of breathing too much car/bus exhaust (there are cars but not as prolific as in downtown).


I plan on weekly posts as my studies will allow.


Good to be back.


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American Unversities Canceling Language Programs in Mexico

In May, 2010, Texas Universities their Mexico study-abroad Spanish programs due to increasing violence. The University of Kansas followed suit in June, 2010.

Increasing violence from Mexico's drug and gang problems are cited as reasons for the language program cancellations.

The University of Kansas has, in the past, lost students to violent deaths in other countries which is a consideration in the strict policy governing the decision to cancel the Mexican language problems.

Source 1

Source 2


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Guanajuato, Mexico - 2010 Rainy Season

It seems the 2010 rainy season is here initiated by Hurricane Alex. last year's rainy season was strange. For all practical purposes it was not a rainy season at all. It rained here and there but certainly not in the tradition of Guanajuato's normal rainy season.

In January of 2010 is when the rains, in earnest, hit the town. It was screwy.

It is anyone's guess, I suppose, what this season will bring. I just hope it is a normal rainy season so water rationing can be avoided.

In our old neighborhood we had rationing for months because the 2009 rains didn't come.

I hope this year normalcy will reign.

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Guanajuato, Mex - Safety: GRAVE

Points from Ruth Elizarraraz's, Thursday, July 1, 2010, article: Es grave la inseguridad en la ciudad: líder de Canaco (It is serious insecurity in the city: leader of Canaco) referring to the safety of the capital city of Guanajuato. Here's the link to verify the facts yourself.

The story made these points:

1. Roberto Serrano Chirino, the local leader of the National Chamber of Commerce, said that the lack of an operational and growth strategy to reduce crime rate is at the root of the rising crime rate in the city of Guanajuato.

2. The statistics show, says Chirino, that law enforcement officials are NOT doing their job.

3. The criminals know the police are not doing their job: "this is something that the criminals know and that's why more and more robberies, assaults and other crimes that damage the heritage of the families."

4. The mayor, says Chirino, has private police security as well as all council members and top level officials have surveillance in their homes whereas the people, the citizen of Guanajuato do not enjoy that privilege.

5. The story concludes with "Guanajuato is no longer the safe and peaceful city...now the theft and robbery are everyday things, "something they prefer to ignore, this is a turning point where they must act in a timely manner because otherwise the situation can become uncontrollable levels."

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Guanajuato, Mex - Women Suffer Violence

Here is another fact the Gringolandians in Guanajuato selling real estate and who have rentals don't want you to know. In a situation assessment conducted in 2009, 6 out of 10 women suffer some form of violence in the municipality of Guanajuato. Another line of the study revealed that 52% of the households in Guanajuato have women head of household.

My point in reporting this is that Gringos, almost always, move here based on a fantasy. Websites talk of living in Mexico will use phrases like, "It's heaven on earth," "Come live in Nirvana," "Experience the magic of Guanajuato," or whatever. These sites are generally real estates website trying to sell you a house or some other service pertaining to expatriation.

Putting in nicely, they have a bias.

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Those Nutty Cab Drivers

I am convinced that one day we will die in a fiery taxi crash. They drive at the speed of light (or at least it seems) but have managed to get us, so far, to our destinations over the past 7 years. One day though.

What is rare for us is to encounter angry cab drivers who make us feel he might set upon us and perhaps beat us half to death. We encountered this just the other day.

I would venture to say that 99.999% of the cab drivers we've had have been exceptional. They ask us where we are from, how long we've lived in Mexico, and end up complimenting us on our Gringo command of Spanish. Some have even given us their home phone numbers and private cell phone number so that we can call them for personal attention in the future. We love Mexican cab drivers.

We were coming home from downtown when we encountered the cab driver from hell. He not only did not talk to us but took us to a part of town where we did NOT live and insisted that this strange and unfamiliar street was our home.

When I insisted that the place he was trying to deposit us was NOT our home, he went into a roaring rage. He even snapped around to face the back seat where my terrified wife sat as though he might slap her for chiming into the dilemma.

I thought I would have to fist fight him.

As suddenly as he launched into the rage he stopped and took us home.

Now, what does a Gringo do in a case like this?

The typical Gringo would try and filing a complaint with the cab company and police. What did I do?

Nothing!

I spoke with a Mexican friend who agreed that I should do nothing. The point was made in our conversation about the event that if I had complained ,some sort of censure surely would have ensued. But, the cab driver "knows where you live," my Mexican friend reminded me.

My Mexican friend was right.

Had I been Mexican with an extended family, discrete inquires would have been made, maybe a bit of money would have been exchanged for apologies, and the whole affair would have faded into obscurity with all parties satisfied.

It's how culture works here, like it or not, and Gringolandians never understand it.

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Guanajuato, Mex - HOT

Speaking of climate change: When we moved here in 2003, it was as you have no doubt read, "Spring Time" all year round.

Winters were extremely mild. We usually ran around in short pants and shirts until the middle of December. January was a bit chilled at night, when the sun went down, but very nice and mild during the day.

The warmth came back in February and everything returned to its usual lovable self.

January of 2010 was the most frigid and wet we've experienced. This is the hue and cry of the locals too. My best friend, Carlos, told me Jan 2010 was the coldest and wettest he could recall in his 45 years of life on Earth in Mexico. It was frigid, it was wet!

At this writing, it is May 2010 and is dangerously hot here. I tend to think all the cars pumping poison into the air has something to do with the abnormal heat but I have no proof, yet.

We left the house right after breakfast and headed to the bus stop. By the time we got downtown I felt in need of a pair of paramedics and a stretcher. We shopped in a hot store (no one except for Del Sol department store uses an air conditioner.), went to a hot pharmacy, jumped into a hot cab, came home to a hot house, and am sitting with a fan blowing hot air up my hot nose.

Tourist, of course, come to GTO during this time of the year not bothering to understand that GTO can be blistering hot, like now, or rain for days on end.

"God, let the rains come, I implore you!"

That will cool off thie hellish heat!

Guanajuato, Mex - All Good Things

I wrote in one of my books some sound advice. It was advice I had to learn the hard way. The advice went something like this: If you see something on a store shelf in Guanajuato that you think you might use one day, BUY IT!

The reason is, is that if you don't you will never again in your lifetime see that item, or at least you won't see it for a very, very long time.

When we moved to Guanajuato I left behind in the States my bath brush. You know what I mean. The sponge on the end of a long handle that makes showering a lot easier especially for handicapped people among which I count myself. It is dangerous to wash my feet without one. With one, I can wash my lower legs and feet without risking a fall in the shower.

We saw a bath brush a month or two after moving here. But, instead of buying it right then, I said to the wife, "I will have to come back and get one..." Well, that was almost seven years ago.

Literally, I have been looking for one ever since. We would describe a bath brush to our Mexican friends and you would swear we were describing something alien from the Alpha Centauri Star System to them. They had never heard of such a thing, according to most of them.

Today one showed up in the store and we snatched it. It is just like I had in the States and I cannot wait to us it. Almost seven long years! Can you fathom it? I suppose it's true: "All good things come to those who wait."

I wonder if I should have bought two or more?


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Guanajuato, Mex -- Crime Closing In Fast

One thing we used to do a lot is travel. Each Spring, when the book's royalty checks rolled in, we would take off for parts unknown. We could usually pay for the trip, or at least a large portion of it, with the articles generated from our travels.

Zacatecas became a favorite place for us to go to. In fact, so regular were we in that city that the hotel we always used became accustomed to our annual (sometimes twice a year) visit. They expected us. That was nice.

The last time we were there and while on the trip back to Guanajuato we came close to an incident that felt very much like an attempt to rob us, kidnap us, or worse. I wrote about it in this blog.

The wife read to me this morning of an organized crime incident on the highway, the VERY highway, we would travel between Zacatecas and Aguacalientes on our way back from Zac to Guanajuato.

"The occupants of at least 15 vehicles were detained this week in false roadblocks on the edge of Zacatecas to Aguascalientes." [Periodico A.M.]

Some of those who were assaulted on May 4, 2010 were from Guanajuato. They were not just relieved of their possessions but were beaten, tied up, and thrown into the back of a truck. They were taken into the wilderness and abandoned. Some filed police reports but the impression I got from the article was not all did. (Not a surprise.)

So, just when will the Gringlandians, who live in such an unhealthy delusional state about the safety of Mexico, come to their senses about living here? What will it take? False road blocks between Guanajuato and San Miguel, Leon, and Irapuato?

And, what will they do then?

Guanajuato, Mex -- More Culture Lessons

We had to go to the dentist this morning. We use the Red Cross's dentist for the simple reason he is dirt cheap. He is good, fast, funny, and inexpensive. This is of course due to the fact he is working at the Red Cross and he has to charge the fees they set. That is Ok for us. We pay about $18.00 for a cleaning which is not bad at all.

Going to the Red Cross' dentist is a lesson is Mexican culture. If you want to test what I have been writing in this blog about Guanajuato being the Mega-Provincial Capital of Mexico, you should sit in the Red Cross waiting room and watching what goes on. To get a complete lesson in how provincially minded Guanajuatenses are, sit in the dentist chair and watch what goes on.

So, we arrive at 8:30AM to sign in. We know to stop at the window and sign in because there are huge signs in boldfaced font telling you that you must sign in to see the dentist and I suspect to see the doctors there too.

After signing in we walked into the waiting room noting that they had just clorox'ed the floor, smelled nice, and that they had installed brand new, super-comfortable, red bucket chairs. We plopped down and watched.

At about 915 AM the hordes began to walk in. Not one Mexican signed in before entering the waiting room. I know this from the massive, riot-like confusion that ensued. They all stood around the waiting room spinning in circles. Then they dispersed through the complex beating on and then opening doors regardless whether invited in or not. They would walk into a consultorio (doctor's office) with the doctor/dentist working on or with a patient. I mean you could have been getting your prostate checked and have some ding-a-ling walk in an have look.

This is how they do here.

Why they can't figure out they have to make an appointment at the sign-in window is beyond me. If we can, and we do, why can't they do it? I will tell you why (I've suddenly gotten a vision), it is because of provincialism or PROVINCIALANDIA!

Provincialism is the idea that because the he or she Guanajuatensen knows the doctor or doctors, then making an appointment is not at all applicable to them.

My wife saw this when she taught at the some of the English schools in Guanajuato. They would bring their kids in to learn English but expect to have their kid taught for free or at a severe discount. They would come up with some of the most stupidest, lamebrain excuses you can possibly imagine.

"My little Frida went to school with the mayor's son so I should not have to pay for English classes."

This Mexican inflated sense of entitlement is why, for example, they will push you away from a counter expecting to be waited on first. And, I mean grab your arm and strong arm you out of their way giving not a thought to the fact you are a sentient being and not a stack of cardboard.

Mexicans in this part of Provincialandia think standing in a line, waiting their turn, having to make an appointment, or, especially to have to wait while a Gringo is served before them, is a a mortal sin. They will make rude comments which we have heard on more than one occasion!

When it came my turn to see the dentist, the Provincialandians dove for the dentist's office door, when it opened, clawing at him as though he had just come out of a room with pearls of great price and asking who wanted one for free. When he told them that service is rendered per appointments you have sworn he had just announced they had to fly to the moon first before being seen. They could not take it in. They just looked like that all had a massive stroke or perhaps a brain hemorrhage.

Now, as I have said before, Mexicans think because they know your mother or father, brother or sister, or anyone who shares on iota of your genetic structure, that they are immune to having to submit to rules the rest of us vile creatures must.

While I was in the dentist's chair people clamored at his door. They walked right in demanding to be seen right now with me sitting in the chair and blood mixed with drool seeping down the side of my mouth like I had been competing in a Smack-Down match.

One gomer walked in, addressed the dentist by his first name, and demanded to be seen right after me. There was already a covey of confused Provincialandians sitting in the waiting room and my wife was the one after me. He promptly told the gomer that my wife was next and that he would have to wait until the appointment list was taken care of. The gomer said, and I quote,

"Oh, she's a Gringa and can wait until after me..."

He said this right in front of me. If you think that's bad read this one:

While my poor, scared-of-dentists wife sat in the chair for her cleaning another Provincialandian walks through the door like she owned the place.

(There is another aspect of Provincialandia where old people, and I mean old, toothless people, think that by virtue of their age they deserve free everything in life.)

Toothless Hag: I want you to see me right now.

Dentist: Lady, I am with a patient right now.

Toothless Hag: No you're not. I don't see anyone.

Dentist: You will have to wait your turn like everyone else.

Toothless Hag: But, you can see me at the same time as the vile, Gringa chick (I made up "vile, Gringa Chick" for special effect). You have two chairs. I see them. I see you have two chairs.

Dentist: But, I am with someone else.

Toothless Hag: But all I have are two teeth. It can't take very long.

This conversation went on until the Two-Toothless Hag went away to where only the Tooth Fairy must know.

So, there you go. Life in Provincialandia, a.k.a. Guanajuato!

A Walk Through Guanajuato: México’s Crown Jewel

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3) General Interest

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Guanajuato, Mex - Interesting News

A lot of the blogs you will read here are scheduled to appear in a certain order, by date, so keep that in mind if you see dates that don't make sense.

Here's a tip or two: There are areas of Guanajuato you should definitely avoid when coming to visit or checking it out to live.

1) Las Teresas - The sanitary condition are horrific according to residents of that barrio. The neglect of the area and the lack of protection of the environment has caused the place, says the residents, to become a giant rat's nest. The area, according to the neighbors, affected is the back of Calle San Francisco de la Barranca in Las Teresas. [Source]

2) Fight-Violent Zone - Another brawl at Cerro del Gallo ... This area of the city of Guanajuato has a very seedy reputation. Fights and other nefarious events are not unusual. What you have to watch out for is real estate people trying to sell or rent you a house or apartment in this area. They will routinely tell you this is an absolutely safe area to live and nothing ever happens here. That's why, dear tourist or expat, you need to arm yourself with enough Spanish to be able to ask locals about barrios the shysters are trying to convince you to move into.

I predict the onslaught of Gringos moving into Guanajuato will get snookered in a big way because of their inability to read and speak the language and "ask around." You've got to be able to do this to keep from getting ripped off.

Guanajuato, Mex - Aggressive Vendors

It is amazingly satisfying. It seems that this year alone I have been getting more and more vindications in the Mexico newspapers of my observations about culture in Guanajuato. In my first two books, I made the observation about aggressive vendors around the city that frankly would get mad in a threatening kind of way when you would not buy the stuff they were hawking.

Besides my observation of dangerous parts of the city of Guanajuato where crime of non-petty nature certainly exists, I have reported also parts of the city to avoid because of aggressive and sometimes threatening vendors. Finally, I have vindication:

No habrá vendedores en Plaza de la Paz

Por: Alfonso Ochoa , Martes, 04 de Mayo de 2010

Los permisos para que se instalen se terminaron, debido a quejas de los vecinos contra ellos, dijo el director de Fiscalización

¿TERMINARÁ LA TRADICIÓN?

Ya son varios años que han instalado los comerciantes, ahora éstos resultarán afectados

No se darán permisos a vendedores ambulantes para que este año se coloquen en la zona de la Plaza de la Paz, pues que los vecinos se han quejado de que se roban la luz y han llegado a amenazar a transeúntes, dijo el director de Fiscalización, Jenaro Barba Uribe. [SOURCE]

The article says, and I am paraphrasing, that vendor licenses have been denied for the Plaza de la Paz plaza. The reasons being that citizen have long complained of not only the inconveniences of electric cables to power the kiosk's lights creating walking hazards, the fact that the stands (kiosks) block natural light, but there have been physical threats, "han llegado a amenazar a transeúntes,".

At the end of the article what type of threat is specified:

"Hubo una señora a la que amenazaron con un cuchillo, por eso no podemos volver a darles permisos, pues hay muchas quejas de la ciudadanía" [Ibid]

Or:

"There was a lady whom they threatened with a knife, so we can not give them permission to return, as there are many complaints from citizens"[Translation]

I am not implying that all of Guanajuato's vendors are like this and will threaten you with a knife. However, I have reported that the vendors in certain areas of Guanajuato, like up and around the Pipila, are of this ilk: very aggressive and threatening, and for my efforts those "Cultural Experts," Gringolandians, have in turned threatened me.

One I received was from a Gringolandian male who not only indicated he knew where my wife and I lived, but said, "I ought to come over to your house with some of the expat men and reeducate you as to the benefits of living n Guanajuato."

I sent that quote to my attorney in the U.S. who advised me to leave Mexico immediately.

Well, we didn't (we weren't able to because of my health) and lived in fear for years until we were able to move, finally, to another part of Mexico.

Anyway, there you go.

Guanajuato, Mex -- The Plumber

Well, we've been waiting for the plumber since January, 2010, and he is just now getting here. It's only 4 months, not bad considering it is Mexico.

There is no telling how long it will take for him to finish the job. He is replacing the toilet. This could take an hour, a day, a week, a month. It is hard to tell. This is Mexico where the Twilight Zone Effect could take over at any moment. The plumber could say, something like, "I need to go out and get a part at the hardware store," and never return. Ever. I am not kidding either.

Or, he could say, "I need a $4,000 pesos deposit to do the job." I would then say, "But you said it would only take a $1500 pesos deposit. To which he would reply, "That was four months ago."

You just never know what can happen because, THIS IS MEXICO.

It is 7:45 AM right now. We got up early to get ready for the onslaught. It will be noisy, dirty, loud, smoky (they all smoke) and just where, I would like to know, where will we go pee-pee?

I will keep you informed.

Crime in Guanajuato...Yes, It' Here Folks!

If you go to this link, click here, you will find a litany of posts answering someone on this forum as to the safety of Guanajuato.

Now, if you will read below, you will find the facts as to how safe it is in Guanajuato:

1) Correo (Guanajuato) 4-15-10

Four more members of La Familia Arrested

Guanajuato - In less than one month the State Police of Guanajuato have arrested 20 people affiliated with La Familia Michoacána. Most recently, State Police detained four people, (two of whom were women), for murder, kidnapping and vehicle theft.

Of the 20 members of La Familia, who were captured, 2 were juveniles, 3 women and a former policeman in San Miguel de Allende. Also among those captured was the driver of a vehicle who fled at high speed and who was in the possession of a .380 caliber pistol. (SOURCE)

2) The State of Guanajuato is third in the nation for highway robberies of tractor-trailer trucks. -- (SOURCE)

3) NBC's Dateline Report on San Miguel de Allende Kidnappings- -- (SOURCE)

4) Guanajuato Kidnappings: "...in 2008, in Guanajuato were 14 illegal deprivation of liberty, in 2009, the figure rose by 500 percent, committed 70 kidnappings in the state." (SOURCE)

5) GUANAJUATO -- Crimes such as household burglary and vehicle in the capital have doubled over the past year, this surge began from the second half of 2009. Unlike the first six months of that year, the crime rate was increased by 27 percent. (SOURCE)


Here is the point I want to make: Tourists or Gringolandians who do not live in the culture and most certainly have no Spanish skills whatsoever, will make comments about the safety of Guanajuato (or where ever in Mexico) when they have no idea whatsoever what they are talking about.

In fact, they come here I suppose wanting so badly to find a place that isn't as dangerous as America that they will act out in reckless behaviors when coming to Guanajuato. They will go walking in the late hours of the night expecting nothing to happen. Sometimes, things happen.

I have written of these event extensively in this blog.

But, what kills me is that the so-called expats (Gringolandians) and especially tourists really have no idea what they are saying when they make comments about the safety of Guanajuato. I mean, how can they know unless they can read the Mexican news sources that quote the stats and stories.

###

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Guanajuato, Mex - Hospitals

I've done something I've never done before. I visited someone, a good friend, who is hospitalized. We heard on a Friday that she had to be taken to the emergency room on a Wednesday and was subsequently admitted.

The unique thing is that this place was the "state" or "country" hospital. I suppose "county" would be the closest word in English to describe this place. Actually, it is a hospital associated with the ISSSTE system. This is a national insurance system that even Gringolandians can take advantage of. You pay a yearly fee of about (that last I checked) was $300.00 USD, and you are covered if you use this hospital and their doctors.

Well, the place reminded me very much of my University days. The University of Kansas had (still has) a hospital for students and faculty that I would not bring my pig to for treatment of anything. It was positively ghoulish. Students had to stay in wards and all looked heavily medicated, in a comatose kind of way, when you walked through the long army barrack looking row of beds.

Fortunately, my friend was in a private room, dreadful as it was.

The room was smaller than most American master bedroom walk-in closets. There was no TV, nothing on the walls but peeling paint, and a patent leather recliner that looked as though someone in a wild rage took a large butcher knife to it. And, the smell was that of urine and death.

Also, to get to her floor to see her was like trying to see the President of the United States. The security, and I am talking the everyday, general security, was incredible.

You CANNOT just walk into the place. You have to go through three levels of security to see your sick friend.

The first level you have to shown picture id and sign a ledger. Then you are escorted to the elevators. There are two security personnel there. You leave your picture there at that station and another guard walks you to the room you claim you are there to see. The visiting hours are once a day from noon until one. You get just a minute or two until some burly guard comes in and removes you.

This is the normal every day security procedure to see your ordinary, everyday friends. But, I thought it a bit excessive.

It did remind me of how when I was in an American hospital to have my thyroid removed there was this man who appeared in my room at three in the morning standing about five feet away from me and was staring at me in the dark. I could not cry out since my throat had just been slit from ear to ear.

I watched him while moving my hand slowly and as quietly as I could toward the phone. I was woozy from the pain meds but felt I could crown him a good one if he came any closer. I could not see to find the call button and besides, I did not want to take my eyes off of him.

He walked into the bathroom and made wee-wee then left as silently as he crept in.

Once gone, I found the call button and rang for the nurse. She came running with security. By the next day, they found the guy. He was some whack job who had wandered in off the street, totally unchallenged, and used my room's potty facilities. They found him sleeping in a waiting room on another floor.

So perhaps the Mexican security is not so bad after all.

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Crimes and misdemeanors: Staying safe in San Miguel
Is SMA still safe, or falling prey to drug dealers and thugs?

By Anne Nicolai
August 11, 2009


Knowledge is power: Spanish-speaking residents are safer

Across the board, every official interviewed for this article agreed that one of the best ways for foreigners to provide for our personal safety is to learn the language of the country that we’re living in. They point out that Spanish speakers have an easier time getting to know their neighbors and the local police. Knowing the language also helps when calling for help or reporting a crime.

In fact, the author’s calls to the various emergency telephone numbers prove this point: on two different days, at two different times of day,...there were no English-speaking operators.


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Guanajuato, Mex -- Driving Here

Remember when I quoted in a previous blog that the Gringolandians in Lake Chapala tell us how it is so safe there, no organized crime there, how it is "Heaven on Earth?" Check out this story:

Senior Chapala police officer gunned down on main drag

Jose Guadalupe Gollaz Mejia, second officer in command of the Chapala police department, was assassinated in broad daylight Wednesday, May 5, on Avenida Francisco Madero, the city’s main thoroughfare....Entire Article Here

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Don't think for one moment that driving the Mexican toll roads offers any amount of special safety. You will read on online sites and blogs that have real estate to sell you that it is safe to take the toll roads here. Tell that to the couple the following happened to:

Group:Members
Posts:28
Joined:31-August 08
Posted Yesterday, 11:47 AM

"My wife and I were carjacked on the cuota (toll road) last Thursday at 9:00 am, 4 kilometers north on the Mazatlan Policia Federal Preventiva headquarters. We were surrounded and then stopped by three trucks and a car. Five gunman made sure that we behaved ourselves.

We were hauled from the truck, put face down on the road with guns to our heads. The truck, our belongings and worst of all our three rescue dogs were gone in an instant. A very well rehearsed, well executed "take down" taking no longer than two minutes to complete.

Reporting the incident to the PFP shortly thereafter their only response was that there had been a number of similar occurances over the past while (newer trucks being the preferred targets).

The Canadian Consulate offered us immediate assistance providing emotional support, meals and accomodation and arranging for the first available flight to Vancouver. Don't think for a moment that you are safe on the cuota - day or night, be vigilant, keep an eye on your rear view mirror at all times and make sure you are not being followed when leaving a Pemex
station.

Please make sure all of your friends and acquaintances are aware of a potential carjacking before they head home. "

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Check out NBC's Dateline Report on San Miguel de Allende Kidnappings--CLICK HERE

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Guanajuato, Mex -- Out of Touch!

My Lord, how out of touch I've become. When we moved on 12/30/09, we moved so far away from downtown Guanajuato that, 1) we have to take public transportation to get there, and 2) downtown has changed and we weren't there to see it.

It is interesting how that if you get out of the downtown area and barrios close to it that you begin to find "other" Guanajuato's. This is a good thing. While house hunting in December 2009, we begin to find areas of Guanajuato that were actually quiet (like the place we live now), car traffic wasn't that bad so air was cleaner, people were a lot nicer and more "Mexican" than downtown, and so far no one has pushed us off the sidewalk and into the path of an oncoming bus.

The disadvantage, if it really is one, is that to walk to downtown you have to be in excellent shape and in some cases it is too far to attempt walking. So what, I say. We have actually walked the distance but regretted it later.

We had to go downtown today. We do this no more than twice and month usually and try to limit it to once a month.

We arrived at El Jardin by bus at about noon and it looked like an average day in San Miguel de Allende. It was loud, loud, loud (did I mention loud?). There was canned music playing from an unknown source. In typical Mexican style, the locals were louder than the music so as to be understood by the person with whom they were with and to whom they were screeching. There were scores of Gabachos spending their Gabacho dollars which was good.

Right now there is sidewalk war. The local owners of eateries are fighting with each other, but most of all the city, to be able to put tables on the sidewalk in front of their establishments. This looks all cutesy and San Miguelianish but it is causing a verbal donnybrook between store and restaurant owners. They are saying that such and such place has violated such and such requirement for tables and chairs.

Apparently, you can only have so many tables and chairs and this and that and if someone thinks you have too many of something, war breaks out. The main argument is that someone's tables, chairs, and customers are blocking access to someone's store or whatever. The only evidence I saw where pedestrians had to jump off the sidewalk, into the street, then back onto the sidewalk was in front of "La Capellina". (That place is overpriced and the food is terrible, if you ask me. Avoid it!)

As I sat in the Jardin people watching, I couldn't help but think how the locals in Cuernavaca must have thought at one time how protected and isolated they would forever be from the crime woes of the bigger cities. And yet, they are trying to sell their homes and look elsewhere for greener pastures because of the Narco-trafficker's wars that have broken out in their once safe little provincial town. Tourism, I read, is dead and the city is virtually bankrupt as the result of the Narco-traffickers presence.

How long? How long until Guanajuato is overrun by the Narcos and life changes overnight in this Colonial Mexican Treasure?

How long?

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ROCKET SPANISH

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Guanajuato, Mex -- People Are Happy Here...Not All Of Them!

If you cruise the net for websites and blogs about living in Mexico you will find a horde of Gringolandians who will tell you that Mexicans are such a happy people making living here for the Gringolandian "Heaven On Earth." (They really use this phrase, literally.)

At least 50% of Mexicans are not happy. In fact, they are depressed. Not only that, Mexican teenage suicide has increased 2.5% this year alone. This is an increase of almost 3 times what it was in 2009. (Source: Dr. Enrique Campizano)

Dr. Enrique Campuzano says the problem isn't one factor alone but a combination of problems in Mexican society.

That goes without saying, in my opinion. However, I want to know why you do not read this fact that half of Mexico's one hundred million population is suffering from depression?

Should this not tell you how out-of-touch Gringolandians are in Mexico?

They are physically in the culture but not of the culture.

Think about it.

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