LIFE IN MEXICO: Never Dull

Situation: We live in a gigantic house. The upstairs we rent. We have a full bathroom, three rooms, our own electric meter (so we do not pay more than we use), access to the kitchen, phone, laundry facilities, all of which are downstairs.
The family is totals four. Two adults and two sons. Olimpia's parents, sister, brother (his wife and three girls) live next door. It is a family compound popular here in Mexico.
Problem: This week, one evening, everyone was gone from our house. Her parents were home next door. Someone called her aged father and demanded money for ransom of their adult son who works as a computer geek in Leon. The kidnappers knew not only the names of the family, and I mean ALL OF THEM, they also knew Cindi and my name and even told Oli's father Cindi's and my routine of walking to the bus stop each Monday and described us perfectly down to the clothes we wore when we went out last Monday.
Also, Carlitos (16 years old), one of the kids in our home, was in the Plaza at the end of our street playing with his cousin and the caller told Mr. Sergoviano ( Olimpia's father) where they were and what they were wearing. So, he (they?) had to be watching us -- ALL OF US.
This sort of thing has been common in the past. I haven't heard of it or read an account of it in a while. But, it does happen here.

The adult son who works in Leon was not kidnapped as claimed by the caller.
One of the huge problems is that locals fear rather than trust the police. Some will claim that the cops could be in on the plot. To "Protect and to Serve" is in this country a myth according to some Mexicans.
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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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Guanajuato, Mex -- Dangerous Border

We get countless requests wanting to know which border to use to cross into Mexico. Since we live here and have full time since 2003, we've become proficient enough in Spanish to read the daily news here and watch the national news.

We generally tell everyone that we would not come near a border town for any amount of money in the world. We base this upon the amount of stories in MEXICAN newspapers and TV news.

Here's a new story in today's Foxnews that you should read if you are thinking of driving into Mexico.

Texas Town on High Alert as Mexican Town Across Border Braces for Cartel Gun Battle

San Miguel de Allende: I Wouldn't Last a Day In This Place

A friend sent a link. I was riveted to the computer screen watching the NBC Dateline video of the kidnapping of one family in San Miguel de Allende. What is so profound is the Mexicans who talk about how there is no criminal-justice system in Mexico that protects her people. Also, how no one in San Miguel de Allende wanted to go public with this kidnapping since they thought it would negatively affect REAL ESTATE prices. NO SURPRISE THERE!

Click Here For Video

Do you really want to move here????