It’s a cloudy morning here in San Carlos. Looks like it might rain. That would be nice. I kinda miss rainy days. We don’t get many of those here. In fact, we’ve had one since we arrived, and the rain was accompanied by Newtons 100 + mph winds, so it wasn’t like you could sit on the balcony and enjoy it. We get an average of 9 inches of rain a year here. “Where the desert meets the sea” as they like to say. It’s different, and different doesn’t sit well with some people. Others adapt; some quickly and easily, others less so. So I thought I’d spend some time filling you in on daily life here and how it works, or doesn’t work, for people who come here to San Carlos, or western Sonora in general.

Let’s start with a little talk about preparation. Success in migration, it seems to us, is directly proportional to the amount on preparation that precedes it. Prior to moving here, we learned about the culture, food, cost of living, weather, and history. There weren’t a lot of surprises. In addition to preparation, adaptability is up there on the list of characteristics of a successful expat. Don’t come here thinking you’re gonna make it like it is “back home”. You’re not. Mexico has been Mexico for a really long time, and it’s not going to become Toad Sphincter, Ohio just because you have arrived. We’ve met people who were surprised that it’s hot out (in August IN THE DESERT), and that people here speak Spanish. Do your homework.

Language. The Mexican United States (yes, that’s really the country’s name) is a huge country. The main language spoken here is Spanish, although the Mexican Government officially recognizes 68 other indigenous languages and dialects, none of which is English. One of the questions we get a lot from our readers is do I need to learn Spanish. I have mixed feelings about the answer. My personal feeling is it’s a Spanish speaking country so yes, you should learn Spanish. However, there’s a big gap between “have to” and “should”. Apparently, you don’t have to. We know a woman who has lived here full time for thirteen years and doesn’t speak Spanish. At all. Frankly it amazes me that you wouldn’t learn it by accident over that much time, but she interacts primarily with other Gringos and hasn’t had the need.

Cell phones. Man can this get complicated. Here are the dialing instructions we got with our international cell phone plan:

To dial locally, dial 242-XXXX (No definition of “local”)

To dial from the U.S, dial 011-52-662242-XXXX

To call the U.S, dial 001 + Area Code + Number

To dial a Mexican cell phone from the U.S, dial 011-521-622242-XXXX

My solution: program in emergency numbers and wait for everybody else to call me.

We also have an OOMA system for a landline. It’s a great VOIP system and as long as we have an internet connection, we can dial or receive calls to and from any U.S. number like a local call. We get two lines for about 14 bucks a month.

Television. Same electronic wasteland here as it is in the U.S. Our condo came with Direct TV and 1200(!) channels. We can literally watch any kind of sporting event from anywhere in the world 24 hours a day. However, if you want local weather, you will only get it in Spanish. You’ll quickly learn that stations like The Weather Channel don’t give a fat rat’s behind about the weather in Mexico. When Hurricane Newton was approaching, the only thing they talked about was what it would do in Arizona and Texas once it crossed the border. There is no cable here to speak of.

Internet. We have a fast, reliable fiber-optic connection through Telmex. This varies from place to place. In places where it is less reliable, people get used to it. We recently spent some time in Bahia de Kino and had a connection about half the time and even when it was there it was pretty slow. After a full day without it, we went to speak to the property manager. Those conversations go something like this:

Us: The internet has been down all day.

Manager: Si, I know. Here too.

Us: Have you spoken to anyone about it?

Manager: Just you.

In other words, if it’s a way of life, just go with the flow, but if you need it for business or whatever, research it before you move.

Driving. In the cities, like Hermisillo, it’s a contact sport. In the more rural areas, it depends. At intersections and circles (lots of these here) Mexican drivers are very courteous and will wave for you to go first. Once they get up to speed though, the law of inertia takes over. Speed limits are just suggestions. A two lane road is actually a three lane road. Slower drivers will keep to the right of the road to leave space on the center line for faster (sometimes lots faster) cars to pass. In both directions. It’s nerve wracking at first, but after a while you get used to it.

Food. If you eat out, go where the locals go. Meals are cheap and delicious. Service is usually friendly if not very fast. Very little happens very fast here. The prices will shock you, but in a good way. Example: An evening at the local beach bar – Nacho appetizer, shrimp quesadilla for me, fish fillet for her, four Dos Equis, Four Piña coladas – Total: $580. That’s pesos. In dollars: $29.46.

Short summary. Come with an open mind and an open heart. Realize that it isn’t going to be like you’re used to. Embrace the culture and the people. It’s a great lifestyle, if you can live it.