The Mexican Consulate and hitting the Salvage Yards

The skills you acquire when turning your life up-side-down and moving to another country are varied and numerous. This week we visited the Mexican Consulate to apply for residency in our adopted country. A residency visa will keep us from having to cross a border every 180 days in order to stay in the country. Mexico has recently rewritten its immigration laws and the process must be initiated in our home country. When we get to Mexico we will have to prove adequate income as retirees and hope and pray we have enough. The exact amount is sketchy and imprecise, as are so many things in Mexico. We were photographed and finger printed. Visas acquired. CHECK

On to the job of transportation. The truck and trailer have new tires and have received a complete once-over by Jason and his crew at Leonard’s Automotive. I can’t say enough about these guys. AC has been juiced and brakes repaired. We are ready to rock’n roll. CHECK

So what about the salvage yards you ask? When we got the truck, we were missing the jack and important levers to lower the spare tire. Riding around Austin, it is easy to be reckless, but not when driving 30 hours and crossing a border. I visited five male car parts heavens on the south end of Congress Avenue. Each time there was head shaking and pointing me up the street to their compadres. What to do? I returned to see Jason who referred me to David at the local dealership. It pays to have connections and after $100 (gulp) we were ready to go. CHECK

Getting out of the glass tower of state government and moving among mortals has proven to be fun and productive. The coming week is filled with packing and loading the trailer. I think some practice in backing it up is in order. Another skill I hope never to need again.

Mexican Consulate in Austin

Residency Visa

Thought For The Day

Tags: expatriate, Leonard's Automotiv, Leonard's Automotive, mexican adventure, Mexican Consulate, Mexican residency, residency visa, Retiring to Mexico, salvage yards