the adventures of dos tortas

Countries all over the world struggle with how to deal with migrating populations. Folks are looking for a better life, job, spouse, opportunity, cultural experience or like us, a slower, more relaxed life. We met Max and Aliza who hooked up in Africa and have been traveling for three years. They are from Canada and the Netherlands and make a living photographing, building websites, waiting tables and whatever it takes to barter their way around the world. They came to Bacalar from Cuba where they had been living for the past month.

In the US, the issue is citizenship. If people come to the States to work, should they be given the opportunity to become citizens? To be clear, Lisa and I have no intentions of becoming Mexican citizens. Relinquishing US citizenship is a movement that we are not part of.

For many retirees in Mexico, acquiring residency has been long and complicated. Up until last year, a multi-tiered process was in place that took many years to complete. In an effort to streamline the Mexican government completely overhauled their system. As a former state employee, I am intimately familiar with legislators who write law, provide no additional funding and expect well meaning, short staffed and underpaid workers to seamlessly implement it.

The new system provides temporary and permanent residency and must be initiated in one’s home country. For vacationers, a 180-day visa is supplied at the boarder. Temporary residents (retirees/jubilados) must prove adequate income from outside of MX. No working is allowed. Residentes temporales may drive a US-plated vehicle and keep temporary status for four years. After that time, they must sell or pay high fees to keep their US cars and apply for permanent status. The whole car thing is to protect the Mexican auto industry.

Our trip to the Mexican Consulate in Austin provided visas which we presented at our local immigration office in Quitana Roo. The requirements to prove financial solvency are a vague formula and perusing the internet and talking to expats in Bacalar only contributed fear and confusion. We gathered what we thought were the supporting documents needed (bank statements, copies of our passports, and proof of domicile) and began our petition with a visit to INM (Instituto Nacional de Migración). The advice we had been given was to arrive 30 minutes early to get in line and go when it’s raining because there will be fewer people. The weather cooperated and after three trips, our application was completed and submitted. My Spanish ability certainly enhanced and hindered the process. The alternative was an immigration lawyer or Spanish-speaking paralegal. I am stubborn enough that I thought I could figure it out and I did. The three trips were due to my inability to locate and understand the instructions, nothing more.

We were told that we would have to wait a month to get our residency card. Friends here smile at our naivety. It is true that nothing is timely in Mexico. Agreements are flimsy.

Lisa and I are extremely grateful for the opportunity to live in Bacalar, MX. We decided to remain happy and peaceful no matter what happens. Actually, that is pretty much the formula for our lives. If more is required of us, we will provide it. For now, we will wait. Our motto remains, “No Complaining in Paradise.”

If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace. – Thich Nhat Hanh

The satisfaction gained from the achievement of a large undertaking is one of the most substantial that life affords. The Happiness Project

We’ve been planning the adventure of Dos Tortas for over a year, but as the departure came nearer, we actually began getting closer to familia and friends. People we haven’t seen in years contacted us, invited us for dinner and wanted to hang out before we left. Even family members who we saw every few months went the extra mile to spend time with us. It’s definitely easier to be the leave-er than the leave-ee.

I lived in Japan for two years in the 80’s, before the birth of the internet. Connection was maintained via infrequent phone calls due to the 12-hour time difference, and long letters on blue airmail folding envelopes. Today we have cell phones, Skype, instant messaging, blogging, FB, email and relatively inexpensive flights to and from. Relationships will change and take a bit more effort to maintain but can be as rich as ever. At least that’s what I tell myself. If even half the people who promised to come see us actually show up, we will be very busy tour guides. I hope one of them is you.

We left Austin on Thursday loaded down. There was barely an inch of space left. Open the door of the trailer and something will surely fall on your head! We are resting in San Antonio with our DIL and grandson. The trailer is ready to roll. We are heading a la frontera super early Sunday morning rather than spend la noche en Laredo. By the time this goes to print, we should be through immigration and on our way.

I created a Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/theadventuresofdostortas to help you dear fans follow our daily progress. Please add comments both here and on FB. Otherwise I’ll see you back here next Sunday from somewhere deep in the heart of Mexico.