Remember, although

Mexico borders

our country,

it is a foreign country with it’s own laws and customs, so you do want to be well prepared.

I have included here, a picture of the Bull Fighting Ring in Mazatlan, Mexico.

I will probably never see the inside of this facility. Completely against my perception of entertainment.   However – remember that Mexico is a different country, with different traditions and different customs than we are familiar with. While you may never want to see this spectacle either, you should respect the long years of tradition that makes this an important event to many Mexicans, when you are in their country.  

What may be perfectly acceptable actions in the states could offend someone in Mexico and visa versa.

Bull fighting arena

You’ll find the people of Mexico to be very conscious of everyday manners, both in their actions and their speech. How refreshing!

• Mexicans tend to be more conservative than Americans – this goes for dress, especially in the more Provencal areas of Mexico.

• When having a conversation with a resident of Mexico, you will find they tend to be more comfortable to stand closer together that we are used to – they don’t seem to fear “someone getting in their space” as seems to be the way in America.

• DO NOT use the old O.K. sign – making  the hole with the thumb and index finger – that’s a vulgarity in Mexico and you will offend most people!

• A handshake is acceptable and a back slap. Hugs are usually for friends, but can also be used in business situations. In some instances a kiss on each cheek is appropriate. I’d let the other person initiate that.

You may find that Mexico is, unfortunately, a bit race-conscious. This apparently originates from the fact that the conquering Spanish (light-skins) basically enslaved the indigenous (dark-skinned) peoples. Ergo, for some Mexicans, the concept remains that white is rich and powerful and dark is lower-class. It’s amazing that such ideas still exist in this day and age.   Today, with about ten percent of the population being white, 60% mixed and 30% indigenous, race consciousness sadly persists.

Americans, visiting Mexico for the first time, may be to see the high percentage of darker skinned individuals, rather than the white skinned Hispanics they have become accustomed to seeing in advertisements and on TV.

I believe the easiest way to deal with unwanted attention is simply to ignore it. Being not only light-skinned, but if your appearance proclaims that you are apparently not from Mexico, you may be called a gringo or a guera – there is usually no offence meant, it’s simply a description of what you are.

Gringo – There are many opinions of the derivation of this word – one is that the song “Green grow the lilacs, all sparkling with dew…” was popular during the Mexican/American War in the 1800’s. The Mexicans heard the song so often that “green grow” eventually became gringo for Americans …it’s a possibility.

Anyway, now Gringo is used for anyone with Caucasian features basically. It takes a certain kind of person to live outside the U.S.  If you plan to live in Mexico and enjoy it, you should immerse yourself somewhat in the customs and culture of the country.

In this article I hope I have basically introduced some everyday behavior, appropriate for us Gringos in Mexico:

• Be polite to everyone.

•Don’t assume just because someone doesn’t have a formal education they are not as smart as someone who does.

•Treat others as you would want to be treated!

Mexico / customs article by Barbie.

Education

and

Schooling

For those who might be thinking of taking grandchildren or children to Mexico you’ll find this education article very interesting.

Basic education is free (and mandatory) from ages six through eighteen. That stipulates a child will receive schooling and books, but all else must be provided by parents (uniforms, pencils, pens, etc.).

Preschool covers children aged three through five and is generally provided in three grades. Preschool is free.

You’ll be happy to know that one of the high priorities of the Mexican Government is education, and the budget has continued to increase in recent years. In fact, the education budget has increased significantly. The budget has increased by almost 25% over the last decade. As a result, there has been a dramatic increase in school enrollments over the past few years.

Colegio Marie Teresa De Calouta

That being said,
their education system,
like our own,
is not perfect.

Although educational levels in Mexico have improved substantially in recent decades, the country still faces some problems. (There are private schools available for your consideration if you are worried about the quality of education for your children.)

The Mexican school system is organized into Basic, Secondary and Higher components as follows:

Basic Education comprises preschool, primary school, and lower secondary school. Preschool covers children aged three through five and is generally provided in three grades. Preschool is free.

Primary education provides at least six years of schooling and is compulsory upon the states to provide free education from age six. There are several educational pathways, for specific population groups, including general education, bilingual-bicultural education, community education for children in the isolated regions of the country, and (4) adult education.

Higher-secondary education (3 years) is considered part of basic education and is compulsory upon the states. For entry, students are required to have successfully completed six years of primary education.

Secondary Education: Upper-Secondary Education is separate from Basic Education. This stage is non-compulsory upon the states and has three pathways: General upper-secondary, Technical professional education, and Technological upper-secondary.

Not all Mexican states have compulsory school attendance laws, and “compulsory education” generally means simply that it is compulsory upon the states to provide for it. It is important to understand that Mexico comprises 31 states and a federal district, and these jurisdictions pass their own laws so long as they do not conflict with federal laws. Compulsory school attendance in the state of Sonora went into effect in the beginning of the 2008 school year. The state of Sonora provides 12 years of free public education for its young people.

Higher education: There are four pathways of higher Education in Mexico: (1) Universities (4-5 year colleges and universities, called the licenciatura), (2) Technical institutes (3-year programs in engineering and management), (3) Teacher-training colleges, offering bachelor’s degrees in the fields of education, and (4) Technological universities, offering two-year programs to prepare students as Higher University Technicians.

Education article by Barbie.

As it stands today,

Healthcare

in Mexico

is not covered

by U.S. Medicare.

Medicare does not cover Americans outside of the United States, except under these conditions:

1. The beneficiary is a border resident who requires hospitalization and the Canadian or Mexican hospital is either closer to the beneficiary’s home than the participating U.S. hospital or when the Mexican or Canadian hospital offers covered services which the U.S. hospital does not.

2. The beneficiary is not a border resident, but the emergency occurs in the United States and a Mexican hospital is in closer proximity.  In both instances, Medicare pays for physician and ambulance services furnished in Mexico in conjunction with a covered inpatient stay. This lack of coverage affects residents, tourists, short-term visitors, and people who choose to live in Mexico. 

3. Mexico offers medical healthcare insurance to almost everyone.

The National HealthCare Program, IMSS:

1. Healthcare is available in most major cities.

2. Takes about 6 to 9 months for healthcare coverage to be activated after acceptance. Once accepted, you are a life member as long as premiums are paid.

3. At IMSS healthcare clinics you do not have a choice of physicians.

Available in Mexico:

1. Small clinics with general practitioner who is qualified to handle minor illnesses and injuries.

2. Small hospitals with surgeons, internists and pediatricians.

3. Large intensive-care facilities with various specialists.

Exquisite ironwork

The general requirements for joining the IMSS healthcare program are:

1. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire, with the assistance of a doctor.

2. Submit to a basic medical examination which includes checking your blood pressure and listening to your heart. Other tests may be requested. The cost of the health care coverage is approximately $300.00 U.S. per year. You may apply only in January, February, July and August.  This program is open to all foreigners regardless of nationality and/or immigration status. Medical care in Mexico…… is unbelievably inexpensive by almost anyone’s standards. Of course prices vary according to the region and whether you go to a private clinic or a government run facility.  

Here are some random prices from private clinics in Chetumal – down on the “tail” of Mexico –south of Cancun – in US dollars:

• Private room in a hospital, $50 per day

• Exam and consultation with a specialist, $15

• Ultrasound or X-ray , $15

• Oral surgery, $50 per tooth

• Porcelain filling, $30 each.

• Teeth cleaning, $25

• Emergency room treatment, $15

Exploratory abdominal surgery and appendectomy using video laporoscopy. Including four-day hospital stay in a private room, all fees of the surgeon and the anesthesiologist, and medication. $1,200.

If your only experience in Latin America has been visitingTijuana for a day, you are in for one big surprise!  

The professionals who practice their profession in Mexico after studying abroad, hoping to make their country better, is one reason the health care system is so friendly. Latinos are by nature a warm, caring people ergo, they are generally, good and compassionate doctors and nurses.

Mexico healthcare article by Barbie.

Healthcare

in Mexico.

Healthcare is always a lot less expensive than you will find in the States, and the quality of health care can be very good!

One of the most important things people should consider prior to retirement is…

…the availability of medical healthcare facilities located in the area where they are planning to live. 

Mexico stands up pretty well in that respect. 

In Mexico,there are insurance plans offered to everyone – even foreigners. The insurance we checked on was very reasonable, compared to what we were paying in the U.S. 

In Mazatlan, along with health/ medical insurance, there are plans you can buy that will airevacuate you back to the states. SkyMed offers a complete package that meets recommendations of the US and Canadian Consulates. Members traveling more than 100 air miles from home, buy a plan that returns them to their local hospital and medical care providers. And Medevac Critical Care Air & Land Ambulance, 24-hour mobile emergency units, staffed by quality physicians and well-trained paramedics and life support equipment, offers medical evacuation from Mexico to the United States and runs only about $50 to $100 a year.

 If an emergency situation presents itself, call the Red Cross (Cruz Roja) for an ambulance. The Red Cross provides this service and will take you to any hospital of your choosing in Mazatlan. Sr. Alberto Osuna, director, says his agency’s ambulance is free of charge and that any hotel in the Golden Zone can be reached within seven minutes.(donations are accepted). 981-3690 or 985-1451.   If hospitalization is necessary, ask your doctor what his fee for the entire procedure is beforehand. Then, request a daily-itemized bill.

If you find yourself in a hospital or clinic and think you have been charged questionable or excessive healthcare fees:

• Don’t be intimidated.
• Don’t sign anything.
• Don’t surrender your passport.
• Don’t complete or sign an Exit Survey.
• Don’t pay your account before receiving an itemized bill.

Under Article 91 of Mexico’s Consumer Protection laws, you can demand reimbursement of overpaid charges for any type of service. Save all receipts and itemized accounts in the event you need to initiate legal proceedings.  Under Aritcle 281 of the Sinaloa Penal Code, it is against the law for any “hospital, sanatorium, clinic, dispensary, nursing facility or any other health center” to stop you from leaving by claiming you have not paid your bill.

If this happens to you, immediately call or go to your Consulate.  You can present your case, concerning any complaints about medical care or over-billing to La Comisión de Arbitraje Médico del Estatdo de Sinaloa (Medical Arbitration Commission for the State of Sinaloa). Rafael Buelna #202, 2nd Floor/Las Conchas de Mazatlan Building, telephone 983-9300,  Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.  There is no cost to appear before the Arbitration Commission.

Like I said, healthcare in Mexico is always a lot less expensive than you will find in the States, and the quality of healthcare, south of the border, can be very good.  

I always laugh when I tell friends that we also get all our dental work done in Mexico and hear the inevitable response… “But are they really dentists?” Believe me, the good folks practicing in the health fields in Mexico have the same training and the same certificates as the good folks in the States. And, sure, some are better than others, but that goes across the board…we’ve found.

Healthcare article by Barbie.

Have you been

to the dentist

lately?

It is shocking how much a trip to the dentist costs in the U.S.A.. But good dental care doesn’t have to cost a fortune… 

When Dick and I go to the dentist, we almost always choose to go to a little town called Algodones – just south of Yuma, Arizona.  Nogales, just south of Tucson, Arizona, is also a good choice.  But your choices are varied – Nogales, Juarez, Tijuana, Nuevo Progreso, etc.

When we first made our monumental decision to try out a “Mexican Dentist”, we were really a bit hesitant …would they be able to understand us …how do we get an appointment …are they really dentists …how would the cleanliness be …are they up to date …can they do x-rays…so many questions and all so quickly answered on our first trip! We had been satisfied with most “American dentists” … especially when we had dental insurance, paid for by Dick’s employers!

Quite a difference to be asked to cough up $9000 for one implant now! Or $1200 for a root canal and cap – good grief – on retirement income, that’s really just prohibitive  … solution:  just have all the teeth pulled and eat rolled oats for the rest of your life… I don’t think so!  

First of all – the dentist offices do have telephones…

… and 99 times out of 100, all you have to do when they answer is to say “English, Please” , or ‘English, por favor” and the phone will be handed over to someone who can speak English. Tell them you need an appointment and they will set you up – some just say no appointment necessary – and they really mean it. I don’t know how they do it, but you don’t have to wait all that long if you’re a walk-in!  In my book, Retire in Luxury, I have the exact process of making a phone call to Mexico.

Now, presumably, you have made your appointment.

You may need to be away from home, depending on where you live, for a couple of days. Believe it or not, you can pay for your traveling expenses, pay the dentist and still save!

And if you’re frugal like the Parks are proud to be – well, you’ll just be amazed at the savings!

You’ll probably also be amazed by the fact that the people you will meet in the waiting rooms are almost always NOT Hispanic!  You’ll visit with snow-birds from Washington and Oregon, part-time Canadian residents, Nevada residents, and Arizonans and Californians just down for the day!

So, off to a border town – or if you’re lucky enough to actually live south of the border – just relax and ask your neighbors where they go.  Since most of you are still considering moving to Mexico for your retirement, be sure to order my latest edition of Retire in Luxury, to help with your retirement decision.

Don’t hesitate to take advantage of the dental situation in Mexico – you won’t feel the least bit strange down here and the price differences are just astonishing!  Just a few sample prices and these are only examples:

Cleaning: $15 to $25
Root Canal $50 to $300
Post: $50 to $150
Porcelain cap: $140 to $350
Cap re-cemented: $30 to $40
Reline: $30 to $40
Bonding: $25 to $50
Extraction: $25 to $100 

So – come on down – you’ll find that you will probably be able to get everything done in one day – they won’t make you come back a dozen times just to finish a process. I know you’ll be glad you go – and, be sure to do a bit of bargaining while you’re there for a colorful clay pot, or maybe a hat… or one of the myriad of handcrafted articles displayed on the streets.

Dentist article by Barbie.