The past couple of months have found me really, really busy at work and I’ve neglected the emails I’ve gotten from my readers. Today, I caught up quite a bit, so am now able to answer these mails.
Welcome to the 2nd installment of Ask an Expat!
Q.
My family and I have been to Playa before, love it there, will be back this week. You have a great website about it; one thing I was wondering, though– do you know if there is anywhere in Playa to get the NY Times or even the Miami Herald?
Also, do you have a link to the property mgmnt website you mentioned?
It really is a beautiful place….
A.
Thank you for your mail! I don’t know of any location in Playa that sells the NY Times, I wish there was! There is a Miami Herald-Cancun edition, but it’s pretty useless, in my opinion. Mostly advertising about Cancun destinations or real estate.
You can find my business website at www.caribesunrise.com
Q.
I am thinking about moving down there from California but am getting mixed messages from people regarding finding work if you are an American. The person who gave me your email address said it will be very hard if not impossible to get a job and that I will run out of money and probably end up having to move back home.
I am 40, I have a girlfriend that is about 27, who has been living in Cancun and now Playa del Carmen for the past year and she says that she gets jobs fairly easy and resorts and tourist places want Americans to work there and they get the work permits for you and just take a little money out of each check to cover the costs. right now she is selling timeshares and although she is not making great $$ she has made enough to stay a whole year so far.. Is is possible to make $$$ or do most people come down there and fail??
Do you have any tips or suggestions???? Thanks
A.
It is not easy to find a job here as a foreigner, but it is not impossible. You have to be persistent and dedicated, however.
You should make sure to save enough money that you could live on for at least 3-6 months while you search for a job. If you’re willing to work in timeshares, it will likely be easier for you to find a job. That wasn’t an option for me, but I did luck into a job simply by keeping my ears open, participating in local forums, and being in the right place at the right time. Now I own my own business, though it is still not successful enough for me to not work for others.
My best advice is to do your research and really prepare yourself for what living here entails. Dealing with immigration is a necessary, but awful part of life here. It’s expensive and frustrating, and not all employers are willing to help cover that cost. I’m unsure of what the housing market is like in Cancun, but here in Playa, rent is high. Be prepared to work 6 days a week.
I think it’s most important that you have realistic expectations about what life in “paradise” is like. People find it hard to believe when I’ve said that at times, living here can be quite hard. Often they roll their eyes and say, sarcastically, poor baby! They can’t believe that I can go 6 months and not step foot on 5th avenue…or on the beach. Sad, but true is the fact that, apart from yesterday, I had not been to the beach in months . Like most of us here, I work 6 days a week and on Sunday, typically attend to the little household chores and errands that don’t get done during the week, so it can be difficult to fit in beach time. Furthermore, one of the things we agreed to upon moving here was a reduced standard of living and low cash flow, so we stick to things we can afford, which leaves out most of the activities that tourists enjoy.
If you still want to move here, after you’ve thought long and hard about all of these things and done your research on the various forums, then sell your crap and come on down. It’s true that many people don’t make it and pack up and leave, but the tenacious, realistic ones will make it. Cream rises, baby.
Ok, two more questions tomorrow. Ciao, bellos!
