Factor # 8 -- daily learning to survive
Factor # 9 -- facing mountains of difficulties; and being repeatedly crushed
"Why Mexico? Why don't you retire in one of those nice communities in Arizona?" I have heard those exact words -- or variations -- almost every week since I decided to retire in Mexico.
The subtext, of course, goes something like this. Live somewhere safe. Somewhere comfortable. With the type of people you have known all your life.
Sounds like a cemetery to me. "There is plenty of time for comfort in the grave."
I have seen these communities. Do any of you remember the television series "The Prisoner" from the 1960s? That is exactly how I envision a safe, comfortable retirement.
Because I thought that was what retirement meant, I had almost feared the prospect of quitting my job and moving on to a different life. In my job life, each day is a struggle to survive, but I learn a lot about myself and life every time I get crushed.
The moment I decided that I wanted to move to Mexico, all of my retirement concerns disappeared. The aspects of my work life that allow me to enjoy life would certainly exist south of the border.
I want to wake up each morning not being certain that I will know how to make it through the day. I am not talking about despair. What I want are challenges. Mexico will offer that. I will need to learn how to shop, how to find new foods, what I need to do to keep the electricity running to the house.
I was prepared to go so far as to live in Chacala (enticed through Andee's blog) where there is only 4 hours of water supply available each day -- when the pumps have not been vandalized or the wiring stolen. But Andee convinced me that I need a bit more infrastructure to support my adventure.
What I do not want is a large expatriate community to completely relieve the pressure of daily living. I can easily navigate the brie and Chablis crowd, but if that is what I wanted, I could retire to Santa Fe and die the death of a thousand Dorothy Parker cuts.
Is this factor still important to me?
Yes. But it is too philosophical to quantify much more than I have.
Grade for Melaque:
B
Melaque offers the basic challenges I want out of my retirement. It does not get an A for the reasons I described earlier. I have already discovered several gringo acquaintances during my brief visits to the area. This is one factor that I will need to watch very carefully.
I am subject to the worship of comfort as much as anyone I know. Perhaps even more so. If I am going to make this experiment work, I need to move somewhere I can find difficulties.
Melaque will do for a start.
Next post: long walks with Professor Jiggs before breakfast and after sunset (and it will be a difficult post)
"Why Mexico? Why don't you retire in one of those nice communities in Arizona?" I have heard those exact words -- or variations -- almost every week since I decided to retire in Mexico.
The subtext, of course, goes something like this. Live somewhere safe. Somewhere comfortable. With the type of people you have known all your life.
Sounds like a cemetery to me. "There is plenty of time for comfort in the grave."
I have seen these communities. Do any of you remember the television series "The Prisoner" from the 1960s? That is exactly how I envision a safe, comfortable retirement.
Because I thought that was what retirement meant, I had almost feared the prospect of quitting my job and moving on to a different life. In my job life, each day is a struggle to survive, but I learn a lot about myself and life every time I get crushed.
The moment I decided that I wanted to move to Mexico, all of my retirement concerns disappeared. The aspects of my work life that allow me to enjoy life would certainly exist south of the border.
I want to wake up each morning not being certain that I will know how to make it through the day. I am not talking about despair. What I want are challenges. Mexico will offer that. I will need to learn how to shop, how to find new foods, what I need to do to keep the electricity running to the house.
I was prepared to go so far as to live in Chacala (enticed through Andee's blog) where there is only 4 hours of water supply available each day -- when the pumps have not been vandalized or the wiring stolen. But Andee convinced me that I need a bit more infrastructure to support my adventure.
What I do not want is a large expatriate community to completely relieve the pressure of daily living. I can easily navigate the brie and Chablis crowd, but if that is what I wanted, I could retire to Santa Fe and die the death of a thousand Dorothy Parker cuts.
Is this factor still important to me?
Yes. But it is too philosophical to quantify much more than I have.
Grade for Melaque:
B
Melaque offers the basic challenges I want out of my retirement. It does not get an A for the reasons I described earlier. I have already discovered several gringo acquaintances during my brief visits to the area. This is one factor that I will need to watch very carefully.
I am subject to the worship of comfort as much as anyone I know. Perhaps even more so. If I am going to make this experiment work, I need to move somewhere I can find difficulties.
Melaque will do for a start.
Next post: long walks with Professor Jiggs before breakfast and after sunset (and it will be a difficult post)
