Hi Mexico-loving friends! I hope you had a wonderful start to 2023.

Hi Mexico-loving friends! I hope you had a wonderful start to 2023.  While last month's newsletter came to you from the beaches of Mexico, I am now back to feeling that cold Northern European wind and plotting my next trip back to Mexico, a return to Baja California Sur, of course! Mexico has had a tough month with repeated issues on the Mexico City metro. While I used to highly recommend people use this mode of public transportation in Mexico, I really caution you against it at the moment.  It was evacuated recently because one of the stations was completely filled with smoke because of something short-circuiting, and prior to that there was a collision between two metro train cars. This article explains a bit more about the whole situation. Other wild news to come out of Mexico this week is snow in Baja California! The storm warnings are for Tijuana, Ensenada, Tecate, Rosarito, and San Quintín. Local governments have closed schools and other public venues in preparation for bad weather. While other parts of the country like Monterrey, northern Sinaloa, and Chihuahua are slightly more used to weather like this, it's going to be a bit of a shock for this region.  If you are visiting at the moment, be sure to take extra caution driving (others may not be so skilled at driving in this weather), and wrap up warm! You can read more about the weather there in this article.

Moving to Mexico?

While moving back to Mexico in 2023 isn't in the cards for me, I know it's something many people begin to think about at the start of the year. January and February are the months of the year when I receive the most emails about quitting jobs, retiring, finding a place in the sunshine, renting in Mexico City, finding a place that suits people's budgets, and living a better quality of life south of the border. There are so many resources out there these days, so many people sharing their experiences, it can seem overwhelming. If you're getting these emails, it's likely because you've been to Mexico before, you've fallen in love with it as much as I have, and you either want to continue to return for vacations or because you are thinking about making it your forever home one day (or you already have!). These are some of the resources that I think are most helpful for those that are just starting out trying to figure out how to live in Mexico and where to make your home base. As always, if you ever have any questions about moving to or living in Mexico, hit reply and ask away. Alex of Backpacking Brunette is a huge resource for people who are ready to make the move. Her YouTube channel is packed with information about visas, cost of living, apartment hunting and more. But her biggest and best resource is her Mexico Residency Roadmap and her Moving to Mexico Membership. The roadmap is a self-guided video and text-based guide that helps you get your legal residency in Mexico. The Mexico Membership includes all kinds of great monthly meet-ups and getting your personal questions answered by Alex on video. I have a huge collection of articles across my blog and youtube channel to help people figure out where they believe would be the best place for them to move. Here are some of the most popular. Where to Retire in Mexico Safest Cities in Mexico Best Places to Live in Mexico Best Places to Live in Mexico if you don't want to be hot! Cost of Living in Mexico City Cost of Living in Todos Santos Cost of Living in San Jose del Cabo Mexperience is a long-standing and trustworthy website that I have used frequently over the years whenever I have legal or more serious questions about living in Mexico. They have some of the most up-to-date information about life here and I trust and value the advice that I find here. I know I have often recommended checking out local Facebook groups in the past, and while these can be a great way to get involved in the community once you arrive, I no longer believe that these are helpful or safe spaces for asking questions.  It is always best to seek out people who are experts in the area, have experience with helping others, and who in general you feel you can trust for good information.

January Mexico Content

The latest update for my Mexico City travel guide is ALMOST done! I hope to have it ready to purchase next week! If you have already purchased a digital copy of the book at any point in the past, you'll get an email next week with a new copy to download (for free!). There is some exciting new content about Tulum over on Eternal Expat and I have also updated some of our most popular posts to make sure they are as up-to-date as possible for you after my trip to Mexico last month! Using Amazon in Mexico: What You Need to Know 7 Best Bars in Tulum Not to Miss! 5 Cenotes Near Tulum Where to Have the Best Breakfast in Tulum Cancun vs Tulum: Which to Choose? What to Pack for Cancun (Recently updated!) Xochimilco Mexico City Guide (Recently updated!) Best Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta (Recently updated!) You can catch up on all of the Mexico content on Eternal Expat here.

Expats & Locals Around Mexico

As always with Mexico, I highly recommend seeking out people who are currently living in the places that you want to visit. Speak to the locals living in those places and find out how you can better integrate. Ask questions, be curious and kind. For updates about Mexico City, as always I recommend following Ubish Yaren on Instagram. You can also follow Anais of The Curious Mexican for updates on the restaurant and food scene in Mexico City and what is back open. For updates about what's going on in Oaxaca, Susan of Brooklyn Tropicali has been sharing her updates of what's going on around the city and state of Oaxaca. Trisha of PS I'm On My Way currently lives in Cabo San Lucas and can share some insights into what is happening there with you. Check out her website here. She also has a great Mexico-specific website called Mexico Insider which you can read here. For regular updates about life in Merida and around the Yucatan, check out Mexico Cassie who has also recently written a fantastic guide about Traveling Yucatan with Kids. Shelley of Travel Mexico Solo also shares her experiences in Merida and around the Yucatan. She also has a fantastic blog all about Merida here and all about Oaxaca here.  The Yucatan Times is the local English newspaper in Merida that shares local updates and news reports. To keep up with what's going on in and around Guadalajara, follow Alex of the Backpacking Brunette. Vallarta Daily is the local English news there where you can learn about any changes in the situation in Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding Nayarit beach towns as well. Riviera Maya News is the local English newspaper there where you can keep up with changes. I believe this is the region that is changing the most in regards to safety at the minute and if you plan to independently travel here (renting a car and exploring without tours or away from resorts), then I highly recommend speaking to someone who is there right now. As always, a great place to keep up to date with news about what's happening all over Mexico in English is Mexico News Daily. It seems that if you register as a user (for free), you are able to see more articles at the moment.

Visiting Mexico Soon?

If you are planning a trip to Mexico soon, I hope you'll have a browse of the different Mexico guides on my blog or have a search through my YouTube videos to help you plan your trip! I also have FOUR extensive guidebooks available for Baja California Sur, Mexico City, Merida, and Guanajuato! If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to email me by simply hitting reply on this email. Speak soon and safe travels, Laura