INTERESTING INFO FROM MEXEXPERIENCE

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Welcome to the MAY 2012 edition of Vista, your monthly email round-up of news and opportunities about Travel,
Living & Lifestyle in Mexico.

Published and Distributed by: Mexperience.com

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We're Preparing Our 10 Year Celebrations

Next month--June 2012--Mexperience will celebrate its 10th year online. To mark the occasion, we are introducing a number of new features and services during the course of the summer and autumn. We've already begun making some changes and we'll be introducing more over the course of the summer and autumn. For example, we plan to re-introduce comments on our blog, Mexico Living & Leisure - something people have been writing in to ask for. And we're going to republish the travel diaries which kick-started Mexperience 10 years ago. In our first month online, we received 300 visitors. Today our web site is visited by over 200,000 people a month. Mexperience is an independent web site, not funded or run by any government organization. We'd like to thank you for your valued support and patronage, and look forward to serving you as we cross our 10 year milestone in June!

Immigration Law Changes - Reminder

This is a quick reminder to those waiting for an update on Mexico's new immigration laws, that it's very unlikely Mexico's new immigration law will be adopted into code before the end of the country's Presidential Elections, scheduled for Sunday, July 1. This means that there will be no formal announcements about the adoption of the new immigration law into code until later this summer. We'll keep you updated as and when any material news comes forward about the changes.

Insuring Your House and Assets in Mexico

When you own property in Mexico, especially a home or expensive watercraft, it's important to consider how you will insure those assets against unforeseen circumstances and catastrophic events. Our new guide to Property Insurance in Mexico explains how to insure your physical assets. Property insurance policies in Mexico are quite distinct from policies sold in the U.S., Canada and most of western Europe. The policy wording is different, and the types of coverage are different, so some things that you might think are included as standard, might not be if you purchase your insurance in Mexico directly from a Mexican insurer. Our guide will walk through the essential things you need to know and consider and connect you to a U.S.-based property insurance broker where you can get quotes and coverage. Go online for the Property Insurance Guide to learn more...

Farewell, Bolchito Taxis

For decades, yellow-colored VW Beetle Bugs were an icon of Mexico City?s street landscape. However, the last of the VW-Beetle Bug licenses expire at the end of the 2012, and the Mexico City government has announced that it will not be extending existing licenses, nor will it be issuing any new licenses for Beetle cabs in the country's capital...

Finding Your Place in Mexico

It requires a good deal of courage to emigrate and start a new life in a foreign country, and moving to Mexico is no exception. The things you need to live well, to live comfortably and to live simply are here. They probably aren't in the shapes and forms that you are used to seeing; and how they manifest themselves might be different and, at first, alien to what you are accustomed. This journey of adoption is one that you'll have to undertake consciously if you are going to transform your life situation and create a distinct lifestyle for yourself in Mexico... Read full article online...

Chiapas: Beautiful, Sensational, Extraordinary

The state of Chiapas, in southern Mexico, is one of the most extraordinary travel experiences you can savor in Mexico. The mountainous, rugged, sub-tropical landscape is an inspiration to behold; the natural beauty it shares is breath-taking; the local culture is rich and vibrant. We have always extolled the strengths of this region: if you have not yet experienced Chiapas, seriously consider a visit here before your travel days are over; for those who know the region, the places and the people--Chiapas needs no introduction. You can find guides on Mexperience to many of the beautiful spaces waiting for you in Chiapas: most people fly into Tuxtla Gutierrez, but San Cristobal is the preferred town to use as a base. Our guide to Mexico's outdoors contains many guides about Chiapas including the waterfalls, the lakes of Montebello, and the Sumidero Canyon (and its eco park). We'll be focusing a lot more on Chiapas in the coming months, to remind those who have yet to visit what's here, and to recall fond memories of those who already have experienced this sensational region of Mexico.

The Big Pineapple

Back in the 19th century, London was known as "the great wen", a huge pus-laden boil on the face of the fair English nation. Nowadays some people?including many foreigners and Mexicans who live in the provinces?see Mexico City the same way. Through the prism of their jaundiced eyes, they see 20 million souls in torment amid a gigantic, filthy, crime-ridden urban sprawl. Maybe so. But Mexico City is also arguably the funkiest city in the Americas, one with a buzz that puts the others in the shade... Read the entire guest post, written by Ronald Buchannan, online

Sales Tax and Usury

If you're planning to live in Mexico for longer than a few months, you will probably end up opening a bank account here to facilitate your day-to-day financial transactions and perhaps to manage the cash-flow between your home country and Mexico. However, before you go opening a credit card account and carrying a balance on it, you might like to read this article first. A little-known fact (to foreigners) is that in addition to the interest rate charged by the bank, sales-tax, in the form of Value Added Tax (IVA) is added to the interest and charges of all non-secured debt: e.g. credit cards, personal loans, store cards, car finance. IVA was raised to 16% in January 2010, which means that if you are carrying a balance at 15% bank interest, your real interest rate is 31%. And this doesn't include other credit card surcharges and fees also charged by banks in Mexico...

Your Mexican Tourist Permit, FMM

People who come to Mexico for leisure or business visits lasting less than 180 days, and who are passport holders of one of the many countries which don?t require a visa to enter Mexico, complete a tourist permit form at the port of entry, known as a Forma Migratoria Multiple, or FMM. Crews on international flights hand these out before the plane lands, and they are also available at immigration check points beyond the 35km ?free zone? when you cross into Mexico by land or sea... Read full article online

Locally Produced Fresh Food

Ask repatriated expats what they miss most about not being Mexico and a significant number will tell you: the food. Mexico?s gastronomy is an experience in its own right and one brought-about in good part because of the fertile land and climates which make it possible to grow and harvest a wide variety of delicious fruits, vegetables, and pulses. Although the country?s food markets (especially supermarkets) are now offering customers increasing quantities of heavily processed and fast-foods, you can still seek out and find fresh, wholesome, foods in Mexico and at very affordable prices?when you know where and how to buy... Read full article online

Roads Less Traveled

Everyone has heard of Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and Cancun. But where do you go when you want to visit places in Mexico which are off-the-beaten path? To help you in your search, we've got a section in our revised travel guide dedicated to highlighting The Roads Less Traveled - and we'll be adding to this list in the months and years ahead. If you have a recommendation you'd like us to include, be sure to contact us!

Deepen Your Knowledge About Mexico with eBooks!

Our Mexico eBooks are proving popular with readers who value the knowledge and experience offered through a range of carefully selected titles, many of which cannot be found elsewhere. With eBooks, you can download immediately and read today. We guarantee you'll find them valuable - or we'll refund the purchase price through our 30-day money back guarantee. We'd like to thank everyone who is purchasing eBooks from Mexperience: your patronage supports independent authors and publishers who are investing their time to document specialized knowledge and experiences about Mexico that may not otherwise be so readily available, and your purchases also support the work of this independent web site. Thank you for your valued custom!

Learn Spanish

If you plan to live in Mexico, day-to-day situations will require that you speak Spanish to at least a basic conversational level to navigate your way through daily routines. If you plan to visit Mexico, knowing at least some Spanish will enable you to get the most from your visit or vacation in Mexico, by giving you more access to the local culture and customs. Our guides to Learning Spanish will help you, whether you are a beginning, or want to improve on your existing Spanish language capabilities...

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Thank You For Recommending Mexperience...

Word of mouth is our best source of new visitors, newsletter readers, and customers. Thank you for actively recommending us to your friends, family, colleagues and for supporting the organizations which sponsor Mexperience. Your personal recommendations, custom and patronage are sincerely valued and enable this independent resource to operate and thrive!

About Vista, Your Mexico Newsletter

This free newsletter ("Vista") is published and distributed by Mexperience.com. You are receiving this newsletter because you have a confirmed subscription to our free newsletter service. Vista and Mexperience.com are © 2012 Mexperience. "Mexperience" is a Registered Trademark ®. All Rights Reserved.

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