Tag Archives: Move to Mexico

June 30, 2022 · 9:35 am

Spanish Accelerated

For those of you that struggle with the language barrier, you’ll love today’s featured ex-pat. In this post, I’d like to introduce you to Judit Megal, owner of Spanish Accelerated (Use code Spanish22).

My family is Russian and I grew up with Russian as my first language and English as my second. Knowing these two languages can give you a bird’s-eye-view of how languages work and how Spanish and English are similar and different, both at the same time. My mom was an immigrant in her 40s and to her last days, spoke with a heavy accent. So I understand the struggle learn a second language, especially later in life.

In 2006 a job brought me to Mexico. I was working for Diamonds International, in Riviera Maya. Now I live in the Riviera Nayarit, another job moved me here and I loved it so much I stayed!

I’ve had so many defining moments since moving to Mexico. There’s nothing quite like getting lost in Mexico City, in heavy rain, at rush- hour, because I didn’t understand the directions given to me… I also couldn’t pronounce the words Cuauhtemoc, Tlaquepaque, and Jacarandas, which were all on my way to work. It was definitely stressful to be in Mexico City, alone, on a bus, and not understanding. It has contributed to my desire to learn, and fast.

After over a decade of living in Mexico, I’m more Mexican now than something else, the daily rhythm, the way we say things, handle problems, negotiate, etc. It made me much more Cabrona than before but also allowed me to express my more feminine, soft side. I love Mexico!

Six years ago I’ve decided to take my Spanish lessons to be a full-time job because my side hobby was so satisfying that my client exploded. I teach mainly to retirees and snowbirds because they are the biggest population here. We work online, both one-on-one and in small conversation groups and I found that combination brings the best results. Plus, you must speak the language, because only reading and writing will bring you 2/3 of the way. The understanding part, especially when people speak fast, is crucial, and can’t happen without YOU SPEAKING. ( Our private classes are off the record and designed to give you the courage to speak).

Facebook is an easy way to reach me:
https://www.facebook.com/MexicanSpanishLessons

Or for more information, you can also go to:

Spanish_Accelerated

Book Launch and Advertising Learning Curve

So this week the ebook version of A Woman’s Guide to Making a Living in Rural Mexico: How to Find A Job and Create the Life You Want will be delivered via international wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet for those that pre-ordered it. Meanwhile, the paperback version is already available. I’ve ordered my author copy and Amazon says it will be here next week. SQUEAL!

Meanwhile, the ARC reviews are starting to trickle in from those women who scored a pre-release copy. Here’s one from Goodreads:

So often women who live in rural Mexico are completely left out of all or not acknowledged to exist in any information you might find online or in facebook groups. This book remedies that! It was very practical and not at all “misty eyed”, but very realistic yet hopeful. It addresses the unique challenges foreigner women who live in rural Mexico face, like bad internet, and acknowledges that often they might be the main source of income for their Mexican family. Great book!

I even briefly held the coveted position of #1 New Release in Mexican Travel until being knocked down a few notches by more recently published books. There’s a lot of competition on Amazon!

Since this is the sixth book in the series A Woman’s Survival Guide to Living in Mexico, I thought I’d try a little advertising this month. Let me tell you, it’s a nerve wracking experience! I completed a course on Kindlepreneur about Amazon Ads and went ahead and made a project targeted ad for the month of July. That means that my book will appear as a recommendation when people are looking at other books that are chart-toppers in Mexican Travel.

I am currently doing an Amazon Ad challenge and so have added a second live ad for the book, this time targeting the category of Mexican Travel rather than individual books. I know, my book is meant for women living in Mexico, not just traveling through, but there isn’t a category for that. Sigh. Maybe someday.

I also thought I’d take a stab at Facebook Ads while I was feeling frisky (or risky). That was a complicated process. Facebook allowed me to target Female Expats Living in Mexico specifically, which means more of my target audience will see my ad in their feed. I know that not every woman living in Mexico needs my particular sort of book, but there’s a better chance that women who do will see it this way. If you’ve seen the ad, I’d love to hear about it!

Being pragmatic, I don’t expect to become rich and famous any time soon, even with a bit of paid advertising. There’s quite a learning curve to book marketing after all. So after I’ve worked a bit more on this aspect, I’m aiming to get back to writing the next book which I hope to have out by the end of the year. Maybe I’ll even do some Christmas ads–whoot! The sky’s the limit! At least today! We’ll see how I feel when it comes time to pay for the ads.

Moving to Mérida: How to Successfully Move to Mexico As a Family by Cassie Pearse

Moving to Mérida: How to Successfully Move to Mexico As a Family by Cassie Pearse is one family’s story of transitioning from the U.K. to the Yucatan. The author addresses safety and legal issues, schooling, shopping, and medical care, the top concerns any family has when moving to Mexico. The appendix adds detailed information from the author’s husband about the process of applying for residency and buying a car, both potentially frustrating experiences.

Moving to an expat haven like Mérida is not without its difficulties. The author does a great job talking about some of the best ways to handle certain situations that arise. There is even a section which breaks down the yearly costs of an average family of 4, an extremely helpful bit of information.

There were just two points that I think could have been made clearer. The author states that permanent residents can not own property, which is not exactly true. Permanent residents can own property as long as it is not in the restricted zone, within 50 kilometers or approximately 31 miles from the coastline or 100 kilometers from the border. This book focuses on Mérida which is in the restricted zone. So yes, permanent residents can not own property without a bank trust (fideicomiso) in Mérida, but in other areas have that right just like any Mexican citizen.

The other item that I thought could have been expanded upon was healthcare. Residents or their employers pay a fee for IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social) services. However, many areas also offer INSABI (Instituto de Salud para el Bienestar), which is the national healthcare plan. INSABI is free and available to permanent and temporary residents. I agree with the author that private insurance is probably the best bet if you can afford it, though.

Other than those, Moving to Mérida: How to Successfully Move to Mexico As a Family by Cassie Pearse is a great read. The writing is witty and honest. The information is useful and current. So if you are even thinking of moving to Mérida, then this is a must-read book for you!

You can read more about Cassie Pearse here and about her blog Mexico Cassie here.

Tag Archives: Move to Mexico

Spanish Accelerated

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Book Launch and Advertising Learning Curve

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Moving to Mérida: How to Successfully Move to Mexico As a Family by Cassie Pearse

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