| The literature that exists in book form | | | | everyone seems to agree (a mass |
| and especially in online newsletters and | | | | delusion) were the best decades of |
| magazines presents to the | | | | Western Civilization, the 1950's and |
| "Move-To-Mexico Wannebee" Mexico as an | | | | 60's. For the record, I remember the |
| Image and not Mexico as it Really Is. I | | | | 60's well. Who, I am forced to ask, in |
| found an excellent example of this in an | | | | their right minds would want to have |
| email featuring a popular | | | | that all over again? But, that is the |
| living-in-Mexico magazine that appeals | | | | pitch, the spiel, and the screed of |
| to the potential expat to Mexico. And, | | | | unbelievable propagandizing proportions. |
| let me emphasize the point is to attract | | | | It is to sell real estate and make |
| potential expats to Mexico who have lots | | | | money. Mexico as an Image is presented |
| and lots of money to invest in real | | | | as a heaven on earth, a virtual nirvana! |
| estate. This is the draw. The Mexican | | | | Mexico as it Really Is-the Truth All of |
| picture that is painted is done so for | | | | these hoodwinking bamboozlers fail to |
| one reason only: to attract the moneyed | | | | tell you that the areas to which they |
| that can buy up the houses and the land. | | | | are trying to attract you are the Prime |
| These advertisements try to draw you | | | | Living Locations in Mexico. Areas like |
| into contacting their list of Real | | | | Puerto Vallarta, Lake Chapala, Ajijic, |
| Estate agents who can show you all the | | | | San Miguel de Allende, to name just a |
| Sugar and Spice and everything nice | | | | few, life is not cheap but will cost you |
| things that await the potential expat of | | | | dearly to buy property and live. We've |
| means in Mexico. They present an Image | | | | not only spent time in those areas with |
| or Concept of Mexico that will not only | | | | friends but also paid dearly for meals |
| draw you in but will convince you that a | | | | in restaurants. Some of those we know in |
| Shangri-La is waiting for you. Move | | | | these cities no longer go out to eat |
| here! Now! Buy! Buy! Buy! Mexico as an | | | | because of the tourist-priced |
| Image The writer of the prose in this | | | | restaurants. We know one or two who are |
| online magazine said that living in | | | | contemplating a move to the highlands of |
| Mexico is easy. She went on to define | | | | Mexico because of the increased price of |
| easy as: your maid will cost you only a | | | | living and the car congestion in these |
| couple of American dollars per hour; you | | | | cities. We met these refugees in |
| can get a doctor to come to your house | | | | Guanajuato who formerly lived in these |
| for only about thirty dollars; dinner | | | | overpriced locations. They were trying |
| and drinks will run you about | | | | to find more fertile grounds in the |
| thirty-five dollars. She said living in | | | | highlands. The Prime Living Locations |
| Mexico is so easy and is just like life | | | | are easy to live in because you never |
| was like in America in the 1950 and | | | | have to utter a word of Spanish to live |
| 1960's. She goes on to say that you will | | | | there. Much to the locals' credit, |
| find a strong family-centered life and a | | | | they've managed, without the money for |
| tightly focused community. Life, she | | | | classes or to study in an English |
| claims, will be a daily enjoyment in | | | | speaking country, to do what the |
| paradise. She then invites you to a | | | | collective masses of American and |
| seminar in Puerto Vallarta to learn | | | | Canadian expat claim they're not able to |
| more. An article that appeared in the | | | | do. Another thing these used-car |
| L.A. Times described one lady's | | | | salesmen masquerading as real estate |
| experience in another Prime Living | | | | agents fail to tell you is how genuine |
| Location, San Miguel de Allende. The | | | | Mexican towns are unalterably ruined by |
| time she spent on the San Miguel de | | | | the formation of Gringolandias by their |
| Allende Tour of Homes is interesting to | | | | monolingual inhabitants. An ethnographer |
| note. "It was at this point that I | | | | I know is doing research for a book in |
| realized that if I really wanted a taste | | | | which she examines the effect of |
| of Mexico, I might as well go home to | | | | Gringolandians on the culture of the |
| Echo Park. The tour wasn't so much a | | | | Mexican towns Gringos infect (my word, |
| backstage pass to aspirational cultural | | | | not hers). Of the town she is |
| immersion as it was an English-only | | | | concentrating, she says it is no longer |
| how-to guide for getting away from it | | | | Mexican, it is not American, but is some |
| all without giving anything up. Each | | | | sort of hybrid. This is what happens. A |
| dwelling was mostly notable for just how | | | | cultural hybridization occurs that |
| thoroughly the householders had managed | | | | destroys a precious and ancient culture |
| to bring the comforts of the north into | | | | and changes it into something favoring |
| the wilds of the south." Do not miss the | | | | the culture of the infectors. Truly, it |
| point here. What the moguls of the | | | | is an infection that eats up that which |
| various Gringolandias all over Mexico | | | | it has invaded. And, as the lady in the |
| present is that you can move to Mexico | | | | L.A. Times article quoted above said, |
| without giving up anything you had in | | | | "It was at this point that I realized |
| America. You can bring all you had at | | | | that if I really wanted a taste of |
| home in America or Canada to Mexico. | | | | Mexico, I might as well go home to Echo |
| Life will not only be easy but it will | | | | Park... |
| also be just like life was in those days | | | | |