MeXscape

I have talked with several recent expatriates who are surprised at the daily cost of living in Mazatlan. It is not expensive by any standard to live here, but it is also not cheap. It's easy to be fooled into thinking Mexico is cheap, especially with the proliferation of travel books out there like "Mexico for $18 a Day". It is possible to live here for $18 a day, but you are probably not going to like it.

I have a cousin who lived in Mexico for a scant $500US a month. He lived in a hut on a remote beach with a few meager possessions: a hammock, a blanket, a pot, a pan, a few plates, cups, and forks, a change of clothes, and that's about it. He didn't even have walls. He fished for his meals. Honestly, most of his budget was beer money. While that may be a great, carefree adventure for a 20-year-old, it's not the way most of us want to live.

Two years ago, I got my very first brand new washing machine and dryer. Before then, we had always bought a used replacement whenever the current one became irreparable. So not only were they my first new models, they were my very first matched set. I studiously researched brands and models for quality, value, durability, service, and feature sets. It took a couple of months for me to finally make a decision, a luxury I didn't usually have since I had previously bought replacements when my current one was hopelessly broken and need dictated a speedy purchase.

My life has been powerfully and irrevocably changed by a shift in geography. A small change, really, only 9 degrees of latitude, but a significant 9 degrees. I do and accept things that I never could have imagined before. I call it "The Mexico Effect". We have been here for 6 months now, and I figured it might be nice to share some of the ways – both inconsequential and monumental – my life has been transformed.

Sometimes I really want to sit down in the evening, have a cool beverage, sit in the dark, and watch the latest episode of Heroes. Will Hiro make it back to the present? Will Mohinder save Molly? What is Syler up to? These are questions that burn in my mind. My problem is that getting American TV in Mazatlan can be tricky.