Mexico Newsletter —
January 2022

Mexperience Mexico Newsletter — January 2022

January highlights in Mexico

Winter has arrived in Mexico; temperatures in January can collapse dramatically after sundown in some highland towns and in the northern deserts, although daytime temperatures tend to be pleasantly warm on the mountain, and these are the most comfortable months along the coasts, with pleasantly warm temperatures. Regardless of where you are in Mexico, you’ll enjoy long daylight hours here through the winter months.

January is the month when the dry season makes itself apparent; we have articles to help you learn about this with tips for living well when rainwater is scarce.

New Year celebrations are followed by a gathering to eat Rosca de Reyes on January 6th —Epiphany— that also marks the end of the Guadalupe-Reyes festive period in Mexico.

We published a brand-new eBook this month: the guide to Living & Retirement in Mexico. This free eBook is the most comprehensive and detailed guide you’ll find about exploring and planning a new life in Mexico and helps you weave together the components for a fruitful lifestyle here.

We’ll be updating all our Mexico eBooks to 2022 editions during January, in particular, the Mexico Immigration Guide and the Mexico Cost of Living Guide with the latest data for each one.  All our Mexico eBooks are available as free downloads.

Mexico raised its Minimum Wage by 23% for 2022, and this might have an impact on people seeking to qualify economically for residency in Mexico.  Mexican consulates abroad are still using Minimum Wage as their basis for calculations; they might switch to UMA in 2022; we’ll monitor this and keep you apprised.

January and February are ‘peak viewing season’ for the the Monarch Butterflies in the mountains west of Mexico City.  They’ll begin to leave the oyamel forests where they’ve been overwintering around the beginning of March.

We’ve created a new section on Mexperience that helps you to discover Professional Assistance Services in Mexico—it includes firms that can help with matters like real estate closings, legal services, and specialized consultancy work.

We hope you have enjoyed the festive season and wish you a very happy and abundant New Year in 2022!

Mexico lifestyle & leisure

Our guides and articles to living and lifestyle help you to explore and realize your lifestyle plans and we also help you to discover leisure opportunities in Mexico.

Living well in winter

• Winter offers agreeable climates across Mexico, especially along the coasts, and even in the mountain highlands, with occasional winter chill waves that come and go swiftly.
• January begins to reveal the effects of the dry season; we have tips for living well here when the rains are scarce.
• Regardless of the season, you’ll enjoy long daytime hours and extraordinary light in Mexico.

Living & Retirement free eBook

• A brand-new title has been added to our eBooks Library: Living & Retirement in Mexico.  Download your free copy: it’s the most comprehensive guide to help you plan and realize your lifestyle aspirations in Mexico.

Immigration updates

• We’ll be methodically updating all our immigration-related articles during January, as new official data and fee schedules become available.
• This article about routes to obtaining residency in Mexico describes the principal ways you can apply for residency here.
• Our latest articles about residency in Mexico keep you apprised of current situations including financial criteria, fees, routes to residency, procedures, and FAQs
• Our free Mexico Immigration Guide encapsulates everything you need to know about visas and residency permits for Mexico. It will be republished with updates for 2022 around mid-January.

Driving in Mexico this winter

• Mexperience offers a wide range of articles and resources that will help you to plan your road trip in Mexico.
• Accidents happen, and this article describes how to deal with minor and major road accidents in Mexico.
• Our article about bringing your foreign-plated car to Mexico covers key points you need to know, and our article on Temporary Import Permits (TIPs) shares valuable information about ensuring your vehicle remains legal here.
• Don’t forget to insure your vehicle before you cross the border as your US or Canadian policy won’t cover you for third party liabilities.

Living your Mexico lifestyle

• When you’re short-listing potential locations to live in, our section about places to live in Mexico offers you local knowledge that helps you to discover potential locations, as well as local insights that can help you make informed choices.
• Chocolate’s odyssey: Mexico is the birthplace of cacao —chocolate was unknown to Europeans before Columbus— and the esteemed bean is an integral part of Mexico’s history
• A few readers wrote to us last month asking about importing goods and pets.  Our articles about the Menaje de Casa and importing pets and other animals share helpful details.
• Mexico A-Z: This feature curates hundreds of insights about lifestyle, leisure and culture in Mexico and is fully crossed-referenced with Mexperience.com and other websites.
• Our summary of insurance services in Mexico helps you to consider coverages that can support your lifestyle here and mitigate the costs caused by unforeseen mishaps.

Property matters

• Hurricane season is over but Mexico is prone to earthquakes anytime.  Our article about preparing your home describes how to mitigate earthquake risks, and how home insurance can cover the costs of earthquake damage.
• The Orbe Land Network consultancy connects people seeking a specialized Mexican realty investment with opportunities seldom offered through traditional channels
• When you’re seeking to buy a home in Mexico, our Home Finders associates can help.
• Download our comprehensive free eBooks about Real Estate in Mexico and working with Realty Agents in Mexico.

Your leisure time

• The Monarch Butterflies begin to arrive in Mexico this month.  Peak viewing season is mid January to late February, and the butterflies begin to depart in early March.  Learn about the Monarch Butterflies in Mexico. Our associate can help you to visit one of the butterfly sanctuaries on a custom tour.
• Some news media stories last month told their readers that people over 60 years of age were not being admitted to the butterfly sanctuaries, but this is not true.  All ages are welcome.

Spanish language study

• Spanish has two different words that can be translated as “for” and which occasionally cause some confusion for people learning the language.
• Our insightful PinPoint Spanish series helps you to get acquainted with the nuances of Mexican Spanish in everyday situations.

Mexico Assistance Services

Connect to helpful Mexico Assistance Services that enable you to realize your Mexico plans.

IMMIGRATION ASSISTANCE

• When you need help applying for residency, or help renewing your existing residency permit (or working through a ‘regularization’ procedure after a mishap), consider using our Mexico Immigration Assistance Service, that offers detailed consultancy, personalized advice, and practical help through the process.

MEXICO EBOOKS LIBRARY

• Our Mexico eBooks Library offers you a collection of carefully composed eBooks with helpful insights and local knowledge about Mexico—all titles are offered as free downloads.

INSURANCE COVERAGES

• Learn about the range of Mexico-related insurance services that exist to mitigate the effect and expense of unforeseen events and mishaps when you’re here including auto, home, health and trip coverages.
• Our extensive guides and articles about insurance help you to make informed choices.

REAL ESTATE ASSISTANCE

• When you’re seeking to buy a home to buy in Mexico, our Home Finders associates can help.
• Mexico Home Life highlights remarkable residential properties for sale in Mexico.
• Learn about insuring your home in Mexico.
• Help with closings on your Mexican property.

LANGUAGE STUDY

• Improve your Spanish conversation capabilities with this online course tailored to current skill level and goals.
• For an immersive experience, attend a Spanish school in Mexico, where small classes and personalized attention will boost your learning.
• If you want to improve your Spanish specifically for living in Mexico, this language for lifestyle course can help.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

• Find established firms and professionals who offer services foreign residents living in Mexico commonly seek.

LIFESTYLE ASSISTANCE

• Find services that help you to discover, plan, and arrange your living & lifestyle plans in Mexico.

LEISURE ASSISTANCE

• Find services that help you to discover, plan, and arrange leisure & travel experiences in Mexico.

More Mexperience

Explore Mexico beyond the cookie-cutter and find experiences to enjoy that reflect the true spirit of Mexico.

Discover Mexico through articles and features written by people who know Mexico intimately.

When you’re considering Mexico as a place to live or retire, the knowledge we share helps you to create a plan, and we’ll connect you with helpful lifestyle services and property choices.

When you want to discover Mexico on leisure a trip that’s defined by authenticity, we highlight choices to explore and we can help you to plan your trip.

Matthew Harrup is founder and editor of Mexperience