Baby Boomers: Reinvent Your Retirement in Mexico by Karen Blue
Oh my…what a wonderful book for people who want to know “Is living in Mexico possible for me? Can I do this?” If you want to know about the common, day-to-day life in the Lake Chapala area, you have to read this book. It tells it all. Not only will you read extraordinary, inspirational stories, but you’ll learn how holidays, fiestas, noise, and even tranquility affect our living here. You’ll find out how we deal with healthcare, what we do all day, and what kind of a community it is for your chosen lifestyle…gay life, single life, widowed life, married life, divorced…it’s all here.
There are beautiful stories of lives changed and friends made. And, the author is so compassionate as she tells each person’s story…there are so many endearing “awwwwwww” moments for the reader. She also asks the questions you want to ask each person. As I read each story, I would say, ‘Well, why did they do this…or that?’ And, by golly, that was the very next question asked. I felt as if I were sitting there nudging her along!
The author believes that the Lake Chapala area is perhaps the best place in the world for a single woman to live. After reading this book, I still think it’s best place for anyone to live. These stories prove that if you’re flexible, willing to learn and, most especially, if you get involved with the community and fall in love with the Mexican people who live here, it’s the place for you. Moreover, if the very idea of moving to a foreign country at this stage of your life is incomprehensible, this book is definitely for you, because it’s not all about how great it is…Karen Blue writes about the good, the bad, and the ugly as she interviews the people who have moved here or have decided to move back north of the border…she’s not afraid to show our warts. She knows it’s not for everybody.
And Blue, as she likes to be called, obviously knew whose stories to choose, who we would be most interested in…from the first story about Jean & Robert, I was hooked…it was fascinating to hear the whys and whats of their journey, to realize a lot of these people came here for the same reasons Bill and I did…and for some it worked out, and some it didn’t.
And, of course, on a purely it’s-all-about-me-moment, I can’t help but be pleased by the Focus on Mexico alumnus featured in the book, who has added to the community in immeasurable ways by coming to live here.
Serendipitous is also a word that is used quite often in some of these stories. And, as Blue says, “I loved this serendipity stuff. It was a common thread through many of my Midlife Mavericks interviews and was instrumental in my moving to Mexico as well.” Bill and I talk about the serendipitous moments that helped us make our decision to move to Lake Chapala. We knew it was just meant to be. And I just loved what Ken said, “We sold everything—lock, stock, and barrel. I measured the back of the van and used masking tape to mark off the same space on our garage floor. Whatever we could fit in that area up to three feet high is what we brought with us.” That’s exactly what Bill and I did…it’s so funny to read that someone else did that too.
When Blue herself started thinking about moving to Lake Chapala, she crunched the numbers and realized she could retire 14 years earlier. She said, “It seemed the right decision for my mental as well as physical health. Money wasn’t everything and neither were titles, possessions, or success.” That’s how many of us feel who ended up making this our forever home.
So much information packed into this one great book about exactly what it is like to live in the Lake Chapala area and how your life can change…the things you can do…things you only dreamed about doing while working 40 hours a week north of the border. Even though we’ve been here for ten years, I found the stories engaging, enlightening, and energizing in unexpected ways.
One story discussed the important guidelines for choosing a retirement location. Wayne and a friend came up with the following list:
- A place where you can live below your budget
- A place within 50 miles of an international airport
- A community with over 10,000 retirees so you can find at least seven people with your same interests
- A community over 10 years old, because it’s established and most problems have been worked out
- A place rich in cultural diversity and history
- Weather you can live with
- Access to fresh produce
- Access to the best medical care
- Good local transportation
- An area with a low probability of catastrophic events
As Blue stated, “Wow! Those describe our Lake Chapala area perfectly, don’t they?”
And one question that was asked often was “In what ways do you feel your life has changed for better or worse since you’ve been down here?” In almost all cases, the answers were better in unexpected ways.
And I can’t think of a better way to end this review than to repeat what Paul said, “… I’ve never been happier. My retirement has totally surpassed my expectations in terms of where I’m living, what I’m doing, and just the ability to really enjoy myself. It’s incredible.”
Thinking about moving to Lake Chapala, Mexico? This is the book for you.