A Former Banker Prefers Huatulco Over Other Tropical Locations
Before moving to Mexico, Maggie lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where she worked in Banking. She and her husband immigrated from Great Britain thirty years prior, but their dream was to retire someplace warm. They vacationed in Puerto Vallarta five times before they visited Huatulco.
“To be honest, when we arrived we thought we’d made a huge mistake. The place was almost empty, there were very few other buildings near our hotel, and in March, Huatulco was awfully dry and brown. At first glance, the place seemed kind of desolate. Then we explored a bit and by the next day we’d fallen in love with it!” They visited the Caribbean a couple of times before returning to Huatulco and their second trip convinced them. “Beyond a doubt, Mick and I preferred Huatulco to any of the places we had tried, so we bought our condo.”
Maggie and her husband Mick, purchased a condo overlooking Santa Cruz, five years before they were ready to retire. They expected to rent it for a profit but this venture was a disappointment. It did however assure them accommodation during extended vacations and in 2013, they retired and became full-time residents here.
There are enough expats in Huatulco for the couple to socialize with, and they enjoy a variety of activities including a monthly opera night. They keep busy volunteering with various organizations; Maggie’s favorite is Unidas Bahías De Huatulco A.C. They adopted an abandon dog who gave birth to seven puppies a week later. “Cita knows what a lucky girl she is and has become a lovely, loyal companion.”
Maggie says Huatulco reminds her of a village. "Everyone’s so friendly and it is nice to feel safe. Kids are out playing together in the streets or in the parks and no one’s hovering over them. I like the way families interact, at the beach you see two or three women helping their elders down to the shore and into the sea. They’re showing them so much care and genuine affection."
The couple took Spanish classes in Canada, but even with a private tutor in Huatulco, Maggie admits that her Spanish is still elementary. “I thought I’d be fluent in two years and I’m not. There is enough English spoken in Huatulco that that we get by, but I want to speak Spanish and continue trying to learn.”
She was surprised that in Mexico you can no longer buy certain medicines without a prescription, even things available over the counter in Canada. “Also, some medications were expensive compared to Canadian prices. Americans might find them cheaper but we don’t.” Maggie has learned that things take longer in Mexico. “When we arrived, not getting a WIFI connection was frustrating, that’s improved, but you need understand the real meaning of Mañana. It doesn’t men tomorrow, it means not today.”
She advises anyone who plans to move to Mexico to get in touch with your current bank first. “Ensure that you have a reliable contact person to reach if there is ever a problem transferring money. Believe that if something can go wrong, it will and you don’t want to be stranded without someone who knows who you are.” She also suggests that before buying property, check it out late at night to access the noise level. Mexico can be loud, especially the music.