Vocabulary

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Growing up in Chicago, Susan Curra never dreamed she would live in Mexico. Now she couldn’t see herself living anywhere else.

Susan Curra, Retired American Expat: “We came here, after reading an article in the Chicago Tribune talking about retiring in Mexico, living on ten dollars ($10) a day, which of course was impossible in the US.
And we were intrigued.

So we came to Mexico. We absolutely loved the culture, the vitality, the ambiance, the weather, the financial situation. It’s cheaper to live here.”

It’s not hard to see why she and others have moved here: the US dollar is worth more than nineteen (19) times the Mexican peso, making this country a bargain.

Carlos Sandoval, Mexican Association of Retirement: “A retiree comes to Mexico will spend less than what they would in the United States. A place with better weather and better services.

With a pension of forty to fifty thousand dollars ($40,000 to $50,000) in the US, they could not live there with the same quality of life as they could in Mexico.”

The number of foreign-born residents of Mexico doubled between 2000 and 2010, while this year, Mexico has been named by International Living magazine as the third best place to retire.

The central Mexican city of San Miguel de Allende is an example of a thriving community of foreign retirees; in this city, almost nine percent (9%) of the people living here are from abroad.

Former restaurant owner, Richard Schafer has called this city home for fifteen years.

Richard Schafer, Retired American Expat: “Everyone reinvents themselves at a certain age. The one thing that’s ideal about this country is a lot of these people that are moving here have families back home.

So here, it’s so easy to get to, inexpensive. If you go further into Panama or Ecuador, you have lot more airfare.

And if you get sick, you worry about the hospital there. Here if people have an emergency, half the time they’re in Queretaro to the hospitals, or they can get on a plane very quickly to the states.”

But there are still drawbacks: Mexico’s widespread corruption and it’s bloody drug war worries many Americans. But thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement, infrastructure has improved. And now, Mexico has many of the same products and services as the US.

Questions

Mexico. Ever since she was a little girl, American retiree Susan Curra has always wanted to live in Mexico. True or false?

Cuba. Why did Susan move to Mexico? What does she like about Mexico?

El Salvador. Which is stronger, the Mexican peso or the US dollar? What does this translate to?

Nicaragua. Is the number of foreigners moving to Mexico increasing, decreasing or remaining the same?

Guatemala. Are there expat cities, expat centers, or communities in Mexico?

Costa Rica. It’s very difficult to travel between Mexico the US. Is this right or wrong?

Panama. Everything is absolutely perfect about living in Mexico. Is this correct or incorrect?
 
 
 
Colombia. My friends and I want to live (and study or work) abroad. We want to live in another country. Yes or no? Where would you like to live?

Venezuela. Do many people from your country live abroad? Who are they? Have many people from your country immigrated to other countries? What are some popular destinations?

Ecuador. Why do people move to other places?

Peru. Are there foreign expatriates or migrants in your city or country? Who are they? Where do they come from?

Chile. What happens when people retire? What kind of life do they lead?

Argentina. What can you say about digital nomads? What do you know about digital nomads?

Brazil. What might happen in the future?