What I Learned From Living in Mexico | #LAWM
I've been delaying writing this, mostly because I was still trying to figure out what I learned. I’m pushing myself to write this now as the one-year anniversary of my arrival in Mexico is this week.
The thing I love about travel is you never know how you will be changed until you’ve moved on to the next leg of the journey. Here are a few things I’ve learned from my time in Mexico.
Trust Your Intuition.
Overall, this is the greatest lesson I learned that influences all the other lessons. I talked about this after my first solo-trip abroad to Mexico in 2013. There is nothing like being alone in a foreign place to wake up your intuition. Fortunately, I wasn’t entirely alone during my 6-month stay and I’m thank for my friendship with Rakia, which helped me tremendously. Still, this particular experience was new to me and it was challenging to adjust to living in another country.
Minimalism is not a destination you arrive at.
I knew this already, but adjusting to a new way of life made this very clear. Minimalism is an ongoing process with highs and lows and even seasoned minimalists like myself still have our doubts and setbacks on this journey.
While I have traveled previously and been on this minimalist journey for years now, I had never lived abroad as a minimalist up until this point.
My minimalist challenges were mainly financial and included:
Not having a budget for the first month I was there. When you convert that first batch of pesos you feel rich lol and everything seems cheap compared to their cost in the U.S.
Not being able to prepare food in the home I stayed at for the first month. I ate out almost daily and consumed many snacks before moving into my own home where I could cook.
Furnishing a home and not being aware I would need to buy common household appliances like a refrigerator, stove, gas tank, and heater. I lived in a three-bedroom house and did not use the second floor.
Getting rid of the stuff I purchased for my home when I came back to the U.S. Initially, I had only planned to return to the US for a couple of months, but when my grandfather passed, I decided to stay indefinitely in the meantime.
In hindsight, I should have budgeted to rent a fully-furnished studio with the utilities included. They are more expensive than many houses, but the convenience and long-term savings are better. I talk more about how much it costs to live in Mexico here.
No sooner than I accumulated the things, it was time to shed them. The move in/move out process was accelerated and overwhelming to say the least, but the beauty of practicing minimalism consistently is the ability to quickly forgive yourself and release the stuff you don’t need because you know it’s not apart of the next chapter.
The spiritual world is ever-present.
I have shared previously, I was depressed for a while in Mexico. I believe it was a mixture of the winter blues, my minimalist challenges, and looking back now, a spiritual awakening. I did not realize until joining a community of folx learning about and practicing black indigenous spiritual traditions, that depression often precedes a phase of spiritual evolution.
Mexico is a magical place and that’s not just a marketing ploy by the Mexican government to attract tourism. Dia de los Muertos is a revered holiday to honor those who have passed on to the next realm. Mexico’s history is long and the confluence of Indigenous, African, and European cultural traditions is well-preserved and present.
Additionally, finding out my Pop Pop had a short time to live and then him actually passing while I was in Mexico, was altering. I learned about spirits, protection, crystals, herbs and plants, mal de ojo, egg washing, and reiki from my friend Rakia. I even started observing the moon and set up my first altar.
Going to Mexico actually opened a new chapter of my spiritual journey that is still continuing.
Language is important.
That’s an understatement for sure! Not only did I challenge the boundaries of my Spanish language knowledge and improve it, but I also had the experience of teaching English for the first time.
Both of these experiences were challenging in the best ways. There were miscommunications, puzzled looks, and frustrations all around, but none of that compared to the joy I experienced every time I could understand someone or they understood me! I think we take language for granted when we are in our native environments, but to watch it flourish in new places, is really special.
I say all that to say, I’m more confident in my Spanish language skills and I’m still enjoying teaching English, now via Cambly. I’ll have to write a whole other blog post on my experiences with Cambly, but if you’re interested in becoming a tutor and meeting folx from all over the world, sign up with my referral code.
Until next time.
There you have it! Another chapter complete on my minimalist journey and travels. I’m sure I learned some other things, but these are the most important right now. I have several videos from my time in Orizaba I will be uploading in the coming weeks, so stay tuned! Thanks for reading.
How Much Does It Cost to Live in Mexico? | #LAWM
Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash
Have you ever wondered how much it really costs to live abroad? Wondering if you too, can afford to live abroad? Well, wonder no more because I’m about to break it down!
Disclaimer: These figures are based on living in Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico for six months from October 2017 to April 2018. Orizaba is small city that is starting to grow in popularity, but is not a major tourist attraction.
Income and Savings
First some financial background. I saved for approximately one-year working with an annual income of about $17,000. I saved about $8,000 over the year and took $6,000 of that with me to Mexico. While in Orizaba, I earned an additional 1,000-2,000 pesos a month (approx. $55-111) teaching English part-time.
My Monthly Expenses
I moved into my home about a month after I arrived in Orizaba. Honestly, I don’t know how much I spent during that first month except that I ate out frequently out of necessity and not leisure.
When I moved into my house, I was able to track my spending more consistently and set a budget. My main expenses were rent, food, my Mexican cell phone, internet, transportation, electric, and spending money. Below is a breakdown of what I spent roughly.
RENT- 2300 pesos ($128)
FOOD- 800p ($44)
INTERNET- 607p ($34)
SPENDING MONEY- 500p ($28)
ELECTRIC- 360p ($20)
CELL- 219p ($12)
TRANSPORTATION- 180p ($10)
TOTAL- 4,966p ($276)/month
Keep in mind this figure does not include money I spent in the first month, furniture, appliances, a gas tank plus accessories, and other household items to make my house a home. In Mexico, people take their fridge, stove, and gas tank with them when moving. I would estimate I spent an additional $1000 on these things.
I also continued to make student loan, credit card, and tax payments while in Mexico.
Receipts
I like to keep all of my receipts while traveling (and generally) and this time was no exception. I keep my travel receipts as mementos and also to calculate the true cost of any trip because I know the budget does not always match the reality, especially with unexpected expenses (like a 500% increase of my winter light bill because we had an unusually cold winter and the government eliminated a key subsidy after the new year).
Challenges
I talked about some of the struggles with my home on the Season 2 opener of the Black Minimalists™ podcast. As an earth sign (Taurus), my home is very important to me for feeling grounded. Part of the reason why I experienced depression there was because I never quite got settled. I chose to rent a three bedroom house because it was inexpensive, available, and near my work and friends.
Those things aside, while my expenses were cheap (wages were also low) compared to living in the U.S., I would’ve saved more time and money had I just rented a furnished studio apartment with the utilities included. My rent would’ve been more expensive (most of the nice studios are near downtown and other high traffic areas), but I would’ve saved in other areas. My transportation expenses would’ve also probably been higher to and from work, but I think I would still have come out on top with less stress and challenges to my minimalist values.
Now that I’ve done it, I know it’s possible and I have the experience to do it better next time. If living abroad is a dream of yours, I hope this post has inspired you to start planning.
What I Ate In Mexico | #LAWM
Mexico is known for its food, although what we commonly think of as Mexican food in the United States is actually Tex-Mex and it varies some south of the border. Did you know that tacos are considered at late night snack and not readily available all day? Me either.
I didn't eat at a ton of restuarants while in Orizaba, but most of the ones I tried were good. My friend Rakia probably made the best Mexican dishes I had while there. Most of the meals I ate were prepared by me, at home. I ate lots of avocados, beans, rice, tortillas, and fresh produce.
My time there was great for maintaining my pescatarian diet. I decided to eliminate "land meats" from my diet last year after ongoing struggles with ovarian cysts and fibroids. I've been pescatarian before for short periods of time, and I'm proud to say, I've maintained it for over a year now.
I thought eating in Mexico was going to be a struggle because Mexicans love their meat, but surprisingly, living there actually improved my diet. Because of the dearth and cheapness of fresh produce everywhere, I increased my fruit and veggie intake and actually ate less seafood.
One thing I loved about food in Mexico is that the fruits, veggies, and herbs were much more flavorful there than in the United States. I don't know if any of the food I ate there was organic, but I do know it was grown locally and offered in a rawer (i.e. with roots attached) form. It's easier to eat more produce when you can taste the freshness.
I shopped weekly at my neighborhood produce stand and went to the grocery store about once a month. There was also a larger market nearby called Cerritos that I used to frequent. Cerritos is good for buying bulk dry goods, but since I lived alone I didn't need to restock often.
For the most part I kept my meals simple, only using a few main ingredients. I'll definitely be sharing more of my minimalist eating strategies in my forthcoming ebook, The Lazy Minimalist.
I mentioned earlier that I changed my diet to help improve issues with ovarian cysts and fibroids. After having two periods in one month last June (2017), I knew I needed to make changes and decided to revisit pescatarianism. I also made waist-beads with my intentions for wellness that I wear and tried yoni steaming a couple of times. I do believe though, changing my diet has been most effective.
When I got back to the states I had a new ultrasound and I'm happy to report there were no significant changes in my cysts and fibroids. My cycle has also become lighter.
I do believe that what we eat has a direct effect on our health and I will continue my current diet as long as it's working for me.
While there, my friend Rakia also decided to become pescatarian for health reasons. She is a great cook and below is one of the dishes she made. I told her she needs to open up a restaurant in Orizaba. I'm happy to say she's still pescatarian 7 months later!
Black History Month in Mexico
Source: Erasmo Vasquez Lendechy
Black History Month just ended and I wanted to recap how I acknowledged it in Mexico. I am teaching English here in Mexico, so I had the unique opportunity to share a part of my history with my students. To make it more impactful, I decided to discuss with them some of Mexico's black history as well as the ways American black history connects to Mexico. Below is a list of the resources I shared with my students.
Gaspar Yanga
Despite the fact Yanga escaped to the mountains of Orizaba, the historic settlement he founded is less than an hour away, and we live in one of the blackest states in Mexico, my students didn't know anything about Yanga. I was a little surprised, but not really due to the fact of how white supremacy and anti-blackness operates in Latin America as well as the fact Mexico only recently added the ability for Mexicans of African ancestry to identify as such in 2015. About 1.4 million Mexicans identified as black on the Census (source).
Yanga led a revolt against the Spanish colonizers and successfully defeated them although he did die in battle. The victorious revolt led to founding the first free black settlement in all the Americas and it was named after Yanga. There is a statue and museum in the pueblo of Yanga which I hope to visit before I leave in April.
If you're interested in learning more about Afro-Mexican and other Afro-Latin American cultures through travel, Ronnell Perry of AfroBuenaventura, leads cultural trips in the region.
Source: http://www.blackhistoryheroes.com/2011/05/gaspar-yanga-1570-african-slave-revolt.html
Vicente Guerrero
Mexico's first black president, a successful general who helped lead Mexico to victory during the revolution, and who abolished slavery in Mexico in 1829 during his presidency. The state of Guerrero in Mexico is named after him.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicente_Guerrero
Underground Railroad Goes South
Not all blacks who escaped from slavery went north, especially those who were enslaved in the southwestern United States. When slavery was abolished in Mexico in 1829 by Vicente Guerrero, many blacks took the opportunity to head south of the border and start a new life in Mexico. It is estimated between 3,000-5,000 blacks fled to Mexico. Some returned to the States after the Civil War ended in 1865.
Source: https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-03-29/underground-railroad-took-slaves-freedom-mexico
African American Migration Stories
This is a great resource created by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. which details the forced and voluntary migrations of blacks from the 1600s to the present. While it focuses mainly on the United States, the early chapters do discuss blacks in Mexico and Latin America.
Mexico Creates the First Integrated Baseball League
Jackie Robinson broke the color line in Major League Baseball in 1947, but years prior to that black American baseball players found more equality in Mexico. Jorge Pasquel, from the state of Veracruz, attracted both black and white players from the U.S. and the Caribbean with better working conditions and higher pay. His efforts created the first integrated baseball league in the Americas.
Haitian Migration to Tijuana
More recently, Mexico has seen an influx of Haitian migrants seeking better living conditions. After the earthquake in 2010, many Haitians left their home country for the United States and other countries in the Americas where they could find relief, work, and a better life. Since then Haiti has also suffered a cholera epidemic and the wrath of hurricanes.
Mexico was a passing-through point into the U.S. until Donald Trump restricted the humanitarian visa for Haitian migrants and certain other countries. Haitians under the visa in the US must leave by summer 2019 and others are now stuck in limbo abroad. With their future uncertain, the growing community of Haitian migrants in the border city of Tijuana are considering making Mexico their new home for now.
Source: http://remezcla.com/film/you-should-stream-life-between-borders-black-migrants-mexico/
I really enjoyed learning about black history in Mexico and how it connects to the stories of blacks in the Americas. I also loved sharing this information with my students and hearing their opinions on topics such as slavery, racism, discrimination, freedom, and migration. Presently, there is a growing community of black Americans making Mexico their home and I see myself as part of this history.
Living Abroad While Minimalist: How to Pack
A going-away gift that now serves another purpose.
Disclaimer! This post is not about what I packed. If you want to know that, please comment below, rather, this post is about how I packed my stuff. This post also contains affiliate links.
Ain't I A Minimalist?
I have been working on minimizing my possessions for the past five years since I started this minimalist journey. In 2017, I really thought I was getting down to the bare bones, that is, until I had to go through all my belongings and decide what I was going to take to Mexico.
I was so confident I knew exactly what I was taking and that it would all fit, that I actually procrastinated until the last two weeks before leaving, to begin packing. Minimalist fail! This packing process was one of the most stressful ever in my life!
Luckily, I flew on Southwest which allows you to check two bags free with a 50 lbs. limit each, in addition to a carry-on and personal bag. Having clear limits on how much stuff I could bring was helpful initially for getting my mind right cuz I don't pay baggage fees, ever. Still, fitting my life into four bags was a daunting process.
Step 1: Purge.
The first thing I had to do was go through everything and purge. I went through everything, even stuff I knew I wasn't planning to bring with me initially. The stuff left behind is living at my mom's place and I wanted to take up as little space as possible in my absence.
Some things I left behind included my jewelry making supplies, art supplies, my big fluffy robe, and important papers I didn't necessarily need in Mexico, but needed to be saved.
I also donated stuff to the Samaritan House and gave stuff away to family.
Step 2: Pack.
After getting rid of as much as I could initially, I began packing. I had two small backpacks, a carry-on travel backpack and a rolling carry-on suitcase.
I had two sets of packing cubes, one for each piece of luggage I was checking. I rolled, folded, and stuffed things into every crack imaginable. I also purged and repackaged things to make everything fit as I was packing.
On top of all that, I had to pack things I was bringing for my friends in Orizaba. Now while I love my friends and I know they are very appreciative of me bringing items they can't get here in Mexico, I would not recommend this when you're first moving because I need my robe! The weather here in Orizaba is funny acting, the homes are made of concrete and don't have central heating. It's the one thing I really regret not bringing, but I knew I wouldn't have space with the extra stuff I had to pack. I've managed to survive the winter here without buying another robe.
Step 3: Purge more and repack, again.
When I picked up the last items for one of my friends, I realized I was going to have to purge even more stuff to make them fit and hopefully remain under the weight limit. So at the hotel, I went through all my stuff again and reorganized my bags. I ended up leaving stuff at the hotel to be tossed and giving stuff to my boyfriend. All the repacking and additional tossing definitely felt like a minimalist fail.
Weighing In.
I was nervous headed up to the check-in counter because I wasn't able to weigh my luggage before going to the airport. All I knew was, if my bags were overweight, some of my friends' stuff was going to be S.O.L. Fortunately, my bags were well under weight, weighing in at 35 and 30 lbs each.
While that was great for everyone involved, the bags were extremely heavy and difficult to maneuver for me. I only weigh 110 lbs y'all and don't forget I had two carry-on bags stuffed to capacity also. I was almost carrying another me on my person. I usually travel with just a backpack and personal bag, so it was challenging to say the least.
Even though it was exhausting, I made it to Mexico with everyone's belongings! I'm definitely grateful for the people who helped me along the way through two flights and a bus ride. I'm also happy my checked bags arrived at my final destination. I was definitely nervous because I haven't checked a bag since Dulles lost my rolling duffel bag back in 2006.
I've been in Mexico for about four months now. Every now and then, something will come up that I need and I'll remember I had it back in the States, or I'll see something I brought with me that I'm not using here like my rain boots. Mostly though, I have brought the main things I needed or was able to acquire them here. I'm returning to the States in April and I'm looking forward to downsizing somethings and bringing a few new things back.
My Final Tips:
Do a test-run on packing about a month before you leave.
Packing cubes are your friends.
Know when to roll 'em, know when to fold 'em a la Kenny Rogers. (Sn: The song "The Gambler" offers some sage life advice.)
Prioritize. Go into packing with the mindset you will have to take less than what you can fit. This will help you in the process of breaking attachments to things you've been holding on to for a minute.
Acceptance. You can't know everything you will need beforehand, but do as much research as possible, and really scrutinize what is needed.
Only bring what YOU need. Don't agree to bring things for others unless you have room after packing everything for yourself.
Know the airline's standards and limits, as well as your own personal limits, especially if you're traveling solo.
Wait to purchase additional or bulkier items you may need (i.e. rain boots) until you get to your destination. It saves space while traveling and it may less expensive.
Do you want to know exactly what I packed? Leave a comment below!
Why I Decided to Move to Mexico | #LAWM
Why Mexico?
It's really simple: I love Mexico! When I first visited Mexico in 2013, people thought I was crazy for spending three weeks alone backpacking through Mexico. I heard all the stereotypes and dangers of traveling as a solo woman and to Mexico on top of that. Maybe I was (am) crazy, but I'm going to do what I want regardless. Plus at the time, my friend Sylva had already been living in Mexico for five months as a solo black woman and she was doing just fine.
Sidenote: Initially, I really wanted to go back to the Philippines, but when that wasn't working out, I knew I would go back to Mexico without a doubt.
At the time, I was going through another major life transition and it was the beginning of my minimalist journey. Two of the values I chose for myself during this transition were travel and adventure. I wanted to see if I could travel alone and survive. Clearly I did, and I really learned a lot about myself including the depth of my strength and independence. Also, that I could live with only a backpack of things for three weeks, it was a true minimalist challenge!
So Mexico immediately found a place in my heart and I knew I would return there many times in the future. Mexico is magical. That's a fact and what better place to dig deeper into my own personal magic than the Pueblos Magicos capital of the world.
After deciding this was my new home, I returned this July, seeing the cities of Puebla, Veracruz, and Orizaba. I had never been to any of these cities and had never even heard of Orizaba until I learned two black American women were living there. I arranged to visit them before flying back to the States and really liked the chill vibe of the city and the fact black folks were out there in the middle of Mexico.
I was also interested in the Afro-Mexican presence in the state of Veracruz. Veracruz along with the state of Guerrero, are home to the largest black Mexican communities in the country. I first learned about Afro-Mexicans back in 2006 while in graduate school. There was an exhibit on Yanga at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago and I was just as excited as I was in 1998, when watching Dance With Me and learning there were black folks in Cuba. It began my interest in the Diaspora and I studied Afro-Latino identity in college. I have a bachelor's in Anthropology and Latin American Studies. I have not had a chance to investigate yet, but I did learn some things about their history while in Veracruz port and I want to do some more exploring before I leave in April.
Finally, Mexico has a low cost of living where the American dollar stretches far. I am also mastering my Spanish. Even though I am having my struggles here in Orizaba, I'm glad to be here and have this experience.
Depression | #LAWM
Moving Abroad While Minimalist is a series. I'm starting this series off on a heavy note because it's my reality. I'll have more posts on packing, budgeting, etc., but first, I need to get this off my chest.
After one month of living in Mexico, I found myself slipping into depression. The excitement of making a major life transition can sometimes overshadow the challenges. In the first few weeks, everything is new, but as you start to develop a routine and build your new life, the newness wears off and you start to contemplate if you've made a mistake somewhere along the way. I'm pretty much venting my thoughts below, but I tried to organize them.
Making a House a Home
Hunting for a place to live, finding it after a month, and then making that place a home was overwhelming for me. Not being prepared to spend a lot of money on things to furnish your home and still have your home feel empty. Grappling with whether you are spending too much money, what is a need (when you need everything) and what is a want, how soon do you need everything, and will my budget survive this move. Regretting decisions.
New Relationships
Feeling like I was dependent on others and not having control over my time. Being an introvert amongst extroverted people. Finding your place in already established relationships and feeling like the monkey in the middle. Understanding what the truth is in these already established relationships and then trying to formulate your own independent thoughts and still maintain the relationships.
Holidays
Already having a tenuous relationship with "the holidays" and then experiencing them in a new country and away from family and friends.
Working
Starting work on my first full day in Mexico, when I said I wasn't going to work for the first few months and learning how to teach in general and English specifically. Also, completing an online TESOL course in the process. Not balancing my interests (Black Minimalists, this blog, self-care) well.
Things You Can't Control
The weather in Orizaba leaves a lot to be desired. I mean we've had multiple cold spells and apparently, it hasn't been this cold in years. Can you imagine the temperature dropping from the 80s to the 50s within 24 hours, let alone the fact these houses are made of cement (no insulation) and central heating is non-existent? So, mixed in with my depression is some SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) to boot.
I'm going to be okay though.
After writing all of this out, I totally understand why I'm depressed. Also, experiencing depression when moving abroad is not unusual. I actually read a blog with people talking about how long it took them to adjust to their new countries and the challenges they faced. It helped me understand what I am experiencing is normal.
I've now been here for three months. I'm still going through it, but just admitting what I'm feeling to myself and others has lifted a huge weight. I'm understanding that depression feels differently depending on the day and I'm giving myself permission to feel what I feel and space to work through it in my own way. Journaling, meditating, prioritizing my interests, and just being alone has helped a lot.
Even through my depression, I'm still happy to be here and there are days when I wake up and can't believe how blessed I am to experience this. I do plan on sharing my suggestions on how to survive your first time living abroad, soon, once I make it through to the other side.