I believe it was in December 2012 that the idea of selling most everything we had and move to Mexico first came to us. Even though I had been good enough at corporate sales to earn six-figure income, buy two new homes, new cars, and take those family vacations, I had never seemed very happy with the job and all the stress. With our son now on his own, both Marvy and I thought it would be fun to try a major change. We took a 10 day vacation in Feb. 2013 and visited Marvy’s relatives in Cancun.

The trip was fun and the culture seemed to be just what the doctor ordered, so we came back with a plan to move within the next seven months. Our rental lease was up on our apartment in Pennsylvania and we were just renting month to month. All we had to do was sell the cars and belongings, quit our jobs and leave.  After a bout with cancer and down-grading my jobs over the last few years to much more banal sales positions, we had ended up living paycheck to paycheck.  I knew I would need a way to earn a living as a digital nomad if we were going to travel since we could not rely on a savings or pension.  After doing about a month of research I decided to be an online English teach via Skype. It took about four months to get all my certifications and try some online classes with students to decide that I was ready and that our income, though somewhat meager, would be sustainable.

Since that time (4 ½ years ago), we have lived in Cancun,  Leon, and now currently in Puerto Vallarta. These early blogs will reflect on our experiences in a somewhat non-linear way. Cancun provided us with the great experience of living in the Caribbean. With its aquamarine clear tropical waters, Yucatan landscapes, and Mayan cultures there was so much to learn and experience our first year. We got to visit wonderful cities like Merida, experience a beautiful Mexican wedding with a reception at an old hacienda, and even explore very remote cenotes that very few “gringos” ever see.

But a rolling stone gathers no moss, so we rented a truck and loaded up our recently acquired furniture and moved to the central region of Mexico to the city of Leon in the state of Guanajuato just a few hours north of Mexico City. A large city of about two million, there is a very small English speaking population. But the weather was much like San Diego and the regional areas were amazing. Towns like Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende are not to be missed!

Once again though, after another year, we wanted a change and someplace near the ocean. So, we threw a dark at a map and came up with Puerto Vallarta. PV (As we call it) or simply Vallarta is a great town. While Cancun was built about 50 years ago based on specifically building a Tourist vacation destination, PV is a much older colonial town. Puerto Vallarta does have a “Gringo” presence. (As much as 10% of its population at times.) But the local population and surrounding areas are enchanting. Located on the Pacific Ocean side of Mexico, it doesn’t have that “tropical” Caribbean feel of the Cancun beaches, however, it has its own magical appeal with the jungle mountains spilling right into the coastal waters.!

At the end of our 5th year in Mexico (September 2019) we will leave this beautiful country and its people and move back to the US to experience an entirely different lifestyle full of new adventures! Stay tuned!