By Tere Ruiz
Living in Lake Chapala, Mexico, can help you discover the person you really are, the person who has been there just waiting to come out. What am I talking about? How can this happen?...you ask.
Well, we have discovered time and again that when people move to Lake Chapala and finally get settled in, they start to discover the person inside them that they finally listen to and really hear in the tranquility of this magical place. You remember…that person who always wanted to sit calmly, with no rushing; that person who wanted to sip a cup of good coffee while enjoying a beautiful sunrise with the music of the birds chirping in the background. The person who never had the chance to do this because of the rush to go to school while still young, or going to work later on in their lives. Yes, I am talking about that person inside you that had wishes and plans for some day in the future when there was enough time to make them happen.
When people move to Lake Chapala, they discover that now is the time of their lives to make everything happen. And what does Lake Chapala have that makes this happen? When people retire to this area, they discover they can live on less money (between $1000 and $1800 [U.S.] per month), and enjoy the second-best climate in the world; they find out that health care is the same or even better than in the U.S. and Canada; they find they can afford a maid and a gardener and go out for meals in restaurants more often. They also realize they have enough money to visit their families back in the U.S. or Canada, and have the opportunity to travel this beautiful country of Mexico and enjoy its culture and wonderful people…they find out that their stress level is much less and they feel tranquil and free. This is when the person inside finally gets heard and creativity arises; this is when the magic of the lake casts its spell and people have the opportunity to reinvent themselves or are reborn like the Phoenix.
You know that whenever someone retires and has enough time to get to do what they always wished for, they can either live in Mexico or even Timbuktu and just do it, but then why do many people who come on our Focus Program finally end up living here after being retired for some years and after having visited Panama, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, the Cayman Islands, or even San Miguel de Allende in Mexico? Why do they end up here after trying so many places around their own countries also? We know why…because they can only find the Magic of the Lake here.
Today I went out for lunch with the Focus Alumni Ladies who get together every month and, to be honest, I got a little bit jealous hearing all the things that all these wonderful ladies get to do that keep them busy all the time… Zumba classes, Salsa Dancing, quilting, traveling, playing in a Church Band, performing in the theater, joining the Lakeside Singers Choir, participating in charity groups, playing games! Oh my gosh, I wish I had the time and energy that all these ladies have. But I had to ask myself, why did they need to move all the way down to Lake Chapala to do all these things? Why couldn’t they do the same things “back home” or in Panama or Puerto Rico? Because there’s not the Magic of the Lake in these other places!
Every morning I wake up and the first thing I do is walk out to my yard and look at the hills in front of my house…sometimes they are covered with low-hanging clouds or fog; other times the sunlight is caressing them with its warm touch. During the rainy season I can see different kinds of greens coloring them, and later patches of yellow and white flowers all over. I look outside in the street and sometimes I watch cattle passing by or hear them somewhere near, I see people on their bicycles or horses, children laughing on their way to school; even parades and pilgrimages pass my door. Sometimes I just sit outside in my yard and feel the breeze in my face or the warmth of the sun, I listen to the birds, the animals, the insects… and then I feel so grateful for my life and the place I live in… and just breathe slowly within knowing that the person inside of me is alive…
This is the magic of the Lake, this is the Magic of this area…
Come on a Focus on Mexico Program and let the Magic of Lake Chapala cast its spell on you. You will discover yourself dancing during our delightful evenings together, you will discover your imagination running wild during our real estate visits, you will discover your creativity blooming during our conferences. We are waiting here for you
Tere Ruiz-Rodarte: Director of Research and Development FocusOnMexico.
Focus On Mexico offers 8-Day Educational Programs to Ajijic and Lake Chapala, Mexico (2nd Best Climate in the World). Join us on a Focus program and learn why thousands of Americans and Canadians chose to retire in Lake Chapala.
Our programs offer the perfect balance; a wonderful vacation and an insightful, educational experience. Our expert speakers cover all topics: Health Care, Real Estate, Legal System, Immigration, Bringing Pets, Cost of Living, US Taxes for Americans, Non-Residency for Canadians, Living on the Lakeside, Investing in Mexico, Mexican Economy and much more...
You’ll get everything you need to help you decide if Lake Chapala, Mexico is the place for you, plus have a lot of fun doing it. Retiring in Mexico couldn't be better.