Life Aboard For whatever reason, many would-be cruisers who head south end up as liveaboards in Mexico. During our cruise through Mexico we have met liveaboards in every marina we’ve visited. Some people come here to live aboard, but most began a cruise and ended up finding somewhere they loved and settled down. These liveaboards become part of the local community. Some are retired, some are working and some have started businesses. Most end up in marinas yet some stay in anchorages. When considering the options of living aboard your boat south of the border, there are many things to consider. Language We spoke very little Spanish when we first arrived. We studied, asked questions and learned along the way. There are Spanish lessons available at many marinas and you can even arrange for a private tutor. We did purchase a software program to help us learn espanol and it helps. Our classroom has been in taxi cabs, restaurants and mixing in with the locals. We’ve found the people to be very kind when we are trying to learn their language. They speak slower and have been happy to help us. We’ve found that just trying to speak a little of the local lingo goes a long way. Just trotting out a few words of bad Spanish has opened doors to meet the locals and provided opportunities to get a closer glimpse of the local culture. Taking the time to learn at least enough Spanish to understand directions and order in a restaurant will make life easier and your experience much richer. 44 Summer 2013 Pg 44-45 Life Aboard issue 3.indd 2
by Editor Robin Stout
Immigrating A tourist visa allows you a six-month stay in Mexico, but if you’re moving in you’ll want to check into obtaining a “Temporary Resident” card (formerly known as an FM3). Most of the information is online but it’s not in English. If you’re not comfortable with the process you can hire an agent who will help with the paperwork and legwork (most offices aren’t close to each other). Using agents can be expensive, but may be worth the expense by getting you through the process. This process must be started in the USA, so check into it before leaving the country. Mail and Banking Even when dock lines and other ties have been cut, there may still be things “back home” that need to be tended to. Mail and banking are two of these that we have dealt with. We found a service (St Brendan’s Isle) to handle our mail. They scan the mail and we read it online. They will forward it where it needs to go (usually friends coming to visit) or shred it for us. We found online banking to be a lifesaver. We manage accounts online and we can even make deposits via the iPad. Cars and Driving Some liveaboards choose to bring a car into Mexico from their home, some buy a car when they arrive and others (like us) use public transportation and taxis. Bringing a car in does give the opportunity to bring much needed parts and supplies, but make sure to check out the laws on keeping a foreign car in the country. We have Cruising 4/25/13 12:20 PM
