Guanajuato Services

Whether you are in Italy, Spain, or any other Latin country, forget what you think you know about service and especially forget your American expectations. I used to the say that in the service industries in Mexico's GOLDEN COAST they offer service more suited for American tastes. However, if you hang out long enough in these resorts and can't afford the Ritz, then you will also find a standard of service that takes a bit getting used to. This doesn't make it particularly bad (although it can), only different. If you've traveled in Italy or Spain, and stayed in hotels, eaten in restaurants, you know that the Latin Mindset is a bit different. It is the same here.

In areas of Mexico where their economy has NOT been traditionally dependent upon the American Tourist dollar, like the city of Guanajuato, do not expect to be treated as you would in one of the fancy resort hotels, restaurants, or whatever you try patronizing. And, if you don't speak Spanish then it could even seem worse service than it actually is.

A good thing to remember is that in cities like Guanajuato, they are accustomed to catering to the Mexican Tourist. Mexicans, in my humble opinion, are not as spoiled as Americans and do not seem to have the same idea of what constitutes good or bad service. Culture and perception is everything.

Mexican Survival - Water

A typical day in the life of an American expat living in Mexico will include trying to find drinking water. You might be surprised by this but everyone knows that you cannot "drink the water in Mexico."...Read More

Medical Care

When one American tells another American, always in hushed whispers and never in mixed company, "I am going to Mexico.", here is the usual response: Don't drink the water. Americans suffer from what has to border on pathological paranoia when the phrase, "I am going to Mexico" is heard....Read More

Life in Mexico - Muddy Waters

By Cindi Bower

[Travel-and-Leisure] When he was a child, legendary blues artist McKinley Morganfield's grandmother nicknamed him "Muddy Waters" because he loved to play in the muddy creek near their home. During rainy season in Guanajuato, he would have felt right at home......Read More

The potential expat looking for property to buy needs to hire a translator. If you are going to conduct business in this country, and especially so in the Mega-Provincial Mexican Highlands, you need someone who can bridge the linguistic gap. Not to do so will get you into all manner of trouble!