First Weeks In Mexico

Our first week in Mexico was about finding a place and not really enjoying the area. The better half was so focused on this we really didn't enjoy the area for almost a week. We spent most of our time driving around areas, talking to locals and contacting a few people about places for rent. We went south of Ensenada as the main focus and decided La Bufadora was to far and checked out San Carlos by Baja Country Club. We loved the Country Club and really was considering this area to buy or build a place. We found a house by this area for rent, it cost more and was larger than we planned plus mainly unfurnished. Ironically after we paid the deposit the people I contacted in the El Sauzal area (north of Ensenada) for some furnished places responded to my inquiries.

Anyways, we cleaned the house, had it fumigated, got water for the pila and gas for the hot water and cooking. One thing I found out is I'm handling the “not on time” issue better than Rufino. He has gotten so frustrated with scheduled appointments not being on time. Jorge, the owner of the Hostal we stayed at laughed when we discussed the tardiness of all the appointments and he said it is Mexico, you need to get used to it.

We signed up for a cell phone but with limited data for the first 3 months (the better half had to establish credit), Dish was installed but internet was the big issue...there was a phone line so we thought this allowed for DSL. Telnor (phone company) was very helpful but said there had been issues in the area we live so they would see what could be done in 6-8 weeks but we already knew by now things don't always happen when they say it will. The Realtor was like for $300 and $60 a month you can have fast internet via satellite. We checked into this and it was a 24 month contract but by then we knew this was not an area we will stay in. Internet is a deal breaker since this is how we communicate with the family and for me to do some consulting or Etsy but we also realized it was dusty and rough roads for the frequent drives into town. We prefer city water and sewer along with the opportunity for cable or DSL. Also closer proximity or should I say easier access to the beach, stores and events is a plus.

After we moved in the next step was getting Rufino's credentials since he had not lived in Mexico since he was a teen, this was quiet the adventure. First trip was to find out what was needed, they said his passport, birth certificate were fine needed a bill with the address we are living at. So he makes the appointment and comes back but the owner of the house gave us the wrong bill (for a different property), they tell him he will need to have people vouch for him. So Jorge and Daniela from the Hostal come to the office for an appointment, Jorge's credentials are not from Ensenada so that didn't work. Next try, a lady we met and her daughter said they would vouch for him...this time it got done. Learning, never expect anything to be completed the first try.

So we have been in the house barely two weeks and can't believe we already ran out of water. We questioned the pila right after the first fill up and how fast it went down in one day, they said it is probably due to the previous owner not having the tank full over time. The neighbors said with only two of us we should be good for more than a month (maybe 6 weeks or more). Since I'm learning how to use the water differently than the US and having to do extra laundry and cleaning we figured a month . Well we had the pila filled with 10,000 liters again and left for the day to meet a Realtor to look at some property and to do some other running around. When we left it was so full the lid floated but when we got back it was already down 5 inches and closer to a foot by morning (24 hours after being filled). I had questioned multiple times why the pump would run when we weren't using any water....anyways the better half was talking with the neighbor and he said the pump shouldn't be running when there is no water use and the previous renters had had some problems but he thought the had been fixed, there must be some other leaking going on. The other half is like, they need to fix or give us a discount on rent, I'm like they fix or they need to cancel the contract and we will move back to the Hostal, it would be cheaper than here plus there is internet.

Learning lots in Mexico....