Get a Head Start on Mexico Networking
Date: 11/13/2008
Nov. 13, 2008
Campeche, Mexico
Hola Mexico Insiders,
Most people who move to Mexico eventually make a circle of friends in the city they relocate to. Sometimes they make friends right away. Other times it may take a while. This often depends on the size of the expat community.
But wouldn’t it be great to have a few friends—like-minded, adventurous types—before you make the move? People who understand your decision and even share it? People whose opinions help offset comments like, “You’re, uh, planning to move where? Are you crazy?” that you may get from your sister-in-law or your brother or your neighbors back home.
Increasingly, future expats are finding like-minded friends at International Living’s conferences. It’s not why we give the conferences, of course—our main focus is giving you the information you need to live and invest overseas. But increasingly we see friendships forged there—among people who fully intend to make these friendships long term.
I saw this happen just last week at International Living’s Live and Invest in Mexico seminar in Mérida. Of the nearly 200 attendees, about 40 were Mexico Insiders. I don’t know if any of you Insiders sought out each other at the conference. But I did see many budding friendships formed. It tended to start at the networking/coffee breaks, as people chatted among themselves. It continued in the evening, over drinks at the bar or dinner in town, as people drifted off together to explore Mérida.
It’s great when these new-found friends all settle in the same city. They can deepen their friendship and enjoy the expat adventure together. But it’s also great when they settle in different places in Mexico. Remember, once you move here you’ll have a large, incredibly diverse country to explore—and believe me, you’ll want to explore it. How better than visiting friends scattered across the length and breadth of Mexico? These friends will be proud to show you their new home cities. And they’ll be able to show you a side of it that most tourists never see…like colorful local restaurants that the tourists never visit, and off-the-beaten-path sites that don’t appear in guidebooks. In turn, you’ll be able to do the same for them.
You can meet people in other ways, of course, such as through travel-oriented chat boards. It’s not the same as meeting people face-to-face as you can at conferences, but it’s a start. However you manage it, though, I do urge you to make people connections in Mexico if you’re thinking of moving here. It will help inform your decision before you move, and enrich your experience once you have moved.
And, ultimately, having a rich, full life—and people to share it with—is why most of us come here.
Best regards,
Glynna Prentice
Editor, Mexico Insider
P.S. I was surprised how many attendees at the Mérida conference said, “See you in Quito!” They were talking, of course, about International Living’s Ultimate Event IV, taking place in Quito, Ecuador, March 3–6, 2009. This is your chance to speak with IL experts from all over the world. Over four days we’ll cover how (and where) to buy that second home in the sun, how to make money while living overseas, protecting your assets, investing, and much, much more. Get more information here, or call 866-381-3446 (toll-free) or 410-223-2688. Or e-mail Events@internationalliving.com.
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