In Search of Happiness

 

In 2006, I packed my bags and drove alone from California to Mazatlán, Mexico, a colorful resort town on the Pacific coast. I didn’t know anyone there. But at 50, as the next half of my life came into focus, I had decided to prioritize deep, soul-level joy and happiness.

In search of happiness

Money difficulties aside, I liked my life in the U.S. I had a big community of friends. My three adult kids were financially stable and happily partnered.

Yet something was missing. Things that made other people happy left me restless and dissatisfied. I constantly felt like I wasn’t enough and didn’t have enough. I saw friends buying million-dollar homes, expensive cars and the newest phones. It felt like a game that couldn’t be won — and I wasn’t interested in playing anymore.

I had vacationed in Mazatlán the year before I moved. They say travel is good for the soul and opens you up to new possibilities. Walking the beach, swimming in the ocean and soaking up the sun, I pictured myself living a more reasonable kind of life: an affordable cost of living in a friendly, walkable city with loads of cultural events, great food and a gorgeous oceanside setting with year-round sunshine.

A sunnier, more affordable life

Securing permanent residency status in Mexico has changed a lot since 2006. And although it’s more complicated now, it’s still doable.

My first year in Mazatlán, I lived off a total of $9,500. Then I started the business I’d dreamed of — publishing M!, an arts and entertainment magazine, for nine years.

Time went by and suddenly I was 62. The idea of retiring and not working — even for myself — was thrilling, so I decided to take Social Security in 2018. Even though it was slightly under $1,000 (around $19,700 Mexican pesos), I knew it was enough if I watched my spending. With my magazine, I always had a steady cash flow from ad sales, so it was a change to only get paid once a month.

In 2019, I self-published a book, “Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expats.” Sales through Amazon bring in around $100 per month, which I put right into my savings.

Housing: In my 14 years of living in Mexico, my regular monthly expenses have hovered around $1,000. I’ve never paid more than $400 per month for a rental (and that was for a brand new 1,600-square-foot condo with ocean views). Now I pay about $200 for a one-bedroom.

Bills: Electricity is typically $10 a month, rising to about $35 in the summer depending on air conditioning. Wi-Fi and a cell phone plan each run about $18 per month.

Food and entertainment: I spend between $100 to $150 per month on gas for my car. You can go to a movie for under $5. I like going out to breakfast and pay about $6, including tip. A fancy dinner might cost around $18. My grocery bills are anywhere between $250 to $300 per month.

Home is where the heart is

There’s been lots of stumbling, but mostly it’s been smooth sailing. I smile more, relax easily and am more patient and open. I’m not as attached to material things.

When the pandemic started, they wanted me to be closer — in the country where I’m a citizen, where medical care seemed more reliable, and where doctors speak the same language. I’ve been in Oregon since April, feeling like a fish out of water as I wait to get vaccinated so I can go back home to Mexico.

As it barrels into the future, Mexico, like every country, has issues in its systems and politics, in the deep-rooted dynamics between rich and poor, the haves and have-nots. I don’t think everything is great there, because it’s not. But it’s my happy place. And that’s exactly what I was looking for.