Here, some of the questions we get asked most often about our lives in Mexico. If you have a question that you don't see answered below, let us know! Leave a comment and we'll happily answer as best we can.
What's it like to live in Mexico?
The short answer: fun! The long answer, an ongoing adventure :).
Seriously speaking, in many ways Mexico feels like home to Mike and me. We met each other here, have lived here our entire married life, and our three kids were born here. Two of our children are now in school in León. And we've been in Mexico more than a decade. All of these things, when added together, mean that life here feels comfortable for us in many ways. We've gone through major life milestones in Mexico, and have lived from day to day for a long time south of the border.
At the same time, we're still considered foreigners here and I think there's a part of us that will always feel that way. We run into visa snafoos occasionally, sometimes miss the organization and infrastructure of the U.S., and can rarely find a dill pickle that really truly hits the spot :).
How's the weather?
In some places in Mexico, it's hot - very very hot! Where we live, however, the climate is moderate. Our area falls into the semi-arid category. Year round, the temperatures in León average low to mid- 80s as a high, and 50s and 60s as a low. That fluctuates a little, of course, depending on the time of year. We have a rainy season and a dry season. The rainy season usually lasts from June to September. Then from September to the following June, it rarely rains. All in all, beautiful weather!
What foods do you eat?
We eat many American foods that can be found in Mexico. We also eat many Mexican foods: beans, rice, salsas, limes, tortillas, tacos, quesadillas, gorditas, sopita - we like them all! In fact, when we head to the U.S., after a couple of weeks we start to miss our fresh Mexican fare.
Mexico also has amazing fruit, from cantalope that our kids eat like candy (because it's so sweet) to juicy watermelon, plump mangoes, ripe bananas, and finger-licking good pineapple.
And I'm married to a man who loves, loves, loves to try new things. Head here to read some of the more interesting tacos he's eaten during our years in Mexico.
Do your children speak Spanish?
Yes, they have grown up speaking both English and Spanish, and can communicate readily in both languages (I'm speaking about the girls here; our son is still in the "goo goo bla" stage).
Do you speak Spanish?
Both Mike and I are fluent. Mike has a non-foreign accent, attributed to the fact that he first learned Spanish as a child when his parents served as missionaries in Puerto Rico. He is sometimes mistaken for a Mexican when talking to people he doesn't know on the phone. When encountering strangers, he often gets a confused look (how does this tall, blonde, blue-eyed guy know so much Spanish?). This is followed by a "Just exactly where are you from?" inquiry.
What are the biggest challenges of living in Mexico?
Hmm...by and large, our largest concerns over the years have always been access to health care (and health issues that occasionally take us back to the U.S. unexpectedly) and safety factors. Fortunately, we currently live in a safe neighborhood in a safe city - we are thankful that God has led us here, and are enjoying it immensely.
What's your favorite part of mission work?
While getting to know a new culture and going exploring are certainly fun, the most gratifying part of mission work in Mexico is the chance to share God's Word with others, watch those people grow in their faith, and even see some of them decide to study to be a pastor! God works in wonderful ways, and it is a privilege to see him carrying out his plan in Mexico.
