How to move to Playa - do's and don'ts

Dianita · 02-23-2007

Leaving the Great White North, eh, and I've been coming here for more than 25 years but never stayed more than 3 weeks at a time. Would appreciate any and all advice about moving down to Playa. Will be here at least 4 months starting the beginning of October.

synestere · 02-23-2007

Get a visa .

**Susie Q Roo** · 02-23-2007

A few don'ts:

Don't expect to live here like a crazy tourist and survive it.
Don't expect to have the same lifestyle you have at home, either.
Don't expect things to ever be easy... (DO be surprised and appreciative when they sometimes do!)

That's all for now... I'll add more if/when they come to me.

(But it really would help to do a search for "moving," "living," etc.

roni · 02-23-2007

Take plenty of money

Babaloo · 02-23-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Susie Q Roo

(But it really would help to do a search for "moving," "living," etc.

i really do love you

roni · 02-23-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babaloo

i really do love you

Babaloo has a guido....ewrrrrrr.. a guide.

Babaloo · 02-23-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by roni

Take plenty of money

yes
because you probably will not be able to work here

Ginger · 02-24-2007

there are two parallel universes in playa...

The tourist universe.

And the living-there universe.

The tourist universe is a lot of fun, relaxing, overindulging, shopping, partying. Fun in it's own right.

The living-there universe is a lot of fun, relaxing, underindulging, learning where to shop, trying not to go broke partying. But great too!

Basically, like Susie said, living is SO much different that visiting, no matter what you think. If you can't persevere through the red-tape and other things that come up, you may not enjoy as much as you thought you would. I did...but I'm a pretty easy-going, take-things-as-they-com type of person. My hubby is not so much.

He had some adjusting to do, and afterwards decided it just wasn't for him. It could easily have been for me.

jlsl · 02-24-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dianita

Leaving the Great White North, eh, and I've been coming here for more than 25 years but never stayed more than 3 weeks at a time. Would appreciate any and all advice about moving down to Playa. Will be here at least 4 months starting the beginning of October.

IMHO a 4 month stay is different to being a permanent resident.

I imagine you'd stay at a vacation property, on the tourist area, with no worries about getting a phone line, bank account, a house to rent or buy, paying bills, getting drinking water, buying a car, finding a doctor, a dentist, a mechanic, and 1000 "etc"s.

If I'm correct, then maybe the "take plenty of money" advice would suffice.

Otherwise, if you could give us more details about your situation maybe we could be more helpful.

Regardless, I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay here in Playa!

We used to live in Toronto as well, for 7 years. We moved down here almost 3 years ago, no regrets.

Luis

Dianita · 02-24-2007

Luis, I am in Playa for 4 months, waiting to hear if my application to study photography in Oz will be approved. (Boatloads of regulations to get the student visa for Oz). I will stay in town, use my bicycle and generally just chill out for a couple of months so it should be a pretty easy going stay.

I probably wouldn't mind knowing where a good doctor or dentist is, just in case I need one and since I'm a low tech person, I'm wondering if I bring my cell phone down is it possible to insert a new SIM card in it or someone get local coverage? Or do I just buy something locally? I've heard that people are sometimes hassled about staying more than 3 months so I would like to pave the way as my renewal date will be December 31 and that's not a good day to get any paperwork done in Mexico. What about mail? Do people have their mail forwarded from Canada? It used to take 3-4 weeks for a postcard to get back to Canada but that was a while back, not sure if things have changed since then.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Dianita · 02-24-2007

There used to be a puddle jumper plane that went to Havana from Coz years ago, does anyone know if it is possible to fly to Cuba from Playa or Coz?

Page · 02-25-2007

Don't expect to get your mail forwarded. Have it held at the PO for a fee and receive/pay all your bills on line.

There are lots of past threads about moving here, living here, cell phones, dentists and doctors. If you haven't already, you would be best off doing some research and then coming back with specific questions.

Caroline

PAUL250268 · 02-26-2007

I've been living here since the end of October 2006.
Like many others have said...........it's very different from being a tourist.
Playa is NOT cheap.
Get a job, if you can.

Paul

Dianita · 02-26-2007

Thanks Paul, I thought that the regulations prohibited anyone from working or studying in Mexico, I'm working my way through the visa maze, don't have an FM3 yet just hoping to get a tourist visa for 4-6 months. Is there anything in particular that is more expensive in Playa that you didn't know about when you first went down?

**Mindbender** · 02-26-2007

You can't work legally without the correct visa.

If you do so and you get caught, you'll be kicked out via the police cells with a no return ban for a few years.

Immigration do regular sweeps of the bars and restaurants on 5th Avenue particularly.

You can apply at the Playa immigration office to extend your visa a few weeks before it runs out. They may do so, or they may not.

If you leave Mexico with an out of date visa I'm not sure what customs will do. Fine you, ban you for 5 years, or just ignore it. Anybody else know?

02-23-2007	#1 (permalink)
Dianita life=playa Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kingston, Ontario/Florida Keys/Playa Posts: 503	How to move to Playa - do's and don'ts Leaving the Great White North, eh, and I've been coming here for more than 25 years but never stayed more than 3 weeks at a time. Would appreciate any and all advice about moving down to Playa. Will be here at least 4 months starting the beginning of October.

02-24-2007	#10 (permalink)
Dianita life=playa Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kingston, Ontario/Florida Keys/Playa Posts: 503	Thanks for the advice everyone, much appreciated Luis, I am in Playa for 4 months, waiting to hear if my application to study photography in Oz will be approved. (Boatloads of regulations to get the student visa for Oz). I will stay in town, use my bicycle and generally just chill out for a couple of months so it should be a pretty easy going stay. I probably wouldn't mind knowing where a good doctor or dentist is, just in case I need one and since I'm a low tech person, I'm wondering if I bring my cell phone down is it possible to insert a new SIM card in it or someone get local coverage? Or do I just buy something locally? I've heard that people are sometimes hassled about staying more than 3 months so I would like to pave the way as my renewal date will be December 31 and that's not a good day to get any paperwork done in Mexico. What about mail? Do people have their mail forwarded from Canada? It used to take 3-4 weeks for a postcard to get back to Canada but that was a while back, not sure if things have changed since then. Thanks in advance for your help,

02-24-2007	#11 (permalink)
Dianita life=playa Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kingston, Ontario/Florida Keys/Playa Posts: 503	One last question - Cuba There used to be a puddle jumper plane that went to Havana from Coz years ago, does anyone know if it is possible to fly to Cuba from Playa or Coz?

02-26-2007	#14 (permalink)
Dianita life=playa Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kingston, Ontario/Florida Keys/Playa Posts: 503	Playa.....continued Thanks Paul, I thought that the regulations prohibited anyone from working or studying in Mexico, I'm working my way through the visa maze, don't have an FM3 yet just hoping to get a tourist visa for 4-6 months. Is there anything in particular that is more expensive in Playa that you didn't know about when you first went down?

02-23-2007	#2 (permalink)
synestere añejo Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Playa del Carmen Posts: 2,054	Get a visa .

02-23-2007	#3 (permalink)
Susie Q Roo paradisiac Join Date: May 2003 Location: Q Roo Posts: 10,865	A few don'ts: Don't expect to live here like a crazy tourist and survive it. Don't expect to have the same lifestyle you have at home, either. Don't expect things to ever be easy... (DO be surprised and appreciative when they sometimes do!) That's all for now... I'll add more if/when they come to me. (But it really would help to do a search for "moving," "living," etc.

02-23-2007	#4 (permalink)
roni Happy Curmudgeon Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 26,505	Take plenty of money

02-24-2007	#8 (permalink)
Ginger none Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 10,165	there are two parallel universes in playa... The tourist universe. And the living-there universe. The tourist universe is a lot of fun, relaxing, overindulging, shopping, partying. Fun in it's own right. The living-there universe is a lot of fun, relaxing, underindulging, learning where to shop, trying not to go broke partying. But great too! Basically, like Susie said, living is SO much different that visiting, no matter what you think. If you can't persevere through the red-tape and other things that come up, you may not enjoy as much as you thought you would. I did...but I'm a pretty easy-going, take-things-as-they-com type of person. My hubby is not so much. He had some adjusting to do, and afterwards decided it just wasn't for him. It could easily have been for me.

02-25-2007	#12 (permalink)
Page life=playa Join Date: May 2003 Location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico and Tweed, Ontario Posts: 721	Don't expect to get your mail forwarded. Have it held at the PO for a fee and receive/pay all your bills on line. There are lots of past threads about moving here, living here, cell phones, dentists and doctors. If you haven't already, you would be best off doing some research and then coming back with specific questions. Caroline

02-26-2007	#13 (permalink)
PAUL250268 life=playa Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Playa Del Carmen Posts: 569	I've been living here since the end of October 2006. Like many others have said...........it's very different from being a tourist. Playa is NOT cheap. Get a job, if you can. Paul

02-26-2007	#15 (permalink)
Mindbender Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Playa del Carmen Posts: 3,129	You can't work legally without the correct visa. If you do so and you get caught, you'll be kicked out via the police cells with a no return ban for a few years. Immigration do regular sweeps of the bars and restaurants on 5th Avenue particularly. You can apply at the Playa immigration office to extend your visa a few weeks before it runs out. They may do so, or they may not. If you leave Mexico with an out of date visa I'm not sure what customs will do. Fine you, ban you for 5 years, or just ignore it. Anybody else know?

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