Newbies or Oldies?

Gosh, I first learned about Ajijic from my neighbors up north at the family summer cottage. The learning period was during the 1995-96 period and we didn't even know what the internet was. And then came May 1997 and Rod Collins opened up Lagunanet and began offering dialup at half the speed offered up north for only $40 US per month, and we were in 7th heaven. To this day I am thankful for Rod's great service. We got up to 28.8 bits per second download

The world is a changing. What comes next? I am afraid to ask. :)

I always enjoy ready post both on this and the TOB. But a comment by Gamina caught my attention as she referred to the US as a nanny state. Now I lived in Canada for 11 years so I know that the government looks after their residents from birth to death. The US looks after their resident from (not sure) to (note sure). So I assume she was referring to Canada.

Now I do not own a smart phone, I do not have a GPS and the only internet connection I have is with spiderweb, sometimes it works but mostly it does not.

I go to Guadalajara often so I check my direction on google map and then I memorize them. I now actually can drive around this city like if I was a life long resident.

I live in an all Mexican neighborhood in Chapala. I go to Ajijic maybe every 2 months to see if I have any mail.

I came to this area in 2006 based on a recommendation from a Canadian friend who had been here the previous year with Focus on Mexico. So that year me and my mom packed my old Japanese car, left Ontario and once out of Detroit left the interstate road system and then traveled thru every little small town until we reached San Antonio Texas, and yes we stopped and read every single historical marker.

My mom passed away here in 2012 and I decided to make this place my home> We loved this place in 2006, I hate this place now and am in the process of finishing 7 apartments. Once done I am getting the hell out and will move to some small town in the highlands were gringos do not venture. I just cant wait for this to happen as I am looking forward to sitting at the local plaza every evening to strike up a conversation with the locals.

I do this every evening were I currently live with my neighbors and its sure a breath of fresh air from what I read on this boards.

Trailrunner wrote:Friend and I went to the LLT a couple of weeks ago and we all gathered in the courtyard waiting to be let in for the event. As I looked around, I was disappointed to see a big crowd of all white faces with the exception of a Mexican couple who were manning the bar. Sheesh.

As we took a seat we smiled and nodded to two gringas who looked up and said "Newbies or oldies?" We looked blankly at them for a minute before we got it and my friend answered "Oldies". "Oh," they said, "they have to get rid of the cobblestones!" We laughed and my friend said "Nooooo. . .". But they weren't laughing. Then one of them exclaimed she has been here 18 days and bought a house in La Floresta! Thankfully we were called in for the performance.

Well I guess its par for the LT group, be they Oldies or Newbies..the whole town is being to look like a giant nursing home and they have let the inmate,s have some play time

HoneyBee wrote:I always enjoy ready post both on this and the TOB. But a comment by Gamina caught my attention as she referred to the US as a nanny state. Now I lived in Canada for 11 years so I know that the government looks after their residents from birth to death. The US looks after their resident from (not sure) to (note sure). So I assume she was referring to Canada.

Now I do not own a smart phone, I do not have a GPS and the only internet connection I have is with spiderweb, sometimes it works but mostly it does not.

I go to Guadalajara often so I check my direction on google map and then I memorize them. I now actually can drive around this city like if I was a life long resident.

I live in an all Mexican neighborhood in Chapala. I go to Ajijic maybe every 2 months to see if I have any mail.

I came to this area in 2006 based on a recommendation from a Canadian friend who had been here the previous year with Focus on Mexico. So that year me and my mom packed my old Japanese car, left Ontario and once out of Detroit left the interstate road system and then traveled thru every little small town until we reached San Antonio Texas, and yes we stopped and read every single historical marker.

My mom passed away here in 2012 and I decided to make this place my home> We loved this place in 2006, I hate this place now and am in the process of finishing 7 apartments. Once done I am getting the hell out and will move to some small town in the highlands were gringos do not venture. I just cant wait for this to happen as I am looking forward to sitting at the local plaza every evening to strike up a conversation with the locals.

I do this every evening were I currently live with my neighbors and its sure a breath of fresh air from what I read on this boards.

HB I am not sure I understand your quote.."I live in an all Mexican neighborhood in Chapala"...are there any other kind of neighbourhoods in Chapala???so your saying there is a Gringo ghetto hidden away someplace

Lakeside, yes there are several gated communities in Chapala.

Your comment is there a hidden gringo ghetto hidden someplace is puzzling to me. Are you implying that just because I chose to live among s Mexican equates to living in a ghetto ?

If you live in an all Mexican neighborhood and only go to Ajijic every two months, I don't see what your "gringo problem" is?  Since I don't belong to any groups or organizations that cater to foreigners and my family is all Mexican, I hardly notice them at all, and especially in GDL, where you go a lot, and so do I, they are really rare,

HoneyBee wrote:Are you implying that just because I chose to live among s Mexican equates to living in a ghetto ?

How in the world did you arrive at this conclusion? Bit of a stretch, eh?

What I'm seeing is an attitude problem which includes an allergy to both gringos and old people. This is a beautiful place with a fine climate, many differences in the types of people who chose to be here and enough possibilities for engaging in interesting activities that being a bundle of negativity is just a choice some people seem to make.

gringal wrote:What I'm seeing is an attitude problem which includes an allergy to both gringos and old people.  This is a beautiful place with a fine climate, many differences in the types of people who chose to be here and enough possibilities for engaging in interesting activities that being a bundle of negativity is just a choice some people seem to make.

I'd like to give you 10 likes........OK, I just did.

This is a pretty big jungle....a lot of space for a lot of species.

slainte39 wrote:

gringal wrote:What I'm seeing is an attitude problem which includes an allergy to both gringos and old people.  This is a beautiful place with a fine climate, many differences in the types of people who chose to be here and enough possibilities for engaging in interesting activities that being a bundle of negativity is just a choice some people seem to make.

I'd like to give you 10 likes........OK, I just did.

This is a pretty big jungle....a lot of space for a lot of species.

Yes it is, and thanks for the likes.

HoneyBee, do please get over yourself. You are pompous and ridiculous.

Good morning gringal,

I would have responded last night except the board connection was down.

I never said that I was allergic to old people, am old myself.

12 years ago, it was a pleasure to interact with gringos, one could always engage in a meaningful conversation. Sadly, many are gone. The new wave of gringos are not exactly my cup of tea. Many of the posts above seem to think the same. Maybe I am just to direct.

Yes I do not like this area any more, its congested, polluted, the traffic is at complete gridlock and look at all of the new construction project, its just going to get worse. I guess I am the only one the liked the way it was.

Sorry if I offended you are any of the other posters

Wow, HoneyBee, that sure is a miserable universe you have created for yourself.

I don't like it here anymore either. So I'm moving out a ways from SAT. If I didn't have emotional and loving connections to people here, I would move away from Lakeside altogether.

Well one good thing about this area is that there ARE lots of us old people. I would never want it to be a nursing home but it can seem like us oldies are invisible and irrelevant up north. Don’t ask me for specifics because I can’t give them. It’s just a feeling I get whenever I go up there. Sales people are solicitous in a way that makes me feel they’re afraid my Depends might start to leak. (I hasten to add that I don’t wear Depends.).

I’m happy to see younger folks moving here but if they become the majority I don’t want to again become invisible. Probably explained that badly but you get the drift.

HoneyBee wrote:Good morning gringal,

I would have responded last night except the board connection was down.

I never said that I was allergic to old people, am old myself.

12 years ago, it was a pleasure to interact with gringos, one could always engage in a meaningful conversation. Sadly, many are gone. The new wave of gringos are not exactly my cup of tea. Many of the posts above seem to think the same. Maybe I am just to direct.

Yes I do not like this area any more, its congested, polluted, the traffic is at complete gridlock and look at all of the new construction project, its just going to get worse. I guess I am the only one the liked the way it was.

Sorry if I offended you are any of the other posters

Honeybee, I was not referring to you solely in my post.  There was also the comment from Lakeside7: ".the whole town is being to look like a giant nursing home and they have let the inmate,s have some play time"

Your post was so negative in general about life in Lakeside that I call it an attitude problem of a different stripe.
Yes, there have been changes in the last ten years I've lived in Lakeside.  Some have been positive, some not so much.  The Newbies who are being somewhat obnoxious will probably return NOB before long.  They'll report on Facebook how awful it is and that will slow the migration.

I doubt that the plan you said you'd pursue will solve the problems; there will be new ones.  For instance, the availability of good health care (which we tend to need more of as we age) will be reduced.  Without it, I wouldn't be here to write this.  There would be the loss of many other conveniences we take for granted.

However, I wish you the best of luck in whatever path your pursue.

Agree on the "LIKES" above.

I LIKE taking a walk on the Malecon in the morning by the lake and exchanging "buenas dias" and "morning" to the fellow walkers, with smiles all around.

I LIKE being an active member of a large interest group that provides both social activities, opportunities to show creative work and is able to help in sponsoring an important group working with the children of the community.

I also LIKE this forum, which in a fine place to exchange information and opinions.

Miscellaneous LIKES to many, many other things.

I LIKE living in a beautiful place with many delightful people.
I LIKE walking and being greeted by smiles, waves, and wishes for a good day.
I LIKE being able to pay people to do the things I can’t or no longer wish to do, knowing I am also helping them to raise families and better enjoy life.
I LIKE HAVING long, leisurely meals in delightful restaurants with good friends and wait staff that treats me like an honored guest.
I LIKE having a small inner circle of close friends to share good times and bad and a wider circle of acquaintances that keep me connected to other activities and fun.
I LIKE the fiestas and celebrations that mark the year with energy and delight.

I like this board.

I love all the likes and want to add:

Rony delivers!
The kids, I swear they are cuter than anywhere else.
Loving the family bonds.
The available consumer goods, foods & Amazon.
Cost of living. (pffft)
Lakeside as it is today. I lived here in 1969, '79 and the past 12 years to declare these 'The good ol' days'.

I like everything that ferret, gringal, and Lady Otter Latte said! And I also like young and old people alike, especially if they have an open mind and attitude to match!

Progress happens everywhere....you can't stop it or wish for the good old days to return. You adapt to the changes, and embrace the new along with the old.

Sure, it's getting crowded here, and some of the newbies that expect all the creature comforts they had NOB need to change their expectations or head back north. Otherwise, I can't think of a better place that has the best of both worlds!

I like that the people who are unhappy here are moving away instead of making us all miserable with constant griping and complaining. I will offer everyone the same courtesy when/if I get sick of the place too. Goodbye and good luck...…...

Learning to adapt and adjust to an evolving world is one of life's great pleasures and rewards.
Pining for the "good old days" certainly isn't on my "bucket list".  Things (too many to enumerate) are so much better around here for me than they were 10, 20, 30, or more years ago.
The improvements to the quality of life over the many years I have been here, is beyond my imagination.
The younger generations of Mexicans, which I am around a lot, are eager to move on from the past, with a few topes along the way.

Yeah, and we can get Blue Bell ice cream here! And Uber! And soon, high speed internet. We’re also lucky to have good medical specialists here from Guadalajara which is a blessing for real.