🤔 If You've Ever Visited San Cristobal... (or if you still live here): How long did you visit? How long have you lived here? I'm at 8 months so far!❤❤❤
San Cristobal has been my home for three years. I also spend several months each year in Manaus, Amazonas and southeast Asia, but San Cristobal is where my house and feral cat are located, so this is as close to a permanent place as I've got. I'm going to check out Nairobi in a few months, and I might make that my base, in which case I'll bring my feral cat with me. As long as there's good olive oil, bread and wine, I've got no complaints. Ten minutes in the US makes me want to throw myself in front of a speeding bus.
There are many who feel similarly… and I will say that airports in the US (actually, it starts at airports where the flight is GOING to the US, changes their vibes quickly!
Such an interesting video. My husband and I have lived in San Cristobal for 9 years and have commented many times about the transient population. We have other friends who live here permanently, some much longer than us, but I think a lot of the long term expats live under the radar. We've definitely noticed the influx of digital nomads and how they change the city. In the past, tourist came with little or no money but now people arrive making good money from online jobs and are willing to pay much more for rents, eat in expensive restaurants etc and I know this impacts some locals. I've also noticed folks who feel priced out from other traditional expat cities like San Miguel de Allende landing in San Cristobal to see if it works as an alternative. I love living in San Cristobal but to be happy here you really need to be able to entertain yourself, and it helps if you have the freedom to travel and get away when the city becomes annoying, and then returning you experience the aspects of San Cristobal that you've always enjoyed.
Yes, I completely agree! I actually recently met a Canadian who has been here with her family for 17 years “under the radar” and living more like a local. Very eye-opening! And it’s true that a level of self-entertainment is necessary here (which is something I appreciate especially compared to Merida which has tons of entertainment and therefore people constantly inviting me to do things that I often turned down). Using San Cristobal as a home base is a brilliant idea that I’m leaning heavily towards.
Hi. I will be there Friday morning until Tuesday. Was supposed to be there 2 weeks ago but moved up the dates without noticing the rainy season. Is the forecast usually right that it will rain all week? What can one do if it going to be raining all the time? Thank you
@@azteca9 So this is my first rainy season here in San Cris... I will say most days, it seems to rain a few hours in the afternoon, and then clear the rest of the day, although there have definitely been days that rained all day! That being said, sometimes rain all day means an all-day drizzle, as opposed to heavy rain... it can be a bit unpredictable. If it's just a few hours, it's really no big deal, and if it's just a drizzle, I feel like you can still go out and explore. Heavy rains, for me, are best at home... and I love hearing the rain fall here! What were the main activities you were hoping to enjoy here?
@@PriorityFocused I don't mind the rain hopefully the rain is light enough to do a tour at El cañon del sumidero, and El chiflón. Maybe just enjoy the rain around the city caffes and museums
@@azteca9 I will say, generally rainy season is not the best time for waterfalls… often they will be brown/muddy/overflowing/flooded due to the rain… Not sure on Sumidero since I’ve never been
Hi - I'm 71 and have lived here (from the US) for 7 years. I think you're blowing things WAY out of proportion as far as negatives. Yes - people get sick (I do about once a year), but everything else here is so worth it. Yes, there are blockades often - - but I stay in town & don't have to deal with them hardly at all. Again, they come & go. Crazy people? Every place has them! And they're not often here... yes, people ask for money, but it hasn't escalated like you say... at least most of the time it's minimal. If you had stayed longer, you'd see these scary things come & go & not matter much. The noise? It's FUN!!! I LOVE hearing the local music and parties occasionally (& don't live next to them - - you can find great places here). Yes - expats come here just because it's cheap, but I'm not a normal expat - - and I love learning more Spanish each time I chat with folks. LOVE hearing the different languages & meeting other travelers from around the world. So what if it's nomadic!! I think this is sad that you've dissed this place for reasons that certainly I don't care about - - it's so much better here than most places. I've traveled around the world on a shoe-string (7 continents), and am proud to live in San Cristobal de Las Casas.
So I absolutely loved living in San Cristobal! And if it wasn't for my son's needs, I would very likely still be there (we were there a little over a year and a half before we had to leave)... In this video I'm simply mentioning the many reasons why a lot of people don't stay in San Cris... it's a much more nomadic location than any other place I've lived before... and it's something that people who want to find a forever home should know about. Not a diss on San Cris at all!
I subscribe to your friend Karen's channel, which is probably why this video was recommended to me. I enjoyed what you had to say, all very thoughtful and insightful points which I will take into consideration. I'm going to San Cristobal early next year, I'll probably stay a month (holding on to my home here) and evaluate it as a long-term place for me. If I like it I might just go ahead and find a place to settle there. I know that no place is always full of roses, I lived in Venezuela for a couple of years and during that time I was mugged, stung by a scorpion, chased by a pack of wild dogs and assorted crazy people from time to time (including one drunk guy waving a machete as he pursued me). I've learned to be pretty street-savvy. I was also very sick with parasites, so I learned how important it is not to drink the water! But one thing you mentioned really stood out to me, and that is that San Cristobal is considered to be a place of healing. I lost my 18-year-old cat on Sept. 1 this year and an older brother two weeks later and I wonder if these events are having an influence on me. Maybe San Cristobal is a place I need to spend some time, whether it's long term or not. I shall see!
Oh, wow! So much happened in Venezuela for you! ❤️ I love San Cristobal... it will always have a special place in my heart! And yes, it's hard to point out exactly why I think of it as a place of healing... but I think it remains so... I hope you get out if San Cristobal everything that you need!
Chiapas is the poorest state in Mexico and San Cristobal belongs to people who are born there, not to ex-pats. It belongs to the indigenous people, which you seem to totally disregard, people who get no benefits from you being there. I hope Americans and Canadians Don't stay and that San Cristobal stays exactly like it is.
Well, you hardly mentioned them. Outside of San Cristobal the land is theirs. I've spent several months in San Cristobal on four different trips studying Tsotsil and interviewing the mayan sellers. Most of them have almost no involvement with Europeans other than during a sale. Perhaps it's different with you. It seems to me that expats who leave often have a problem assimilating or learning the language. They mainly hang out with each other. Of course, perhaps San Cristobal lacks possibilities for them, but those limits should be obvious going in. .
@@Gdeluume I think it's awesome that you studied Tsotsil and were able to interview the mayan sellers! And you are correct in that the focus of my video was not about the locals or indigenous... and I'm certainly no expert on either one! But the focus of my video was on the very nomadic nature of all the others that live in San Cris (so tourists and immigrants, both foreign and national)... It's an interesting phenomenon that I decided to speak on. In my slightly over a year and a half living here, I've seen SO many people come and go - not just the tourists, not just foreign immigrants, but even the Mexican population that come here from other parts of Mexico! This was something new for me to witness... and definitely not something I noticed when I lived in Merida. I don't personally see anything wrong with choosing to stay in San Cristobal... after all, I'm still here because it's my favorite Mexican city thus far...
We have lived in Baja Sur for 15 years full-time. We love it here. Probably much because many people here are from various parts of the mainland MX and enjoy being here instead of there. Each s/he has their story. Today I met a young man who temporarily working here (5 weeks) who is an engineer. He is from Chiapas originally. It was interesting on how he described Chiapas so I thought I would watch a few TH-cam views about peoples experiences and vieses. This indeed in an interesting one. Thank you for sharing. The young man? He left Chiapas for education and better working opportunities. He has family there, however, cannot see himself moving back. -- Maybe something about the “necesario nomadico” . Thank you.
I like San Cris... but of course didn't stay, and I often wondered how the city kept functioning as a city.... restaurants staying empty night after night, not that many people buying from artisans... kinda a normalized sense of underlying chronic stress... which is totally understandable... a place where many locals cannot afford their own city really.... but I did like it for many of the reasons you mention. I was also very very sick too. Great job on this video, and much success with your channel.
oh btw, are you aware the area is one of the earthquake danger zones, that's the main reason I left, check the map from a recent video, and explanation. The chaos of San Cris is partially tectonically connected, I believe.
This is something I always wonder, as well… but I notice that the slower restaurants sometimes wait for customers before purchasing groceries (which can account for the longer wait times) so they’re not as expensive to maintain, I guess? And they may simply be able to make what they need during the heavy tourist months, so during the slow months, they’re happy with whatever🤷🏻♀️ (Augusta, Georgia, for example, makes so much money during the Masters Week that it pays for their entire year of expenses!) And yes, being sick frequently is a sign to move on, for sure!
@@PriorityFocused For sure.... apparently when the area goes off soon and triggers the new madrid faultline, it may also trigger mexico's volcanic belt.... check that map too, and I was recommended to head north of that belt. Mexico has some big problems coming... mass migration from coastal areas just one issue.
So funny you did this video now. We were going to start our Mexican adventure by living in our daughters house in Queretaro, but things have changed and now we think we will move to San Cris. Our biggest fear is not finding a rental where we can have our 4 senior dogs. Difficult ? Besides that we see San Cris as perfect. We speak Spanish, love mountains, love cool weather, Vegans so really just looking for fresh produce not fancy restaurants. We love the US BUT don’t want to work forever. Diversity and culture sounds like a great adventure to us. We hope you and Karen will still be there in 12-13 months when we arrive. We’d love to meet you.
12-13 months is too far out for me to predict (and I imagine Karen)! I think it might be difficult to find a place close to centro for four dogs... definitely harder to find an Airbnb... but as you go further out (I recommend south or west), it should be easier to find a home! We are definitely mountains and cool weather here (although during the day it gets surprisingly warm!) And agree, love the US, as well, but it's not always conducive to "living"... such a shame!
@@PriorityFocused Yep, we understand you all might not be there by the time we arrive, but we are hoping. We feel like we know you a little from your videos, and it would be a security blanket cozy feeling to have you all nearby. We are going to apply for temp residency in Atlanta soon and then we’ll have 6 months to get to Mexico. I guess we can go anywhere in Mexico to get that 2nd step done ? Can that be done in San Cris ?…I guess we’d be in Mexico for that in maybe August…get out of the heat here for a week or two. Thx so much for tips on where we might find a dog friendly rental. My wife may fly there about this time next year to go ahead and rent a place so we don’t have to try looking for a place upon arrival….we’d already have the keys. She is originally from Nicaragua and thinks she can get a non-gringo price if I’m not there. Haha Anyway, we are sooo excited , and a little stressed ( getting our house ready to sell, etc ), but mostly excited. Thx for all you do !
@@bananapatch9118 Smart to send her first! I’d love to know the price/type of home you find❤️ And yes, if I’m still here we should definitely meet up! You can do the 2nd step of temp residency anywhere. But each state in Mexico is a little different. Right now Merida/Oaxaca seem to be the easiest (compared to San Cris)!
Es un video que considero honesto con sus comentarios, como decimos en Mexico: “Cada uno habla de la feria como le va en ella”. Creo que Sancris es un destino que amaras profundamente u odiaras, pero nunca te expresaras de sancris con un “mehh”. Es el verdadero Mexico, con lo mejor y peor. Es bueno escuchar comentarios que no sean siempre los de “Mexico es hermoso” esto para poder mejorar, en mi caso, con la experiencia con mis huéspedes extranjeros
¡Muchas gracias! Sí, trato de ser honesto en mis observaciones... no existe una ubicación perfecta, aunque realmente amo a San Cris y estoy considerando seriamente hacer de esta una residencia a largo plazo.
@@PriorityFocused pues Bienvenidos a Sancris! Y cualquier cosa que tengas dudas de su política, gente, sucesos, o dudas. Con mucho gusto te las puedo contestar desde mi punto de Vista como Mexicano
I have stayed in about 20 places in Mexico in the last 2 years and I have been sick more than any other time in my life. I would estimate 6-8 respiratory illnesses and 6-8 tummy illnesses. it didnt seem to matter where I was, though Ajijic might have been the worst for the respiratory stuff. very dusty town with a lot of horses. I am 100% in Mexico for the freedom. luckily I was at a point in my life where I was able to sell everything and retire when the tyrants decided to attack their own citizens in all the wealthy western nations. yes, Mexico is a trade off in many ways but since I have already been in the country for 2 years and lived in many places I know that it works for me. when I left Mexico to go back to Canada for 5 weeks recently, I cried. the 2nd day after I was there I booked my flight back to Mexico. I love the way that the communities regulate themselves here. you just have to be respectful and tolerant (of things like noise) and you wont have any problems. another great video . right now, the cool climate is the biggest attraction for me. I dont really need all the infrastructure of the bigger cities (although I have been in Guadalajara for almost a year now. paved roads was the main attraction!) just booked my flight there for August, so will wait and see what the experience is like.
Agree! Every place has trade-offs and it's knowing which ones matter the most to you! Mexico is awesome in so many ways and I completely understand loving the freedom aspect!
This video is so interesting! I was in San Cristobal 6 days in February and loved it! Seemed like the pros outweighed the cons for me, but I was not there long enough to “figure out” the city. I wanted to practice speaking Spanish and I had many opportunities! Few people switched to English which was tough, but I got to use my espanol for sure! It’s interesting that the population tends to be transient…it’s such a pretty city with pleasant weather! I appreciated that the city doesn’t go out of it’s way to cater to expats/estadounidenses…but I have to admit it was an intense 6 days! Felt like I was far far from the U.S. rather than a stone’s throw from Cancun! Super interesting observations! Keep the videos coming, please! 😃👍
Will definitely keep the videos coming! And yes, I've really enjoyed being in San Cris and observing the lifestyle here! And yes, compared to other major cities, it's much harder to guarantee English here (although not impossible, of course!) And intense is a great way to describe this place!
Living for years in SanCris now with no plans to leave, I cannot relate with most of what you say. BUT, my take is that Westerners are leaving anywhere in Mexico all the time. I have seen many young (under 35) people just being very restless. One thing is not going their way and they are gone. Quite peculiar. For many it is all SanCris fault. I have seen people leave because of mold and because of a cold house, etc. Basically because of things you can change by moving to another house or apartment. But I think many anyway never came with the idea to build up a life here and stay longer. Also, I see that many Westerners are just not cut out to live here. Here in SanCris, or here in Mexico. They are spoiled, cannot stop comparing with where they come from, do no effort to learn the language and keep calling where they come from ´home´. Weird, ´home´ for me is San Cristobal, not a place I used to live in the past. Sick. I have had a mild stomach upset in SanCris one time in 3 years and eat out all the time. That´s all. But I hear expats complain all the time about getting sick. You need to filter your water and desinfect your veggies (we use collodial silver). And make sure you have a good microbiome. Also, do realise that the Covid-19 injections have shown to weaken the immune system, so that also can be an issue in some cases. As for safety. Those blockades in Ocosingo (between SanCris and Palenque) you talk about have been there forever. I first came to SanCris in 1996 and our bus was stopped. You do need to pay the ´toll´. Apparently that Russian couple argued instead of paying. That is asking for problems and clearly having no idea about the local culture here in Chiapas. As for the ´shootings´ and other issues. All happened before the elections. It was all show with nobody hurt or wounded, but did get a lot of press and drama. Now that is all over now that politicians promising 'better safety' have been elected (or not). When you look at the statistics SanCris continues to be one of the safest cities in Mexico. Way way safer than places like Playa del Carmen or Tulum which have a murder rate more than 10 times that of SanCris. But the incidents in SanCris have gotten a lot of press and expats (particularly anglosaxons) love to repeat and repeat it, often without really knowing what happened. But I agree with one thing. SanCris is not for everyone. I know many westerners here that have lived here for 10 years or longer. But the new young crowd indeed has proven to be fleeting. Which is okay too. If you wish to stay for a few months only as a digital nomad, that´s fine too.
I agree with a lot of your observations... I do find it interesting how you're using the word "westerners"... because I consider Mexicans to also be westerners... Makes me wonder if Mexicans don't consider this term to reference themselves... Although to be fair, maybe I'm using the term in a more old fashioned manner...
I just got back from a week visit; I liked it but I like living in San Miguel de Allende much more; and I know from experience of a group of 40 from SMA many people ended up with gastro issues; coming out both ends so to speak!
Just curious if things are still generally safe. I'm considering going to Chiapas with my husband and 6-year old son for a 10 day trip. Note, I'm fluent in Spanish and travelled there over 10 years ago - LOVED IT. I've heard some news about gang members on motorcycles/scooters in San Cris, but not sure how bad that really is (I know the press likes to really highlight negative stories, so I reserve judgement).
I think things are still pretty safe here. Same safety precautions you would take in most cities and you’ll be fine. And it’s so beautiful here. I love it!
@@julianajera6604 Sure! Avoid northern areas… everywhere else will be safe. For your shorter stay, it probably makes sense to be in centro or even a little east… just for convenience.
@@julianajera6604 honestly there's too many to list! One of my favorites is definitely El Caldero - which has the best soups! Alex's favorite for hot chocolate is El Tostador while my favorite coffee place might be Al Grano Cafe - although I generally like all the coffee here!
Congrats to you- this is the BEST vid ever done on how I really experienced San Cris. I went there without a clue in 2019, satisfied that I would save money on rent and lifestyle in Mexico. While that happened, so did crazed feminists, violent gangs, annoying hippies, round-the-clock fireworks noise, and the worst internet connections known to mankind. So, good job! PS: some unique things in San Cris are the mushrooms and MJ quality. You don't find wandering edible salespeople in Mexico City, also finding homemade honey and toothpaste doesn't happen in Mexico City.
Thank you! Yes, so many nuances to a place! San Cris is truly magical with its uniqueness❤️ Oh, I can’t compare to 2019, but the internet is fairly decent now (still depending on where you live, of course!)
Thanks for sharing this information I'm happy that you are staying safe I guess in every country there are different places of diversity and some areas are better than others or seem to be safer I guess it's just a matter of finding a spot where you feel more comfort. You've given very good insightful information hopefully you and your son will always be safe needless to say wherever you are you have to stay alert
@PriorityFocused Thanks for the info! And around this time? I'm visiting here from the Yucatan soon and I'm wondering if you've seen locals (or anyone) busking? I can speak English well and plan to freestyle where there is heavy foot traffic
I have not been to Oaxaca but hear good things! And I change up how I pronounce Merida... sometimes with the long e, and sometimes not😂... gotta get more consistent!
Encountering somebody working in mexico who only speaks japanese and english sounds really bizzare. Its like why would anybody want to move to and work in mexico if they don't want to learn spanish? Furthermore most people from countries with higher wages would not want to work in mexico in the first place for the simple fact that wages/saleries are normally really low in mexico compared to many other countries. It would be interesting to talk to this person and ask them why they were there. In terms of the indiginous people, yes many of them don't speak spanish as a first language, and some people, especially the older generation, do not speak spanish at all.
Right! It was VERY odd. Now she was working in a Japanese restaurant with a Japanese owner (the owner speaks Spanish snd I believe English, in addition to Japanese) and so I suspect she might be family?
@@PriorityFocused that makes more sense if it is a family buisness, because that is actually pretty profitable, and if she has family there then she has a good reason to be there.
I get what you're trying to say... Although in reality MOST people are actually perfectly safe MOST of the time... whether they feel it or not... But I'm a glass half full type of person.
Yeah, there are many reasons why someone might leave their home country... money is often a huge factor. But especially in 2020, a lot of people chose to leave the US and Canada in particular for the freedoms of Mexico. However, when they got to San Cristobal (specifically Chiapas in general), they realized there are certain types of freedom that maybe they didn't particularly care for... Chiapas is a beautiful and unique state in Mexico... with a certain amount of autonomy... which means, when you stray away from the touristy spots especially, there's less government regulations and protections (aka, more freedom to create your own regulations and protections... which isn't necessarily a comfortable thing for many "expats"...)
Hi!Oh, I see that Saint Christopher is becoming more and more insecure, a shame. Do you know which place can be good and safe to spend several months in Mexico? Thanks !
I super appreciate your candid video. The difference between Mexico and Europe/USA/Canada is..A guy, maybe crazy, on drugs or whatever, and who has stabbed someone would be removed and incarcerated. Not a Mexican citizen? Definitely not getting any meaningful help from the Police. Even Citizens barely get help. This should always be considered in a big way if someone is thinking to move to Mexico..any part of Mexico. So..if folks can overlook this, then Mexico can be an option. But if anyone thinks they are going to move to Mexico and call the Police for things that people do in those countries I listed above...not going to work for those people. Freedom can be defined in many ways, one of them is you deal with things..be an adult. Learn to let things go like excessive noise or the neighbor that has barking dogs. Due your due diligence in choosing a place to live.
😂 “Fellow Chiapanecans”… basically made up, but just referencing people who are from other parts of Chiapas. And yes, I said it quickly and without the best articulation!
I think I'll definitely visit (we made some good friends there and I enjoyed it!) but my son is currently enjoying his classes in the US so I will most likely wait until he's graduated before I move again... Happy he's happy, so trying to be patient with travel!
@@PriorityFocused Understandable. We will be leaving Matagalpa in February and plan to live in Xela , Guatemala for 6 months, kind of slowly heading north. Then 6 months in San Cris….FINALLY ! If you visit when we are there. We’d love to buy you coffee or lunch. We feel like we know you and Karen, after watching your videos for so long. We are happy that you are happy !
NOT SURE WHY YOU GUYS CSLL YOURSELVES AND OTHERS NOMAD 🤔🥺 ALL OF FOREIGNERS ARE IMMIGRANTS AND MANY ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AT THAT NOT NOMADS‼️‼️ YOU CALL MEXICANS IMMIGRANTS IN THE STATES AND WHEN AMERICANS MOVE TO MEXICO THIER NOMADS❓❓HOWS THAT WORK❓YOUR IMMIGRANTS‼️🤔
Just as not all Mexicans are the same, not all Americans are the same. Not all Mexicans in the US are immigrants. Some are citizens, some are expats and tourists. A person can be a nomad AND an immigrant, and a citizen, etc, etc. Most people, including Americans and Mexicans, make assumptions and use specific terms even when it's not technically accurate. It's part of how and why language is ever changing.
@@PriorityFocusedYou’re exposing your privilege by making comments like this. Even if not all Mexican are immigrants in the U.S. we get treated like we don’t belong in the U.S. and get called immigrants and illegals. So when the tables get reversed you all want to call yourself expats to make yourselves not look bad. You are in fact immigrants. You left your country for a better life just like we did. The only difference is that many of us lived in poverty in Mexico so we were forced to leave. You guys are leaving because Mexico is cheap and to take advantage of our resources.
@@MonicaODuarte I have zero problem "showing my privilege"... I think we both have that in common... And there are definitely Americans moving to Mexico because they felt forced out of the US... as there are also Mexicans who choose to move to the US to "take advantage" of its resources... So I say again, not all Americans are the same, and not all Mexicans are the same. We're literally talking about millions of people here...
@@PriorityFocused The fact that you don't have the capacity to see how different the scenarios and experiences are is crazy! It's not the same and will never be the same so stop comparing the 2 in those ways. Mexico have been highly impacted by the harm of colonization. Folks like you are just colonizing more. That's the difference. Period.
@@MonicaODuarte I know, I know... everyone moving to the US is poor and suffering... and everyone moving to Mexico is wealthy and colonizing... Except it's not true. I find it hilarious (and sad) that people can only see stereotypes. I'm sure you'd like me to not stereotype you, I'd love it if you would do the same for me. Thank you.
San Cristobal has the same problems as just about everywhere, only, it's safer, more relaxed, more friendly and more beautiful than anywhere north of the Rio Grande. And most importantly, it's more free. Naivete is dangerous. Canada and the US are fascist now. Of course intelligent people want to leave! Noise vs fascism? No contest!!!
There are many positive things about San Cristobal for sure! So far it's my favorite place in Mexico... although I'll need to travel more of Mexico to make that fully relevant.
Number one reason lazy American people who can’t take the time to call it by its correct name - San Cristobal - and not San Cris …. Dude… yeah, man, like San Cris dude…. OK chill dude…. Lol😂
Yeah even though there is good stuff there much cooler temperatures and that’s a verrry nice factor for me since I live in San Antonio Tx where it’s very warm and scorching HOT in the summer time . But the political situation isn’t very welcoming some shootings and other things going on. Sure we’ve got this here in the United States but I dunno. Some cities may be a bit ghetto in Mexico but there in San Cristobal it’s due to the political situation and crime. I think. Too bad. They’ve got political “ autonomy “ but at what price? A bit of anarchy but not unlike some crazy cities in US say Portland or San Francisco etc . Antifa , BLM take a bow.
I don't fully understand your point, but travelers will definitely leave a place if they get sick too often... Sometimes a native resident's body gets used to a location while it takes too long for a traveler's body to do so. But also it's why we're not supposed to travel when we are sick because we may bring illness to areas that are not prepared... San Cristobal is a wonderful and unique location that most are thrilled to have the opportunity to visit, but there are also many who become ill more frequently there than in other places they have lived. Some bodies (or habits) don't adjust quickly enough to want to stay.
In some ways mexico is a very free country. For example how you can rent an apartment with few questions asked. In canada if you want to rent an entire apartment there are many hoops to jump through. Mexico is much less formal in those regards, so maybe you could call that a type of freedom. But mexico also has less freedom in many ways. Mexico is a very corrupt country and the police and other officials often abuse their powers, and bribery is very common in many professions. There is a lot of crime and violence, and people who tell you that mexico is completely safe don't know what they are talking about. Especially at night there are a lot of robberies, kidnappings, rapes, and murders. A lot more compared to canada. In some cities and towns the people don't trust the police, so if they suspect somebody of being a criminal they will burn them alive. But sometimes they kill the wrong person by mistake. And rarely is anybody charged for these lynchings. Seems pretty unlawful and animalistic to me. In canada I don't really need to worry about crime so much because it is one of the most safe countries in the world.
Yes, agree on the different definitions of freedom... and also agree on the government abuse (which does happen in Canada as well as every country... power does that to everyone, however the methods may greatly differ...) And yes, as a traveler I understand that there's no such thing as a utopia, no perfect paradise. No country is perfectly or completely safe. In terms of the violent crimes (and I'm going to switch from Canada to the US, because I don't know that much about Canada, to be fair) the intentions behind crimes are also very different. Meaning, yes, in Mexico when someone decides to retaliate for an offense, that retaliation can be quite brutal - compared to getting sued in the US. However, when it comes to freak crimes/mass shootings, Americans can also be more harmful. I've seen riots here in Mexico and the damage they create is nothing compared to what misled teenagers can do in an hour with their daddy's gun. Again, there will always be exceptions to this, of course! And in terms of freedom, it is because I'm a US citizen that I'm easily (relatively) able to travel to Mexico or wherever to improve my quality of life... That same freedom is definitely not afforded to the average Mexican... Again, not all Americans can actually travel, so always exceptions.
Regarding safety. It really depends what you compare with. Some places are very safe, others not so much. I never felt unsafe in San Cristobal. By the way, European cities have become way more dangerous in the past years due to a combination of mass immigration and police not taking action against crime of immigrants. I lived in Spain and follow the news there and it is not the way it was even just 4 or 5 years ago. th-cam.com/video/8pwmCARBHRU/w-d-xo.html
🤔 If You've Ever Visited San Cristobal... (or if you still live here): How long did you visit? How long have you lived here? I'm at 8 months so far!❤❤❤
San Cristobal has been my home for three years. I also spend several months each year in Manaus, Amazonas and southeast Asia, but San Cristobal is where my house and feral cat are located, so this is as close to a permanent place as I've got. I'm going to check out Nairobi in a few months, and I might make that my base, in which case I'll bring my feral cat with me. As long as there's good olive oil, bread and wine, I've got no complaints. Ten minutes in the US makes me want to throw myself in front of a speeding bus.
There are many who feel similarly… and I will say that airports in the US (actually, it starts at airports where the flight is GOING to the US, changes their vibes quickly!
Haha :) hilarious ~~ come to Southeast Asia please!!@@mwbright
Such an interesting video. My husband and I have lived in San Cristobal for 9 years and have commented many times about the transient population. We have other friends who live here permanently, some much longer than us, but I think a lot of the long term expats live under the radar. We've definitely noticed the influx of digital nomads and how they change the city. In the past, tourist came with little or no money but now people arrive making good money from online jobs and are willing to pay much more for rents, eat in expensive restaurants etc and I know this impacts some locals. I've also noticed folks who feel priced out from other traditional expat cities like San Miguel de Allende landing in San Cristobal to see if it works as an alternative. I love living in San Cristobal but to be happy here you really need to be able to entertain yourself, and it helps if you have the freedom to travel and get away when the city becomes annoying, and then returning you experience the aspects of San Cristobal that you've always enjoyed.
Yes, I completely agree! I actually recently met a Canadian who has been here with her family for 17 years “under the radar” and living more like a local. Very eye-opening!
And it’s true that a level of self-entertainment is necessary here (which is something I appreciate especially compared to Merida which has tons of entertainment and therefore people constantly inviting me to do things that I often turned down).
Using San Cristobal as a home base is a brilliant idea that I’m leaning heavily towards.
Hi. I will be there Friday morning until Tuesday. Was supposed to be there 2 weeks ago but moved up the dates without noticing the rainy season. Is the forecast usually right that it will rain all week? What can one do if it going to be raining all the time? Thank you
@@azteca9 So this is my first rainy season here in San Cris... I will say most days, it seems to rain a few hours in the afternoon, and then clear the rest of the day, although there have definitely been days that rained all day!
That being said, sometimes rain all day means an all-day drizzle, as opposed to heavy rain... it can be a bit unpredictable.
If it's just a few hours, it's really no big deal, and if it's just a drizzle, I feel like you can still go out and explore. Heavy rains, for me, are best at home... and I love hearing the rain fall here!
What were the main activities you were hoping to enjoy here?
@@PriorityFocused I don't mind the rain hopefully the rain is light enough to do a tour at El cañon del sumidero, and El chiflón. Maybe just enjoy the rain around the city caffes and museums
@@azteca9 I will say, generally rainy season is not the best time for waterfalls… often they will be brown/muddy/overflowing/flooded due to the rain… Not sure on Sumidero since I’ve never been
Hi - I'm 71 and have lived here (from the US) for 7 years. I think you're blowing things WAY out of proportion as far as negatives. Yes - people get sick (I do about once a year), but everything else here is so worth it. Yes, there are blockades often - - but I stay in town & don't have to deal with them hardly at all. Again, they come & go. Crazy people? Every place has them! And they're not often here... yes, people ask for money, but it hasn't escalated like you say... at least most of the time it's minimal. If you had stayed longer, you'd see these scary things come & go & not matter much. The noise? It's FUN!!! I LOVE hearing the local music and parties occasionally (& don't live next to them - - you can find great places here). Yes - expats come here just because it's cheap, but I'm not a normal expat - - and I love learning more Spanish each time I chat with folks. LOVE hearing the different languages & meeting other travelers from around the world. So what if it's nomadic!! I think this is sad that you've dissed this place for reasons that certainly I don't care about - - it's so much better here than most places. I've traveled around the world on a shoe-string (7 continents), and am proud to live in San Cristobal de Las Casas.
So I absolutely loved living in San Cristobal! And if it wasn't for my son's needs, I would very likely still be there (we were there a little over a year and a half before we had to leave)...
In this video I'm simply mentioning the many reasons why a lot of people don't stay in San Cris... it's a much more nomadic location than any other place I've lived before... and it's something that people who want to find a forever home should know about.
Not a diss on San Cris at all!
So so on point!!! Yessss!! Loved the freedom observation and we HAVE been sick a lot!!!
Thank you!!! And stay healthy and happy as you travel!❤️❤️❤️
I subscribe to your friend Karen's channel, which is probably why this video was recommended to me. I enjoyed what you had to say, all very thoughtful and insightful points which I will take into consideration. I'm going to San Cristobal early next year, I'll probably stay a month (holding on to my home here) and evaluate it as a long-term place for me. If I like it I might just go ahead and find a place to settle there. I know that no place is always full of roses, I lived in Venezuela for a couple of years and during that time I was mugged, stung by a scorpion, chased by a pack of wild dogs and assorted crazy people from time to time (including one drunk guy waving a machete as he pursued me). I've learned to be pretty street-savvy. I was also very sick with parasites, so I learned how important it is not to drink the water!
But one thing you mentioned really stood out to me, and that is that San Cristobal is considered to be a place of healing. I lost my 18-year-old cat on Sept. 1 this year and an older brother two weeks later and I wonder if these events are having an influence on me. Maybe San Cristobal is a place I need to spend some time, whether it's long term or not. I shall see!
Oh, wow! So much happened in Venezuela for you!
❤️ I love San Cristobal... it will always have a special place in my heart! And yes, it's hard to point out exactly why I think of it as a place of healing... but I think it remains so... I hope you get out if San Cristobal everything that you need!
Chiapas is the poorest state in Mexico and San Cristobal belongs to people who are born there, not to ex-pats. It belongs to the indigenous people, which you seem to totally disregard, people who get no benefits from you being there. I hope Americans and Canadians Don't stay and that San Cristobal stays exactly like it is.
I'm curious how you think I'm disregarding the local/indigenous people here?
Well, you hardly mentioned them. Outside of San Cristobal the land is theirs. I've spent several months in San Cristobal on four different trips studying Tsotsil and interviewing the mayan sellers. Most of them have almost no involvement with Europeans other than during a sale. Perhaps it's different with you. It seems to me that expats who leave often have a problem assimilating or learning the language. They mainly hang out with each other. Of course, perhaps San Cristobal lacks possibilities for them, but those limits should be obvious going in.
.
@@Gdeluume I think it's awesome that you studied Tsotsil and were able to interview the mayan sellers!
And you are correct in that the focus of my video was not about the locals or indigenous... and I'm certainly no expert on either one!
But the focus of my video was on the very nomadic nature of all the others that live in San Cris (so tourists and immigrants, both foreign and national)...
It's an interesting phenomenon that I decided to speak on. In my slightly over a year and a half living here, I've seen SO many people come and go - not just the tourists, not just foreign immigrants, but even the Mexican population that come here from other parts of Mexico! This was something new for me to witness... and definitely not something I noticed when I lived in Merida.
I don't personally see anything wrong with choosing to stay in San Cristobal... after all, I'm still here because it's my favorite Mexican city thus far...
I know quite a number of foreigners who are very happily settled in San Cristóbal de las Casas.
I loved it there, myself!
Gracias - super thorough ✔️🙏🇲🇽☀️
🥰
We are also about to leave San Cristobal.
We have lived in Baja Sur for 15 years full-time. We love it here. Probably much because many people here are from various parts of the mainland MX and enjoy being here instead of there. Each s/he has their story. Today I met a young man who temporarily working here (5 weeks) who is an engineer. He is from Chiapas originally. It was interesting on how he described Chiapas so I thought I would watch a few TH-cam views about peoples experiences and vieses. This indeed in an interesting one. Thank you for sharing. The young man? He left Chiapas for education and better working opportunities. He has family there, however, cannot see himself moving back. -- Maybe something about the “necesario nomadico” . Thank you.
Ooh, I wonder what part of Chiapas he's from! And yes, the "necesario nomadico" is a large amount of people... especially from Chiapas!
I like San Cris... but of course didn't stay, and I often wondered how the city kept functioning as a city.... restaurants staying empty night after night, not that many people buying from artisans... kinda a normalized sense of underlying chronic stress... which is totally understandable... a place where many locals cannot afford their own city really.... but I did like it for many of the reasons you mention. I was also very very sick too. Great job on this video, and much success with your channel.
oh btw, are you aware the area is one of the earthquake danger zones, that's the main reason I left, check the map from a recent video, and explanation. The chaos of San Cris is partially tectonically connected, I believe.
This is something I always wonder, as well… but I notice that the slower restaurants sometimes wait for customers before purchasing groceries (which can account for the longer wait times) so they’re not as expensive to maintain, I guess? And they may simply be able to make what they need during the heavy tourist months, so during the slow months, they’re happy with whatever🤷🏻♀️ (Augusta, Georgia, for example, makes so much money during the Masters Week that it pays for their entire year of expenses!)
And yes, being sick frequently is a sign to move on, for sure!
I was not aware! I knew they had a large earthquake in 2017, I believe, but never looked at the map for this! Thank you for telling me!
@@PriorityFocused For sure.... apparently when the area goes off soon and triggers the new madrid faultline, it may also trigger mexico's volcanic belt.... check that map too, and I was recommended to head north of that belt. Mexico has some big problems coming... mass migration from coastal areas just one issue.
Wow, so much to consider! Thank you!
So funny you did this video now. We were going to start our Mexican adventure by living in our daughters house in Queretaro, but things have changed and now we think we will move to San Cris. Our biggest fear is not finding a rental where we can have our 4 senior dogs. Difficult ?
Besides that we see San Cris as perfect. We speak Spanish, love mountains, love cool weather, Vegans so really just looking for fresh produce not fancy restaurants. We love the US BUT don’t want to work forever. Diversity and culture sounds like a great adventure to us.
We hope you and Karen will still be there in 12-13 months when we arrive. We’d love to meet you.
12-13 months is too far out for me to predict (and I imagine Karen)! I think it might be difficult to find a place close to centro for four dogs... definitely harder to find an Airbnb... but as you go further out (I recommend south or west), it should be easier to find a home!
We are definitely mountains and cool weather here (although during the day it gets surprisingly warm!)
And agree, love the US, as well, but it's not always conducive to "living"... such a shame!
@@PriorityFocused
Yep, we understand you all might not be there by the time we arrive, but we are hoping. We feel like we know you a little from your videos, and it would be a security blanket cozy feeling to have you all nearby.
We are going to apply for temp residency in Atlanta soon and then we’ll have 6 months to get to Mexico. I guess we can go anywhere in Mexico to get that 2nd step done ? Can that be done in San Cris ?…I guess we’d be in Mexico for that in maybe August…get out of the heat here for a week or two.
Thx so much for tips on where we might find a dog friendly rental. My wife may fly there about this time next year to go ahead and rent a place so we don’t have to try looking for a place upon arrival….we’d already have the keys. She is originally from Nicaragua and thinks she can get a non-gringo price if I’m not there. Haha
Anyway, we are sooo excited , and a little stressed ( getting our house ready to sell, etc ), but mostly excited.
Thx for all you do !
@@bananapatch9118 Smart to send her first! I’d love to know the price/type of home you find❤️
And yes, if I’m still here we should definitely meet up!
You can do the 2nd step of temp residency anywhere. But each state in Mexico is a little different. Right now Merida/Oaxaca seem to be the easiest (compared to San Cris)!
@@PriorityFocused
Oh wow, ok. We’ll, maybe we will try Oaxaca. Going to Merida won’t really get us out of the heat. 😀
@@bananapatch9118 SO true!🥵
Es un video que considero honesto con sus comentarios, como decimos en Mexico: “Cada uno habla de la feria como le va en ella”. Creo que Sancris es un destino que amaras profundamente u odiaras, pero nunca te expresaras de sancris con un “mehh”. Es el verdadero Mexico, con lo mejor y peor. Es bueno escuchar comentarios que no sean siempre los de “Mexico es hermoso” esto para poder mejorar, en mi caso, con la experiencia con mis huéspedes extranjeros
¡Muchas gracias! Sí, trato de ser honesto en mis observaciones... no existe una ubicación perfecta, aunque realmente amo a San Cris y estoy considerando seriamente hacer de esta una residencia a largo plazo.
@@PriorityFocused pues Bienvenidos a Sancris! Y cualquier cosa que tengas dudas de su política, gente, sucesos, o dudas. Con mucho gusto te las puedo contestar desde mi punto de Vista como Mexicano
@@darias71 Muchas gracias!!!
Falta de respeto, el lugar se llama San Cristobal. Baruch bo sa
How refreshing !
Your perspective on the transient population and cultural variations is insightful.
A great video !
👍
I’m glad you found it helpful!😁
I have stayed in about 20 places in Mexico in the last 2 years and I have been sick more than any other time in my life. I would estimate 6-8 respiratory illnesses and 6-8 tummy illnesses. it didnt seem to matter where I was, though Ajijic might have been the worst for the respiratory stuff. very dusty town with a lot of horses. I am 100% in Mexico for the freedom. luckily I was at a point in my life where I was able to sell everything and retire when the tyrants decided to attack their own citizens in all the wealthy western nations. yes, Mexico is a trade off in many ways but since I have already been in the country for 2 years and lived in many places I know that it works for me. when I left Mexico to go back to Canada for 5 weeks recently, I cried. the 2nd day after I was there I booked my flight back to Mexico. I love the way that the communities regulate themselves here. you just have to be respectful and tolerant (of things like noise) and you wont have any problems. another great video . right now, the cool climate is the biggest attraction for me. I dont really need all the infrastructure of the bigger cities (although I have been in Guadalajara for almost a year now. paved roads was the main attraction!) just booked my flight there for August, so will wait and see what the experience is like.
Agree! Every place has trade-offs and it's knowing which ones matter the most to you! Mexico is awesome in so many ways and I completely understand loving the freedom aspect!
Chiapas is a state, so it’s singular. “The” Chiapas is incorrect.
My son actually tells me this also! I’m not quite sure why I often say it that way🤦🏻♀️
@@PriorityFocused Maybe because it's in the mountains? Honest mistake. :)
This video is so interesting! I was in San Cristobal 6 days in February and loved it! Seemed like the pros outweighed the cons for me, but I was not there long enough to “figure out” the city. I wanted to practice speaking Spanish and I had many opportunities! Few people switched to English which was tough, but I got to use my espanol for sure! It’s interesting that the population tends to be transient…it’s such a pretty city with pleasant weather! I appreciated that the city doesn’t go out of it’s way to cater to expats/estadounidenses…but I have to admit it was an intense 6 days! Felt like I was far far from the U.S. rather than a stone’s throw from Cancun! Super interesting observations! Keep the videos coming, please! 😃👍
Will definitely keep the videos coming!
And yes, I've really enjoyed being in San Cris and observing the lifestyle here! And yes, compared to other major cities, it's much harder to guarantee English here (although not impossible, of course!)
And intense is a great way to describe this place!
Really really interesting video. Thank you so much.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you!
Thanks for this video.
You’re very welcome! ❤️❤️❤️
Such a great video, so much information…
I’m so glad you found it helpful!😁
Thanks for all ur insights! Binge watching ur channel lately. Lol
🥰 I’m glad you’re finding it useful!
Love the video and info. Great voice from the TH-camr. Not sure why so close to the camera felt very in your face but I guess that’s the style.
Thank you! As for the close up… it’s because I’m just using the selfie mode of my camera, vice having a more proper recording system😉
Really cool video... I am goingto have to visit
Highly recommend!🥰
Living for years in SanCris now with no plans to leave, I cannot relate with most of what you say.
BUT, my take is that Westerners are leaving anywhere in Mexico all the time. I have seen many young (under 35) people just being very restless. One thing is not going their way and they are gone. Quite peculiar. For many it is all SanCris fault. I have seen people leave because of mold and because of a cold house, etc. Basically because of things you can change by moving to another house or apartment.
But I think many anyway never came with the idea to build up a life here and stay longer. Also, I see that many Westerners are just not cut out to live here. Here in SanCris, or here in Mexico. They are spoiled, cannot stop comparing with where they come from, do no effort to learn the language and keep calling where they come from ´home´. Weird, ´home´ for me is San Cristobal, not a place I used to live in the past.
Sick. I have had a mild stomach upset in SanCris one time in 3 years and eat out all the time. That´s all. But I hear expats complain all the time about getting sick. You need to filter your water and desinfect your veggies (we use collodial silver). And make sure you have a good microbiome. Also, do realise that the Covid-19 injections have shown to weaken the immune system, so that also can be an issue in some cases.
As for safety. Those blockades in Ocosingo (between SanCris and Palenque) you talk about have been there forever. I first came to SanCris in 1996 and our bus was stopped. You do need to pay the ´toll´. Apparently that Russian couple argued instead of paying. That is asking for problems and clearly having no idea about the local culture here in Chiapas. As for the ´shootings´ and other issues. All happened before the elections. It was all show with nobody hurt or wounded, but did get a lot of press and drama. Now that is all over now that politicians promising 'better safety' have been elected (or not). When you look at the statistics SanCris continues to be one of the safest cities in Mexico. Way way safer than places like Playa del Carmen or Tulum which have a murder rate more than 10 times that of SanCris. But the incidents in SanCris have gotten a lot of press and expats (particularly anglosaxons) love to repeat and repeat it, often without really knowing what happened.
But I agree with one thing. SanCris is not for everyone. I know many westerners here that have lived here for 10 years or longer. But the new young crowd indeed has proven to be fleeting. Which is okay too. If you wish to stay for a few months only as a digital nomad, that´s fine too.
I agree with a lot of your observations...
I do find it interesting how you're using the word "westerners"... because I consider Mexicans to also be westerners... Makes me wonder if Mexicans don't consider this term to reference themselves... Although to be fair, maybe I'm using the term in a more old fashioned manner...
I just got back from a week visit; I liked it but I like living in San Miguel de Allende much more; and I know from experience of a group of 40 from SMA many people ended up with gastro issues; coming out both ends so to speak!
Oh, how do you like SMA? There's a college there with an immersive Spanish course I once considered!
Just curious if things are still generally safe. I'm considering going to Chiapas with my husband and 6-year old son for a 10 day trip. Note, I'm fluent in Spanish and travelled there over 10 years ago - LOVED IT. I've heard some news about gang members on motorcycles/scooters in San Cris, but not sure how bad that really is (I know the press likes to really highlight negative stories, so I reserve judgement).
I think things are still pretty safe here. Same safety precautions you would take in most cities and you’ll be fine. And it’s so beautiful here. I love it!
@@PriorityFocused : can you recommend what areas to look at for lodging? And which to avoid, for safety reasons
@@julianajera6604 Sure! Avoid northern areas… everywhere else will be safe. For your shorter stay, it probably makes sense to be in centro or even a little east… just for convenience.
@@PriorityFocused thanks! Any restaurant recommendations? Coffee/chocolate shops?! We're really looking forward to the trip!
@@julianajera6604 honestly there's too many to list! One of my favorites is definitely El Caldero - which has the best soups! Alex's favorite for hot chocolate is El Tostador while my favorite coffee place might be Al Grano Cafe - although I generally like all the coffee here!
Weather is great
The best!
Interesting insight on staying in San Cristobal and why people leave. Sounds like a lot of magical things happen there and not so magical things. 😀
We’re a lovely blend of reality❤️ Magical and disturbing!
Best Video So Good TY
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!
You are great!
Thank you!
I lived there but we got a ranch in PALENQUE on a river. But I got lots of friends in sancris
Oh wow! That sounds like a great alternative location!❤️
I have been living in Chiapas for over 20 years my wife is from here and our 4 children were all born here.
@@donjuanxolo9369 nice!
"Maybe I'll come back," in nomad-talk means, "you're stuck with my stuff because I am NEVER coming back!"
😂 Yes, I can definitely see that!
Congrats to you- this is the BEST vid ever done on how I really experienced San Cris. I went there without a clue in 2019, satisfied that I would save money on rent and lifestyle in Mexico. While that happened, so did crazed feminists, violent gangs, annoying hippies, round-the-clock fireworks noise, and the worst internet connections known to mankind. So, good job!
PS: some unique things in San Cris are the mushrooms and MJ quality. You don't find wandering edible salespeople in Mexico City, also finding homemade honey and toothpaste doesn't happen in Mexico City.
Thank you! Yes, so many nuances to a place! San Cris is truly magical with its uniqueness❤️
Oh, I can’t compare to 2019, but the internet is fairly decent now (still depending on where you live, of course!)
Thanks for sharing this information I'm happy that you are staying safe I guess in every country there are different places of diversity and some areas are better than others or seem to be safer I guess it's just a matter of finding a spot where you feel more comfort. You've given very good insightful information hopefully you and your son will always be safe needless to say wherever you are you have to stay alert
❤️ Thank you so much! And yes, keeping safe is always a priority!
Are there a lot of tourists year round? Like areas in San cris with a lot of tourist foot traffic?
There's definitely highs and lows. Highs are during the holidays...and centro will get the most tourists.
@PriorityFocused Thanks for the info! And around this time? I'm visiting here from the Yucatan soon and I'm wondering if you've seen locals (or anyone) busking? I can speak English well and plan to freestyle where there is heavy foot traffic
thanks Maybe I'll try Ciudad Oaxaca instead. Have u been there? The i in Merida is pronounced as a long e would be pronounced in English. 🙂
I have not been to Oaxaca but hear good things!
And I change up how I pronounce Merida... sometimes with the long e, and sometimes not😂... gotta get more consistent!
Encountering somebody working in mexico who only speaks japanese and english sounds really bizzare. Its like why would anybody want to move to and work in mexico if they don't want to learn spanish? Furthermore most people from countries with higher wages would not want to work in mexico in the first place for the simple fact that wages/saleries are normally really low in mexico compared to many other countries. It would be interesting to talk to this person and ask them why they were there. In terms of the indiginous people, yes many of them don't speak spanish as a first language, and some people, especially the older generation, do not speak spanish at all.
Right! It was VERY odd. Now she was working in a Japanese restaurant with a Japanese owner (the owner speaks Spanish snd I believe English, in addition to Japanese) and so I suspect she might be family?
I’m also certain she wants to learn Spanish, it can just take a while😉
@@PriorityFocused that makes more sense if it is a family buisness, because that is actually pretty profitable, and if she has family there then she has a good reason to be there.
@@domdimensions9219 Agree.
feeling comfortable and actually being safe is two completely different things....guess which one is not realistic
I get what you're trying to say...
Although in reality MOST people are actually perfectly safe MOST of the time... whether they feel it or not...
But I'm a glass half full type of person.
too much freedom never herd that before .. it's never one thing that people leave the co of origan maybe taxes or cost of living
Yeah, there are many reasons why someone might leave their home country... money is often a huge factor.
But especially in 2020, a lot of people chose to leave the US and Canada in particular for the freedoms of Mexico.
However, when they got to San Cristobal (specifically Chiapas in general), they realized there are certain types of freedom that maybe they didn't particularly care for...
Chiapas is a beautiful and unique state in Mexico... with a certain amount of autonomy... which means, when you stray away from the touristy spots especially, there's less government regulations and protections (aka, more freedom to create your own regulations and protections... which isn't necessarily a comfortable thing for many "expats"...)
Uh......last I checked, San Cris has over 200,000 habitantes. Odd gringo-centric title. Me encanta la ciudad! :)
Correct, I'm also told it has a population of 200,000 people. And I definitely love San Cris!
San Cristóbal de las Casas.
Yes… I find it difficult to consistently say its entire name. I should just practice more!
Hi!Oh, I see that Saint Christopher is becoming more and more insecure, a shame. Do you know which place can be good and safe to spend several months in Mexico? Thanks !
I super appreciate your candid video. The difference between Mexico and Europe/USA/Canada is..A guy, maybe crazy, on drugs or whatever, and who has stabbed someone would be removed and incarcerated. Not a Mexican citizen? Definitely not getting any meaningful help from the Police. Even Citizens barely get help. This should always be considered in a big way if someone is thinking to move to Mexico..any part of Mexico. So..if folks can overlook this, then Mexico can be an option. But if anyone thinks they are going to move to Mexico and call the Police for things that people do in those countries I listed above...not going to work for those people. Freedom can be defined in many ways, one of them is you deal with things..be an adult. Learn to let things go like excessive noise or the neighbor that has barking dogs. Due your due diligence in choosing a place to live.
Exactly, yes!
WHAT'S THAT word you use at the 2:15 mark? "Former trapaguians?" I'd love to learn a new word.
😂 “Fellow Chiapanecans”… basically made up, but just referencing people who are from other parts of Chiapas.
And yes, I said it quickly and without the best articulation!
@@PriorityFocused Thanks for the information/affirmation. ¡Como me encanta Mexico!
@@goodheavenstomurgatroid2186 You're so welcome! México es el mejor!
Ann, think you will ever move back ?
I think I'll definitely visit (we made some good friends there and I enjoyed it!) but my son is currently enjoying his classes in the US so I will most likely wait until he's graduated before I move again...
Happy he's happy, so trying to be patient with travel!
@@PriorityFocused
Understandable.
We will be leaving Matagalpa in February and plan to live in Xela , Guatemala for 6 months, kind of slowly heading north. Then 6 months in San Cris….FINALLY ! If you visit when we are there. We’d love to buy you coffee or lunch.
We feel like we know you and Karen, after watching your videos for so long.
We are happy that you are happy !
@@therehastobesomethingmoore 🥰 Thank you so much! You guys are the best!
NOT SURE WHY YOU GUYS CSLL YOURSELVES AND OTHERS NOMAD 🤔🥺
ALL OF FOREIGNERS ARE IMMIGRANTS AND MANY ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AT THAT NOT NOMADS‼️‼️
YOU CALL MEXICANS IMMIGRANTS IN THE STATES AND WHEN AMERICANS MOVE TO MEXICO THIER NOMADS❓❓HOWS THAT WORK❓YOUR IMMIGRANTS‼️🤔
Just as not all Mexicans are the same, not all Americans are the same. Not all Mexicans in the US are immigrants. Some are citizens, some are expats and tourists. A person can be a nomad AND an immigrant, and a citizen, etc, etc.
Most people, including Americans and Mexicans, make assumptions and use specific terms even when it's not technically accurate. It's part of how and why language is ever changing.
@@PriorityFocusedYou’re exposing your privilege by making comments like this. Even if not all Mexican are immigrants in the U.S. we get treated like we don’t belong in the U.S. and get called immigrants and illegals. So when the tables get reversed you all want to call yourself expats to make yourselves not look bad. You are in fact immigrants. You left your country for a better life just like we did.
The only difference is that many of us lived in poverty in Mexico so we were forced to leave. You guys are leaving because Mexico is cheap and to take advantage of our resources.
@@MonicaODuarte I have zero problem "showing my privilege"... I think we both have that in common...
And there are definitely Americans moving to Mexico because they felt forced out of the US... as there are also Mexicans who choose to move to the US to "take advantage" of its resources...
So I say again, not all Americans are the same, and not all Mexicans are the same. We're literally talking about millions of people here...
@@PriorityFocused The fact that you don't have the capacity to see how different the scenarios and experiences are is crazy! It's not the same and will never be the same so stop comparing the 2 in those ways.
Mexico have been highly impacted by the harm of colonization. Folks like you are just colonizing more. That's the difference. Period.
@@MonicaODuarte I know, I know... everyone moving to the US is poor and suffering... and everyone moving to Mexico is wealthy and colonizing... Except it's not true. I find it hilarious (and sad) that people can only see stereotypes.
I'm sure you'd like me to not stereotype you, I'd love it if you would do the same for me. Thank you.
Not to much gringos here, we prefair french and german people.
Sounds like TexasLOL
😂
San Cristobal has the same problems as just about everywhere, only, it's safer, more relaxed, more friendly and more beautiful than anywhere north of the Rio Grande. And most importantly, it's more free. Naivete is dangerous. Canada and the US are fascist now. Of course intelligent people want to leave! Noise vs fascism? No contest!!!
There are many positive things about San Cristobal for sure! So far it's my favorite place in Mexico... although I'll need to travel more of Mexico to make that fully relevant.
Number one reason lazy American people who can’t take the time to call it by its correct name - San Cristobal - and not San Cris …. Dude… yeah, man, like San Cris dude…. OK chill dude…. Lol😂
Yeah even though there is good stuff there much cooler temperatures and that’s a verrry nice factor for me since I live in San Antonio Tx where it’s very warm and scorching HOT in the summer time . But the political situation isn’t very welcoming some shootings and other things going on. Sure we’ve got this here in the United States but I dunno. Some cities may be a bit ghetto in Mexico but there in San Cristobal it’s due to the political situation and crime. I think. Too bad. They’ve got political “ autonomy “ but at what price? A bit of anarchy but not unlike some crazy cities in US say Portland or San Francisco etc . Antifa , BLM take a bow.
People the get.sick ah😂😂😂, I was born in there,still I’m live, l, think about to get sick, is not about the town, tomaní lie
I don't fully understand your point, but travelers will definitely leave a place if they get sick too often... Sometimes a native resident's body gets used to a location while it takes too long for a traveler's body to do so. But also it's why we're not supposed to travel when we are sick because we may bring illness to areas that are not prepared...
San Cristobal is a wonderful and unique location that most are thrilled to have the opportunity to visit, but there are also many who become ill more frequently there than in other places they have lived. Some bodies (or habits) don't adjust quickly enough to want to stay.
pueblo 'mahico'
Thank you! J’s are the hardest for me to remember🤦🏻♀️
In some ways mexico is a very free country. For example how you can rent an apartment with few questions asked. In canada if you want to rent an entire apartment there are many hoops to jump through. Mexico is much less formal in those regards, so maybe you could call that a type of freedom. But mexico also has less freedom in many ways. Mexico is a very corrupt country and the police and other officials often abuse their powers, and bribery is very common in many professions. There is a lot of crime and violence, and people who tell you that mexico is completely safe don't know what they are talking about. Especially at night there are a lot of robberies, kidnappings, rapes, and murders. A lot more compared to canada. In some cities and towns the people don't trust the police, so if they suspect somebody of being a criminal they will burn them alive. But sometimes they kill the wrong person by mistake. And rarely is anybody charged for these lynchings. Seems pretty unlawful and animalistic to me. In canada I don't really need to worry about crime so much because it is one of the most safe countries in the world.
Yes, agree on the different definitions of freedom... and also agree on the government abuse (which does happen in Canada as well as every country... power does that to everyone, however the methods may greatly differ...)
And yes, as a traveler I understand that there's no such thing as a utopia, no perfect paradise. No country is perfectly or completely safe.
In terms of the violent crimes (and I'm going to switch from Canada to the US, because I don't know that much about Canada, to be fair) the intentions behind crimes are also very different. Meaning, yes, in Mexico when someone decides to retaliate for an offense, that retaliation can be quite brutal - compared to getting sued in the US.
However, when it comes to freak crimes/mass shootings, Americans can also be more harmful. I've seen riots here in Mexico and the damage they create is nothing compared to what misled teenagers can do in an hour with their daddy's gun.
Again, there will always be exceptions to this, of course!
And in terms of freedom, it is because I'm a US citizen that I'm easily (relatively) able to travel to Mexico or wherever to improve my quality of life... That same freedom is definitely not afforded to the average Mexican...
Again, not all Americans can actually travel, so always exceptions.
You don't have any statistics on the subject . It is what you think .
Regarding safety. It really depends what you compare with. Some places are very safe, others not so much. I never felt unsafe in San Cristobal.
By the way, European cities have become way more dangerous in the past years due to a combination of mass immigration and police not taking action against crime of immigrants. I lived in Spain and follow the news there and it is not the way it was even just 4 or 5 years ago.
th-cam.com/video/8pwmCARBHRU/w-d-xo.html
Worst video ever , don’t waist your time with this “influencers “
I don’t consider myself an influencer, but would love to know more details of what you didn’t like!
I stopped watching when she pronounced Tzotzil the way she did. Clearly clueless
I’m definitely not an expert👍🏻
Thats a fact: she doesnt know much, but some points are true, some ok, some she is lost..
@@joseluissarinanaortiz4431, I would love to learn more about the region! Please feel free to tell me about the mistakes I'm making!
inmigración no nomads tu heres inmigrante no nomads
Estoy bien con cualquiera de los términos.