Of all the e-mail Carlos Fiesta receives from people inquiring about Baja, the most frequently asked questions have to do with moving to Baja and Cabo San Lucas. With great weather, a good economy and a quality of life hard to match, moving to Baja sounds like a no-brainer. But look before you leap.
One of the most important things a person can do when thinking about moving to Baja is to plan at least one (hopefully two) short trips to the Peninsula for a sight inspection. A person can garner quite a bit of information on the Internet and by talking to people, put there is nothing like walking the streets for an accurate head's up.
Employment is a key factor when considering a move to Baja. Some people think that just by showing up in a place that has jobs that getting hired won't be a problem. Moving to Baja or Cabo without a specific job committment is risky business, and not the best way to plan your move south of the border.
The Mexican government realizes the employment opportunities that a destination resort like Loreto and Los Cabos offers, and they work hard to make sure that the vast majority of those jobs go to Mexican nationals (citizens). Mexicans come from all over Mexico to try to get a job in Baja's larger towns, so new gringos have quite a bit of competition.
Even thought the Mexican government tries to steer most jobs to it's citizens, some gringos are successful getting work in Baja. It helps if your skills are unique and hard for the employers in Baja to match with local talent. Construction workers looking for a job in Cabo have a very hard time edging out the local labor force.
Part of the formula for moving to Baja is deciding if it really is a place you would enjoy living. Yes the weather is nice most of the time, but it does get very hot in summer and occassionally hurricanes (chubascos) hit Baja with amazing intensity. Humidity gets high in the summer months as well.
Another consideration is that of working in a place where everybody else seems to be playing. Anyone who has had a job working at a beach, ski resort or any other vacation destination knows it takes a bit of disipline to stay focused on the job when everyone else is partying.
Part of living in Baja is figuring out a place to live. While it is true that housing costs decline once you leave the big coastal cities, prices are higher in other parts of the Peninsula as more citizens compete for affordable housing.
A few places that Americans like to set up camp include the Rosarito Beach area, Ensenada and Punta Banda, Mulege, Bahia Concepcion, Loreto, Todos Santos, the East Cape and Los Cabos.
One of the particulars that many people may not think about when moving to Baja is health care. Although perscriptions are easily filled in most Baja farmacies, health care may not be as available or of the same quality as back home. Many expats who live in Mexico make it a point to plan one or two trips back to the US each year for medical needs and to catch up on their other reality.
Living in Baja allows a person to explore the Peninsula and the surrounding areas. It's a spectacualar piece of the planet Earth, and one could spend a lot of time searching for something new and exciting around the next corner. The key to moving to Baja is to plan ahead and nail down as many of the variables as possible before you go.
Thinking about moving south of the border? Visit the web site of BAJA RELOCATION for a head's up for what awaits you.
MOVING TO BAJA