Living in Mexico with kids
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”
- Oliver Wendell Holmes
And what better age to start stretching a mind than as children?
We lived in Puerto Vallarta for 5 months this year with our three daughters. We craved a break from the regular, mundane life that we felt we were living in Canada. We were searching for a slower-paced life where you don’t rush from here to there all day long. We wanted to show our kids that people live differently and that one way is not better than the other. We wanted to expose them to another culture, teach them Spanish and get them out of their comfort zones. And we accomplished all that and way more.
Living in Mexico with three kids is very different than vacationing in Mexico with kids. We have always loved vacationing there, cause you can count on having a great time; The people, culture, food, and scenery are all beautiful. So when we saw the chance to LIVE in Mexico for 5 months with our girls we jumped at it knowing it would be the experience of a lifetime. And we were so right.
Though living in Mexico can never feel exactly the same as Canada, we did adopt similar routines in hopes to make Mexico feel like home.
Here are some of the ways we made Mexico our home:
School: This is the topic I most get asked about. We left Canada without a plan for school and decided we would see how it went and make decisions along the way. Upon arrival in PV, we realized that because of COVID most schools were closed, so for a while, we did unschool. You can read about that in my other blog post here. After a while of us teaching them, some schools opened up, so the girls attended a small tutoring center to learn Spanish and keep up with their math. This cost about 6000 pesos a month for all three. They attended 3 days a week (that were most convenient for us) from about 9 am till 1 pm. They picked up Spanish incredibly quickly, met new friends, and experienced a different school system and culture. They still continued to learn through their own curiosity because we had so much free time. We went on lots of boat trips and saw lots of animals, and the girls would always research them at home to learn more. Just being outdoors in a different country lead to so many unique learning opportunities, and having the time to be outside made that possible.
Extra-curricular activities: Back home the girls are involved in dance and gymnastics (which can make for a hectic schedule), but we wanted them to continue to do what they love. We found a gymnastics gym in Mexico and all three of our girls joined. This was a huge deal for them because the classes were all in Spanish and the gym ran a bit differently than it does back home. They got to see the international side of the sport — it’s loved around the world yet practiced in a unique way everywhere you go. They only attended twice a week, but would always do gymnastics at the beach as well.
We also had them take surf lessons and they picked it up so fast. It was an amazing experience to see them become so comfortable in the ocean (something that many people don’t achieve in their lifetime). The lessons learned on a surfboard expanded into our everyday life. We noticed that only when you slow down and feel the water can you actually anticipate a wave coming. Once you learn to ride that wave you feel invincible. Life has ups and downs, just like the ocean. Also, when you are out on the waves you forget about everything else in the world because you are so in the moment. It’s an amazing source of meditation and a great way to slow down. Watching the girls conquer their fears and stand up and ride a wave was a really cool experience.
Food: I was a little worried about buying groceries and eating out in PV as we value being healthy and putting quality food in our bodies. However, we found that most grocery stores and restaurants had healthy options and almost everything that we would buy back home. I was really impressed with the selection and how much PV has changed in that aspect.
Eating out in Mexico was a great opportunity for our girls to expand their palates. They tried seafood, weird taco fillings, spicier food, and new fruits, and became less hesitant to try new things. I also expanded my horizons and started to really enjoy different foods and it became a daily adventure to try something new.
We ate most meals at home, but our schedules for eating changed completely. We usually rush through meals back home, especially in the mornings before school. Even between extra-curriculars it’s hard to find time for us to all sit and eat together. So in Mexico, we adopted the late-night dinners which made this really easy for us. Throughout the days, we moved at a more leisurely pace and were able to eat when we were hungry, not just when we were supposed to due to our schedules. This lead us to become more in tune with our hunger cues. In Mexico, most people value meals as a time for families to sit down and enjoy food together, and I can honestly say we adopted this one.
Working out: Working out is a huge part of our life back home, so naturally, it was a priority there as well. We went to a few gyms, all super cool and each offering something unique. If you’re into fitness and worried about maintaining your routine, rest assured that gyms are just as amazing there as they are back home. Many classes ran in Spanish, but I found that most trainers were bilingual and would translate for the English-speaking members. Even training in another country is different. You get motivated in a new way because you switch things up and expand your mind and body’s abilities.
Housing: The way we live in Mexico is very different than back home. We rented three different 2-bedroom condos over the duration of our stay, and back home we have a large 4 bedroom private home. Living in a condo meant we shared walls with our neighbors, had people working at the front desk and on property grounds, and that our living space was MUCH smaller than what we were used to. The space we have back home is a luxury that we didn’t know we had before leaving. So living in a 2 bedroom condo as a family of 5 was a learning curve for us. We had less space to run free in, so we spent more time outdoors. Our girls’ backyard was a pool with iguanas and beautiful palm trees. They could walk 50 steps and be on the beach. At night we had waves crashing, and geckos chirping, and dogs barking. It was a completely different experience for all of us. We became closer than ever before because most of the time we were all each other had and were quite literally always on top of each other. Only once we were back in our home in Canada did we realize how big our home really is, and find a new sense of gratitude for it.
Although our daily routines looked different than they do back home, we still incorporated the things that matter most to us. We found a new, much slower-paced, normal. All our minds are stretched and will never go back to their old dimensions.
In Canada I found we get so caught up in the day-to-day activities that we forget to slow down. It’s normal to be busy. It’s normal to work all day and spend a few hours at night with your family. It’s normal to rush through meals. It’s normal to get so busy making a living that you forget to live your life. But that’s not the only way. You can expand your norms and create your own beautiful life.
If you have ever considered living abroad with your kids but are a bit scared to take the jump, I encourage you to do it. Just like anything else in life, you’ll figure out all the details along the way. The worst that can happen is you learn something new by giving yourself a new challenge.
The life experiences you will have while living abroad anywhere in the world can’t compare to anything you can try to teach your children at home. By learning different ways of living, different values and customs, and meeting new people, your child will have a huge set of examples to follow. They can decide who they want to be based on what they learn from all over the world. Imagine what unique individuals we can raise!
Please connect with me if you have any questions about anything at all! I love chatting about this topic.
