Morning Thoughts

This post is a stream of consciousness thing. I have nothing in particular to write about. I just wanted to write and reach out to anyone reading my blog.  It is always a pleasure for me to receive the comments and know that people are reading my blog and enjoying it.

I met a woman when I was in Portland who was getting ready for a year trip down to Cuenca, Ecuador. I asked her why she was going to that city in particular. She said it was because she knew someone there. Just one person was enough for her to make that long trip.  So, I realize how important having a contact in a city is to people and to their decisions about where to go.  Years ago, I took a trip to Hong Kong for that very reason. A friend of a friend was living there and I thought that would help me to get settled. It did too. It is extremely difficult to move to a place with no contacts. That is how I came here. I liked the photos I saw online of the lake and I took the risk. I am glad I did it. I have been here five years now. I love this area.

Sometimes I think of traveling but if you have been reading my blog, you know what a terrible traveler I am.  As I get older, my anxieties become worse, maybe because I become more aware of all the things that can go wrong out there in that big world. Younger people have more faith in themselves, partially because they haven't had many bad things happen to them yet. They feel more invincible. I might as well get used to the idea that this is where I live and I am not going to be traveling around the world anymore.  For all my researches online of different countries and towns, no place can equal this in advantages and beauty. Not a bad place to be stuck in, from my point of view.

I get many e mails from people who want to meet me when they come here. I am always available to do that and help newcomers through the initial shock of living in a new environment. Only a few have actually contacted me once they have arrived. I have no idea of how many people have decided to move here partially based on my blog. Some of my friends say that I should keep my mouth shut. We are here, don't bring anyone else here to crowd the place up. I experienced that same attitude when I lived in Santa Cruz, CA.  My thought is that people are going to come anyway so we might as well welcome them.  I remember how hard it was for me when I had no help or friends at the beginning. I hope this blog is of benefit to others. That is my goal. I am not a real estate agent, although I write for a real estate site sometimes, Accesslakechapala.com  

 I don't make money from my blog unless you count a hundred dollars for three years of writing. I just do this because it is fun and I want to help others to see what a wonderful place it is here. Today is market day. If you read my blog, you know how much I love going to the market. So I am on my way there now. I hope anyone reading this will have as nice of a day as I am anticipating here in Ajijic on MARKET DAY, my favorite day of the week.