One Journalist’s View

By Linda Ellerbee


Sometimes I’ve been called a maverick because I don’t always agree
with my colleagues, but then, only dead fish swim with the stream all
the time. The stream here is Mexico .

You would have to be living on another planet to avoid hearing how
dangerous Mexico has become, and, yes, it’s true drug wars have
escalated violence in Mexico , causing collateral damage, a phrase I
hate. Collateral damage is a cheap way of saying that innocent people,
some of them tourists, have been robbed, hurt or killed.

But that’s not the whole story. Neither is this. This is my story.

I’m a journalist who lives in New York City , but has spent
considerable time in Mexico , specifically Puerto Vallarta , for the
last four years. I’m in Vallarta now. And despite what I’m getting
from the U.S. media, the 24-hour news networks in particular, I feel
as safe here as I do at home in New York , possibly safer. I walk the
streets of my Vallarta neighborhood alone day or night. And I don’t
live in a gated community, or any other All-Gringo neighborhood. I
live in Mexico . Among Mexicans. I go where I want (which does not
happen to include bars where prostitution and drugs are the basic
products), and take no more precautions than I would at home in New
York; which is to say I don’t wave money around, I don’t act the Ugly
American, I do keep my eyes open, I’m aware of my surroundings, and I
try not to behave like a fool.

I’ve not always been successful at that last one. One evening a friend
left the house I was renting in Vallarta at that time, and,
unbeknownst to me, did not slam the automatically-locking door on her
way out. Sure enough, less than an hour later a stranger did come into
my house. A burglar? Robber? Kidnapper? Killer? Drug lord?

No, it was a local police officer, the “beat cop” for our
neighborhood, who, on seeing my unlatched door, entered to make sure
everything (including me) was okay. He insisted on walking with me
around the house, opening closets, looking behind doors and, yes, even
under beds, to be certain no one else had wandered in, and that
nothing was missing. He was polite, smart and kind, but before he
left, he lectured me on having not checked to see that my friend had
locked the door behind her. In other words, he told me to use my
common sense.

Do bad things happen here? Of course they do. Bad things happen
everywhere, but the murder rate here is much lower than, say, New
Orleans, and if there are bars on many of the ground floor windows of
houses here, well, the same is true where I live, in Greenwich
Village, which is considered a swell neighborhood — house prices start
at about $4 million (including the bars on the ground floor windows).

There are good reasons thousands of people from the United States are
moving to Mexico every month, and it’s not just the lower cost of
living, a hefty tax break and less snow to shovel. Mexico is a
beautiful country, a special place. The climate varies, but is
plentifully mild, the culture is ancient and revered, the young are
loved unconditionally, the old are respected, and I have yet to hear
anyone mention Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, or Madonna’s attempt to
adopt a second African child, even though, with such a late start, she
cannot possibly begin to keep up with Anglelina Jolie.

And then there are the people. Generalization is risky, but— in
general — Mexicans are warm, friendly, generous and welcoming. If you
smile at them, they smile back. If you greet a passing stranger on the
street, they greet you back. If you try to speak even a little
Spanish, they tend to treat you as though you were fluent. Or at least
not an idiot. I have had taxi drivers track me down after leaving my
wallet or cell phone in their cab. I have had someone run out of a
store to catch me because I have overpaid by twenty cents. I have been
introduced to and come to love a people who celebrate a day dedicated
to the dead as a recognition of the cycles of birth and death and
birth — and the 15th birthday of a girl, an important rite in becoming
a woman — with the same joy.

Too much of the noise you’re hearing about how dangerous it is to come
to Mexico is just that — noise. But the media love noise, and too many
journalists currently making it don’t live here. Some have never even
been here. They just like to be photographed at night, standing near a
spotlighted border crossing, pointing across the line to some
imaginary country from hell. It looks good on TV.

Another thing. The U.S. media tend to lump all of Mexico into one big
bad bowl. Talking about drug violence in Mexico without naming a state
or city where this is taking place is rather like looking at the
horror of Katrina and saying, “Damn. Did you know the U.S. is under
water?” or reporting on the shootings at Columbine or the bombing of
the Federal building in Oklahoma City by saying that kids all over the
U.S. are shooting their classmates and all the grownups are blowing up
buildings. The recent rise in violence in Mexico has mostly occurred
in a few states, and especially along the border. It is real, but it
does not describe an entire country.

It would be nice if we could put what’s going on in Mexico in
perspective, geographically and emotionally. It would be nice if we
could remember that, as has been noted more than once, these drug wars
wouldn’t be going on if people in the United States didn’t want the
drugs, or if other people in the United States weren’t selling Mexican
drug lords the guns. Most of all, it would be nice if more people in
the United States actually came to this part of America ( Mexico is
also America , you will recall) to see for themselves what a fine
place Mexico really is, and how good a vacation (or a life) here can
be.

So come on down and get to know your southern neighbors. I think
you’ll like it here. Especially the people.


www.bajainvestment.com

New services to ensure continued enjoyment of retirement

BAJA TIMES
Volume XXX, Number 94 December 1-15, 2008
HEALTH

Unique and Much Needed Services in Baja
New services to ensure continued enjoyment of retirement

Serena Senior Care opened its doors in spring of this year offering high quality assisted living, health management, and property care services in the Rosarito Beach area of Baja California, Mexico.

Don’t wait until it is to late! Many retirees from the United States, Canada and other parts of the world have been enjoying their retirement in Rosarito for years. Some have been here for over 20 years and as they age they have more difficulty dealing with normal daily activities. Entering in to these later stages in life may also require putting more attention to your health and being more proactive about taking care of yourself.

Some people choose to ignore these realities and don’t take any action, slowly losing the quality of life they used to enjoy. But others take action, and decide to keep enjoying life and not just surviving it. A good example is Peter Fowler, who will be 85 this winter. He moved to Rosarito four years ago and was enjoying life, and then he started to have some health problems and realized he needed help. Peter hired a caregiver, Gabriela, from Serena Senior Care and his quality of life increased. He is now enjoying his retirement again, “It was like a ton of bricks was lifted off my back,” says Peter. “Gabriela still comes by and simply makes life easy for me, in spite of my physical restrictions. We’re like family,” added Peter.

With the commitment to continually improve their services Serena Senior Care has announced new products that will undoubtedly become valuable resources to many. One of the services that many people have been asking for is an all inclusive assisted living facility, which is now a reality. Serena has now available a beautiful residence that is exceptionally equipped ready to host up to 15 residents. In this home, residents will have lodging, all meals, housekeeping, personal care by trained nurses and caregivers, supervision from a Geriatrician, social activities, physical therapy, and many other services.

This new service is a great value, with an affordable monthly fee that is about 50% the cost of comparable services in California, but with the distinctive warm hospitality of Mexico. Anyone interested in visiting the facility can RSVP for a tour directly at the Serena offices calling (661) 612 9090, or may go to their Open House on December 4th. “Nobody knows when the sky will fall, so knowing that Casa Harmony is available now, or for my final years, makes me feel safe and secure. I have peace of mind. Serena Senior Care has been good to me” conclude Peter.

Other times our loved ones need help and we become their caregivers, a task that takes its toll as time goes by. In these cases family caregivers need a break. For example, Virginia Anderson has lived in Rosarito for over 16 years and has been taking care of her husband after he become ill over ten years ago. Today Virginia has contracted a nurse from Serena Senior Care for one or two days per week giving her the opportunity to go out and do the things she enjoys, such as going to religious services and visiting with friends. “I am very pleased with the care my husband is getting when the caregiver comes to give me a day off. My husband likes the nurse very much and she seems to like him. Even though he can`t speak they seem to know what each other is saying” says Virginia.

New tools to make your life better: Since Serena Senior Care started they have demonstrated their commitment to becoming a true resource and a solutions provider for retirees in the region. They organized the first Health Fair focused on foreign residents and they launched the Serena Full Assistance Card that provides access to top medical services in the region and other services that give cardholders peace of mind such as road side assistance and emergency home repairs, all accessible through a 24- hour toll free number with bilingual operators. Recently they have added more services and discounts to the Full Assistance Card at some of the more prestigious restaurants such as Rincon San Roman at Real del Mar, That’s Amore, Cha Cha’s Café and others. Also they have increased the number of places where you can buy the card, such as the “Roma” pharmacies, International Mail Center, and Bajamart & Deli in Bajamar. The Card will soon be available in Ensenada, as well. You can find an updated list of places to buy and get discounts on their website, www.serenaseniorcare.com.

Other services now offered by Serena Senior Care are TLC and a Preventive Maintenance Policy. TLC stands for “Tender Loving CALLS”, a daily friendly call in English to check up on you and make sure everything is ok, or to make arrangements if you need something. This is a wonderful and simple service for those that live alone and want peace of mind that someone is looking out for them in case anything happens. The preventive maintenance program offers an inspection of your home to make sure that all the pluming, including gas, and electrical installations are working properly; to make sure all doors and windows work, and that there are no roof leaks. The inspections are done by trained technicians every 3 months. This is a perfect solution for those that don’t live permanently here or that are not the do-it-yourself type. If something needs repairs, Serena Senior Care can take care of it!

New services and new easy convenient ways to get them are one way that Serena Senior Care is proving its commitment to the Baja Retiree community in Rosarito and the North Baja coast. For more information contact Serena Senior Care at info@serenaseniorcare.com.

www.remax-baja.com