Confession of an emigrant: how does a Ukrainian woman live in Mexico

Olga Levchuk and her husband live in Mexico. Photos from the personal archive

Wherever ours are not... ForumDaily continues to talk about people who emigrated and are now organizing their lives far from their homeland. Next up is the story of a Ukrainian woman living in Mexico.

Olga Levchuk from Kiev, in 2009, met and began to correspond with a man from Mexico, a university professor of Russian descent. A year later, Olga with her son from her first marriage moved to Latin America.

Since Olga’s husband was not yet a citizen of Mexico at that moment, they had to resort to some formal “tricks.” At first, mother and son arrived on a tourist visa, and already on the spot they issued a student visa for Olga: in 2010, a certificate of study in Spanish courses and a decent bank account were enough (her husband vouched for Olga at the bank).

For seven years now, the family has been living in the state of Baja California (Baja California), in the city of Ensenada, which is sometimes called the “Mexican academic town” - there are six universities and a high concentration of scientists per square kilometer.

Olga told the site "Observer" about why it is colder in a Mexican house than outside, how Mexicans avoid the word “no” and why no one will be happy if you call him “sunshine”.

First impressions

At the new place, everything seemed very unusual, unusual. My ideas about the country were very primitive, based on the books of Maya culture and writing in my childhood. I also knew that sombreros and tequila come from here. Here, perhaps, that's all.

Mexico. Photo: Depositphotos

The first thing that struck was the vastness of the country: it has 3 time zones, and the flight from the most northwestern to the most eastern point takes about 6,5 hours.

The temperature in Ensenada was also a surprise: to warm up, you need to leave the house. In our area on the ocean coast, the daytime temperature is usually + 20º in winter and + 25-30º in summer, but on a winter night it can be +4º, and with our enormous humidity it feels almost like frost. Since there is no heating, the house is very chilly and uncomfortable in the morning. They joke here: “In California you must have warm clothes, but not for the street, but for the house.”

There is also a special relationship with the sun. All year round, ultraviolet radiation is so harsh that plastic garden furniture crumbles into dust after 2-3 years of use, and hummingbird feeders have to be changed regularly; they do not last long. Cars, windows, roofs - everything is covered with special paints, compounds with strong sun protection. And the affectionate address “my sunshine” can only cause bewilderment in a Mexican.

There are also amazing landscapes here. The Mexican state of Baja California is a hilly, rocky desert and semi-desert on the Pacific Ocean where cactus forests grow and rain usually falls several times a year, between November and March. But it’s incredibly beautiful here in its own way!

Work

I do not officially work yet, I sometimes work as a tutor from time to time (Russian as a foreign language - there are Mexicans who are interested in it).

I have a temporary residence permit, but only a permanent one gives me the right to work. In the case of marriage with a Mexican, which in my case happened 3 years ago (my husband became a nationalized Mexican after 17 years of work in Mexico, his history of obtaining citizenship is a separate topic), permanent residence can be obtained after 2 years. But last year, due to a bureaucratic discrepancy, I was given a temporary one again.

The cost of a migration document for a year is about $200. A student visa can be extended free of charge, but does not count toward the period of stay in the country.

There are a lot of foreigners with two or three citizenships (this is the same as dual citizenship!), Because in recent years Mexico does not require abandoning the existing one.

The husband works in the scientific field, occupies a permanent professorial position. In Mexico, this is well paid, besides, scientists have good opportunities to attract additional funding for their projects, from which they pay for conference trips, equipment, hired assistants, and even temporary stay of scientists and students from foreign universities.

Years 15-20 ago, Mexico actively invited foreign experts. In our city of Ensenada, these are mainly scientists and musicians from the post-Soviet space.

Now young foreign professionals are much harder to compete with Mexicans in search of good work. There are often situations when one of a family works, and the second is interrupted by temporary earnings. By and large, there are no special problems with unofficial employment, many Mexicans work this way (they are not registered, they do not pay taxes, they do not have insurance).

Standard of living

We live in an actively developing area. Rapid growth occurs in science, technology, agriculture (many greenhouses are being built here for protection from the sun and wind), winemaking and tourism.

The coast is very attractive for American retirees - the same California, but all at times cheaper. All this affects prices: compared to most of Mexico, everything is expensive.

Mexico is one of the countries with the greatest social inequality, this is especially noticeable in large cities, where palace houses are built in prestigious areas, and shacks huddle on the outskirts.

In our city it is not so noticeable, it is developing more as a scientific and cultural center, attractive for tourism. The safety of tourists is very important for local authorities, this is strictly monitored. We feel calm enough, without hesitation we use public transport, we return home late, in the city center you can walk at any time of the day.

Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. Photo: Depositphotos

Mentality

In less than 6 years in Mexico, I have never once encountered being treated as a “newcomer.” Rather, on the contrary, in some situations the attitude is sometimes more attentive, careful and even condescending.

It’s the same with my son at school; his origins rather arouse keen interest. Sometimes they ask directly: “Where are you from?”, and sometimes they try to guess. The closest options are Poland and Russia. But several times already my Ukrainian accent was recognized.

We are surrounded by very nice, friendly, friendly people who are not averse to talking on the street. Everyone smiles, meeting their gazes. Even children are not shy to turn to unfamiliar adults.

Mexicans traditionally have big friendly families, mutual assistance and help is common. Not once observed abroad, how joyfully they meet their compatriots and offer support.

Respect for elders is still very strong, children are extremely rarely rude to adults, even teenagers. We felt this in a relationship with our son. When they moved to Mexico, Lesha was 12, and he had already picked up disrespectful verbal constructions from Kiev classmates, and here everything was gone.

Here it is customary to give way to transport not only for older, sick, and pregnant women, but for women of all ages. At first it was fun to watch the school boys jump up from their seats to offer him to the same school girl.

In general, people here are very polite. The phrase “Thanks, no” is considered rude; a real Mexican will accompany it with a more complex explanatory structure. This, by the way, often leads to misunderstanding and dissatisfaction on the part of foreigners. Mexicans find it very difficult to say no, especially if that someone is older than them in age or position, so they nod in agreement even when they have no intention of doing anything. And then they try in every possible way to avoid fulfilling what they promised. We encountered this many times when we were building a house.

Another “minus”: this is a country of “maniacs”. Morning translated as “tomorrow” or “morning”. One foreigner said: “You can live very comfortably in Mexico if you learn in time and accept that “mañana” is not tomorrow, but “maybe someday.”

Kitchen and prices

Traditional cuisine is very spicy, but in tourist places everything is already adapted to the tastes of tourists, and you are sure to be warned about the sharpness of the dish. Often cooked without spices, and then they are added to taste in an already prepared dish. About one hundred varieties of pepper are recognized and used here, the most popular varieties are around 30.

In restaurants with Mexican cuisine, the portions are usually very large, and at the beginning of each meal they bring snacks (botana), usually these are toasted tortilla pieces of corn tortilla with different sauces.

Almost always there are fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables at very reasonable prices. In recent years, a lot of different vegetables have been grown here, so you can always find something fresh and tasty in the farmers' markets.

Prices, as I mentioned, are not low when compared with the rest of Mexico. In the wilderness itself, almost nothing grows; to grow a crop requires serious investment. Tropical fruits are brought from other states of Mexico. So, a dollar per kg of tomatoes and a 1,5 dollar per kg of avocado is considered an acceptable price.

Beef tenderloin (here and in the neighboring state of Sonora livestock is developed, and even the subculture of the vaqueros, Mexican cowboys has developed) costs about 10 dollars, and bones with meat 2 dollars.

Expensive milk, almost no dairy products. Lately, you can buy granular curd without problems, but it costs more than chicken fillet or pork tenderloin.

Vineyard in Ensenad. Photo: Depositphotos

Medicine

After registration of marriage we have insurance ISSSTE. This is a state type of insurance for employees and their families, deductions come from the salary, when you go to the doctor, everything is free, even prescribed medications.

The only inconvenience is the slowness of the system. You need to book an appointment with a specialist for 2-3 weeks, for a specific examination too.

Sometimes it takes up to a month to make a diagnosis, and a person cannot always wait so long. Most often, acquaintances complain about therapists; but everyone who came across, very much appreciate the surgery.

There are private doctors, there are health centers for all, where people without insurance can get some kind of medical services for free or for little money. For example, all children are vaccinated there for free (if there is no insurance, then through private doctors it is very expensive).

There is a network of pharmacies that provide round-the-clock consulting rooms. Consultation costs around $ 2,5 during the day and $ 3 at night.

There is a choice here, and it is not always between bad and good, but it’s difficult to get comprehensive information, you need to know who and with which particular question to address. I have been here almost 6 for years, I discovered many things recently, and I understand that there are even more discoveries ahead.

Accomodation

We have not only a tourist, but also a student zone, so finding good housing is not easy.

There are few apartment buildings in the city, although recently they have become a bit more active in building. Traditionally, Mexicans prefer to let small but private houses.

The price depends on the size, quality of housing and location. Housing near universities or near good transport links costs more. A small house with two bedrooms in a not very popular area can be rented for $250-350 per month, a large two-story house for a family of 3-4 people - for $1000-1200 per month.

In the first option, it will be a very simple concrete, darkish and coldish dwelling with very low ceilings and minimal amenities; in the second, it will also be a concrete structure, but built with the participation of an architect, with a comfortable built-in kitchen, a decent backyard, several bedrooms with built-in wardrobes, etc. d.

Transport

The quality of public transport leaves much to be desired: this is a park of minibuses of various degrees of killed, belonging to different owners. In fact, these are our Kiev minibuses, and drivers sometimes end up competing on roads, as in Kiev.

The fare is very expensive by local standards - 10 pesos (that's about 60 cents). For comparison, in Mexico City travel in a large comfortable bus costs 4 pesos.

Cars are very common, it is an ordinary means of transportation. Given the specifics of the region, we have a lot of cheap old cars from the States. It used to be even more, but customs rules have changed, now there are a number of strict export restrictions.

Pass on the right is much easier than in Ukraine. You can not prepare at all, but you can ride 5 hours a day with the driver for 2 days, and on the 6 day, listen to the 4 hour theoretical lecture. And go ahead, take it.

Leisure

Weekend - family time. Those who have no family yet, and a family of parents (aunts, uncles, grand-nephews, great-aunt, etc.) are far away, they spend their weekends with friends.

At the end of the week breakfasts are very popular outside the home, somewhere in a picturesque place. Someone combines this with wine tastings, someone with sports (bicycle, for example). Many restaurants and coffees offer a special Sunday breakfast menu.

In general, going to restaurants is a very popular family entertainment. Also the beach, fishing, hiking, walking around the city center, where there is almost always something going on. In squares and parks on weekends, free clubs for children and dance concerts for the elderly, with instructors, are organized.

Mexicans love off-road racing on ATVs, motorcycles, and SUVs. Big events happen twice a year - Baja 1000 and Baja 500, racing off-road on the 1000 and 500 miles. Every year a new route is developed, the city boils over a week, from four in the morning a roar of engines and an enthusiastic crowd is heard.

From January to March - the season of trips to the gray whales to admire their young. In February, the carnival.

Carnival in honor of the Day of the Dead in Mexico. Photo: Depositphotos

In May, “vindimia” begins - wine festivals, especially active in July-September. Huge American liners arrive several times a week with tourists from all over the world. Every weekend something happens in the center - street festivals of food, science, horses, open-air concerts, colorful themed bike races. Night bike races around the city look very nice when all participants have lanterns on their foreheads.

I love Mexico and Mexicans, it is a country where we feel at home. This feeling begins with meeting the border guards at the Benito Juarez airport, who speak with a sincere smile “Bienvenida a Mexico" - "Welcome to Mexico." This is a country where I almost fell in love with communication with official authorities. They work slowly, sometimes they get everything mixed up, but they are always very friendly, and you can always just talk to them.

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