| | |  Vallarta Living 
Where Does Hollywood Go When it's Sick of Hollywood? Mexico!
 Melissa Gorzelanczyk - PVNN
May 08, 2010
Meet newlyweds Heidi and Mark Rice. In their mid-thirties with no kids, they literally traded their corporate Los Angeles jobs for a tent in Mexico (for a few nights, anyway.)
When asked "Why?" Heidi Rice replied, "Some people understand perfectly well why we live here. Puerto Vallarta is warm and relaxed and feeds our soul. For others that don't, here's the truth: In Mexico, we have sprung ourselves from the prison of more-more-more. Who has not occasionally wished to simplify their life? Who has not longed to pare down their life to just the essentials? Moving to Mexico accomplished the "whole enchilada" to simplify.
Q: Describe a typical day in Venice Beach, California, before the move.
Heidi Rice: Life was busy. Mark worked about an hour from our house in Los Angeles. I worked as a sales rep covering accounts all over Southern California. To help save money we only had one car (unheard of in Los Angeles!) so every morning I would drive with Mark to work.
This meant driving an hour southeast of our house (and outside my work territory)...if traffic was bad it could take even longer. I'd then jump into the driver's seat and head an hour north or two hours south for my day of sales calls.
After driving all over So Cal I'd drive back down to Anaheim to pick up Mark. He'd jump in the driver's seat and bring us home. Once we were home we'd let the dogs out, start making dinner and watch some TV. Then it was off to bed to do it all over again the next day! In two years time we put more than 70,000 miles on our car.
Q: Describe income then vs. income needed now.
A: In Los Angeles we had the typical dual income, no kids scenario. We were working hard, but for our efforts we were able to save a lot of money. Still, we kept feeling there must be a better way to spend our time and a different way to make money. Sometimes it takes stepping out of a comfort zone to really be able to reflect upon life. Our choice was to do this in Mexico.
In the states we were spending about $4000 a month on rent, food, gas, entertainment, etc. In Mexico, we only need about $1200 a month to live comfortably. Living comfortably in Mexico means having an ocean view, being able to afford a weekly maid, buying all organic produce at the market for a 1/3 the cost and eating fresh shrimp that was caught yesterday.
Q: Describe the "Mexico Moment."
A: The story of a Mexican Fisherman really impacted us. It's a story of a local Mexican fisherman and the fullness of his life. He fishes every morning for the basic necessities of his family and then spends the rest of his time enjoying life.
One day he meets a Harvard MBA and the man proposes a business plan to the fisherman. The Harvard MBA shows the fisherman how to work really hard over the next 15-20 years (sacrificing time with his wife, kids and friends) to make millions.
The Mexican fisherman doesn't understand the MBA's thinking at all because his life is already full of happiness and he doesn't need anymore money. This story is our "Mexico Moment" because it reflects our values.
Q: How did you prepare for the move financially?
A: Save, save, save. We worked hard and spent a lot of evenings and weekends at home. We cooked great meals and only ventured out to restaurants during happy hours when we could get a good deal. We sold all our big, clunky items that could be easy repurchased upon our return. Anything irreplaceable, sentimental or small & functional was put into a 4 x 6 storage unit.
Q: What do you want from living in Mexico?
A: Relaxation & Reflection. The pace of life is so slow here. We want time to contemplate what's really important in life. Being newlyweds it's a great opportunity to sync our dreams and desires for our future. Being able to step outside of structured life and reflect upon what's really important is a gift. That is Mexico's gift to us.
Q: What advice can you give to people that are sick of a busy lifestyle and want to change... but are afraid not to be "secure?"
A: Sometimes you just have to let go. No time is right to move to another country. No time is right to have kids. There is no right time to do anything. Why do we live here? Because it feels right for us right now. Living in the moment and living in a country that is very much a culture of the eternal present.
Q: What do you do all day in Mexico?
A: Not a whole lot. We sleep late, cook great meals at home, read, spend time at the gym, take siestas, walk our dogs and travel to other small Mexican villages for fun. We are presently working on not being so hard on ourselves for how little we actually accomplish from dawn to dark.
Words to live by: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain |
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