Very true! No matter how long an expat lives in another country, in another culture, there will remain a wide gulf which cannot be crossed; only visited. You will have acquaintances and/or associates, but your close friends are not likely to be from another culture. You will be fortunate if you are invited to birthdays, weddings, 'quincañeros' or other 'fiestas' held by Mexican friends or neighbors; but you still won't be a part of their lives. Your close friends are more likely to be other expats and they will make up the bulk of your social life. Frankly, most expats are considered somewhat strange, cold and distant, loud and without good manners, even poorly dressed. That's just the way it is. That said, it is a great place to live and we are not only welcome, but tolerated and treated well. That doesn't happen everywhere.

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Read "Streets of Glass" to discover the experience of a retired couple's permanent move to Lake Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
PM for details.