G
Guest
·I am starting a new thread so the Texas thread can stay on course. One observation related to something said there about the US Embassy and Americans in a foreign land: if you actually think that anyone in the US Embassy gives a rat's axx about any American who is not a government employee there, then I have a bridge for sale that runs from Cabo San Lucas to Puerto Vallarta. Cheap. Any "advice" given by them usually has an underlying agenda - bigger budget, more power, PR, headlines, more rules, whatever. Don't depend on them - protect yourself.
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I will address this only to Americans, because I know very few Canadians or how they act.
When coming to Mexico, most Americans need an attitude shift. They are so used to everyone "back home" knowing everything about them, or having it all available for perusal by anyone on the internet. They take an attitude of "if I haven't done anything wrong, what - me worry?" If someone they just met doesn't regurgitate their life stories to them early on, then they can't be trusted or ever become close. Doesn't bother me a bit.
To put it bluntly - keep your trap shut, or tell white lies to unknown people.
Is there any reason to tell other people you don't know VERY well or not at all, what your surname is? Or your telephone numbers? Or your home address? Or where specifically you're from originally? Or what your US family members full names are, or where they live specifically, or THEIR telephone numbers? If you are worried about dying, put that contact information in your MX will, in the hands of your lawyer. Tell your neighbor to please call that lawyer if you croak in the middle of the night. The lawyer will wrap things up for your relatives.
It's no one's business, and they are just too nosy in my opinion. It's ingrained in them from childhood. Most Mexicans I know don't do these types of things. I tell people that I don't have a telephone, but here is my e-mail address -(specifically set up for strangers, acquaintances, friends I have known for less than 20 years, government agencies and Spam).
Migracion has my information. My MX bank has my information. My child's school has a limited amount of our information. That's it. Everyone else here knows me by my adopted Mexican adopted first name. Try typing your own name into Google and see what pops up, and then think about that. Damage control may be in order. It's better to not give much info out or to tell a few white lies, than to become a victim, eh? No offense intended to anyone, but please do some thinking and preplanning, or else you will open yourself up to this type of nonsense.
If you own your property, put your telephone and utilities in a trusted and responsible Mexican friend's name. You DO have at least one trusted Mexican friend by now, right? (I know some will chime in right away saying you can't do that, but sure you can. If you need your ID to open the accounts, send a friend in a few months later and just tell them they are renting and need to change over the utilities to their name. Problem solved. If you're renting, just maintain the opened utility accounts in the previous names. Migracion and banks only care about the address on receipts presented as proof of your address, not the names.
Use a mail service for any mail and packages, or a trusted friend's address (with their permission and a head's up). Get your cellphone in a Mexican friend's name. Give the right address and use a cellphone to call, but a different Mexican sounding name to the pizza delivery guys. You really don't want your data sitting in who-knows-where's computer system, manned by 20 peso per hour employees looking for a better payday, right?
Before you toss out that Amazon box, old mail with your name on it or the pizza box, rip off the address label with your name on it and destroy it. That cardboard is probably going to end up in some guy's cart heading down the street for recycling. Do you really want your information going along for the ride?
Saludos,
Carlos Fernandez
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I will address this only to Americans, because I know very few Canadians or how they act.
When coming to Mexico, most Americans need an attitude shift. They are so used to everyone "back home" knowing everything about them, or having it all available for perusal by anyone on the internet. They take an attitude of "if I haven't done anything wrong, what - me worry?" If someone they just met doesn't regurgitate their life stories to them early on, then they can't be trusted or ever become close. Doesn't bother me a bit.
To put it bluntly - keep your trap shut, or tell white lies to unknown people.
Is there any reason to tell other people you don't know VERY well or not at all, what your surname is? Or your telephone numbers? Or your home address? Or where specifically you're from originally? Or what your US family members full names are, or where they live specifically, or THEIR telephone numbers? If you are worried about dying, put that contact information in your MX will, in the hands of your lawyer. Tell your neighbor to please call that lawyer if you croak in the middle of the night. The lawyer will wrap things up for your relatives.
It's no one's business, and they are just too nosy in my opinion. It's ingrained in them from childhood. Most Mexicans I know don't do these types of things. I tell people that I don't have a telephone, but here is my e-mail address -(specifically set up for strangers, acquaintances, friends I have known for less than 20 years, government agencies and Spam).
Migracion has my information. My MX bank has my information. My child's school has a limited amount of our information. That's it. Everyone else here knows me by my adopted Mexican adopted first name. Try typing your own name into Google and see what pops up, and then think about that. Damage control may be in order. It's better to not give much info out or to tell a few white lies, than to become a victim, eh? No offense intended to anyone, but please do some thinking and preplanning, or else you will open yourself up to this type of nonsense.
If you own your property, put your telephone and utilities in a trusted and responsible Mexican friend's name. You DO have at least one trusted Mexican friend by now, right? (I know some will chime in right away saying you can't do that, but sure you can. If you need your ID to open the accounts, send a friend in a few months later and just tell them they are renting and need to change over the utilities to their name. Problem solved. If you're renting, just maintain the opened utility accounts in the previous names. Migracion and banks only care about the address on receipts presented as proof of your address, not the names.
Use a mail service for any mail and packages, or a trusted friend's address (with their permission and a head's up). Get your cellphone in a Mexican friend's name. Give the right address and use a cellphone to call, but a different Mexican sounding name to the pizza delivery guys. You really don't want your data sitting in who-knows-where's computer system, manned by 20 peso per hour employees looking for a better payday, right?
Before you toss out that Amazon box, old mail with your name on it or the pizza box, rip off the address label with your name on it and destroy it. That cardboard is probably going to end up in some guy's cart heading down the street for recycling. Do you really want your information going along for the ride?
Saludos,
Carlos Fernandez
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) are forced to do such things. For 45 years, the M.D.'s and government health agencies have been giving out very bad dietary information. With correct diet, my son estimates at least half of need for doctors and medicine would be eliminated.
