How To Feel Prepared When Traveling To Earthquake Prone Destinations
A focused woman prepares for unforeseen events by packing a go-bag with food and first aid in her bedroom.
Some of the biggest tourist hotspots around the country also happen to be at risk for earthquakes—and while that can be worrying for travelers, it doesn't necessarily mean you have to rethink your dream holiday.
'Travel to a country situated on a fault line may understandably unnerve some travelers,' said Deepak Shukla, CEO of Pearl Lemon Adventures. 'No one can predict when or where an earthquake may strike, but many proactive things can calm those frazzled nerves and allow travelers to feel confident about their safety.'
The following tips from travel professionals and medical experts will help you feel more equipped to deal with a potential earthquake while traveling abroad—but the most important thing will always be to keep informed of the given country's emergency response plan and stay abreast with seismic activity before making any decisions.
Look for the safest areas in an earthquake in the cities you are visiting. 'Many countries that are active in seismic mode have developed an entire system of identifying and marketing buildings designed to withstand earthquakes,' Shukla explained. 'These are often sites with reinforced structures with evacuation routes clearly marked and trained personnel to assist.'
Another idea is to prepare your emergency kit or go-bag. 'Keeping a bag that includes items that would be useful in an emergency, like a first aid kit, portable phone charger, flashlight, whistle, copies of your travel documents and passport, and any medications you deem necessary, is another step that may prove beneficial,' Shukla added. 'Don't forget to take communication items such as a local SIM card or a portable Wi-Fi device that can connect you to local emergency services if need be.'
Alexandra Wieteska, founder and editor-in-chief of The Mexico Edit, suggests taking a look around at your hotel room and make a plan so you can avoid standing or kneeling under anything that could fall, including wall-mounted TVs, bookshelves, glass frames, ceiling lights. Wieteska suggests planning where you'd crouch down during the earthquake, ideally beside something solid like a bed or couch rather than under it.
'Before any trip, I advise travelers to learn a little about how the destination handles emergencies,' said Grace Carter, travel expert at Academized. 'For example, Japan has an incredibly robust public safety system with English-language alerts and clearly marked evacuation points. In contrast, other destinations may rely more on local knowledge or informal communication.'
Carter explained that she will often encourage clients to look up where the nearest open-air parks or designated safe zones are in their destination city—those spots often become crucial gathering points if anything happens. 'A quick look on municipal websites or a conversation with your accommodation provider can give you a sense of where to go and what local procedures look like,' she added.
'You should focus on two main things: keeping physically fit and managing stress, both of which are vital elements of preparation,' explained Dr. Anand Thakkar, Medical Director at BlissMD. 'By maintaining good physical health through regular exercise, you can improve your ability to respond during an earthquake, and stress management techniques like meditation can help keep you calm.'
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Eater
15 hours ago
- Eater
This Taco Omakase in Stillwater Is Unlike Anything You'll Find in Minnesota
When chef Cristian De Leon came to the United States from Guatemala 23 years ago, he got a job cooking at an iconic restaurant that lives in the hearts and minds of Millennial Midwesterners, the Mall of America's mist-filled, tropical-themed Rainforest Cafe. He worked his way through a handful of other restaurants after that, including other Mall of America locales — one of which is where he met his wife, fellow restaurant veteran and immigrant by way of Mexico City, Karen De Leon. His resume also included a stint at Minneapolis's Icehouse, which is where he discovered the creativity that chef's tables allow. Years later, the De Leons established their own unassuming yet totally standout taco shop El Sazon Tacos & More in a suburban gas station, followed by a brick-and-mortar restaurant in south Minneapolis El Sazon Cocina & Tragos, all while raising three children. So when their real estate broker asked if they wanted to open yet another restaurant — this time in Stillwater, a small riverside tourist town some 30 minutes from Minneapolis — they didn't hesitate. The opportunity for the creativity of a chef's table had finally arrived. Despite being fresh off the opening of El Sazon Cocina y Tragos in Minneapolis, 'we took the risk and said let's do it,' Cristian De Leon says. 'I always had in my mind to do something from my roots ... to do something similar to what we're doing in Minneapolis but a little bit more cultural.' The result is Xelas by El Sazon, which opened early this year. Nestled in yet another unassuming location (a frontage road far from Stillwater's touristy downtown), not only is Xelas a blend of Cristian and Karen's shared Mayan ancestry, but it also offers what's likely the first taco omakase in Minnesota. It's part of a growing trend in taco tasting menus cropping up across the Midwest that speaks to a deeper exploration of Latin American culture and cuisine mirrored in the movement to raise awareness about traditions like nixtamalization. 'All of the dishes are like what we eat at home — food that's a mix of our two cultures,' Cristian says. 'We eat between Guatemala, Mexico, and Minnesota.' Just a month or so out from Xelas's opening, the restaurant was shiny and fresh in its newness but already busy and buzzing with a mix of patrons, some speaking Spanish, some speaking English. You know when a restaurant makes you forget where you are? Xelas does that despite the irrepressible chaos of what it means to be in the United States today. The space: What's now Xelas was previously a Thai restaurant until the De Leons and their contractor got a hold of it. They wanted a bright and airy space with plenty of natural light, and that's exactly what they got. From the host stand, diners walk into a wide-open dining room where wooden tabletops flanked with white chairs are warmly illuminated by rattan lighting. To the right lies a bar that sits in front of a cavernous back bar with cutouts that shine under recessed lighting and, to the left, the chef's table where Cristian serves up taco omakase. Throughout the space, the walls display colorful paintings from artists with roots in Latin America from Venezuela to Chile. The food: Xelas is doing something entirely its own. While the dishes may be Mayan by way of Guatemala and Mexico, they're not exactly the traditional dishes that Latine communities might expect. Minnesotans with an affinity for burritos and ground beef tacos won't find that here either. 'Our challenge right now is to try to educate people and send the right message about what it is we're doing,' the chef says. Luckily, the dishes speak for themselves. The hilachas are a traditional Guatemalan beef, carrot, and potato stew that Cristian grew up eating and the last dish his mom made for him during her final trip to Minnesota before she died. At Xelas, Cristian and his sous chef, Jose Cortes, have transformed it into short rib with a chile guaque demi-glace served with a root vegetable pavé. 'If you go to my house, my mom's hilachas are going to be different from your mom's hilachas,' Cristian says of the variation. The pepián, too, takes a different route here — rather than making this traditional chicken stew with pepitoria (roasted and ground squash seeds), it's crafted with the pepitas (pumpkin seeds) that are plentiful in Minnesota. The star of the show, though, is the taco omakase — an eight-course delight for $80 per person — comprising seven savory dishes and one sweet (currently a choco taco made with a cocoa tortilla that encases a chocolate mousse paired with popcorn and a passionfruit gel). As of early this spring, the omakase included an al pastor made with pork belly and grilled pineapple, the quesabirria that made the gas station spot a success, and an infladita carrying poached lobster floating in aguachile sauce, to name a few. 'We're using a lot of dry chiles. We're using quinoa, squash, and grains,' Cristian says of what drives the Mayan flavors home. The drinks: Dare I say the best part of the taco omakase was the drink pairings? If you're worried about overdoing it, fear not — the eight pairings for $35 a person are just the right size for sampling and feature two nonalcoholic courses. Bar director Zoilo Ruacho-Marquez and bar manager Daniel Torres serve creative cocktails that include white wine blends paired with pink flowers, a take on Mexico City's Batanga with yuzu, and a michelada made with the tomato water that drains off of pico de gallo. 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Xelas by El Sazon is located at 1180 W Frontage Rd. in Stillwater; open 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; reservations are available on Tock.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘I always felt like I didn't have enough': Why this American woman moved from California to Mexico 20 years ago
As a single mother of three 'living paycheck to paycheck' in California, Janet Blaser had become resigned to constantly worrying about paying her bills and always 'feeling less than.' However, she began reevaluating her life after a series of events led her to take a 'random vacation' to Mazatlán, Mexico in April 2005. 'I really wanted an adventure,' Janet tells CNN Travel. Less than a year later, she relocated from Santa Cruz, California, to the vibrant city, situated along Mexico's west coast. 'It's home now,' she adds. So what led Janet, originally from Long Island, New York, to pack up her life and move hundreds of miles away? 'My mom was ill and dying,' she says. 'And she really, really encouraged me to follow my dreams.' Janet goes on to explain that her mother was 'full of regrets' about 'things she hadn't done' as she neared the end of her life, and this 'stuck' in her head. Around the same time, Janet, who had worked as a reporter for years, was at a crossroads professionally and felt as though she needed to 'think outside the box.' 'I was 50,' she says. 'So I wasn't the candidate that people wanted.' Her children were all grown up by this point, and she was frustrated that she didn't own her own home after living in California for half of her life, and felt as though she'd never be able to achieve this. 'The prices were unbelievable,' she adds, admitting that she 'kind of felt invisible, or a little useless.' Keen for a change of scenery, Janet decided to travel to Mazatlán, a city she'd never visited previously, after reading about it online. 'I was in California, where there were so many Mexican Americans,' she says, explaining that she'd visited the country once previously, but had mainly vacationed in the Caribbean over the years. 'And I thought, 'Let me go to Mexico and see what it's like.' So I got to Mazatlán, and it sounds so corny, but it just touched my heart.' Janet goes on to explain that after spending several days of sunbathing, she took a walk to the Centro Historico and 'fell head over heels in love' with the area. 'Even now, I'm embarrassed to say that, because it seems so dorky,' she adds, explaining that 'felt like home' while walking through the town's cobblestone streets and taking in its old buildings. 'But I think when you're in the right place, you feel it. You sense it.' Although she'd never considered moving to Mexico before then, after 10 days in Mazatlán, Janet decided that it was exactly where she needed to be. 'I still needed to work,' Janet points out. 'And had the idea of publishing a magazine in English for the many Americans and Canadians living in and visiting Mazatlán… 'So that was my big aha moment.' Once she'd returned to Santa Cruz, Janet started 'fanatically' researching Mazatlán to determine whether it would be possible for her to move to the city and run a business there. Six months later, she returned for a month to get a real feel for the place before making a final decision. 'I wanted to see, could I actually live here and be comfortable,' she explains. 'I think that especially when you're in another country, where there's so many things that are different and unknown. 'To have kind of these little creature comforts to settle you is important. At least it is for me.' After determining that 'everything seemed to be workable,' Janet returned to the US and set about the process of winding down her life there. 'All my kids were really supportive,' she adds. In January 2006, Janet set off on a four-day road trip to Mazatlán, packing her belongings into her 'little car,' and leaving behind everything she knew. However, she admits that she quickly began to question her decision. 'I was caught up in the excitement of it,' Janet explains. 'And then once I started driving, I probably cried the whole four days. 'I cried and cried and cried. I was like, 'What am I doing?' And I kept calling them. And they'd be like, 'No, this is your dream. Go do your dream.'' Although she admits that she considered turning back at one point and struggled to read the Spanish road signs, Janet kept going. By the time she arrived in Mazatlán, everything 'felt familiar.' She moved into a rented property and set about integrating herself into the local community. 'It was really easy to meet people,' she says. 'So I felt really welcomed and like I could do this.' Janet, who had previously taken Spanish classes at a local high school, instantly took to life in Mazatlán, loving how friendly the people were and the fact that there was a 'close community of foreigners.' 'I was just so excited about being here,' she says. 'I had a little bit of savings. I had work online, and it was an adventure.' She loved the tropical climate, along with the 'live-and-let-live mindset' and found that she was continuously 'buoyed' by the excitement of her new adventure. 'Even if I'd get depressed or sad, I missed my kids, and couldn't call anybody,' she says. 'Then I go out the door and it's mango season. And they're literally falling on the sidewalk from a giant tree… I started surfing. There were just so many opportunities to have fun. 'I didn't have those in the States. I don't know why.' The lower living costs also helped immensely — Janet says that her rent was usually under $250 a month in her first few years in the country, while her cell phone and utility bills were also considerably less than she'd been paying in the US. 'That made a huge difference, obviously, in my stress level,' she says. 'I've never paid more than $35 a month for electricity, even with air conditioning running a lot during the summer.' However, while her life was more abundant, Janet stresses that she struggled at times and often felt lonely. 'It was not all easy,' she concedes, noting that getting Wi-Fi connected at home wasn't as simple as it is now, and her cell phone initially didn't work in Mexico, so she was unable to communicate with her family regularly for a while. Janet also discovered that her Spanish wasn't as good as she'd previously thought, and not being able to speak the language confidently meant that it was harder for her to form strong bonds. 'You can't joke with people, because you can't speak the language enough to make a joke,' she says, adding that her Spanish has since improved enough for her to be able to crack jokes comfortably. 'I find that's often a way to kind of break the ice and feel comfortable, to be kind of funny.' Although Janet loved the way of life in Mazatlán, she says that it took her 'about two-three years' to feel really acclimated. She initially found some of the cultural differences, such as the clothing styles, particularly for women, difficult to get used to. 'There's full makeup and stiletto heels in the grocery store at eight in the morning,' she says, stressing that this might not be the case in the rest of the country. 'And coming from hippie Santa Cruz, that was really weird for me.' Dating in Mexico also proved to be 'a whole different thing' for her, as the relationship dynamics were not what she was used to. 'The relationships with their families, that was expected to be part of the relationship with the boyfriend,' she says. 'So that was challenging to say the least.' Janet says she's learned to stop worrying about time so much and no longer panics if she's running late, as 'it's just not a big deal' there. 'The joke is, 'mañana' doesn't mean tomorrow. It's just a suggestion,' she says. Within two years of arriving, Janet had published the first issue of her magazine, aimed at foreigners living in the area, and went on to found the city's first organic farmer's market. Perhaps most importantly, she felt much happier and more valued. 'I don't want to say I've been depressed in Santa Cruz,' she says. 'But I've been stressed about having work and being able to pay the bills. 'And what was I going to do? And I was 50. And I didn't have those worries down here.' Janet was able to attain a permanent resident visa, known as an FM 3 at the time, relatively easily. 'The process and requirements have changed significantly since I got mine 19 years ago,' she notes. 'Now the financial requirements are much, much higher than they used to be.' Reflecting on her final years in California, Janet says that she had felt a lot of pressure due to 'the consumerism that's so much a part of American culture' and worried about things like not having a new car. 'In the States, I always felt like I didn't have enough and I wasn't succeeding,' she says. 'And I feel like I succeeded here, I was able to succeed. I started the business. I started the farmers market, which is still going on, and I've given myself a wonderful life.' Janet returns to the US to see her children and grandchildren regularly, but admits that she feels 'nervous' there now. 'My granddaughters have active shooter drills in their elementary school…' she says. 'I don't even know what to say about that.' The US State Department currently advises against traveling to six of Mexico's 32 states, with crime and kidnapping listed as the cause for advisories for several. While she's certainly aware of the crime issues in the country, Janet says that she's always felt safe there, and takes 'normal precautions for a single woman living in a big state.' 'Do I worry about random violence? No, it just doesn't happen here,' she says, adding that she feels that the issues on the 'border towns' are 'not indicative of the rest of the gigantic country that is Mexico.' 'People don't want to have guns. And that's a very different mindset than in the US… 'I don't worry when I go to Walmart that somebody's going to shoot me. I don't worry when I go to a street festival that someone's going to run a car through the people. 'I worry about that stuff when I'm in the US. And what do you do? I don't know how people live there.' However, Janet admits that she misses her family and would love to be able to spend more time in the US. 'In my perfect world, I would have a base in Mazatlán and be able to visit each of my three kids in the US for a month or so each year,' she adds, pointing out that she's also keen to spend more time in Italy after a recent vacation to the European country. 'I don't feel comfortable or at ease going back and forth to the US anymore,' she adds. Janet, who supports herself mainly through her social security benefits, says that she'd advise anyone considering moving to Mexico, to make sure that they have 'all their ducks in a row' before taking the plunge. 'We have this saying here that people often leave their brains at the border,' she says. 'So don't do that… 'Listen to your heart. As airy fairy as that sounds, Listen to your heart and you can create a life.' She published her first book, 'Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expats,' in 2019 and is currently working on a series about Americans living in other countries. When questioned about the impact of the growing number of foreigners who've flocked to Mexico in recent years, Janet notes that real estate prices in the country have likely risen as a result. 'Whether we like it or not, we're kind of glorified tourists, and our presence affects the local lifestyle in both positive and negative ways,' she says. Janet sometimes wonders about where she would have likely ended up if she hadn't taken that vacation to Mazatlán two decades ago, and says she has no idea. 'Where would I be? What would I be doing? I can't even imagine,' she says. 'I don't even know. I mean, would I be living with my son and his wife in Santa Cruz?… Would I have found work I could do?' Around four years ago, Janet decided to leave Mazatlán after becoming frustrated by the huge amount of development taking place in the city, moving to an inland mountain area in San Antonio Tlayacapan on the north shore of Lake Chapala, near Ajijic. 'Now there are 25 and 30 story condo towers with 300 condos just lined along the ocean,' she says. 'And I watched that happening, and it broke my heart.' However, less than a year later she realized that she'd made a mistake, and returned 'home.' 'Each time, I followed my heart. What can I say?' she explains. 'And when I moved, after six months, I was like, 'What am I doing here? What was I thinking? Where is the ocean? Where are my friends?'' Now happily back in Mazatlán, Janet currently lives in a studio apartment with a balcony, and an ocean view, paying around $550 a month in rent, including utilities. 'Nowhere is perfect, but Mazatlán has this heart,' she says. 'They call it the 'Corazón' (Spanish for 'heart.') 'And there is a warmth and a sense of community here. That is what originally attracted me to it… There's a heart here and that is still beating, even in the midst of all this development. 'There's still these really nice people. There's still family-owned restaurants and businesses. 'So I just figure I need to focus on that part of it and try not to look up at those big condos. And if I could afford to, I would buy one too.'
CNN
20 hours ago
- CNN
‘I always felt like I didn't have enough': Why this American woman moved from California to Mexico 20 years ago
As a single mother of three 'living paycheck to paycheck' in California, Janet Blaser had become resigned to constantly worrying about paying her bills and always 'feeling less than.' However, she began reevaluating her life after a series of events led her to take a 'random vacation' to Mazatlán, Mexico in April 2005. 'I really wanted an adventure,' Janet tells CNN Travel. Less than a year later, she relocated from Santa Cruz, California, to the vibrant city, situated along Mexico's west coast. 'It's home now,' she adds. So what led Janet, originally from Long Island, New York, to pack up her life and move hundreds of miles away? 'My mom was ill and dying,' she says. 'And she really, really encouraged me to follow my dreams.' Janet goes on to explain that her mother was 'full of regrets' about 'things she hadn't done' as she neared the end of her life, and this 'stuck' in her head. Around the same time, Janet, who had worked as a reporter for years, was at a crossroads professionally and felt as though she needed to 'think outside the box.' 'I was 50,' she says. 'So I wasn't the candidate that people wanted.' Her children were all grown up by this point, and she was frustrated that she didn't own her own home after living in California for half of her life, and felt as though she'd never be able to achieve this. 'The prices were unbelievable,' she adds, admitting that she 'kind of felt invisible, or a little useless.' Keen for a change of scenery, Janet decided to travel to Mazatlán, a city she'd never visited previously, after reading about it online. 'I was in California, where there were so many Mexican Americans,' she says, explaining that she'd visited the country once previously, but had mainly vacationed in the Caribbean over the years. 'And I thought, 'Let me go to Mexico and see what it's like.' So I got to Mazatlán, and it sounds so corny, but it just touched my heart.' Janet goes on to explain that after spending several days of sunbathing, she took a walk to the Centro Historico and 'fell head over heels in love' with the area. 'Even now, I'm embarrassed to say that, because it seems so dorky,' she adds, explaining that 'felt like home' while walking through the town's cobblestone streets and taking in its old buildings. 'But I think when you're in the right place, you feel it. You sense it.' Although she'd never considered moving to Mexico before then, after 10 days in Mazatlán, Janet decided that it was exactly where she needed to be. 'I still needed to work,' Janet points out. 'And had the idea of publishing a magazine in English for the many Americans and Canadians living in and visiting Mazatlán… 'So that was my big aha moment.' Once she'd returned to Santa Cruz, Janet started 'fanatically' researching Mazatlán to determine whether it would be possible for her to move to the city and run a business there. Six months later, she returned for a month to get a real feel for the place before making a final decision. 'I wanted to see, could I actually live here and be comfortable,' she explains. 'I think that especially when you're in another country, where there's so many things that are different and unknown. 'To have kind of these little creature comforts to settle you is important. At least it is for me.' After determining that 'everything seemed to be workable,' Janet returned to the US and set about the process of winding down her life there. 'All my kids were really supportive,' she adds. In January 2006, Janet set off on a four-day road trip to Mazatlán, packing her belongings into her 'little car,' and leaving behind everything she knew. However, she admits that she quickly began to question her decision. 'I was caught up in the excitement of it,' Janet explains. 'And then once I started driving, I probably cried the whole four days. 'I cried and cried and cried. I was like, 'What am I doing?' And I kept calling them. And they'd be like, 'No, this is your dream. Go do your dream.'' Although she admits that she considered turning back at one point and struggled to read the Spanish road signs, Janet kept going. By the time she arrived in Mazatlán, everything 'felt familiar.' She moved into a rented property and set about integrating herself into the local community. 'It was really easy to meet people,' she says. 'So I felt really welcomed and like I could do this.' Janet, who had previously taken Spanish classes at a local high school, instantly took to life in Mazatlán, loving how friendly the people were and the fact that there was a 'close community of foreigners.' 'I was just so excited about being here,' she says. 'I had a little bit of savings. I had work online, and it was an adventure.' She loved the tropical climate, along with the 'live-and-let-live mindset' and found that she was continuously 'buoyed' by the excitement of her new adventure. 'Even if I'd get depressed or sad, I missed my kids, and couldn't call anybody,' she says. 'Then I go out the door and it's mango season. And they're literally falling on the sidewalk from a giant tree… I started surfing. There were just so many opportunities to have fun. 'I didn't have those in the States. I don't know why.' The lower living costs also helped immensely — Janet says that her rent was usually under $250 a month in her first few years in the country, while her cell phone and utility bills were also considerably less than she'd been paying in the US. 'That made a huge difference, obviously, in my stress level,' she says. 'I've never paid more than $35 a month for electricity, even with air conditioning running a lot during the summer.' However, while her life was more abundant, Janet stresses that she struggled at times and often felt lonely. 'It was not all easy,' she concedes, noting that getting Wi-Fi connected at home wasn't as simple as it is now, and her cell phone initially didn't work in Mexico, so she was unable to communicate with her family regularly for a while. Janet also discovered that her Spanish wasn't as good as she'd previously thought, and not being able to speak the language confidently meant that it was harder for her to form strong bonds. 'You can't joke with people, because you can't speak the language enough to make a joke,' she says, adding that her Spanish has since improved enough for her to be able to crack jokes comfortably. 'I find that's often a way to kind of break the ice and feel comfortable, to be kind of funny.' Although Janet loved the way of life in Mazatlán, she says that it took her 'about two-three years' to feel really acclimated. She initially found some of the cultural differences, such as the clothing styles, particularly for women, difficult to get used to. 'There's full makeup and stiletto heels in the grocery store at eight in the morning,' she says, stressing that this might not be the case in the rest of the country. 'And coming from hippie Santa Cruz, that was really weird for me.' Dating in Mexico also proved to be 'a whole different thing' for her, as the relationship dynamics were not what she was used to. 'The relationships with their families, that was expected to be part of the relationship with the boyfriend,' she says. 'So that was challenging to say the least.' Janet says she's learned to stop worrying about time so much and no longer panics if she's running late, as 'it's just not a big deal' there. 'The joke is, 'mañana' doesn't mean tomorrow. It's just a suggestion,' she says. Within two years of arriving, Janet had published the first issue of her magazine, aimed at foreigners living in the area, and went on to found the city's first organic farmer's market. Perhaps most importantly, she felt much happier and more valued. 'I don't want to say I've been depressed in Santa Cruz,' she says. 'But I've been stressed about having work and being able to pay the bills. 'And what was I going to do? And I was 50. And I didn't have those worries down here.' Janet was able to attain a permanent resident visa, known as an FM 3 at the time, relatively easily. 'The process and requirements have changed significantly since I got mine 19 years ago,' she notes. 'Now the financial requirements are much, much higher than they used to be.' Reflecting on her final years in California, Janet says that she had felt a lot of pressure due to 'the consumerism that's so much a part of American culture' and worried about things like not having a new car. 'In the States, I always felt like I didn't have enough and I wasn't succeeding,' she says. 'And I feel like I succeeded here, I was able to succeed. I started the business. I started the farmers market, which is still going on, and I've given myself a wonderful life.' Janet returns to the US to see her children and grandchildren regularly, but admits that she feels 'nervous' there now. 'My granddaughters have active shooter drills in their elementary school…' she says. 'I don't even know what to say about that.' The US State Department currently advises against traveling to six of Mexico's 32 states, with crime and kidnapping listed as the cause for advisories for several. While she's certainly aware of the crime issues in the country, Janet says that she's always felt safe there, and takes 'normal precautions for a single woman living in a big state.' 'Do I worry about random violence? No, it just doesn't happen here,' she says, adding that she feels that the issues on the 'border towns' are 'not indicative of the rest of the gigantic country that is Mexico.' 'People don't want to have guns. And that's a very different mindset than in the US… 'I don't worry when I go to Walmart that somebody's going to shoot me. I don't worry when I go to a street festival that someone's going to run a car through the people. 'I worry about that stuff when I'm in the US. And what do you do? I don't know how people live there.' However, Janet admits that she misses her family and would love to be able to spend more time in the US. 'In my perfect world, I would have a base in Mazatlán and be able to visit each of my three kids in the US for a month or so each year,' she adds, pointing out that she's also keen to spend more time in Italy after a recent vacation to the European country. 'I don't feel comfortable or at ease going back and forth to the US anymore,' she adds. Janet, who supports herself mainly through her social security benefits, says that she'd advise anyone considering moving to Mexico, to make sure that they have 'all their ducks in a row' before taking the plunge. 'We have this saying here that people often leave their brains at the border,' she says. 'So don't do that… 'Listen to your heart. As airy fairy as that sounds, Listen to your heart and you can create a life.' She published her first book, 'Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expats,' in 2019 and is currently working on a series about Americans living in other countries. When questioned about the impact of the growing number of foreigners who've flocked to Mexico in recent years, Janet notes that real estate prices in the country have likely risen as a result. 'Whether we like it or not, we're kind of glorified tourists, and our presence affects the local lifestyle in both positive and negative ways,' she says. Janet sometimes wonders about where she would have likely ended up if she hadn't taken that vacation to Mazatlán two decades ago, and says she has no idea. 'Where would I be? What would I be doing? I can't even imagine,' she says. 'I don't even know. I mean, would I be living with my son and his wife in Santa Cruz?… Would I have found work I could do?' Around four years ago, Janet decided to leave Mazatlán after becoming frustrated by the huge amount of development taking place in the city, moving to an inland mountain area in San Antonio Tlayacapan on the north shore of Lake Chapala, near Ajijic. 'Now there are 25 and 30 story condo towers with 300 condos just lined along the ocean,' she says. 'And I watched that happening, and it broke my heart.' However, less than a year later she realized that she'd made a mistake, and returned 'home.' 'Each time, I followed my heart. What can I say?' she explains. 'And when I moved, after six months, I was like, 'What am I doing here? What was I thinking? Where is the ocean? Where are my friends?'' Now happily back in Mazatlán, Janet currently lives in a studio apartment with a balcony, and an ocean view, paying around $550 a month in rent, including utilities. 'Nowhere is perfect, but Mazatlán has this heart,' she says. 'They call it the 'Corazón' (Spanish for 'heart.') 'And there is a warmth and a sense of community here. That is what originally attracted me to it… There's a heart here and that is still beating, even in the midst of all this development. 'There's still these really nice people. There's still family-owned restaurants and businesses. 'So I just figure I need to focus on that part of it and try not to look up at those big condos. And if I could afford to, I would buy one too.'
