My dream is to move to Cancun, I have no idea where to begin. Help por favor!

[Kasidy]

Hola!!! I'm a 19 year old American girl, extremely interested in the Mexican culture, I took a trip to Cancun and absolutely fell in love with everything about Mexico, it was really hard for me to leave. It's been on my mind since the moment I left.

I'm very determined to move there, I just have no idea on how to go about this. I've tried searching online, but everywhere seems to show that I'm hopeless since it's apparently difficult to find jobs and to get a work Visa... yet theres no way I'm going to give this up!!

Is it really that difficult to get a job in Cancun? No hablo mucho espanol but I am learning!! I hope to speak it fluently when I move there. Anyone have any advice here? Also, how do I go about getting a work Visa? Is it really that hard to get? Should I find a job BEFORE moving there, or find an apartment there, move, and THEN start looking for a job and get a work Visa in Mexico? How does it all work, and whats the best way?

I'm willing to do absolutely anything there is to do to make this happen as soon as possible. I'm on my own figuring it out, so I need help!!! ANY advice would mean the world to me, muchas gracias.

[Cancunscorpio]

Just 1 thing to remember-there is a HUUUGE, enormous difference between going to Cancun for 1 weeks vacation and living in Cancun permanently.

Never blend tourism and immigration.

[Kasidy]

I understand that, I was there for 3 weeks, I really want to experience what it would be like actually living out there, I know it's nothing like a vacation it's completely different and actually very difficult, but it's something I really would like to try since I can't get my mind off of it

[Steve]

Just curious, what was it that during your vacation made you think that Cancun would be a good place to live? No offence, but I'm hoping it isnt a guy you met here or a desire to be out partying every night. Neither of those options work very often.

Jobs are very hard to come by and usually poorly paid. At your tender age competition is going to be fierce. You'll be competing with people who already speak Spanish and have much more work/life experience. Think about what skills you really have to offer to a foreign country in an area based largely on tourism. Right now is the downturn on the year with occupancy rates dropping and it wont pick up again until Christmas - now is not a good time to be job hunting.

If you really are serious, then you shouldn't look for a place to live or a job on line before you get here. Come with enough money to last you several months, and get you back home safely if needs be. Sort out a cheap hotel in the short term, pound the streets looking for a place, pour over the job adverts in the newspaper and you just might find something if you're lucky. If you do find a job then don't worry too much about work Visas etc as your employer should see to that for you.

Cancun is a very difficult place to live, it's not cheap, not easy to find a job and there's no one to pick you up if you fall. It's full of people who will happily take advantage of you. Yes the sun shines most days and the beaches and nightlife are great, but living here can be a very difficult challenge.

[V]

Ninety, and no thoughts for the future, OK: nineteen, without any plans other than to live somewhere appealing- not so OK.

These are the years in which you can be laying the groundwork for a sound beginning in life with education in an area of work that will be in demand for the foreseeable future, not idling away the years serving those with money, and education.

It's pissing away your best years to come down here and take a crap job just so you can get by; or, failing in that, to piss away whatever money you may come down with.

Frankly, most of those I know who've been here since they were young are still just "getting by", with no savings, no retirement- not even a first university degree, and no future unless their kids somehow manage to do better than they did.

Some I know have done better than that, and no one can predict how it will go for you here, but there are other paths with more likelihood of success. One of those, which has worked for a few, is to come here and get an education, here. The university where I work costs just 2,000 pesos per semester for tuition, and offers several degree plans which could be a stepping stone for some. But, to do this would require that you have some financial backing- family, for example, willing to underwrite your living expenses- because jobs available for the very young pay unbelievably badly. Most of my students who work full time- cashier at Costco, for example- report earnings of just 20 pesos/hour, with deductions for any shortages occurring on their shift. The earnings range is from 17 to 25 pesos per hour for those who have jobs, here. You may never have had to live that poorly, in your life. Think about it.
_____________________

[Gringation]

I'll throw in a small ray of hope. I moved to Cancun at the age of nineteen (and for a boy, too! Even though that part didn't work out haha), and things are going well for me six years later.

I agree with V that if possible, your best option would be to go to school here, so long as your parents could support you financially. That's what I did, and it turned out great. (You would have to learn pretty fluent Spanish before your admissions test, though!)

If that's not an option, you would have to do what Steve said. Save enough money to come down here for a few months while you look for a job and a place to live. Just be aware that most jobs here pay very small wages, and there's a lot of competition because jobs that hire foreigners are few and far between. Also, most places prefer to hire Mexican workers over foreigners, and many don't want to take the risk of asking for your work visa because many foreigners come down, get a job, get tired of it, then leave. In other words, we're seen as a risk to potential employers.

You can't get a work visa until a company actually hires you. Your employer has to request your visa. That means that you would initially be here on a 180-day tourist visa.

I won't try to change your mind because I've been in your exact same position. Just be aware of how hard it is to find a job, build up a trustworthy network of friends, support yourself financially, overcome culture shock and learn the language, all while separated from your family and friends. It can be done, but it's the hardest thing you'll ever do.

[T.J.]

July 3 was my 7 year anniversary of living here. But I am far beyond 19. My suggestions if you are serious about moving here.
1. Come for 3 months, along with enough money for all of your costs. You won't be able to work anyway as has been pointed out.
2. Live downtown as it is the only place you will be able to afford should you end up here. You will find that you need a roommate in order to find a halfway decent place. See #3. In the short run-#1-you will need someone looking for a roommate or to live alone. How are your Spanish skills? In the Hotel Zone everyone speaks a little English. Not so in the real Cancun.
3. Do not move here for a guy. It rarely works; very rarely. With all due respect to my many Mexican friends, you do not want a BMW. It's not in their plan. Oh, BWM is not a car. It is a Broke Mexican Waiter.
4. You will need to be near public transportation, meaning a bus line, which is the cheapest way to get around. Don't forget that it rains here which can be a problem if you have to get to work on time and dry.
5. Be prepared for street flooding, cable tv for the most part in Spanish, interuptions in service for all of your utilities. You can't pay bills by check or autopay for the most part so you have to go to the electric, phone, gas, water and cell phone companies-although you can refill your prepaid cell and pay certain bills at the Walmart type stores or at OXXO (for a fee).
6. You need access to more money than you think, probably at least double. I suggest that you have a Bank of America internet account in the states. You can take money out, in pesos, at ATMS, but at Santander (a big bank) there are no fees on any part of the transaction. If your family is going to help fund your adventure, make sure they have an ATM card and password to your account. There are NO fees from BOA if deposits are made at a BOA ATM. If dad walks into the bank to put $$ in your account, they charge you $12.95 for the month of the transaction.
7. I disagree that it is expensive to live here. It can be but it does not have to be. My water bill is like $6, gas $20, local phone that you really don't need $30, cable depends on the package but mine is like $52. My electric runs under $50 per month but the bill comes every two months. Prepaid cell phone plans can run you $40 or less per month if you are careful. I have a plan with internet and mine runs about $100. I own a 2BR, 1 bath apt so I have no rent. But you can get a decent place in a semi decent hood for $400-$450 a month, but you will need furniture. Groceries are cheaper for me than in the US but if you want US products they are available but you pay dearly. Organic peanut butter that I can smuggle in at $4-$5 a jar is $7. A $3 bag of Frito's Scoops is $4.50.
8. This forum is a great place for the best info from the "been there, done that" crowd. I have so many good friends, real friends, that I met online 10 years ago and in person over the years. ToriB and I emailed and messsaged for a couple of years and met for the first time as soon as she moved here. We are dear friends now. She started with a BMW but now has a wonderful boyfriend who is also a great friend as well as a great guy. We even share the same housekeeper. V and I talk nearly every day and have had many great times. Cancunfun and her hubby are my BFF's, always and forever. This is an amazing place to network.

That's about it, so over and out,
T.J.

[T.J.]

Hey V,
Why don't you talk about living all over town for a couple of years, getting the lay of the land and finally finding the perfect place for you and your bride to live.

[V]

T.J., one telling comment I could have made is that, although I´ve lived and worked in six other countries besides Mexico, Mexico was by far the most difficult place for me to get started in. It took me a year of serious effort to land my current position. If I had needed to be working, I´d have been in real trouble.

[Gringation]

"BMW"! hahahaha I had one of those

And I agree with TJ, Cancun can be pretty cheap if you want it to be. When I was in college here, my share of rent was only $2000 pesos a month (living in nice areas with roommates) and my living expenses were $4000 pesos a month (utilities, groceries, cell phone, transportation, school supplies, fun money, etc) and it went a long way!

[Cancunscorpio]

Well put, TJ.
I've lived and worked in many countries around the world, and tend to agree with **V**- Mexico and Cancun are the hardest to settle down in and get a decent living.
Yes, people are nice and friendly, the sun is shining and beaches are wonderful. But life does not revolve around the beach and sunshine 24/7/365....
Cancun is a perfect place for a vacation or an extended vacation, especially for those in the age range from 16 to 28. Cancun is a party place, and I really suspect, that partying and stuff was in fact the MAIN attraction for the topic starter.
But life is NOT a party. One has to have money to party.

I don't think that getting education in Mexico is a good idea for someone who can get an education in the USA. It is VERY hard for a foreigner to get by , while studying in Mexico. We are talking apples and oranges here.

My advice is to keep coming to Cancun for several year while getting an education and learning Spanish , living in the USA.
And remember-American and Canadians are used to a completely different lifestyle and life standards than Mexicans.
Living in Mexico has never been a problem for me, since I've lived in Russia and Ukraine:-))) But even Cancun (not a Hotel Zone) can be a culture shock for an American. I know some places in Cancun which you would NOT want to see, day or night....

If I were to settle down in Mexico, I'd target places like Akumal. Or even better-try to settle down and find a good job in Aruba or St. Maarten. Just go there and compare...
You are 19 and still have tons of time...

Good luck!!

[Cancunscorpio]

Add on: you state that you are interested in Mexican culture:-))
Well, there is NO Mexican culture in Cancun. There are Mexicans, sure thing.
But NO genuine Mexican culture.
You have to go to Valladolid, Merida, Veracruz, Puebla, or even Mexico City to find the REAL Mexican culture!!!
Or even better-stop in one of those smaller towns or villages in continental Mexico! I love doing that!!! That's when you feel that you are in Mexico!!!!!
And I don't care that the floor in those cabins is NOT laminated!!! :-))
I feel the spirit of Mexico there!!!! And souvenirs and stuff are all authentic, REAL things!! And not touristy BS as in Cancun or Riviera Maya.

[matkirk]

I'm guessing Kassidy doesn't want to come here forever, she just wants a bit of life experience. I say go for it! Get yourself money together for 3 months and come down and see how you go. Whether you make it for 3 months or a year it's should be a great bit of fun life experience and well worth doing!

Moving to a new country when you're young is loads of fun - discovering a new culture, more about yourself, it's a massive learning experience in general and you can go home with a new perspective on life, perhaps appreciating more what you have there or a clearer view of where you want life to take you.

Worry about visas, jobs, houses etc. when you get here (just make sure you bring at least 3 months money with you!!)

My advice, just do it - if you don't you'll be regretting it. Who knows you might regret if you do, but at least you'll have learnt something and you can always jump on a plane home.

[Kasidy]

Matkirk hit exactly what I'm going for right there. I am extremely young, only 19, but ever since I can remember I've always had big dreams of being out in the world on my own. I understand it's going to be one of the most difficult dreams to pursue, but I want that challenge. If it doesn't work of course I'll head back home and start figuring out my next big plan, but as of right now my heart is set on doing this!

I already have a few thousand saved up and of course I'll save up much more so I know that no matter what I will be GOOD when I'm down there.

NO i'm not going down for a boy!! (That would be nice, haha) I want to do this for the experience, for the challenge, discovering something new about the world. and NO not for the party atmosphere, don't get me wrong, the clubs were tons of fun, but most definitely not the reason for wanting to live there. There are plenty of fun parties in the USA

All the info about how hard it is getting a job is heart breaking, I've done some online research and found some job hirings in Cancun online which i'm currently fixing up my resume to send in.

Hablo espanol un poco but I'm currently learning!! I understand that in downtown Cancun noone speaks English like on the hotel zones, another challenge i'm looking forward to. (I know, i'm weird)

THANKS for all the replies, I'm taking in every bit of advice you all can give me

[Cancunscorpio]

As I wrote-just come down for shorter periods of time, like 2-3 months.
19 is a nice age, but it's also a nice age to go to the University and get yourself some education. Most of my traveling did happen AFTER my university graduation or while I was getting my second degree. Remember-it's not that easy to study something when you are , say, 25-27 y.o. and have a lot more responsibilities in life.

It's 99.9% impossible to get a job in Cancun online. Yes, they do advertise online, but they'd always take someone LOCAL, just to avoid all the hustle with visas, permits and stuff.

Un poco de espanol will not take you far in Cancun, especially if you are interested in local culture and meeting people.

Being able to speak Spanish is a MUST in Mexico. You can be fine with just English in for example Sweden or Holland, but not in Mexico.

[rawkus]

@Kasidy: Do it!

If everything goes bad, well, you have only a few hours to fly home.

Try it - it will make you grow as a person, for sure!

You can get by with only English, at least in Cancun. I did so for 1 year, and I know a LOT of hardheaded Americans and Canadians whom simply refuse to even try to learn the language, even the easiest parts, yet, they live here and have been doing so for quite a few years.

The basic Spanish will come fairly quickly, so no stress.


Best of luck!

[rawkus]

Also, if you are prepared to try the time-share business, there are plentiful companies that will hire you without any Spanish whatsoever, and they will arrange the visa for you.

[Cancunscorpio]

Just don't forget that in time share business your salary is 100% commission based, and you have to sell a lot to earn a little:-))))
Don't rely on time shares as your source of income;-))

[rawkus]

Scorpio: Correct. There are many crappy companies for each good, so IF time share is something you'd wanna try, do some research on each company.


Entertainment staff at hotels could be another thing to try?

Even some tour companies hire English speakers only for the sales department.

Copywriters/editors are another thing that one can do with very limited Spanish. Obviously editing English writing.

There ARE jobs - just be persistent and bring a reasonable amount of cash as a backup, like everyone has mentioned already.

I have a friend who does on-line English teaching. She works 7am to 11am, then 3pm to 7pm. Monday to Friday. It gives her around 1200 $USD/month.

[ToriB]

Kasidy. I will respond to your PM soon...promise. But I really think coming here and going to a Spanish Emersion school for three months is the prefect thing to do. Most include room and possible board. So all you would need is spending $. Kill 2 birds with one stone. Learn spanish/coulture while living in "paradise".

Teeeejay, thanks for the shout out. It brought a smile to Rene's face. You and some others on this forum have come to my rescue when in need and I am forever grateful. LOVE the BMW phrase. Working in hotels I see daily girls talking about giving up so much for them. I wouldn't have changed a thing about being here. Sometimes risks bring the best rewards

[mexipat]

Originally Posted by Cancunscorpio

Un poco de espanol will not take you far in Cancun, especially if you are interested in local culture and meeting people.

Being able to speak Spanish is a MUST in Mexico. You can be fine with just English in for example Sweden or Holland, but not in Mexico.

Lots of expats in Mexico speak no Spanish and get along pretty well.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by mexipat

Lots of expats in Mexico speak no Spanish and get along pretty well.

True, I am one of them! I wouldn't say "no Spanish" but not as good as it might be after 7 years.

Thing is I'm not 19 years old and looking to find a job, I also have a wife who is a native speaker to cover everything in Spanish I need.

There are jobs, but like I said before they are hard to come by and competitive. Now is not a great time to look for a job with the annual season downturn. If you seem like you're not here for the long haul then it's going to be even harder. Employers don't want to invest money in visa applications and training if you might be gone next month.

Timeshare sales is always an option, but they hire and fire without a second thought and its commission only. Timeshare telesales are probably the jobs you will find online. It might seem great to live in Cancun but if you're working in a cubicle for 10 hrs a day 6 days a week on a crappy wage cold calling clients 99% of whom wish you'd never called how much fun will living here really be?

[Kasidy]

Well like I said if I end up hating it then I can always come home.... but i know i've got to try. I feel like if I dont atleast give it a go, i'll be thinking about it all the time and regret not seeing what would happen.

So the jobs that they have hiring online arn't trustworthy? I found one hiring for a sales associate at one of the resorts, which I think would be perfect for me!!!

as for my spanish, I just bought the Pimsleur software and it seems to be working pretty well, I have some friends who know how bad i want to speak it fluently who will now ONLY talk to me in espanol, and will ONLY respond if i speak it back, haha... so that is definitely something i'm hoping to improve on.

[PatoPan]

I say go for it! If you've got the money saved up, you've always got something to fall back on. When I came out here two years ago it took me a week to find a job, and even though I speak Spanish, it was because of my English that they hired me. I would say that the time share companies can be a good option, depending on when you work for them. During high season, the earnings can be quite lucrative, or for Mexico at least!

For the Spanish part, learning from Spanish friends is a great idea - I studied Spanish at university, but have learnt to speak properly during my time here. The idea suggested above of studying Spanish here would be ideal as well, if this is your aim. It is NOT necessary however, just helpful - locals appreciate the effort you made to learn the language, I find.

At the end of the day, you're at a perfect age to do this. Back in the UK thousands of teenagers take a gap year before going to university to travel the world, experience that feeling of independence, etc. before they face the responsibility of having to make a living, have a family etc. If you've got the support of people back home, and money saved up for if thigns don't go as planned, then you've got nothing to lose.

[TraceyUk]

I think its important for people to follow their dreams.............go for it.

[CancunNurse]

You have to try, to know whether or not you can succeed. If you don't try, you'll always question whether or not you could've done it....that's what my husband said to me when I said we were crazy for moving to Cancun...that was 13 years ago!

[kathy_caribe]

Originally Posted by Gringation

I'll throw in a small ray of hope. I moved to Cancun at the age of nineteen (and for a boy, too! Even though that part didn't work out haha), and things are going well for me six years later.

I agree with V that if possible, your best option would be to go to school here, so long as your parents could support you financially. That's what I did, and it turned out great. (You would have to learn pretty fluent Spanish before your admissions test, though!)

I have a question for you about university. We put my son 2 years back in school (secundaria 2a) so he could catch up on fluency. It has been really difficult for him (as you can imagine) because the Spanish classes are at a rather high level and there was absolutely NO teaching of the language at that level. Next year he will skip 3a of secundaria and jump into 1a of prepa. So he will not have taken the end of secundaria test. Assuming he graduates from prepa (we're hoping to have him jump 2a of prepa to finally catch up with his age group) it will be at 19. Will there be difficulty entering university at that advanced an age? Is there an age limit on entering university? Thanks so much in advance! (we're thinking 1 year in MX university for the language and experince and then back to the US for the rest of university education)

[V]

At my university, which is a State of Quintana Roo institution, there is no apparent upper age limit, with students I've known who have enrolled for the first time in their forties. There's many new students in their mid to late twenties.

[Gringation]

kathy_caribe: At my university there didn't seem to be an age limit. Most of the students in my class began at age 18, although there were a few of us who began at 19, and several who were in their early-mid 20s. I have also seen a few students around campus in their 30s and 40s.

Entering university at 19 or 20 should be no issue for your son.

[Du Cooke]

Hey Kasidy been reading over your messages and reply's think it's a great idea that cancun has had that affect on you, its an amazing place, I'm in the same boat as your self I'm a little older but not much but am planning on relocating from UK over there in the next couple of years after finishing in Uni, I have cash saved and that will continue until the time is right, these guys have been so helpful on here with the amount of info and personal experience they've giving I've been firing away at the questions and have got some great feedback and even though I only been got to cancun since 2006 I started to build a bigger picture of what life just might be like over there and its thanx to the guys & dolls on here, but be sure in your self that this what you want, take more time to plan it out, rally research in to the behind the scenes of cancun and mexican laws etc, its alot to skip to far different place a big step indeed, but I say follow what you think is gonna be best for you but always have a back up plan & that get out of jail card handy. good luck you & who know might bump in to yeah in the future in paradise !!!