Okay, so in talking with some new individuals coming, I managed to scrape together the list of items I always manage to forget – but things I wish I would have brought….:)
So here they are:
In place of a small heater, as the morns and nights can get chilly, if I would have brought 2-3 more blankets, flannel sheets, maybe a comforter, wow, much better! I did not get a heater and am glad, as the electric is so cheap without one, and with the blanket and comforter I bought her, (total maybe, 150.00 USD), I could have saved even that with just bringing blankets and comforter.
I would suggest bringing a good set of sheets, maybe 2 – that you like, you can get any mattress you want here, so don’t worry about that. I had tons of good sheets, even flannel, and wished I would have brought them!
Curtains – YES! Even though I found places that you can get fabric for dirt cheap, it would have been MUCH easier to bring curtains, AND the rings instead of the curtain rod kind, that way you can use any curtains whether you need a curtain rod or you need rings that hang the curtains.
SHOES – OH MYGOSH – I would stock up on at least 2 good running shoes, then 2 good pair of comfy shoes for non running/walking, just the choices here are slim and they do not last as long as good shoes I liked in the U.S. One of my biggest forgets I wish I would not have!
A small radio/alarm, dock for ipod radio if you can. Anything electronic is expensive, this would have solved my radio, alarm clock, etc all in one!
Camera, I would bring two, just in case…:)
hard drive storage – you will want LOTS of pictures, grab an external drive in the states to store all your info on safely, and format it for a MAC and PC, if you use PC, since the school here is all MAC, I had files on my PC, I should have formatted my hard drive for a PC AND a Mac.
Items to drill into cement walls, I could have used a small drill to drill my paintings, frames, etc into the cement walls, as that is pretty dominant here.
Sweatpants, running shorts, yes, I should have brought those!
Come to think of it, this sounds strange, but I would have liked it. I wish I would have grabbed an digital audio recorder, those small, fit in your hand recorders that turn on when voice is heard. WOW, I could have carried that around with me and picked up on phrases around me and compared them to the Spanish I was learning.
I am glad I brought/had shipped my scarf, gloves, and hat – not winter here, but cold enough in the AM and evening when I first get that they make me comfortable.
If you want to tour places, a good pair of cross training boots/walking shoes that could be versatile enough for both could not have hurt.
Hmmmm, these things would have been great! 🙂 Hindsight is 20/20 – mine is usually 20/50, lol. 🙂
Oh, this is very strange but wow how useful. The SWIFFER with the wipes that come with them. This would have been the BEST mop (it folds up) and eliminates a bucket, and would be hands down, the BEST thing I could have gotten for cleaning, the mops here, um, well, no. Get a Swiffer, bring it, you will be a happy person. Trust me.
PAVEing a Blog 
Obviously the only way to get they is with a large U-Haul moving van! What ever happened to “When in Rome….”?
U Haul can’t come into Mexico, lol…:) But this is mainly for the new hires, all else can be gotten here, no problem, lol…:)
Your a great help! I will follow your advice and stock up on these items before I arrive We will meet come September. Soon to be colleague! I guess your just gonna have to guess from all the new employees who’s the crazy person from the internet huh. LoL
What’s the deal with biking? Safe/not safe? Any insight?
Signed,
Jim Bean ( If that is really my name muhahahahahah)
🙂 Hola! Biking, there is a place is Condesa, believe it or not, 9:00 PM at night it starts and winds around various areas, this is in a Thursday! 🙂 On Saturdays there are all day bikes rides in the street in certain areas. I get a little nervous during the busy hours as cars really don’t consider much for pedestrians or bikers in the street! 🙂
oh wow… that sounds fun… Hey question for you. How far is where you live from a YMCA? I am a big fan of the YMCA and really would like to play some kind of role in the Y in Mexico City. I just love playing basketball and I know at the YMCA there usually are pickup games along with really a place that has a good sense of community in the facility. It’s not just a gym were you run on the treadmill with earphones and forget everything; there is actual communication. I have googled it but really your on the ground floor there so you might give me a better sense of distance relative to walking/train/bus.
Thanks!
http://www.ymca.org.mx/uni_deportivas_directorio.html
Hey man! Got a few questions for you. Thanks of all again for your help! I finally got my ASF email. I guess this legitimizes this whole thing eh? Who am I? this surely you have asked Well in August you will find out. Fun little game as you head into the New Year. I hope this doesn’t sound strange but I am trying to figure out the costs of certain items so that I know whether to wait to purchase or buy them in America. What are the costs of socks, underwear, white t’s, jeans and even hygiene products. You don’t have to give a specific price but you know just your knowledge in this area. Are they equivalent in pesos to the US dollar purchase price or cheaper?
Can’t wait to move man. Just counting the days. Looking for a new adventure.
Signed,
Jim Bean
Okay here we go…:)
No prob with the help. Glad to do it. 🙂 Look forward to meeting you on August, I have been talking to so many new hires lately, wow!
Boxers – three pair – 104.00 peso, socks, two pair roughly 25 pesos, jeans – like 300 pesos, hygiene products and such are really not that different, again, bring shoes with you and get extra pairs with you, the choices here are not that great at all. Get jeans I would say in the states, that is my feeling. White t’s I really don’t think any different than the U.S.. Authentic Mexican attire dirt cheap here and well made, and pretty nice looking, so I hardly brought many clothes and just the items I mentioned I wish I would have brought but I have done well being a minimalist! Let me know if that helps? 🙂
Hey thanks for your help Harry! Harry another question 🙂 ,,,,Do you take the metro in the morning to work? How long is the general commute? How far of a walk does the metro bus or train drop a person away from the school? Would you recommend bringing a car? I have read parking is hard to come by but if I found adequate housing with resources that wouldn’t be an issue.
How have you found your ability to learn Spanish? I recognize in an earlier post you mentioned that you are currently taking classes. Have you found it an easy language to learn?
We are grateful to have you answer our questions. As the date nears, I am getting excited. I am not anxious or nervous just giddy to breathe a new air so to speak. I enjoy my life here but adventure is calling me.
Signed,
Jim Bean
Hey thanks for your help Harry! Harry another question ,,,,Do you take the metro in the morning to work?
I always take the metro! 🙂 There are metro buses, taxis, etc all around me, yet I stick with walking and the metro – I like the basic way there without having to pay for a taxi, definitely. Commute – maybe 30 minutes – an hour when you are stuck in traffic, I am not that far but riving is not the easy – if people see a non Mexican plate, you are more likely to be stopped….I have not had my truck here at all and have not needed it AT ALL. I even have an apartment where I can park my truck, and don’t have one! I am going back to the states over Spring Break and actually driving my truck back to Mexico! – but only plan on using maybe once a month, there are days during the week you can’t drive per year of your car to cut down on the pollution and amount of vehicles on the road, you have to maintain some sort of liability insurance obviously, using an international company, and you have to normally have a house that has the place to park the vehicle. Seems like more hassle for something you do not need. However, if you want to take a long weekend drive, that mitt be nice in place of taking the bus? Parking is at premium to say the least….:)
How have you found your ability to learn Spanish? I recognize in an earlier post you mentioned that you are currently taking classes. Have you found it an easy language to learn?
My spanish I can recognize slightly better, the classes have definitely helped, but I have so many other things going on, it is hard to get that on focus ONLY – so that is my fault. With getting banking, closing things in the U.S., and so many other things, well, it has been difficult to say the least but I recommend taking classes as soon s you can. I like it, just I am not spending as much time as I wish, as I am taking grad classes at the same time, and have a lot of other things happening at the same time!
We are grateful to have you answer our questions. As the date nears, I am getting excited. I am not anxious or nervous just giddy to breathe a new air so to speak. I enjoy my life here but adventure is calling me.
Speaking of the air remember, it will take awhile for your lungs to adjust to the high altitude. Also, the air is definitely not a clean as it is in the states, not like unclean can’t see, but unclean like – hard to breathe sometimes when you run, etc. I am still adjusting to that I find?
Hope this helps?
Overall though, the experience here is amazing, and I love Mexico for the cultural aspects I would never get anywhere else…there are many things you need to learn are different, and once you settle with this, you will find, this becomes one of the best experiences ever!
Signed,
Jim Bean
Hey Harry! Me again! I have a stupid question to ask. I know there is no advisory for Mex City and all that but……listen….I will just be forthright. I have a lot of nice clothes and my fear is that if I wear any of this it will draw some unneeded attention my way. Though my safety fears really have been alleviated due to research and obviously showing vigilance at the same time…mex city is very much cosmo so I am guessing people walk the streets wearing the trendiest clothes… I hope you were able to understand the question somewhere in there..thanks for your help..
Jim Bean
I would not war your BEST clothes – ties and shirts walking out of the school are kind of like a neon sign – unless you are walking with others? I waited to get clothes here, but brought a fee dress shirts, ties, etc. I would go somewhere in between….:) Does this help?
Subject: Items I wish I would have brought, but I didn’t…:)
Ocasion: write about things Mr. Brake would have brought to Mexico, and to help people that might come to live here.
Audience: He is talking to a general public.
Purpose: Casual Blogging.
Speaker: The one talking is Harry Brake, he is helping future residents of Mexico City to bring things that will make their living easier here.
Tone: Friendly tone, the smiley faces make it seem really happy.
Subject: Items I wish I would have brought, but I didn’t…:)
Ocasion: Items that he would have brought to make his life easier in Mexico.
Audience: People who are thinking or are moving to Mexico.
Purpose: I believe this is a helpful blog because it helps people who are going to move to Mexico.
Speaker: Mr. Harry Brake is an American living in Mexico trying to help people who are planning to to live in Mexico.
Tone:Very friendly amd helpful.