* Seek local advice - my household staff, who is now a dear friend, is my best source of critical info that I need to know. Following Lydia's advice always works and leads me down an easy stress-free path for repairs and services. I thank Lydia every day for sharing her experience and wisdom.

* Develop a local support system by getting involved in the community - it is critical for 

building relationships and helping you

 through tough times.  

In San Pancho many people volunteer at Entreamigos or Turtle Frank, and there are many other organizations that you can get involved with, all of which would welcome your help and support.  

Entreamigos is dedicated to the education of children and teens. It is operated by staff and supported by volunteers in the community. EA phone number is 311 258 4377

 

* Laugh frequently

 

* Be flexible

 

* Find your passion, our driving force. Find something that aligns with your values and beliefs. Let this be your purpose and let it flow.

 

* Seek friends with similar interests and welcome those with different backgrounds to learn new things

 

* Nurturing my past relationships through internet and phone calls is easy. My family loves to visit, particularly when I gift them a ticket! And... this was always part of my dream :) - sharing this paradise with my loved ones.

* Manage stress - I don´t know about you, but I have stress to manage, which is super-easy to work with here by seeing the sunsets, walking on the beach, maybe with a bag to pick up occasional trash.  Walking down the street to your destination will be a joyful experience, as by now you know at least 30 people - it can sometimes take an extra hour to exchange smiles and hugs on your journey!

Nearly every day in paradise is perfect! Connecting with nature, whether it is bird-watching, fishing, surfing or riding the waves, can be yours in a moment in time.

* Study Spanish - for me speaking the language is to live life to the fullest, and I do the best I can - however, I will never forget the day when I thought I told my lovely neighbor that she was wearing the most beautiful dress I have ever seen and instead told her she looked like a ghost. These embarrassing moments are inevitable in the pursuit of communicating in another language, but are also endearing to the locals, as they respect your courage in trying to understand and integrate into their culture. And make no mistake, as adults we will not learn Spanish without study of the grammar, and particularly the verbs, which take us from knowing some words to speaking sentences....