Presentation exploring how expats in Ajijic/Lake Chapala use Facebook groups to assist each other in negotiating new lives and homes in Mexico

1. Expatriate Enculturation into
Mexico via a Facebook Group
Leanna Wolfe, PhD
Southwestern Anthropological Association
May 5, 2018 – Fresno, CA

2. Expatriates in Mexico
• 1.9 Million from all over the World
• 1.1 Million Americans
• 59.4% increase 2010 – 2017

3. Types of Expatriates in Mexico
• Newly Retired
• Seek to Live Comfortably on Limited Retirement Resources
• Next Pats (working)
• Snow Birds
• Long Term Residents
• Single Women
• Often no children / grandchildren
• Internationalists

4. Expatriate Consciousness
• Very Different from Conducting Fieldwork in Mexico!
• Lived with Subjects
• Spoke their Language
• Ate their Food
• Sought to join their world as much as possible
• Expats Forge Distinct Communities
• Monolingual in English
• Some Do Take Spanish Lessons
• Inclusive of New Arrivals
• Easy to Make New Friends Amongst Other Expats
• Distrust of Mexican Ways (Sanitation, Health Care, Safety)
• Seek American Products and Food
Chatting with informants in Mani, Yucatan – 1970s

5. Expatriates in Lake Chapala/Ajijic
• 40% of Ajijic Residents are Expatriates
• High Season (Winter) 10K Americans and
Canadians
• 60% live in Ajijic and Chapala
• Remainder in outlying regions
• Expatriate Destination since 1960s

6. The Ajijic Expatriate World
• 4% of US and Canadian Mexico-Expats live in Ajijic
•7 to 1 Female to Male Ratio
•Snowbirds come from the US Northeast and Canada

7. Expats Continue
Familiar Cultural
Practices

8. Ajijic Jazz Club

9. With June, My Key Informant

10. Adjacent Lakeside Towns
• Jocotepec
• San Juan Cosala
• Chapala

11. Ajijic’s Lakeside Walk

12. Ajijic – Picturesque Mexican Village

13. Beautiful Sunsets…

14. Jocotepec

16. Chapala

18. Lake Chapala Society
• Traditional Expat Enculturation
• Assistance with Immigration
• English Book / Videotape Library
• Field Trips
• Classes
• Cafe

19. Enculturation via Facebook Groups
• Joining enabled access to Expat Consciousness
• Readily Became a Participant-Observer
• Membership Open to Anyone Living in or Considering Migrating to the Region
• Facebook functions as the most familiar Social Media for Boomers
• Millennials habit Snap Chat, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest

20. Mexican Expatriate Facebook Groups
•Expats in Mexico – 9,047 Members
•The Truth About Moving to Mexico – 6,739 Members
•Gringos Ajijic and Lakeside – 6,506 Members
•Beg Barter Buy & Sell Chapala – 5,800 Members
•Lake Chapala Rentals – 3,135 Members
•Everything Lake Chapala and Ajijic Chat Group – 1,900 Members
•Living in Mexico Like the Locals – 1,400 Members
•Lake Chapala Crime Watch – 1,295 Members
•Ajijic Residents – 716 Members
•Expats and Locals in San Miguel de Allende – 123 Members

21. Gringos Ajijic & Lakeside Mission
“Gringos Ajijic” is an informational group
for and about those interested in the
greater Lake Chapala area of Jalisco,
Mexico.
As administrators of the “Gringos Ajijic,”
our mission is to provide a space for local
people to network and share thoughts/
ideas / experiences / needs, etc. Ideally,
“Gringos Ajijic,” is meant to forge and
strengthen our little community.

22. Gringos Ajijic and Lakeside Group
• Very Active Group
• 20+ postings a day
• Popular Topics Garner upwards of 100 comments
• Enculturation Concerns Addressed
• Is it Better to Buy or Rent?
• Where to Live
• Spanish Lessons
• Cell Phone Providers and Internet Access
• The Challenge of immigrating to a Third World Country
• Immigration Strategies
• Border Crossing Strategies
• Local Celebrations
• Staying Healthy / Health Care Providers
• Vacations to other parts of Mexico

23. My First Posting
• Garnered 80 “Likes” in the first 24 hours
• Established the Group was intensely Active
• My own Facebook feed received just 20 “Likes” for the same photo
• Members introduced themselves to me
• Several asked to meet for Coffee

24. My Second Posting
• Upwards of 100 “Likes”
• Complements on my photography
• Much discussion on whether what I labelled as a
“shore gull” was in fact an egret…

25. Sample Postings
• Looking for women pickleball players…We all love to win, but mostly play for fun and
exercise.
• Can anyone tell me if there are spay and neuter clinics for cats? Would like to help out a
momma and her 7 kitten litter.
• Is there anywhere lakeside that sells Birkenstocks?
• Can anyone recommend a metal worker (wrought iron) who can put some nice, decorative
bars on my sliding doors?
• Last Call for Arts and Crafts Day! Who wants to go shopping?
•Does anyone know if there is a compounding pharmacy in the area for bio identical
hormones?

26. Postings that Affirm Gringo-ness
• We have found a terrific handyman. Speaks very good English, is reliable and efficient. Easy
to work with. Very reasonable prices, too. His name is Jose (contact info)
• I dropped my cellphone beside the Carreterra. I heard two whistles from behind and looked
back and saw a lovely Mexican man holding my phone. I ran back and offered twice to give
him a thank you reward. He firmly insisted on not taking any money. I do not know who this
man is..but want to share publicly this good news of a very kind gentleman in this community!
Comments on a post about a contractor who helped a client find an emergency vet)
• The Mexican People are kind, loving and so dear.
• This is WHY we Love Mexico
• How kind of him to help you like that!

27. Forging an Expat Identity in Ajijic
• Community Service
• Operation Feed – Agency Serving Local Families
• Helping Fellow Expats
•Accessing American Products and Food
• Shopping Excursions to Costco in Guadalajara
• Meatloaf Tuesdays at a Local Cafe
• Familiar Activities
• Book Clubs
• Dance Parties with American music from the 70s
• Jazz Clubs
• Dogs – Expat vs. Local Strategies and Concerns

28. Mexican Street Dogs (MSDs)…

29. Dogs: Expat vs. Local Values
• Spay/Neuter vs. Poisoning/Euthanizing Street Dogs
• Facebook Group Used for Locating Lost Dogs
• Finding Homes for Street Dogs
• Expat Adoptions
• Elevated Concern for Uncared for Dogs
• International Adoptions
• Flights Arranged to send homeless dogs to the US and Canada

30. June Fosters a Pregnant Dog
Puppies Available for Adoption!
• Frequent Postings of the challenges of
fostering a pregnant mother
• Videos and still photos of each step in the
puppies’ lives
• Pictures of each puppy as it gets adopted
• Her Report: “The vet said I did a better
job than the Mexicans do”

31. Conclusions
• Expatriates in Ajijic / Lake Chapala generate community via their Facebook Group
• Networking for social activities and friendships
• The challenges of living in Mexico can be mediated by participating in the Group
• Health Care, Immigration and Housing Issues readily addressed
• The Group provides an excellent window into the concerns of many expats
• Window to how some expats regard Mexicans and Mexican culture
• Expats largely retain the values and appetites of their countries of origin
• Community Service reflects these values (especially regarding rehoming stray dogs)

32. Leanna Wolfe, PhD
Dr. Leanna Research
Leannaphd@outlook.com
(323) 717-6167