April 2023

April Overview –

It’s funny how even though I am retired, I still get excited about long weekends, probably because Lorne is off and we can do more things together.  And having an extra-long four-day weekend for Easter was even better.  Since Cabo was being inundated with an extra 100,000 people in town celebrating Holy Week, we decided it would be a good time to stay home and do a few projects around the house. 

We were hoping to get a ham to enjoy for Easter dinner, but ham is not a common thing here, and it’s funny watching all the NOB (north of the border) expats running from store to store looking for one.  Sometimes Costco brings them in, but unfortunately not this year.  So, we chose instead to make some pulled pork in the slow cooker which we then turned into the most amazing green chili enchiladas, with plenty of leftovers for the next day and some to freeze for later.

We’ve also been wanting to make some cinnamon rolls, but the timing was never quite right, plus the recipe always makes way too much for just the two of us to enjoy.  But this time I had a plan.  Earlier in the week I made them and instead of baking them, I froze them.  Then when we were ready to enjoy them, we simply defrosted two rolls overnight in the fridge, brought them out in the morning to warm and rise and then bake.  Easy peasy!  And we did exactly that for breakfast on Good Friday (photo in our recent Snippets).  They were so good!  And now we have a few more in the freezer for when the craving hits again.

Lorne’s work is preparing for their annual employee get-together in Ann Arbor MI early in August and we were really hoping this year I would be able to tag along and make a little vacation out of it. Our plan was to add a few of Lorne’s vacation days to the week before he needs to be there, which would give us some time for shopping and sightseeing.  However, between it being complicated to get there (we would need an overnight somewhere in-between), the summer being high season so airfares are expensive, plus the exchange rate between CAD and USD not being great right now, pricing out this trip it would cost us almost $8,000 CAD.  That’s just a little too hard to swallow for simply a few days in Ann Arbor.  I remember not too long ago (pre-pandemic), we were able to pay for airfare and a week-long cruise for way less than that!

Lorne is still going to Ann Arbor in August, but in the meantime we figured we would get more bang for our vacation buck if we went someplace closer.  So, we will be flying up to Los Angeles at the end of May. We chose LA because it’s only a 2.5-hour flight from here which keeps the airfare lower.  The whole LA trip will end up costing us less than half of what it would have been for me to tag along to Ann Arbor.

We are looking forward to our little LA vacation.  We’ve been there quite a few times over the years, so we are going mostly to shop and eat some of that fun American food we haven’t had for quite a while.

And now, here’s what’s been happening around here in April….

Unemployment in Mexico

Mexico’s unemployment rate hit a historic low of 2.7% in the first quarter of 2023, even though the active population of working age people grew by almost 2 million over the previous year.  The unemployment rate has been steadily declining after spiking at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

In comparison, the unemployment rate in Canada has been holding steady at 5%, and in the USA, the unemployment rate is 3.5% and has shown little movement since early 2022.

While many expats move to Mexico to retire, there have been increasing numbers of working age expats who also want to move to Mexico – be it for the weather, the lifestyle, or for the lower cost of living.  Not surprising as the cost of living in Canada is 68% higher than in Mexico, and the cost of living in the US is 86% higher than in Mexico. 

However, the biggest obstacle for these working age expats is figuring out a way to make a living here.  The simplest way to do this is to have a remote job, in which your employer does not mind you working in another country.  The harder way to do this is to be specialized in a specific field, obtain a valid job offer from an employer in Mexico, and have your employer apply for a work visa for you. 

One thing to keep in mind is that the wages in Mexico are much lower compared to the rest of North America.  Currently in Canada, the minimum wage ranges from around $14 – $16 per hour (depending on the province), and in the US the minimum wage ranges from around $7- $16 per hour (depending on the state).  In Mexico, the current minimum wage has recently been increased to $207 pesos (equivalent to $15CAD / $11USD) but note that this minimum wage is per day, not per hour.

These numbers always come as a shock to people north of the border when wanting to move to Mexico and planning to seek out employment here to support their families.  This is why more people are turning to remote work, so they can still live in Mexico but “work” and be paid in the US or Canada.

Easter Celebrations

Semana Santa (Holy Week – Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday) is one of Mexico’s most celebrated holidays, next to Christmas and Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).  It is the time when many of the major Mexican cities empty out and everyone heads to the coast for sun, food, and cultural festivities. Many Mexicans will take 10 days to 2 weeks for vacation during this time and schools and many government offices are closed.  It is one of the busiest times of the year for travel at airports, bus stations and highways. 

In Los Cabos, we welcomed over 100,000 people for Holy Week, which was more than three times the number of spring breakers that arrived in Los Cabos in March.   

During this holiday, families and friends vacation together and camping at the beach is a tradition that goes back generations.  The busiest days at the beach are generally Maundy Thursday through to Easter Sunday, with many celebrations going on, complete with barbequing and partying. Tents and a sea of umbrellas line the shore, and vendors set up booths to sell all that amazing Mexican street food. 

The Seasons of Baja California Sur

Mexico has two seasons – wet and dry – but this is too simplistic to describe what really happens here. 

Wet season officially starts on this side of Mexico mid-May and runs till the end of November, however in Los Cabos, we typically have no rain for the first half of the year.  The first rain arrives here in mid to late June.  After that, we have tropical storms and hurricanes on and off until November. 

When the rains eventually stop in November, there is so much moisture in the ground that it sometimes takes quite a while for the dry season to begin.  This evaporation season can last up to three months and results in a more gradual transition between the wet season and the dry season.

With the dry landscapes and the dust rising, when it blends with the rays of the setting sun, you will experience some of the most spectacular Mexican sunsets during this time.

March and April are very windy months which of course blows all this dust everywhere (check out our 2023 Snippets for a video of cleaning the accumulated dust off our patio screens).  Dust season wreaks havoc with our allergies to the point where we need to carry a Kleenex box around the house with us.

During May and June the dust mostly settles and we start experiencing hotter days with a random cooler day thrown in the mix.  Everything is dry and hot during this season and stays this way until the rain starts again in mid to late June when the wet season starts all over again.  We find it interesting that the rain does not cool things down here like it usually does back in Vancouver.  We have temperatures averaging 35C / 95F during this time which, combined with the rain, makes everything simply hot and so very humid.  

The Annual Migration Of Snowbirds

Every year, there are more and more snowbirds; retired or semi-retired people that decide to live in Mexico part of the year, mostly to escape the cold winters up north.  They arrive during the fall, spend the winter and early spring, then return home to spend late spring and summer with their family and friends.

Mexico has become a popular destination for snowbirds because of the low cost of living, health care, real estate, the rich culture and history, as well as the beautiful colonial towns and beaches.

Los Cabos has a large expat community, and we are familiar with the phenomenon that happens this time of year when the snowbirds start preparing for their exodus.  They set up last get-togethers, buy things to take back home, and get their property ready for while they are away.

Not surprising, we also have a lot of “sunbirds” here too, those expats that live here pretty much full time, but leave during July and August to escape the heat and spend time in the cooler more northern latitudes. 

For expats who stay here, the annual departure of the snowbirds signals to us that it is time for us to start planning for the summer months too.  We need to have our air conditioners cleaned and checked, pack up the extra blankets and long sleeved shirts that kept us warm during the winter, and begin to rearrange our schedule so that shopping, exercise, and errands are done earlier in the morning before it gets too hot.

Whales – A Different Snowbird

April not only marks the exodus of snowbirds from Los Cabos, but also starts the migration north for the whales.  We have two main types of whales that hang around Los Cabos: Gray whales and Humpback whales, although gray whales are not quite as common as the humpback whales. 

The whales spend their summers up north feeding (in Alaska and British Columbia) and their winters down south along the southern Baja Peninsula mating and giving birth.  Their annual migration of 8,000 ‑ 11,000 km (5,000 ‑ 6,800 mi) takes them approximately two to three months.  Each year they arrive in late November and stay until April. 

In late December and into January the baby whales are born and by early February the baby whales become more active, and we often see mom and baby playing in the water and frequently come within 50 feet of the shore.  The whales are very friendly as well as curious and are known to be very interested in boats, sometimes going right up close just to take a peek.  And these whales are huge – they can grow to 50 feet in length and the calves measure around 10-15 feet at birth.

The gray whales are currently listed as needing “special protection” by the Mexican government.  It was estimated that their numbers had diminished to less than 2,000, however with a series of international rules now protecting them, their populations are recovering and there are now estimated to be around 20,000 in existence.

Early in April the whales prepare to leave and begin their migration north to feed.  Usually, the mothers linger with their young calves well into May, making sure their calves are ready for the long journey ahead.

Children’s Day

Día del Niño (Day of the Child) is an annual celebration throughout Mexico to honour children, their importance to society, and their well-being.  It has been celebrated in Mexico since 1925 and in 1954 the Mexican government declared April 30 to be the official day for these festivities.  Since then, April 30 has been joyously celebrated as Children’s Day in Mexico, with various activities and events organized for children in schools, communities, and families.

When Children’s Day falls on a weekday, there are no classes in schools.  Instead, schools organize special events and treats for the children to take part in – games, music, creative activities such as art workshops, storytelling, face painting and of course, pinatas.

As this celebration is in spring, children wear many bright colours to celebrate both Children’s Day and the coming of spring.  Children in Mexico look forward to this day with great anticipation, as it is one of the most memorable and happiest days of the year for them.

ps…  Don’t forget to check out the latest Snippets!