- Home » Expat Articles » Interviews » Expat Interview With Solomon - US Citizen Living & Working in Mexico
Expat Interview With Solomon - US Citizen Living & Working in Mexico
| Published: | 7 May at 9 AM |
Want to get involved?
Become a Featured Expat and take our interview.
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
Filed: Interviews,Mexico
Solomon Freimuth is an American citizen with a Mexican law degree who works and lives in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. After hitch-hiking through Mexico with his Black Lab, working as a construction manager in an ecological village in Southern Mexico and finally deciding that he couldn’t sell time-share because he had too many tattoos, Solomon decided that he would have to find an innovative way to make an honest living in Mexico, so he became a Mexican lawyer. Mr. Freimuth writes a blog, called My Mexican Lawyer (see listing here), for expats who are interested in moving to Mexico and tries to explain some of the legal issues that foreigners might face in Mexico.
Meet Solomon - US expat in Mexico
Where are you originally from?
Oregon, USA
In which country and city are you living now?
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
How long have you lived here and how long are you planning to stay?
I've been here almost 8 years, I don't see leaving any time soon.
Why did you move and what do you do?
I was looking for adventure. I am an attorney now, but I wasn't when I arrived in Mexico.
Did you bring family with you?
No
How did you find the transition to living in a foreign country?
It took a while. Mexico is like a whole other world. Now I'm not sure that I could go back to living in the United States.
Was it easy making friends and meeting people; do you mainly socialise with other expats?
Meeting people was easy. Expats seem to frequent all the same places.
What are the best things to do in the area; anything to recommend to future expats?
I recommend learning the language and exploring the areas of Mexico that aren't so well known. It is an amazing country with beautiful history and amazing things to see and do if you can get around in Spanish.
Hard at work in the officeWhat do you enjoy most about living here?
Mexico is my home now. I met my wife here and we have a family. Having to pick one thing that I like about my home is hard.
How does the cost of living compare to home?
It has been so long that I have lived in the United States that it is hard for me to judge. Mortgage rates in Mexico are higher, food seems more reasonable than I remember in the US, I know my medical insurance is much more affordable than it would be in the USA.
What negatives, if any, are there to living here?
I think one of the things that sometimes frustrates me about Mexico is also one of the things that makes me love it the most: The relaxed, slower pace that most people adopt after being here for a while.
If you could pick one piece of advice to anyone moving here, what would it be?
Relax. Get rid of any expectations you have about getting things done the way there were done at home.
What has been the hardest aspect to your expat experience so far?
See the last answer. Things are different here and it takes a while to get used to that idea. The quicker one can get over expectations of how things should be done the easier it is to adapt and be happy here.
When you finally return home, how do you think you'll cope with repatriation?
Not sure. I'm not really sure it would be like "returning home".
On the beachWhat are your top 5 expat tips for anyone following in your footsteps?
Tell us a bit about your own expat blog.
I try to explain some of the legal topics that effect expats living in Mexico. I talk about immigration, condominiums, taxes, purchasing land, etc.
How can you be contacted for further advice to future expats coming to your area?
I can be contacted via my blog or via telephone at +529841481003. I have a twitter account at @SolomonFreimuth, but I am pretty bad about updating it.
Solomon blogs at http://www.mymexicanlawyer.com/ which we recommend a quick visit if you haven't been already. My Mexican Lawyer has an ExpatsBlog.com listing here so add a review if you like! If you appreciated this interview with Solomon, please also drop him a quick comment below.
Meet Solomon - US expat in Mexico
Here's the interview with Solomon...
Where are you originally from?
Oregon, USA
In which country and city are you living now?
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
How long have you lived here and how long are you planning to stay?
I've been here almost 8 years, I don't see leaving any time soon.
Why did you move and what do you do?
I was looking for adventure. I am an attorney now, but I wasn't when I arrived in Mexico.
Did you bring family with you?
No
How did you find the transition to living in a foreign country?
It took a while. Mexico is like a whole other world. Now I'm not sure that I could go back to living in the United States.
Was it easy making friends and meeting people; do you mainly socialise with other expats?
Meeting people was easy. Expats seem to frequent all the same places.
What are the best things to do in the area; anything to recommend to future expats?
I recommend learning the language and exploring the areas of Mexico that aren't so well known. It is an amazing country with beautiful history and amazing things to see and do if you can get around in Spanish.
Hard at work in the office
Mexico is my home now. I met my wife here and we have a family. Having to pick one thing that I like about my home is hard.
How does the cost of living compare to home?
It has been so long that I have lived in the United States that it is hard for me to judge. Mortgage rates in Mexico are higher, food seems more reasonable than I remember in the US, I know my medical insurance is much more affordable than it would be in the USA.
What negatives, if any, are there to living here?
I think one of the things that sometimes frustrates me about Mexico is also one of the things that makes me love it the most: The relaxed, slower pace that most people adopt after being here for a while.
If you could pick one piece of advice to anyone moving here, what would it be?
Relax. Get rid of any expectations you have about getting things done the way there were done at home.
What has been the hardest aspect to your expat experience so far?
See the last answer. Things are different here and it takes a while to get used to that idea. The quicker one can get over expectations of how things should be done the easier it is to adapt and be happy here.
When you finally return home, how do you think you'll cope with repatriation?
Not sure. I'm not really sure it would be like "returning home".
On the beach
- Vacationing here and living here are two very different things. Come live here for 6 months before you decide to bring all your stuff and sell the house.
- Make learning the language a priority. It makes life so much easier.
- Buy an ebook reader.
- The bank wants to see your passport to change dollars. Every time.
- Expect your bicycle to get stolen. Don't think a better lock will help, a used bike is a better idea.
Tell us a bit about your own expat blog.
I try to explain some of the legal topics that effect expats living in Mexico. I talk about immigration, condominiums, taxes, purchasing land, etc.
How can you be contacted for further advice to future expats coming to your area?
I can be contacted via my blog or via telephone at +529841481003. I have a twitter account at @SolomonFreimuth, but I am pretty bad about updating it.
Solomon blogs at http://www.mymexicanlawyer.com/ which we recommend a quick visit if you haven't been already. My Mexican Lawyer has an ExpatsBlog.com listing here so add a review if you like! If you appreciated this interview with Solomon, please also drop him a quick comment below.
Grab a featured expat badge that links to this interview!
Copy and paste code to display the Featured Expat Badge:Comments » No published comments just yet for this article...
Feel free to have your say on this item. Go on... be the first!
