The Gringa Files: A California Woman Living in Mexico

Moving from one culture to another can be exciting and confusing. Some of the differences can be strange and difficult to adjust to or can be very amusing. Here are the observations of a California woman who moves to the heart of Mexico.


"I was born and raised in California. I was the typical west coast girl. I swam, snorkeled, surfed, rode horses on the beach, hiked through the redwoods, and sold wind chimes on the pier. I was married and divorced in California…three times! I raised my children in California. Then, later in life I married a Mexican man and moved to Jalisco, Mexico. I love my new life, but wow, what a change! The cultural differences between Mexico and California can be quite vast. As my sons would say, “Dude! What the……?”