Shabbat Shalom from Southern Mexico

I’m a Southern CA Native who has been living in Mexico since April. I consider myself semi-conversationally fluent in Spanish. In my last home, I was blessed to experiment with tending to 2 fruit trees, 6 laying hens, mushroom compost & manures, lasagna gardening, square foot gardening, and lots of vegetable growing. I am a WAPF member and love learning about regenerative farming, permaculture practices, and zero waste living. One of my favorite aspects of the WAPF conferences is their farm tours.

Learning to build Cobb houses, Earthships, and/or other eco/sustainable structures are high on my to do list. I’d also like to learn about rain water collection and purification techniques. I’d love to create my own food forest and live off the land one day without electricity (hopefully I’d actually like it and not just in theory.) I’m not sure where I’d like to do that... within the United States, Mexico, or elsewhere internationally.

Today, I was blessed to visit http://www.manotik.org/ and learn about their land management strategies and permaculture practices. (Pictures attached)

I am on the waitlist to attend Paul’s boot camp. I’ve never been to Montana but I’ve heard wonderful things about it. I don’t have a lot of experience in many things that are done there but I am excited about the opportunity to learn. It seems a bit intimidating but perhaps less so than living in another country as a single person for months?

I’ll be visiting Alabama and California soon... perhaps other states as well, to see what this next season of my life might include.

I’m an experienced educator who specialized in homeschooling (under the public charter school umbrella) the last few years. I have a lot of nannying and admin skills as well. I have perused the wwoof hosting posts, as it could be a lot of fun to do a work exchange, visit new places, and learn by doing. (I eat biblically kosher so a pig farm is a big thing I could see that could propose problem.) I was raised vegetarian, so I’m not opposed to eating that way for a season, but I don’t believe it’s the most sustainable lifestyle for us, humans, or our planet.

I’m looking forward to getting to know other permies and using knowledge I gain in my daily life. Many of you are so knowledgeable and experienced, I’d love to pick your brains and/or simply read your musings.

Most of my friends think I’m quite unusual to be so intrigued by this stuff, so it will be nice to have some likeminded community, even if it’s virtual. My discussions about composting toilets and women peeing outside don’t tend to go over so well in most crowds I frequent, while here entire podcasts and feeds are dedicated to them.

Thanks for reading!

Welcome Alana!

Looks like a lovely location! I really hope you get to go to Wheaton lab and join the boot camp

Thanks Ashley! I hope so too.

Alana, welcome! Such an interesting introduction and pictures. You have absolutely come to the right place to find like-minded hearts and minds.

Leigh Tate wrote:Alana, welcome! Such an interesting introduction and pictures. You have absolutely come to the right place to find like-minded hearts and minds.

Thanks Leigh!

Ma Shlomekh Alana,

Most of the people I know think I’m weird too lol. You’re in the right place. How are you and where have you landed?

I’m in SoCal, looking to move elsewhere, perhaps TX, TN, MO, AR.
Hope you’re doing well and just saying hi!

Dina

D Barzilai wrote:  How are you and where have you landed?  

Dina

Hi Dina,

I am doing pretty well. I actually moved back to So Cal last week! I need to get some biological dentistry done (before medical apartheid takes over.) So, I’m back working to pay for that.

Since this post, I did visit Idaho & Montana, both lovely places with more permaculture friendly laws and I lived in Baja California Norte, Mexico again until last week.

Where I am an organic garden, composting, some chickens and more would likely be okay in time.

My prayerful plan is to return to Mexico, not sure where yet… Did you know that “Mexit” is actually a thing?

Unfortunately, many of my friends have moved out of state and country over the last few years. I’d love to meet up in person and chat if you’re available for that. I’ll send you a purple mooseage.

Many Blessings,

Yes I do know Mexit is a thing because I looked into it, but because of government closures, I couldn’t get a passport…until I fixed an issue with my birth certificate in person. Just did that a couple months ago so working on passport next.
It’s still not off the table but no plans to Mexit soon lol.

Responded to your moosage too.

Re: medical apartheid, yes, it’s what is lighting a fire under my behind to get outta Dodge soon.

My chiropractor has a clinic in conjunction with American Biodental in TJ. Heard some really good things, altho I couldn’t get there myself yet

Have a house for rent in Chiautzingo Puebla $200 US a month with an abandoned orchard about 1/3 AC. Have farms in Puebla for rent for organic or permaculture type farming. Up to 30 years lease. One acre of unirrigated farmland in Puebla rent is $150 US. Also have land for lease in Nova Scotia and Yucatan peninsula. For $100 an AC per year but rules about tree cutting apply and its mostly treed.

I Alana, I've been living in the state of Oaxaca since 1998. I'm also an educator by trade though I work in higher education in the public sector.

Jeff Hodgins wrote:Have a house for rent in Chiautzingo Puebla $200 US a month with an abandoned orchard about 1/3 AC. Have farms in Puebla for rent for organic or permaculture type farming. Up to 30 years lease. One acre of unirrigated farmland in Puebla rent is $150 US. Also have land for lease in Nova Scotia and Yucatan peninsula. For $100 an AC per year but rules about tree cutting apply and its mostly treed.

Thanks for the info Jeff. I watched some of your videos. Do you think your locations are safe for a single American woman to live alone? I am conversational fluent in Spanish but I haven’t lived in Mexico outside of close community.

I have a American friend who was raised in Puebla but she is old enough to be my mom so things may have changed since then.

Melissa Ferrin wrote:I Alana, I've been living in the state of Oaxaca since 1998. I'm also an educator by trade though I work in higher education in the public sector.

Wow! Awesome. Nice to meet you Melissa. I’d love to hear what inspired your move? Obviously, you’re still there so what do you love about it?

You can send info via purple mooseage too as that’s more private.

Thanks for joining the conversation.

Shabbat Shalom from tlv at the moment but i hope soon in Mexico

Shalom Phillip!

I’m back in Southern California for a year or so (as long as it takes me to pay for some dental & medical things.)

I will happily be visiting Baja Norte soon. Pieces of my heart are still in Mexico 🇲🇽 so I look forward to being back.