Midlife Mavericks: Women Reinventing Their Lives in Mexico, by Karen Blue
oct 12, 2008 – Karen Blue had a good career going in California when at 52, she quit, sold her house, and moved to Ajijic, Mexico. Her family and her closest friends thought she was crazy.
Once down here and settled in, she began talking with other women who had come down by themselves from the US and Canada. the result is a fascinating book, Midlife Mavericks: Women Reinventing Their Lives in Mexico. It describes the lives of quite a variety of women, of varying ages.
The book reads very smoothly and pleasantly, but if you are in the US and thinking about possibly living in Mexico, by yourself or not, be warned:
This book could be life changing!
That’s why I just bought a copy the other day from Blue (that’s what she goes by). I’m going to give it to one of my sisters-in-law, on purpose.
Do I think the book is an accurate description of life around Ajijic and Lake Chapala? Yes. Prices have risen since the book came out in 2000, and rentals are probably harder to find. But overall, the flavor of life as she describes it seems accurate to me.
My own life is a bit different, but then each woman’s life is unique. Mine is different in that I am less active in the gringo community. I’m much more likely to be found at home, in front of my computer. As I almost never feel comfortable driving in Mexico, I don’t run around nearly as much as most expats here. But I’m kinda a homebody wherever I am… it’s just a bit more marked here. And I’ve made a real effort to develop friendships with Mexicans.
I would never have had the guts to come down to Mexico on my own, but even if you think you never could, this book is well worth reading!
It’s available through Blue’s website and via Amazon.com:
Posted in BOOKS