June 28, 2007 – This past winter, the cost of tortillas rose. About the same time, the cost of riding the city buses in Guadalajara went up.

The price increases were hardly anything you or I would notice. What’s a couple more pesos for fresh tortillas now and then?

But I found them a reminder of the income gap between even the poorest of the expats and the working class of Mexico. To save bus fare, people were walking long distances in the city.

Here’s an astonishing figure:

Seven out of ten households in Guadalajara live on less than two Mexican minimum wages a day. This works out to about 94 pesos a day, or about $8.60 for TWO minimum wages for a day’s work. (Source: a study by the University Students’ Federation quoted in the Guadalajara Colony Reporter, January 13-20, 2007, page 3.)

Whether this is exactly true or not, I don’t know. But it certainly gives a ballpark figure. Even if it’s twice that, it’s peanuts to us. Many Mexicans around Lake Chapala do better than this, in large part due to the influx of foreign money, creating jobs in construction and much more.

Comments from the old blog:

  • How wonderful to find your blog again! We’ve wondered how you are doing; I’m glad to see you’re well. I enjoyed reading your blog, it makes me feel like I’m home again. Abundio and I are back in the states now, we had problems with my visa – a rather ironic role reversal! But we’re going to try it again in a bit, this time armed with (we hope) the right information.

    Much love to both of you!!

    ruthi and abundio carrillo-hernandez


  • Rosana,

    Sorry for the long delay.. I couldn’t find your site again! Is your email still the same?
    I absolutely loved Tierras Coloradas! I can’t wait to go back. I felt so much at home it was unreal. Your pictures really helped it come alive for me, and I believe that it wasn’t such a culture shock because of them, that it could have been. They still speak fondly of you and Kelly and hope to see you again!