In my last blog I gave you my top 10 list of all the things we love about living in Cabo. It was easy! But, I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t admit there are some things we miss about living in the U.S.
Each year at Christmas, for example, I miss family, especially this past Christmas. We haven’t been able to make the trips back to the States that we normally do or have our family visit us because of the pandemic, which we hope will recede this year with the use of the new vaccines.
What else do I miss from our life in the States? I tried but couldn’t come up with a top 10 list, so really not that many things. Even the things we do miss are balanced out by either new options or alternative ways of getting something accomplished.
Here is a quick list of the things we miss:
1. American holidays and traditions like the 4th of July and Thanksgiving. But, there are local places that offer wonderful Thanksgiving meals. While we’ve never gone to a restaurant on Thanksgiving in Cabo, we have cooked a turkey every year with all the traditional sides. And the 4th is just another excuse for fireworks, which the local resorts do very well. So yes, I miss the traditions we had before we moved here, but we’re creating new ones.
2. The variety of stores, and especially for me, clothing boutiques. Cabo, and Mexico in general, can’t really compare with the consumer selection you can find in the U.S. Although I no longer have the ability to head to the mall and find something I just have to buy, I have discovered that actually it has been a real bonus. I don’t spend nearly as much money on clothes!
3. As noted above, we miss family and friends. But one of the great things about Cabo is that in normal, non-pandemic times, it’s an easy trip back to the States or a great escape for people who want to come visit us. And having visitors is always fun. It’s like when I used to live in Manhattan and friends would come visit. I’d take them to the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building, both typical tourist activities. In Cabo, we’ll go on a Sunset Cruise or rent jet skis or visit the local touristy shops – things we normally wouldn’t do on a regular basis.
4. There are some foods that I miss. OK. don’t laugh. I have to admit I love Lean Cuisine frozen meals, but they aren’t readily available in Cabo grocery stores. My hubby and I also love jelly beans but we can never find them here. As you can tell, the few foods I miss are hardly staples. The grocery stores (large and small) are well-stocked and there are amazing local farmer’s markets, so getting good food is never an issue.
5. Knowing where to find things that are easily available in the States. For example, I do miss Target and Walgreens where I can pick up basic supplies or even fun extras. But then it just becomes a matter of asking around and generally, someone can direct you to a local place that will have what we’re looking for, or something better.
6. There is no overnight delivery service here, but I still order from Amazon, Wayfair, Chewy.com and others. I know that it can be anywhere from a week to two weeks for my “supplies” to arrive. Patience is called for versus immediate gratification.
The bottom line is that nothing I miss is a major deal and the benefits we have found in living here are so amazing. I do love to go back to the States to visit and try to go at least 2-4 times a year for at least a long weekend, but our life is now in Cabo. We feel blessed to be here.
