THIEVES IN PARADISE?

Our humble abode!

Hello and Welcome Back to the Global Community Park!

When I started this blog, I mentioned that the name came from my memories of taking my children to the community parks located in neighborhoods in the United States. My first visit into this Global Community Park can carry similar consequences.  Just as the parks in the states are not always trustworthy as far as thieves are concerned (you leave your belongings and they COULD be stolen), neither is it safe here, in paradise.

We have an outbreak of break ins here in the Community Park. Our November newsletter reads like this.

Alleys are very quiet

 "There were two reported break-ins this past month.  One occurred while a resident was in the home and her car was stolen along with a computer and some personal items.  The thief is believed to have known his way around {our complex} and knew the movements of the local residents and planned his escape.  Apparently, he drove the car down our beach ramp (which makes a case for having the beach ramp closed after dark) and made it to {the neighboring complex} where tire tracks disappeared.

The second incident involved a young couple who broke into a home looking for a place to rest.  They were detained by the security team until the police arrested them.

A neighbor also reported a strange man walking on Roca street.  When the security team approached him, he took off running and was detained and removed from the community."

I mentioned that, for the past 6 months, I've felt like I could leave the door unlocked here. Well, that secure feeling is gone. I also noticed activity going on here the night of Thanksgiving. I swore I saw a person on a rooftop with a flashlight. Now I think it was one of the break ins.

Does that mean there is no such thing as "paradise"?  Is there really a paradise lost? As I type this, I'm looking for a new community to live in starting January. I'm looking forward to moving for all the reasons I mentioned in my previous post  http://globalcommunitypark.blogspot.mx/2015/11/im-pissed-off-nobody-enjoys-being.html   and now this newsletter has sealed the deal for me. 

This community is empty most of the year. It's full of luxury vacation homes. Right now, there are 8 large homes around my humble abode that are not being lived in. Most have 4 and 5 bedrooms. It's strange that, with so much homelessness in the world today, these beautiful homes stay empty. 

Most of the year, these homes are empty!

Well, many residents hire a cleaning and repair staffing company to prepare, repair, and clean their homes before they come down. I think some of those workers did a return visit to break into these homes. Like the newsletter stated, the break ins where done by people who were familiar with the area and they knew when the owners were not going to be home.

After experiencing my first 6 months here, I think I prefer to live in a security/doorman occupied apartment building near the beach. There are some down here that seem safer. At the very least, I'll feel safer in them. These apartments also have a phone inside the unit that calls downstairs to the guard's station and to the doorman's desk. Even if it cost a little more, if you get the peace of mind, it's worth the price.

The beach still ROCKS!

Well I'm going to end this post now. I just wanted to follow up my last post with this new info I've found out.

The moral of these posts are "DO YOUR RESEARCH" before you jump.  I got off good with my situation but some are a lot worse. I'm glad I took this chance and opened up this opportunity for myself. I've learned how to research before I move into something and to leave it when it stops working for me.

Lots more to say, little space to do it in. Next post will come soon.

Til then ADIOS!

I'M PISSED OFF! NOBODY ENJOYS BEING CHEATED! NOT EVEN ME!

Hi! and Welcome back to the Global Community Park!

Well, things aren't great in paradise right now but, I'm making the best of my situation. I rented the house that I'm staying in with a $200 USD utility fee hike. The original agreement was that after my first 6 months (which were over this month), I'd be able to take over my utility bills (which are no more than $100 USD every 2 months, but I paid $200 per month for the service) and lower my rent by $200 per month. 

I agreed to pay the extra because he was driving around and paying my bills along with his own. It was a fair trade, I thought.  But when I was ready to take my overage back and pay my bills myself, he didn't want to give it back to me. 

I found out that I can pay the bills where I shop for groceries. My landlord could have told me this but instead, he used the opportunity to get more money out of me. 

I really want to save for a car to help me get around better down here and I wanted the extra money for the holiday gifts and to get a Christmas tree. Now, I'll have to look elsewhere in my budget for the funds to do what I need to do for my family.  

One of the reasons I'm here (besides it being a beautiful place to be) is to save money and I don't like to be duped this way.  So I decided that I'm staying here through the holidays, then I'm looking for another house to rent. 

I also found out (after doing more research) that I'm overpaying for rent by about $400 USD.  I've found beautiful houses with swimming pools plus an additional bedroom and an additional bathroom for almost half of what I'm paying here. This week, I contacted a real estate agent and she's starting to look around for me. 

I've also found expat communities that will let me pay their HOA fees on top of my rent, and have use of all the facilities (pool, tennis courts etc., which I'm not getting here) for an additional $60 USD. Let's just say, I've been seriously cheated here and it doesn't feel good.

I can't say this hasn't been a good experience for me but, I've learned through this experience, how not to be taken. I'm also learning how things (bill pay) works here and how to pay them for myself. I feel duped and very stupid but, since I don't have a car, I depended on my landlord to help me out because he said that he would. 

He used me and he took advantage of my family and that makes me mad. When I make my final post before I leave here (which should be in January), I'll give his name so anyone coming down here can avoid dealings with this man as he is not honest and by his own admission, he is an "opportunist".  He has no honor and no loyalties and would take advantage of anyone that gave him the chance. 

As for life in paradise, it's still great because I still have hope, a good outlook, and I'm figuring things out myself.

I'm anxious to get where I know things are the way they should be. I don't mind paying extra when I have to or when it makes things easier for me but, I don't like anyone cheating me or my family.

As for my Thanksgiving, it was good, peaceful, and filled with loved ones. We had a great day but, I'll share it on another post. The holidays have officially begun.

My Holiday Color Scheme This Year

MY NEXT POST WILL BE VERY SOON AND I'LL SHARE THANKSGIVING IN MEXICO PICTURES WITH YOU! TIL THEN, ADIOS!

LIFE LESSONS FROM PELICANS?!

What can we learn from a pelican? Read On!

Hi and Welcome back to the Global Community Park!

So much is happening in the world that I find myself introspective and philosophical. I can't help but be a little sad with everything happening right now. This is usually a happy time for me but, with current events, it's hard not to think about the ones hurting.  Keeping this blog helps a lot. 

As for the subject of this post. 

Five days ago, we had a storm here in paradise. I think it became the storm, "Ajax". I don't think the information got on the weather report but, that doesn't surprise me as news seems to be selective these days.  




We had winds that rattled this house and blew the tops of the roof next door.  The storm lasted all night and into the next day. It was during the day that I watched the ocean and the pelicans. The winds were so strong that it blew my full garbage can from one end of the property to the other without tipping it over. 

for the holidays!

I watched the "goings on" outside my window, giant waves and awesome ocean activity, I saw flocks of pelicans flying against these mighty winds. I noticed that, as the winds got stronger, the pelicans, being pushed backward, would fly higher. They flew higher until they found a pocket or a force of air that they could succeed in flying against. They always found it too! I saw flock after flock make it though the storm by flying above it in the same manner.

Then, I thought, how I can learn from these pelicans? In my life (and probably in yours too) I've had many trials. I believe that's how we grow as human beings. I thought of the times when I've tried to fix my problems by pushing back against them, or maybe lowering my expectations and accepting less. Just to get through the "storm". Those decisions usually left me paralyzed, or being pushed two steps back for the one step forward that I took.

Do you remember this scene from "Friends" TV Show
of the 1990's?

I also, noted that the pelicans didn't fly lower, and they didn't land on the beach and wait until the storm subsided, but they flew above it. I recalled that, when I was able to rise above my problems, I could overcome them (most of the time) a lot easier. 

I wanted to share this with you, my reader, because having started to use this method, I'm now making a schedule to travel next year, starting after the holidays. I'm starting on the westcoast of the USA. I'm scheduling a trip to Solvang, California and Leavenworth, Washington to start. 

I also will plan a reunion for myself and about 6 - 10 of my best friends from secondary school, all of whom I lost contact with and recently found again on facebook. We talked about the reunion last year.

I'm enjoying my holidays and trying not to allow our current world situation to affect me too much. 

That's all for now! Adios! Til my next post! 

Next week Thanksgiving in Baja California!

A GRINGO: TRYING TO HAVE THANKSGIVING IN MEXICO!

Our Humble Home

Hi! and Welcome back to the Global Community Park!

I've recently decided to spend Thanksgiving in Mexico. I enjoyed it down here so much and I thought it wouldn't be hard to do. I've found almost everything I've needed so far but, Thanksgiving is another story. I can't find a descent turkey, or yams for a sweet potato pie and a few other things like jellied cranberry sauce and other things we usually have at our Thanksgiving table. There are no Thanksgiving decorations to buy here.  

I never appreciated how easily accessible those items are in the states. I've taken to making my own for my house. 

More Americans are Moving to Mexico and other
Hispanic countries. Celebrating Thanksgiving
in those countries isn't easy for them?

When I tried to buy some things uniquely American, they're expensive. So, what I've decided to do is to see Thanksgiving in a new way. The important thing is being with friends and family you love and enjoying a hearty meal. I did my shopping for decorations (some I've already shared with you) and started crafting some designs. 

Making my decorations with what I can find. Here this table top
Christmas Tree is made with construction paper, coffee filters, and
store bought glitter decorations (6/.81 cents)

I've looked on youtube and found more ideas for designing decorations for the Thanksgiving holiday.  I bought some of the mainstays like coffee filters, and gathered some leftover coffee jars to make my Thanksgiving/Christmas decor.  

I plan to return to the states in December for a short time and I'll make sure to buy more things that I want to use to make my holidays feel more familiar.  

I want to travel throughout Mexico while I'm still here, and learn about their holiday celebrations.  Meanwhile, I'm trying to do Thanksgiving here with what I have available and when I go to the states in 2 weeks, I'll come back with my holiday food a la USA. I'll let you know how it turns out.

As for my minimizing and downsizing, I've been thinking, "What can you buy a minimalist for Christmas?" Let me know what you think and I'll follow up on the next blog post.

Til Then, ADIOS! TIL MY NEXT POST!

Working on My Holiday Decorations!

Read on a see how to make these crafty candy/cookie jars!

Hi again and Welcome to The Global Community Park!

MY PRAYERS ARE GOING OUT TO THE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE PARIS ATTACKS.  HOW HORRIFIC THE EVENT IS AND I'M SO SORRY FOR ALL INVOLVED AND THEIR FAMILIES. MAY GOD WATCH OVER US ALL.


This week I've been working on holiday decorations and I wanted to share them here with you. I have a goal to spend $50 on decorations this year. That means I'll have to spend a lot more time crafting decorations.  I'll be sharing some craft items that I bought in Mexico and in the United States.  

Today, I'm sharing an idea for reusing something I bought in a Mexican Walmart.  It is a jar of coffee and when it was empty, I cleaned it up and reused it, making it into a candy or cookie jar. It can also be used to put gifts inside. I wish I had a fancier way to explain it but I don't so, here it is:

Here is the jar as bought from the store

After it's empty,I clean it up, dry it off, then wrap it with a cord.
Once wrapped, take off the lid and spray the clean jar with gold
spray paint.  Let it dry. Once dried, replace the lid. Then decorate!

Add the decorations and VIOLA! You have a wonderful
Holiday decoration!  Here it is at the top of this page
 on the fireplace mantel with
some other of my holiday decorations.

On My next post I'll share some more decorations with you.

SPECIAL NOTATIONS:
For me, part of traveling global is minimizing.  I'm finding out that the less I have, the easier it is to travel. On my last trip I traveled by plane in the United States.  I was charged for my carry on a fee of $55 USD.  Before I caught my next plane, I ditched my suitcase ( I carried my smallest bag and was charged for a carry on, surprising!), and bought a backpack, emptied the suitcase and put the contents into my new backpack, which I was allowed to bring on the plane for free as a personal item. I'm finding out that, the less I own, the happier I am.

Looking forward to sharing some other new discoveries with you and also sharing the holidays with you, my readers. May God Bless you all!!

NOMADIC XSCAPEES

Hi! Welcome to the Global Community Park! 

Ominous and Windy seems more like Halloween!

The skies are ominous here in paradise today.  Still a beautiful as ever.  I'm a weather-nerd and proud of it. I check my weather channel app and watch the videos on the app constantly. As I typed the last sentence, a flock of pelicans flew by my patio. The sun is showing itself again and tucking in for the night, shining a beautiful crimson haze on those ominous clouds right now.  These two pictures were taken only minutes apart. That's why I love living at the beach.

 Being this close to a weather system is wonderful but, can also be not so much. Living on the beach, we are vulnerable to the weather and it's changes, which sometimes lends itself to power blackouts and cold, wet surprises. But I use these times to prepare my house for emergencies and also prepare myself for being on the road with my van conversion or my RV, oh, did I tell you that? I plan within 2 years to buy a van conversion (with the goal of upgrading to a small RV) and travel (having also been bitten by the travel bug) throughout the United States and Canada? 

A few minutes later than the previous photo

This brings me to the main topic of this post.  I have been meeting a group of young people (mostly in their 30s but some are in their 20s) who have decided to turn away from the cubicle crowd and define their own success and their work jobs for themselves. I hope that came out right. 

These people, unlike their counterparts of the 1960s who also rebelled against the "establishment" are college graduates, budget aware, and making lots of money by working while on the road and on the internet.  They are also very aware of not leaving messes behind them, recycling their bottles, plastics and cans, using solar energy and just, well showing courtesy to others wherever they go. In fact, most of them have A-1 credit scores and are financing $70 - $100 thousand dollar luxury RVs that they are choosing to live in full time. 

This pup won my Puppy Halloween Pic Contest!
I agree with the choice!

I was impressed to see that most of the XSCAPEES (escaping generation X -ers) have monthly budgets that include an RV payment, or a 5th wheel payment along with their towing truck payment.  The average Xscapee's monthly expenses are between $1,000 - $1,500 a month which includes a membership in Thousand Trails RV Resort or a KOA membership so they can enjoy the campsites while they travel. 

I admire these young people. I wish I had taken a leap sooner and started traveling but, every time I planned to, some well meaning and caring friend would talk me out of it. Mostly siting the fear they had for my children living in a new country, new situation, etc. Understandable but, I wish I had followed my own instincts and done it anyway.

I plan to share more of my findings on these Xscapees on this blog. They are, after all, part of our new Global Community one we (society that is) didn't see coming and I love these guys. They've helped me see my life in an even newer way. The more I open my mind, the happier and freer I am! 

As for this post, we are at the end of it.  I shared some thoughts with you, now I hope you share yours with me. Leave a comment in the area for comments. I really would like to hear your opinions!

But for now, ADIOS 'TIL MY NEXT POST!