Dog to Mexico

Today we returned to Mexico City for our official move. No return flights to the U.S. in our near future, which meant it was time to bring our dog to Mexico.

We have been dreading bringing her to Mexico, anticipating that the experience would be ridiculous and complicated. It didn't help that the relocation company gave us a quote for them to ship her down to us for over $3,000...closer to $4,000 if we wanted that company to pick her up and deliver her from the airport(s). Said company also said they don't recommend you taking your dog thru customs without them. But, since my husband's employer wasn't footing the bill...we thought we'd take our chances and try and save a couple grand!

Prior to our departure, I called American Airlines three times and checked their website a couple more times. The website ended up being the most helpful, as it seems that is what the AA check-in people were using to guide them. But, calling was also imperative as the people on the phone were able to tell me what Mexico's customs would require.

In the end, I was told I needed a health certificate (not issued more than five days before departure), a rabies vaccination certificate, a certificate showing the dog is free from ECTO and ENDO, and then a letter from the vet stating the dog can fly if the weather is below 45 degrees.

In other departure city or arrival city, the temperature is not supposed to be below 45 degrees or above 85 for the dog to fly. I was very concerned about this, until I saw the information on getting a letter. Then, I became worried because Mexico City has been having very warm weather - mid 80's!

I was also told the cost would be $175, payable at the check-in, via credit card. And, food must be taped to the crate, with water and food dishes inside. The crate must also be a certain size, allowing the dog to stand up and turn around. PLUS, the dog and crate together can weigh no more than 100 pounds.

So...the day before our flight, my husband and our dog went to the vet. $400 later, with some Heartworm meds and allergy pills, we had the rabies vaccination and health certificate. Apparently everything but the rabies shot verification is on the "international health certificate". Very handy...and costly!

Regardless of how prepared we thought we were, we headed to the airport early. My brother drove us and we had him park and help us carry everything inside. Good thing, as he was instrumental in helping wrangle the dog, the baby, the luggage, and the crate!

The check-in line was very short...until we got up there. We caused a bit of a backup, since it took the AA attendants over an hour to check us (mainly the dog) in. They had no idea what was needed. I'm not sure if they'd ever checked a dog in before. So, they kept looking everything up on their computers. Then...they broke out the tape measure. The tape measure, or how the woman was choosing to measure the crate, almost ended Molly's journey.

She said the crate was over the allotted size and that it wouldn't fit into the plane. She told us we would board the plane and if Molly didn't fit, we would be taken off the plane and would miss our flight. A bit stressful.

In the end, the crate was NOT oversized. When measuring height, the tape measure should go straight up...not follow the curves of the crate. So, the crate was the last piece of luggage loaded onto the plane and the first thing off, to Annie's delight! Annie was sitting with me on a window seat, with a perfect view of them unloading the baggage. "Molly's crate! I see Molly's crate!"

Once we cleared immigration and got our bags, I set out to find someone with scissors, who could cut the zip tie that AA put on the crate door. Four people later, Molly was cut loose and walking thru the airport... until someone quickly told us dogs are not permitted to be out of their crates in the airport. So, she had to go back in, while we waited almost an hour for Mexico's animal customs to clear us...during which, at some point, she peed in her crate, as there are no designated places to let your dog go outside and find some grass.

In the end, the process for bringing the dog to Mexico City was long and tedious, adding several hours to our time in the airport(s). Would we do it again? Yes. But, will we take her every time we travel back and forth to the U.S.? NO!! ...especially when I have just learned of a dog kennel in Mexico City that comes highly recommended and that will pick-up and drop-off your dog, bathing her before the drop off!

Back in the US

Shortly after arriving back in the U.S., I left Annie with my parents and headed out to pick up a fountain diet coke...and a pizza. The fountain diet coke (FDC) was a must have! I am addicted. And, the FDC's must come from McDonald's. They are just better from McDonald's!

I was gone for about 20 minutes. I realized that that 20 minutes was the longest I had been away from Annabelle for over a month. In Mexico, she is always with me. Never leave home without her!! In that month, I had left her twice. Once to go to 7-Eleven, four doors down from my building...I was gone about 5 minutes (and Annie was sleeping...Mike too). They didn't even know I was gone. The second time I ventured out on my own was to run down to the market to talk to a vendor. I was gone about 15 minutes.

Anyways, the 20 minutes I took to get the pizza and coveted diet coke was very liberating!... It was also the first time I drove a car in over a month. So, that was nice too! Especially driving a car with a radio that works! In a town where the citizens obey traffic laws!...

Although now when sitting at a red light in the U.S., at a time when there are no other cars around, I think "I should just go. In Mexico, I wouldn't be sitting here. I would look around and gun it thru the intersection". But, I feel compelled to be like the masses and obey the laws in the U.S., like a good citizen!

Also, as soon as I got back to Chicago, I started catching up on American Idol and some other shows, via OnDemand. In Mexico, I had gone a month without tv and didn't miss it. But, I quickly fell back into my previous routine upon re-entry! Certainly moving to Mexico is getting me out of my former comfort zone and routines. So, I am very excited to now be back in Mexico to continue learning, growing and questioning my self and my actions, such as tv watching... You can be certain though, one thing I won't be questioning or changing is my FDC addiction! Looking forward to returning to the U.S. in a few months for a McDonald's FDC!!...among other reasons!

Flight Back to the US

About two weeks ago, Annabelle and I flew to Chicago without Mike. If you read my previous post, you know I was nervous about documentation (or lack thereof). In the end, I had Mike bring home a letter on his company's letterhead. It wasn't notorized, but I had a copy of his FM3 visa and passport. So, I was hoping I would be okay.

The airport could have cared less that I was taking Annabelle out of Mexico without her father. At no point was I asked for any documentation.

So, I worried and stressed for nothing!

The flight went very smoothly. Luckily, the flight attendants were able to move people around so that Annie and I had a row to ourselves! And, I only brought one carry on, with limited toys and diapers. I did bring my secret weapon...the iPad! It keeps Annie occupied with digital books, a piano, memory game, farm animal noise app, and episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Dora the Explorer! Plus, she loves to look at the family photos and videos on it! It's a must have for traveling, in my opinion!

Chapultepec Park, Mexico City

A few weeks ago, we spent a Sunday morning walking around Chapultepec Park in Polanco. We had a great time, especially letting Annabelle get out and run around.

I would compare Chapultepec Park to New York City's Central Park.

Chapultepec Park is HUGE. There is an area where all the street vendors gather and try and sell you the same stuff. There is a pond/lake where you can rent paddle boats. You can walk up the hill and go to the Chapultepec Castle. There are fountains and statues of important people in Mexico's history. The zoo is within Chapultepec Park. You can take a tour of the park on a little tram.

And, there are areas away from the masses where you can take different paths and walk in the shade.

Our venture to Chapultepec Park, from the timewe left our house to the time we returned, was a little over three hours. Walking nonstop, we figure we walked about nine miles and saw no where near all of the park.

So, for all my future visitors...you better bring your walking shoes, because we'll be exploring Chapultepec Park. It's a must do in Polanco (and Mexico City).

Teotihuacan - Ruins Outside Mexico City

Back in October, when we initially came to see Mexico City, we hired a tour service, found on Trip Advisor, and went to see Teotihuacan.

It was neat to see the pyramids and fascinating in many ways.

The fact that you can climb them is mind boggling to me. Especially when you add in the fact that the stairs are VERY steep and there is nothing to hold on to, aside from a single rope in sections.

In the U.S., there would be police and paramedics all over the place. In Mexico...you get a single rope to hold onto...and you better not fall, because if you do, you'll die...and take dozens of people down with you, as there is no order or staff to see to the safety of the visitors.

We happened to go to Teotihuacan on a Sunday. Like many things in Mexico, Teotihuacan is free to Mexican citizens on Sundays...which means it was EXTREMELY crowded! I highly recommend paying the small charge and going on a different day, if you want to take your time and enjoy climbing the pyramids without everyone, their parents and their grandparents!

All in all, we were glad we saw Teotihuacan. We probably won't go back, unless we have visitors that are dying to see it! And, we certainly wouldn't let our two year old climb up and down the pyramids...as so many other parents let their children do! The vision still makes me cringe, and I can't believe there haven't been injuries or deaths.

A Maid...A Mexico Must Have.

I think I am getting a maid.

Everyone has one. It's the thing to do!

In actuality, it hasn't been an easy decision, nor have we taken the thought lightly. And, I don't particularly want a maid.

But, what I want less is me down on my hands and knees cleaning 1,800 square feet of wood laminate flooring every week. I don't find that fun and enjoyable.

Right now, Mike does the floor cleaning. It has always been his chore. Wasn't a big deal in the U.S. We had very little flooring that wasn't carpet. And, the suburbs of Chicago aren't as dusty as Mexico. Dust and dirt are EVERYWHERE here, especially with my building still under construction.

With Mike working 70+ hours a week (or so it seems), he has had enough of his chore! Plus, all his co-workers tell him he needs a maid, and they smile at the mere thought of going home to their perfectly immaculate homes!

In Mexico, the options for a maid are abundant. You can have a live in maid...which we could do, as we have maids quarters upstairs, on the roof of our building. You can have a maid five days a week, that doesn't live in. Or you can do a few hours a day, as many days as you want.

I've gotten leads on two maids. One would only be available about 4 hours, one day a week. The other...I am not sure of her availability. I need to get someone to translate for me when I call her!

I personally like the idea of a maid once a week, for three or four hours to clean the bathrooms, the floors and the windows/glass walls. Beyond that, what do I need a maid for? I don't mind the laundry and dishes. We are picky eaters, so we don't need or want anyone to cook for us.

Mike likes the idea of having a less-busy maid. Someone who can work longer, if ever necessary.

For three or four hours a day, we would pay a maid less than $250 pesos or $21 USD. I can deal with that!

I'm not sure what I'll do while the maid is here...aside from feeling bad that I am too lazy to do the work myself!

But, I think we are going to pull the trigger and get a maid. It is part of the Mexico experience! Certainly once we go back to the U.S... I won't have a maid!

Talking to all the women at playgroup about their maids is interesting. Some maids take care of the children almost solely. Some maids aren't very interested in the kids, and veer more towards doing all the cooking and cleaning. Some maids eat with the family at night. Others will/do not. Some maids do all the grocery shopping, take the kids to the park, and take care of the dog(s). In Mexico, babysitters are VERY rare. That's what maids are for...or so we are told.

And, the maids are of a variety of ages. I have heard of one maid who is 16 years old. When I think of a sixteen year old, I think "why isn't she in school?". Here, her family needs her to work, to help pay for their home. So, she lives with and works for a family 6 days a week, then takes her paycheck home with her on her day off. School was never in the cards for her. The family she works for is doing her a favor by hiring her and giving her a good home to live in.

It is a different way of living and thinking here in Mexico.

Traveling within Mexico

We have begun booking trips!

Out of the blue last week, we found a great deal on a hotel in Cabo ("Los Cabos" as they call it here in Mexico). So, we booked it! 50% off starting in May!

So, we got online looking for airline tickets. We decided to use Interjet, which is like Southwest Airlines in the U.S.

I found tickets at a great price - about $400 round trip for the whole family! I put in all my information, first trying to use my U.S. address (which wouldn't work, since Illinois was not an option for a U.S. state - only Florida and Texas). Then, I tried to use my Mexico address. That worked...until the end, when my credit card was denied, because my billing address was incorrect...since my bills are still sent to my U.S. address!!

Frustrated, I looked up Interjet's offices and found their nearest location is about 8 blocks away at La Antera - the local mall!

So, the next day, we went to Interjet and booked our flights to Los Cabos. It was a tad difficult as the Interjet agent didn't speak any English. And when we said "Mayo" (the month of May)...he started pricing out the same days in Abril (April)...which was twice as expensive, thank goodness, and made us question why the internet price was so different from the price he was quoting us!

Luckily, swiping my credit card worked better than manually inputting the information... at least for the trip to Los Cabos.

Since we were at Interjet, we went ahead and booked our flights to Cancun/Riviera Maya in June. My brother is getting married in Riviera Maya then, which we are super excited about!

After again struggling through Spanish with the agent, he swiped my card again...this time getting a failure notice. So, we used a diffferent card and went on our way. When I called my credit card company later, they told me the Interjet agent used the wrong expiration date for the second charge. To my relief!

Now, we are looking forward to our trip to Cabo in May, our trip to Riviera Maya in June, and trying to figure out when to go to Ixtapa, Cuernavaca and Puerta Vallarta! Might as well see as much of Mexico while we're here!!