Communicating in a foreign country can be a daunting prospect, especially for those who have not traveled outside the area covered by their native tongue. There is the difficulty of day-to-day communications with service providers, shopkeepers, and other resources locally, and there is the difficulty of communicating in the more general sense of keeping up with the news, staying in touch with family and friends, and following your favorite soap opera or sports team.  In Mexico you can surmount both of these obstacles quite easily.

If you are planning to settle in Mexico permanently or part-time, learning Spanish should be a priority. It’s a great way to get involved in the country immediately. There are a myriad of ways to get started.  Local teachers offer classes or private instruction. Schools in Guadalajara can tailor a program for your level – including boarding with a Mexican family. Other schools elsewhere in the country offer intensive immersion classes that will get you into the flow quickly.

General communications are on a par with most developed countries. Basic telephone service is well-established and cellular telephone service is available everywhere. The internet can be accessed through basic or high speed services. The post office is quite unreliable, but alternative postal services are very reliable.  Cable TV and satellite TV are both easily accessed. Newspapers in both English and Spanish are readily available, and radio reception is good.