Today (January 8th) marks one week in Veracruz, Mexico! My son and I entered into Mexico Jan. 1 on a non stop flight from DFW. After packing most of our belongings and putting them in storage, selling my beloved 14 year old Nissan XTerra, and moving out of my former empty nester 2 bedroom home in Berkeley, CA, I started the year in the place that I would call home.
I received my passport in 2021 and started traveling in 2022. As I started traveling to various cities/towns in Mexico and learning more about myself and heritage, I realized that I had a desire to move out of the country. After the many years of hustle and grind, white supremacy, traumatic events by the people that look like me, and raising two children as a single mother, I desired the soft life. My children are now young adults in their 20s. There was no reason to stay in the United States. I had escaped the trauma in the Southern region of the states (The South) and made a home in the Bay Area (Oakland & Berkeley) of California for a few years. 5 years to be exact!
For 2 years, I began to look for a new home out of the country. I did my research, joined Facebook Expat groups, YouTube videos of Black women that had made their exit, and Zoom meetings about how. There’s typically 5 cities in Mexico that are repeatedly being shown as places to go with a Black expat community: Merida, Playa de Carmen, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City and Guadalajara. Oaxaca is honorably mentioned. I’ve visited all but Merida. I’m told Merida is very hot (calor) and that by itself is not for me. I enjoyed Playa del Carmen and thought that was where I would live. Well, May of 2024, that all changed. I visited Veracruz and the town of Yanga, the first free Black settlement of the Americas and immediately felt a draw to be here.
“Do you live in Veracruz?”
I was the first person on the plane to Veracruz, comfortably seated in Business class. On a previous trip to Veracruz, I was given $1,000 flight credit from American Airlines to give up my seat during Dia de Los Muertos. This would pay for our flight in January. As people came on I saw a woman who I identified as being Afro Mexican. As more people got on, I specifically remember a lady smiling at me as she went to her seat as if spirit was saying, you’re doing well. Eventually the Afro Mexican woman and her husband would be seated across from me. When we landed, the woman and I both had questions for each other. She asked me if I lived in Veracruz and I asked her was she from Veracruz. She explained that she had 2 more years until she retired and then they would moved. Her and her husband love Veracruz.
“How long will you be staying?”
After reading different accounts of how Mexican immigration in different cities are not automatically giving Americans 180 days and are looking for a return flight, I worried a little bit about how this would work. I filled out the customs form for my son and I and waited in line. When it was our turn, the same question that I’m always asked when entering Mexico was asked. My response was a little different this time around. “I don’t know, 180 days” The officer replied, “Ok” and sent us on our way with 180 days in both of our passports. We exited customs after having our bags throughly checked and got a taxi to our hotel, Galeria Plaza. I had never stayed in this particular hotel on my previous solo trips but I’m so glad I did. This hotel is located inside of a mall with various eateries. Because it was 2pm and check in time is 3pm, we went into the mall to eat after valet took care of our luggage. This was my son’s first visit to Veracruz, my 5th visit.
Day 2 - Housing
Rental viewings in Boca del Rio & Alvarado
To be continued Part 2 - Week 1 Black Expat Life
Want to support us and our expat journey?
Zelle - contact@vwoodsmedia.com
Yanga Nation Coming Soon!
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