VII. Real, de Verdad

The very last luna llena on the eve of our departure from Ajijic. We've been busy
in the four weeks since our return to the States.

Just in the past week, our move to Mexico has gotten really real, really fast. 

First—last weekend—there was the flurry of emails among me and my Bring-It-On wife stateside, and an incredibly responsive rental agent in Ajijic, as well as an Aces Ex-pat Couple down there with whom we’ve recently made friends. In addition to the gratifying social interactions, the takeaway was that 1) we’re most likely not going to finalize our housing until we’re boots on the ground (and Sra. Lopez is a good person to know), and 2) there are a few desirable places available now to rent, and there will likely be many more by mid-May.

Next—as just chronicled—we’ve cracked the visa barrier! It can be done! By any of us with even a scintilla more than 1) half a brain, and 2) an income stream sadly indicative of drug-addled prime earning years. The visa is for Residencia Temporal, meaning that after bringing its ink-barely-dry self to some friendly bureaucrats in Mexico within 30 days of our plane touching down on the GDL runway, and each paying US$200 plus (!), we’re good to go in Me-ji-co for one year, renewable three more times until we graduate to Residencia Permanente.

I think that's the way it works...Anyway, and finally:

Drum roll please—thanks to my BIOMF wife we now have our ONE-WAY tickets reserved to Guadalajara May 17th on Alaska and AeroMexico Airlines. Sure, we’ve got travel insurance, but we’ve also got a target date. 

And the boxes of surplus giveaways accumulate, and Goodwill receipts for said boxes pile up. And it won't be long before we'll have no more than enough toilet paper in the cupboard to see us out.

De verdad!