Pros and Cons of Living in Guadalajara

"The people. We also loved alambres carbon, the markets, the aguas and tortillas. Music was wonderful," said one person in Guadalajara.

"The language is fun to learn, the food is great, a lot of people I've met are really special and I've made some friends, although it hasn't been easy. They are a close-knit culture with their families and don't accept gringas very willingly, but I'm okay. There are astoundingly beautiful places that I could never see the like in the States," remarked one expat in Guadalajara.

"The utter lack of punctuality. The casual approach and the scandalous leeway business and professionalism are given. The poverty, perhaps, is the most jarring of them all. Be prepared to be galvanized by it," said a person living in Guadalajara.

"Expatriates in Guadalajara often find the local language, customs and dress to be challenging. Many locals speak Spanish and those who don't speak Spanish can have difficulty communicating and interacting with their new neighbors. Likewise, cultural norms such as the importance of family, the close-knit Catholic community and the extended siesta time can all be difficult to adjust to. Moreover, adjusting to the sweltering heat and lack of air-conditioning is another aspect of the local culture that can be particularly hard for some," explained one expat living in Guadalajara.

"Pounds to kilos. :-) Power-outages for no reason. Bugs (especially black widow spiders and scorpions hitching a ride on the plant trucks). exchange rates and devaluations. (Luckily we had a USD account when they devalued the peso by 50%," said one in Guadalajara.