For those who are not familiar with my blog, 2023 became the year for revamping my entire life by closing my 38-year-old consulting practice, downsizing all that I have hoarded over the years to fit into two 10×10 storage units and become a nomad. Besides a 6 week stay in New York City, I have already moved to Mexico with plans to stay for 6 months and then to Italy through next year. Here is what those first 30 days of beginning a new chapter have been like….

Decompressing and Unpacking Your Life

Jumping on a plane to Mexico on October 3rd came with weeks of stressful planning that required endless details coupled with the anticipation of the unexpected. Upon my arrival, I met up with two friends who were making a last stop in Merida to see me before heading back to the US. As can be expected in two days, we try to squeeze as much eating and drinking as possible. By the end of my first week, I ended up with a cold or sinus infection that increased my migraines. The 90 + degree weather, humidity and pollen kept me indoors and in and out of bed while dragging my feet to finish the October newsletter. By the second week, I was adjusting better, so I organize the apartment to fit my needs, and started to walk the neighborhood while contemplating my new life.

Waking up every morning in a foreign country away from everything that is familiar to you can be a bit daunting. Two questions I generally asked myself in the morning, “so, what exactly am I planning to do today and what day is this?” It’s not that I don’t have a list of projects to pursue and fill a good part of my day. The issue is much bigger affecting most retirees, especially those like me who are obsessive-compulsive workaholics. Its the lack of a familiar routine or schedule that is no longer part of my life, at least not in the same way. Knowing that you no longer have a home to return to, a place to hang out with your buddies, see your relatives or work with clients requires you to seek other outlets. I miss my home, my work, friends, family and simple routines like getting mail, receiving and opening packages (yes, I have an online shopping addiction). I sorely miss watching MSNBC and CNN as bad as the news has been. At times, I  feel isolated, alone, and un-focused. None of it is alarming. It’s a matter of adjusting and finding ways to fill your day, connect with people and build from there. My friend Bob recently sent me a Ted Talk video by Dr Riley Moynes that summed up four stages of retirement. I found the video to be quite telling and useful. If you are contemplating retiring in the near future, click here to view it. I like to think that I am already working on stage four and avoiding as much as possible stage two. 

  So, What About Merida?

 Well, now that I got my feelings off my chest, what have the last 30 days been like? I decided to extend my stay a week longer due to the cold and to enjoy the festivities of the Day of the Dead (well worth it). This is my second time visiting Mérida, a place I recommend to those who love history, architecture, art, culture, and cuisine. There is plenty to do both in the city and in the surrounding Yucatán region. If you want to learn more about Merida, I have a six-part series on my website. Just use the search button to find them.

I rented an Airbnb apartment that included a private pool and patio centered between the living /kitchen area and the bedroom. The location was a 15–20-minute walk to the city’s two business corridors. The apartment met all my expectations in a quiet, safe neighborhood. Unlike the Airbnb apartment in New York City, I aimed for more indoor and outdoor space and made a point early-on of asking the host to please fumigate before I get there (not while I am there).

Climate change has arrived in the Yucatán region as the heat and humidity were a bit fierce for October, or could it be El Niño? I tried not to walk during the hours of 12- 300 pm to avoid both the sun and the humidity. Your clothes are literally damp most of the time. By the third week of the month, the temperatures started to fall from 95 to 85. It’s amazing how 10 degrees can make a vast difference.

Having been sick with a cold, I stayed away from the pool. However, all it took was one day of being in the blistering sun and walking back to my place with two small grocery bags. Fully damped with beads of sweat running down my face, I just threw myself into the pool with my clothes on (minus the groceries). Once I cooled off, I slowly took off my wet clothes and jump back into the pool, this time naked. I can’t even describe how this felt and couldn’t care one hoot if anybody saw my 70-year-old naked body (which I doubt, as this is a very private pool).  Making this as much as possible part of my daily routine became an attainable goal and well worth the cost of the apartment.

Besides cooling off in the pool, my daily routine consisted of walks in the morning and evening, local site-seeing and lots of photo taking. I also scheduled several tours. One of them was pure good fortune. What are the chances of booking a tour to see one of the seven wonders of the world –—the ancient city of Chichén Itzá on the day of a solar eclipse that only happens every forty years in the Yucatan region? The visit became even more wondrous having witness a Mayan ritual honoring the Solar Eclipse. For details with photos on this unique once in a life-time experience, click here. I also managed to go to 6 cenotes, 5 in one day, and toured a Hacienda restored as a museum (similar to the US plantations with Mayans being enslaved).

The last week of my stay was to enjoy the festivities of The Day of the Dead. Merida annually sponsored a well-orchestrated week of events that were unforgettable. These festivities serve over 70,000 residents and visitors and are one of the largest celebrations in Mexico. For details on what that experience was like with photos, click here.

Final Note

For the most part, I feel the first 30 days of my journey had both lows and highs that made me realize how traveling impacts everything about you. There is something seductive about being in a world so different from yours that is both empowering and intimidating. I still don’t have a clear picture of how best I can use my travels to live a more purposeful life. But I am working on it and hope to continue to push myself to find both joy and happiness in the things I seek to do. I see myself as both a lens-based artist and a storyteller with so much more to learn and experiment. I am excited about the coming year realizing that not all of it will be perfect.

I have now moved on to the city of Campeche, one of 10 UNESCO sites in Mexico, for a 24 day stay. Much like Merida, I am already falling in love with this historic colonial town center.

I probably have over several hundred photos of Merida. Besides the photos that are listed as part of the other two stories linked here, I am happy to share this series of some of my favorites. I love to take photos of the city’s architecture, its people and images that are symbolic of both daily living and indigenous culture. As always, click the center of the photos for a full view.

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