Job Discussion Forums

orangiey · Joined: 30 Jan 2005 Posts: 217 Location: UK

What should I bring to Mexico City? I'm currently in China and learnt the hard way and topped up when when I went home to the UK in the summer...

Things I'm thinking of are:

Deodrants (Chinese don't use them!)
Teabags (not yellow label but say Tetley or similar British tea)
Stock cubes/gravy
Breakfast cereals
Baked Beans
Marmite (it's a British yeast extract NOT like Bovril which contains beef!)

Also can I get British newspapers and magazines in Mexico City?

I don't need info about books/CDs/DVDs/electronics etc but more about food and similar things. I can't find any info about ex-pat shopping in Mexico

Thanks

MamaOaxaca · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 201 Location: Mixteca, Oaxaca

Deodrants (Chinese don't use them!) No unless you have a particular brand you love. You can get the main US brands in Mexico, no problem, plus it's cool and not very humid most of the year in Mexico City, you just might find you don't need it!

Teabags (not yellow label but say Tetley or similar British tea) Very good idea. You can get Twinnings, but it's expensive. The locals are more into herbal teas than black tea.

Stock cubes/gravyThe stock cubes will not be a problem in Mexico, you can get chicken, hen, roster, (don't ask the difference) general beef, rib, shrimp and veggie stock in cubes or powder. I don't really know about gravy, can stand it my self.

Breakfast cerealsAll the major US ones are available, including the super yummy Post Banana Nut Crunch

Baked Beans
I've never eaten UK baked beans, but beans are a major staple in the Mexican diet, I alway use dry beans I cook up in my pressure cooker. There must be some brit who can tell you which Mexican brand is the best to use in making British style baked beans.

Marmite (it's a British yeast extract NOT like Bovril which contains beef!) If you must eat it, definately bring it.

Also can I get British newspapers and magazines in Mexico City?You can get internet, isn't that sufficient?

I don't need info about books/CDs/DVDs/electronics etc but more about food and similar things. I can't find any info about ex-pat shopping in Mexico
Just so you know Mexico uses 110 electiricty and is compatible with US electronics and is region 4 DVDs though most cheapo DVD players play region 1 and 4. Locate yourshelf near a Costco or Sam's Club and I'm sure you will have no problems.
Also getting a little creative and experiementing with the local ingrediates can make your stay in Mexico a lot more rewarding. Wink

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Hmm...while you might find it cool and not humid, Mexico City folk are very particular about personal hygiene. A common complaint here about foreigners is that frankly, we stink. On behalf of all chilangos, please buy and use deodorant. It's widely available.

There are a couple of international news stores that offer world papers. I find it quite pricey though...internet, like Melee says, is probably far easier.

Try googling Sumesa or Superama or even Wal-Mart Mexico. They might show you a product list to find what you want.

cangringo · Joined: 18 Jan 2007 Posts: 327 Location: Vancouver, Canada

Yes bring tea, I can't seem to find just the normal stuff here although there are many herbals and chinese tea. Of course I am not in Mexico City.

They do have beans but they won't be what you are used to as baked beans. There are charros - here they are brown beans in a sweetish sauce ( I find it a little funny tasting) and they have bacon and cut up weinies and some sort of green leafy thing (can anyone help me out with this). Anyway they are tasty but not what you are used to...and the bacon is usually very fatty and uncooked or hardly cooked. You can also get ranch style beans but those taste more like chili beans. They are really good but not quite the same as baked beans. I don't know of any others here except for the refried of course. But as Mama said, you can get the dried beans and make your own.

Of course as I said I'm not in Mexico City and I know the food varies from place to place.

In Monterrey you can get gravy mixes at Wal-Mart, however I don't like the mixes - I prefer the real stuff. I don't know about anywhere else. You can also get instant mashed potatoes here Very Happy

- sad I know

Guy,

Have you noticed the Mexicans wear a lot of cologne or perfume? Perhaps that's why we stink?? I don't wear a lot of perfume or scents but I have asthma and I find them stifling...thoughts??

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I'm being a little dramatic of course...not all Mexicans think all foreigners stink. You'll find people here who overdo the perfume too. Generally though, I find people in Mexico City place high importance on personal hygiene...that simply means dressing well, looking clean, and not stinking. Lack of perfume or deodorant doesn't mean stink, but a healthy dose of BO does.

From here Cagringa, you aren't producing a stink. But, let's get into the squish of a Mexico City metro morning and see what smells we make. Wink

cangringo · Joined: 18 Jan 2007 Posts: 327 Location: Vancouver, Canada

It gets might hot here and I must say I don't stink as much as hubby but boys always stink Laughing

kidding, just kidding.....don't whack me

We shower a lot in the summer so I think we keep the stink factor down mostly. I have smelled some stinkies here though...and those laundry ladies sure get the clothes smelling nice

depends how hot it gets methinks but definitely have to use the deodorant

MamaOaxaca · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 201 Location: Mixteca, Oaxaca

I'm still working on the same Dove deodorant I bought in August 2005! It's so dry here my body has forgotten how to sweat! Or maybe I discovered some sort of super brand of deodorant??? Laughing

Oh and that green stuff in the beans is probably cilantro, but don't hold me to it, Fijoles Charros aren't very popular in this neck of the woods. Here black beans with epozote are king.

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

I stock up on disposable shaving blades for sensitive skin, anti bacterial soap, and multiple vitamins when I go back stateside. Vitamins are 100 pesos per 30 here in MX, whereas they are about $16 for 250 in the USA. Shaving blades from the Dollar Tree or Dollar stores are $2 for a packet of 12 in the states and 6 pesos per on the street here in MX. Soap is likewise overpriced here.

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

orangiey · Joined: 30 Jan 2005 Posts: 217 Location: UK

Wow!! You guys are great, thanks for all the advice on my shopping list.
I was told people in Mexico are friendly........... Very Happy

danielita · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 281 Location: SLP

I second the disposable razor blades. Also, I recommend shaving cream. You can buy it here, but it is expensive (around 50 pesos a can in this neck of the woods).

WARNING: GIRL TALK BELOW!

If you are a woman and use tampons, you might want to consider bringing those along. Especially if you are picky about the brand you use. Selection in my area is limited to one brand.

Melee, you need to come visit! You will use up that Dove deodorant in no time! It gets so hot and sweaty here I need to use mine twice a day just as a public service to my colleagues and students.[/b]

cangringo · Joined: 18 Jan 2007 Posts: 327 Location: Vancouver, Canada

good point on the razor blades, they are ridiculously expensive...for the soaps and things you can get Dove and other sensitive skin brands here in Monterrey but we are a ways from Mexico city. Oh also if you are a man, aftershave is a good buy - we only have two choices, gillette and brut and gillette is expensive... not that I'm a man or anything but I have one and I don't want him to smell like brut because my grandpa used to... Shocked

mmm heinz beans....

could be cilantro in the beans but I thought it looked more like parsley - ah who knows, sometimes it comes in huge branches and sometimes they just sprinkle it in. Depends who's making it.

has anyone found good all beef hotdogs...can't find those anywhere - or good ham...

people in Mexico are fantastically friendly especially the Mexicans Wink

jillford64 · Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 397 Location: Sin City

Don't know if you are a guy or a girl, but I second what Danielita says about tampons and it applies to any other special girl things too. Also, contact solution is very hard to find. I brought a years supply of a certain brand of feminine hygiene product, hair conditioner, and contact solution. Everything else I have been able to find a close approximation of. I get decently priced vitamins at Costco. You'll have an easier time of it in a bigger city.

jillford64 · Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 397 Location: Sin City

OK, two other picky things. You might consider bringing some good sheets and a decent pillow if having this sort of thing is important to you and you know you will be living in a small town where the selection is limited. The matresses, sheets, and pillows in every place I've ever slept in Mexico (with the exception of one lovely B&B in Tlaquepaque) have totally sucked. The sheets here feel like they are about 50 thread count and the pillows are like sleeping on mashed couch cushions. I have a lot of trouble sleeping, so this was important to me. The first time I was here in Morelia I looked and looked for good sheets and pillows but couldn't find any, so when I came back I brought a down travel pillow and a set of 400 count sheet with me. Later I did notice that Costco had 400 thread count sheet, but often you can't count on Costco having the same thing twice.