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sarliz · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 198 Location: Jalisco

So I'm back in Mexico after a fun-filled summer in Chicago teaching, of all things, a board game design class. My boyfriend and I drove up from Guadalajara, and back down (via California), and now I've visited about 10 times more United States than I knew previously. There is a seriously impressive amount of corn and desert involved.

Anyway, now I've returned, and am living in Guadalajara with the aforementioned boy (he's from here, as is his business). I was in Oaxaca last year, and enjoyed the hell out of it, aside from the long distance relationship thing. I'm plotting ways to get us down there eventually. Until then, here I am in GDL, and the adjustment is proving a little rough for a girl who hates driving and car culture, and loves art, revolutionary graffitti, tiny mercados, indigineous crafts and daily doses of quesillo, chocolate and/or mezcal.

If anyone has advice pertaining to good schools to check out for work (I'm an ITTO grad, so I'll be hitting them up, but I'm familiar with their placement skills), art scenes, neat stuff to see, or not getting killed while riding a bike, please drop a line.

Cheers!
Sara

MELEE · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:47 pm Post subject: Re: Grudgingly In Guadalajara...

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

Sara, check out Tlaquepaque as an option. That area may suit you better than Guadalajara to work or live in, and it's very close.

http://www.terragalleria.com/north-america/mexico/guadalajara-area/guadalajara-area.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tlaquepaque

sarliz · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 198 Location: Jalisco

Hmm. Thanks for the suggestions, but the fact that they both imply that out of Guadalajara is better for me isn't doing so much to instill my faith in the place. Laughing

Ah well. I'll keep searching.

dixie · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 644 Location: D.F

Sarliz,

Give it a go!

I totally understand how after a great time living in one place, the next place can seem "disappointing" but...don�t let your desire to return to Oaxaca stop you from enjoying what is in Guadalajara.

Change is fabulous and horrible! Very Happy

I have yet to travel there, so I cannot suggest anything to you about the city but try and enjoy it while you are there. And while you are there, try and see if you can get back to where you think you will really be happy!

I also have yet to make it to Oaxaca (earlier I sooooooooooo wanted to go.....with dog.........but now there are two!.......and money and time will dictate when....but there will be a time!!!!!) so from my "non-knowing" of how it really is, I can see why you would want to return.

Think of what you loved there, try to find it in Guadalajara, and if you can�t, try to find things that are "similar but different".

"Life is about change" and it�s always hard at first. Seep in the city and see how you feel after a little while. Don�t discount the fact that you may be having "Culture Shock". To me, that has always really meant nothing more than living in a differnt place (even when that place is in the same country you were born and raised). Change IS hard. But it is also fabulous, because good or bad, it allows you to know you yourself a little more.

Enjoy!

And if you really are bored...let�s get together! I can "scare" you with D.F and you can "wow" me with Guadalajara (really, I�m only hoping we can be friends, you have a car, love dogs, and will take me and them to Oaxaca with you! Wink

)

Best of luck!!!

....dixie and the mutts

reddevil79 · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:22 pm Post subject:

As Dixie said, change can be scary, but give it a go! Guadalajara may not immediately charm you like other cities in Mexico, but it�s a great city with many things to do.

San Juan de Dios - The biggest indoor market in Latin America and everything you could wish to find.

La Barranca � an impressive canyon and popular on Sundays with families.

Some great nightlife with loads of clubs (if you like that kind of thing) and awesome bars. I�ve yet to come across another city in Mexico (seriously) with the same array and diversity of bars. You�ll have to make friends with Tapatios though as they are ones in the know.

The next Guggenheim museum will be opened there in a couple of years time.

Loads of good cinemas, both multiplex and small independent establishments.

Great food everywhere, and check out the Japanese-Mexican fusion cuisine Surprised

Tlaquepaque and Tonala are nearby, as are Chapala and Los Altos, interesting places to visit.

And best of all � Tapatios! Really friendly people who are proud of their city.

Check out the Ocio culture section which comes with one the main Guadalajara newspapers (can�t remember which) every Friday. Lists all that�s going on in the city that week.

reddevil79 · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 6:09 pm Post subject:

...I think the newspaper is called 'El Informador'. Rolling Eyes

chichifo · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Posts: 29

The supplement OCIO is published by the newspaper PUBLICO, it�s released every Friday. If you want to meet social dissidents (hippies or so) in Guadalajara, you have to go to:

www.tianguiscultural.org/

La Mutualista. Madero #553. Bar-club from 10 PM.

If you�re into alternative cinema:

www.cineforo.udg.mx/Untitled-1.html

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

I'm supposed to be coming to Guadalajara in January or February, and I'm soooo excited! I used to live in Turin, Italy, which is also one of those "not instantly charming" cities. The whole time I was in Turin EVERYTHING was under construction as they prepared for the Olympics. I lived six blocks from the train station and it was fourteen months before I ever saw what the front of the building looked like, as it was under scaffolding until about two days before the Games began. Turin was so smoggy that you could only drive your car every other day (depending on your license plate number) and if Fiat had a bad day... you knew (Oh... Lapo... the weeks of enjoyment you brought us...). But I still loved it! Try to find ways to turn positives into negatives... a big one for me is that living in a place that isn't so charming means that you get a more authentic experience because you're not interacting with tourists all day.

PS - Random question: I read somewhere that the metro was supposed to extend to Zapopan. Is that extension complete? If not, what's the projected completion date?

chichifo · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Posts: 29

There�s no such metro extension, but a bus service called PRE-Tren, it departs from Juarez station to Zapopan. You can use the same pre-paid card that u use for the metro. More info here.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_de_Guadalajara

sarliz · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 198 Location: Jalisco

Yay! Thanks for the links and suggestions, everybody! I'll be checking out the tianguis as soon as I can, and the movies look great, if not slightly french. And 3 cheers for Mutualista, my favorite ghetto-fabulous salsa joint! Faith is being restored, poco a poco, as time goes by.

For anyone else interested, I found a wacky group of bike riders that go out every wednesday at 11pm for an hour long night ride, leaving from Chaupultepec and Avenida Mexico. Also the Centro de Cultura Cabanas have a ton of incredibly cheap classes in many many art forms, I signed up for lithography for 5 months, and it's 600 pesos. They've got everything from folkloric dancing to photography.

And thanks, Dixie, I'll give you a shout when I'm in Mexico, and maybe someday we can stuff your poochies in SuperCar (a wee white Atos) and head south!

Sara