Yucatan Gringos

This is my first post to Yucatan Gringos. Pattycake and Hopper are my parents (such cute screen names!). I’m extremely excited to see them taking on this great adventure; but that’s not why I’m making this post. I’m here to talk about spelunking - or cave exploration.

Most of my trips to Mexico are for scuba diving or surfing. Due to the geographic layout, the Gulf of Mexico doesn’t produce a lot of surfing waves unless there’s a storm swell. While there’s good diving in the area, I’ve been hunting for another activity to keep me busy when I make my first trip down to see the new house. There are lots of amazing things to do in the Yucatan. One of the most exciting for me is the idea of exploring the Yucatan caves.

To get an idea of just how amazing some of these caves can be, take a look at some of the cave photos being posted to flickr. They’re absolutely breath taking. Some of my favorite images are the Lol-Tun Grottes, the cave diving, and this unnamed cenote. A cenote is a water filled sink hole.

Unfortunately, the Lol-Tan Grottes is south of Merida. Thus far, the only landmarks I’ve found close to the new house are ruins, which look to be worth checking out. Still, I suspect there are more cenotes and caves than those few I’ve been able to find online thus far.

In fact, there are still amazing discoveries happening in the Yucatan. Recently, divers found the worlds largest underground river system in the Yucatan. I’m still discovering more and more information online. Perhaps as I collect some information from all of the varied sources I keep finding (example), I’ll make a nice collection of posts here on Yucatan Gringos. Until then, happy Spelunking!

The Good. . .The Bad. . and The Awesome. . . . 

We (my husband - Bill, myself, and our daughter - Rhonda - home on a visit from the Netherlands) arrived home from our trip to Merida and Chelem night before last. . . worn out, frazzled, but excited in some respects and still deliberating in others. . . and again though we were there for six days, that was not enough time to do all that we wanted to do. . .

We had booked the trip through Solar Tours, traveling on Mexicana Airlines and our rooms were at the Hotel Del Governador . . . We had traveled by Mexicana our last trip and had been pleasantly surprised with the friendliness of service - and the fact that we were served ‘meals’ instead of just snacks while on board. . . Again the service was the same - the only glitch in this flight was when we got to our hotel rooms and unpacked our suitcases. . . somewhere along the way in the baggage department of either the DFW airport or in Mexico City (where we changed flights for Merida) - we were robbed. . . There, amidst the chaos of what was determined by the ’slip of paper bearing the heading of the Transportation Security Administration’ to be an ‘inspection of the contents’ - were ‘missing and damaged articles’. . .I won’t go into detail of what ‘all’ these where, only that I have written (email) both the airlines and the TSA with a complaint. . . I have not heard back from either of them. . . . . But, needless to say, I was, and still am, ‘incensed’ at the ‘lack of security’ the ’security’ laws project upon the passenger. . . Whoever ended up with my almost full bottle of Burberry Brit - I hope you are ‘allergic’ to it. . . and I still have not figured out the reasoning in ‘destroying jewelery’. . .

But. . . about the trip. . . Basically Wednesday was the day of travel and after arriving in Merida we were met at the airport by Marlene (I hope I spelled her name right!), Jorge’s wife, along with their youngest child . . Jorge had been detained but met us shortly afterward. . .then it was on to the hotel. . . as we were to meet with Jorge again early the next morning to begin our ‘agenda’. . .

The hotel was typical of older renovated hotels in the Centro area of Merida. . the staff friendly and eager to help. . the rooms tight, but ‘air-conditioned’. . a pool and splendid patio areas . . .and a restaurant. . . and - all within walking distance of the many shops and cafes of this historical area of Merida. . . We ‘tried’ for a good night’s sleep - but, perhaps from the excitement of our first night there, none of us succeeded in this. . after a few hours of shut-eye, we hurried to meet Jorge early Thursday morning for a run out to Chelem and to view our new home and the lot. . .We were anxious to see if the small one-bedroom home would accommodate our ‘hoped-for’ stay upon the beach while we were on this trip. . . as one of our suitcases had been packed with items just for this stay. . .

Our first stop was the vacant lot where we hoped to build our new home. . . On one side of this lot is a home and the other side is an access road to the beach. . . It appears that the access road to the beach has been ‘worn’ over to encroach upon the front portion of our lot. . either that or the wall of the house shown on the left is over a bit further than it should be. . . something that would have to be checked out before we would know the exact bounds of this lot. . . then on to the little house. .

We had brought ‘pen and paper’ - for notes on what would be required to renovate this house  - a project which quickly took on ‘visions’ of major proportions as we ‘measured’ - ‘mused’ - and ’sketched’ - - relocate the tiny kitchen to a full wall in the dining/living area. . turn the old kitchen area into utility and storage. . a second story with two more bedrooms and bathrooms. . extended patio with pool. . update everything. . and we ‘figured’ we could camp out in the home for a night or two. . it had water and power. . But - it was well past time for lunch, so to Progreso we went next. . . for a bite to eat . . beneath the little palapas scattered on the beach with the pier in the background. . .

Next - we headed back to Merida, stopping at several different building supply stores to view tiles, kitchen and bath fixtures, and various other supplies. . Home Depot was one major stop. . cabinets, fixtures, doors and windows - oh my!. . . better than Christmas shopping in my book!!. . visions of ‘kitchens and baths’ danced in my head. .then back to the hotel and a bit of shopping on the streets. . .

Friday morning Bill hoofed it the several blocks away to rent a car. . . We managed to ‘push and shove’ all our baggage into the tiny trunk and part of the back seat (for our stay in the little house on the beach). . . stopped to pick up a few cleaning supplies, ice, staple foods, and lots of drinking water. . . and hurried to meet Jorge and his builder at the house. . . We charted the plans of the renovation to the builder via Jorge. . then after they left, we dealt with getting the home ready for our overnight stay. . . Argh!!. . .the water pump didn’t work!!. .(the below ground tank from the city water was full, but the tank atop the house for the supply was only half full. . .). . . team work and a bucket fixed that. . I stooped and filled the bucket. . .Rhonda perched herself at a halfway point and handed the full bucket to Bill on the roof. . . in short time we had the tank on the roof full. . we would just have to conserve on our use. . .

Bill hung the two hammocks that he had purchased in Merida. . Rhonda and I swept and cleaned. . . we laid out the supplies. . . we huffed and puffed to fill the air mattresses (er - ‘makeshift’ ones - as we had brought along the blow-up type pool loungers). . another quick trip to a local store to get more supplies. . . a tiny plug in one burner ‘thingie’. . a skillet. . a coffee pot. . dishes. . and bacon, eggs and bread. . . then back to the house for some time on the beach. . . .All I can say is that - that evening was incredible. . .

My air mattress deflated that night. . . the breeze on the beach stopped and the bugs came in. . . Bill came in from his hammock and tried his mattress on the floor. . . We all wished we had bought a fan. . . But - it was our first night in ‘our’ home on the beach, and despite these little annoyances I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. . . We feasted the next morning on fresh coffee and bacon and eggs. . . they never tasted this good at home!! . . Bill took an early morning stroll along the beach. . I tried to catch a little shut-eye in his hammock. . . I didn’t succeed. . .

We goofed off. . .played in the ocean. . . . met our neighbor behind us. . then packed it up later in the day to head back to our hotel in Merida. . .to meet with Jorge and his builder . . (and here I apologize for not being able to remember correctly, much less be able to spell!! - the name of this very amiable Mayan artisan who had built Jorge’s home and was now constructing a pool for him. . . and after seeing Jorge’s home we had decided that we did wish to get a bid from him on our project. . .). . We learned at the meeting later that evening that our eyes had been a bit too big on our renovation project. . . (or at least mine had!!. .). . the costs were reasonable, after reviewing all the would have to be done, and the supplies. . . but did we want to put this much into this home and still be able to build the new home on the vacant lot?. . . questions, and more to follow the next day. .

Sunday we went sight-seeing. . driving out towards Telchac Puerto and beyond, then heading back to Merida through inland roads and several small towns in that direction. . coming into Merida from another direction than we were used to, we had to stop and ask directions several times before we finally found the Centro area where our hotel was. . that evening we got a call from our neighbor by our home on the beach. . wanting to meet and discuss something. . .

The lot with our little home on it is a long one, with another home on the back side. . . the lot was divided by the owner we purchased our home from.  . to accommodate an entry alongside the back house for us, and a small path to beach on the side of ours for the owners of the back house. . . but the plats received by both of us did not match. . . uh oh!. . which one was right?. .Meetings with the lawyer who had drawn up the papers, with the lady who had sold us the home, and a lot of discussion took up a lot of Monday. . It ended up that the plat we had received was wrong. . . The accesses were still there, but the line in the center was off kilter. . not that it changed the overall amount of land on either lot, but the neighbor wished to do away with the access paths on both plats - as he intended to purchase part of the lot to the side of his - and he proposed a straight division of the property with access to our lot at the back side of his future lot. . . sounded fair. . but this would involve addition to the trust already in place on our lot. . . how much would that cost??. . . the day was going fast and we still needed to meet with the builder on an estimate on building our new home on the vacant lot. . .

“That” - the estimate on the construction of our new home on the vacant lot - came in at a price that was a pleasant surprise. . . Still, there are contracts to draw up, more plans to be finished on our part. . . still plenty to do to get the project started. . . And we had to catch an early flight back home the next morning. . Tuesday. . . . this was the end our our stay. .

During all this, Jorge MORE than did the duty of realtor. . . He is indeed a truly generous person. . has a lovely wife and family. . . and we do hope we are added to his list of friends. . as he and his family are indeed on our list. . .

The money has changed hands and in return for the money I now have property on the beach..

So this Thursday we go down and see about transferring power and water etc. over to our name..

Our realtor George Mazun (mayanliving.com ) will be with us a few days to show us the main things we need to do while there.. a little about him below

Jorge Mazun - Mayan Living - His energy and enthusiasm have already made him a favorite! He has lived in the US, studying in Los Angeles where he still has family. Jorge holds a US Real Estate license and has experience on both sides of the border as a result knows what is to be expected from a real estate agent, fully bilingual, very knowledgeable of the Mexican Law, with a great personality that loves to work with people looks forward to put his knowledge to work for you.

Reach George at mazun@mayinliving.com

This young man is <<<GREAT>>> he has been a wonderful agent and friend throughout the past many months we have been at this adventure..

My wife and I would recommend this man to everyone interested in property in the Yucatan…

He and his family are lovely people..All one can do is to give a huge << THANK YOU >> to them for all the help..  His children are beautiful are they not !!

This realtor never asked for one cent up front for anything and went further with help than most Realtors would in the US…

 Now preparing papers for fm3 visas to replace the fmt and will hope that we have them in next few weeks…

This is getting to be pretty exciting now - Wow what a change it will be , living in the Yucatan and not Texas

Have always though I would die in Texas - Now maybe not !!  looking forward to this move…

The wife has us a pretty nice little house drawn up to lay back and enjoy our remaining years..

Hmm - Lot of friends already asking directions to the place - Maybe not so quiet a place after all..

Nuff said for now - Everyone be happy as can be…

A quick post this evening. . . . as have been busy all day getting the house plans ready to take with us on our trip to Chelem next week. . .

A hurried final adaptation and sketching of the floor plans . . . . first and second floor. . of what we ‘hope’ to build. . .

And a ‘very’ hurried sketch of a rendering of the home. . .without the security wall which will be against the outside stairs on the left side of drawing, and run the full length of the property. . .

It has been one very busy week. . . ‘grandpa’ and I ‘entertained’ ourselves with the visit of two of our grandchildren. . . four year old Hannah, and seven year old Madeline, daughters of our oldest son and his wife, (Dr. of Dentistry) Todd and Susie Pennartz - while they grabbed a week long vacation in Cancun before the school year starts for the children. . . and, this last Saturday, the 18th, our daughter Rhonda also came home for a visit from her stay in the Netherlands. . .

During this time we received word that the papers were ready to sign on the small home we are purchasing in Chelem, something that we have been awaiting as an opportunity to make a trip down there and ’sample’ life on the beach for a few days by staying in this one bedroom ‘casa’ - even though that stay might very well be akin to camping out. . . . considering that it is unfurnished and we will have to pick up ‘items’ locally that are essential to this short stay. . . coffee pot, coffee, air mattresses or hammocks, sparse items of bathroom and kitchen essentials. . . notice coffee is of top importance. . . preferably ground fresh right before the brewing. . .

I have been anxious to find out if this ‘dream’ of life on the beach is what I am ‘hoping and visualizing’ - or not. . . We were also hoping that during this trip we will have the time to check out more things that we did not have time for on our first trip. . . But, due to the arrival of hurricane Dean, this trip will not be scheduled until we hear from our agent that all is well to ‘book the flight’. . . hopefully sometime within the next week, as word is now that the area we are buying in has had little effect from the storm. . .Posts on the Merida Insider describe rain and some swells in the ocean, wind a bit more than usual, but all utilities and such still functioning. . .

Hurricane Dean also created a bit of excitement for Todd and Susie, as it was initially headed straight for Cancun (where they were staying)- causing massive evacuation there and a ’scurry’ of tourists and locals to find ‘transportation’ out of there in a hurry. . . their return flight was scheduled for about 2:00 Monday afternoon - but late Sunday evening word was out that the airport was closing at 1:00. . . But, all went well, and after a very early arrival at the airport, and extra long lines at security, the planes kept flying well after the suggested closing time. . .

As for the week with the grandchildren, we had prepared ourselves in advance with the purchase of a 3′ by 12′ pool. . . I didn’t think coloring and drawing pictures would be quite enough to entertain them for the length of the stay, and the addition of the small pool was something that I (and Rhonda) could take advantage of also. . We had also stocked up on ice cream, sherbet, popsicles, kool-aid, snacks and quick foods. . .but still had to make a run to replenish the supply. . . The two little ‘hurricanes’ here in our home kept us quite busy and were still wound up way past our ‘expired’ energy of the day. . (what I wouldn’t give to have the energy of youth back). . . while hurricane Dean grew out in the ocean. .

Our daughter Rhonda is here for a bit over a month and will make the trip to Chelem with us, as hopefully our son Scott will also - his days of stay permitted by the time he can take away from his job. . . So today I make a quick post here while sheets wash and tumble in the dryer - and in a bit I must go gather the rest of the laundry that lay ignored this past week. . as well as the remnants of drawing and coloring and usual activity of just ‘partying with grandkids- for a week. . . and I must prepare for the impending trip to Chelem. . .

Signing off for today. . . .

Just Sitting and Thinking

Hmm–While spending time with close friends this week end one stops, takes a moment and realizes that although we are moving to a more remote area and relaxed style of living - there are certain costs, such as leaving  friends.. Wow going to be tough..

Well Anyway - HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLIE WEST - Hope ya have a bunch more. Enjoyed the company and the wonderful food while visiting.. Also the 31 games..Here’s Willie and his lovely wife Mary..  Really good people !

Moving is really what we wish to do but there are many things one will have to leave behind, can only look foward to the new adventures and friends to come.

Well this is just a note to say any move is not without some losses..

Above all else - Be happy  .. We are not getting out of this world alive anyway so try to enjoy all we can..

Hmm maybe have another beer or two and this too shall pass..

Response to our ‘announcement’ of buying property in Mexico has varied, anywhere from excited interest and wanting to know more about it - to outright astonishment that we would even consider such a dangerous ‘investment’. . . not only in terms of misconceptions about the people and Mexico itself (. . crime seems to be a common assumption about Mexico. . . yet only certain areas of Mexico, as in all countries, is crime a problem. . and a little research into this will inform the general public as to which areas to avoid, and which ones are safer than most streets in the United States. . . ) and another concern is the often told story of homeowners ‘losing’ their property after buying and moving into their dream homes in Mexico. . . (. .bad news travels fast - - and the bad news here was that these dream homes were built on ‘Ejido’ land. . .)

As for safety concern, and other areas of information on travel to Mexico, there are many sites that address these issues. . . One is peoplesguide.com, where the link I have given here is direct to their page on safety issues. . . Navigate back to the home page and you can access a number of different categories of information that Carl Franz and Lorena Havens, a writer/editor team with over 40 years experience traveling, living and learning things “the hard way” in Mexico and Central America have posted on their site.

But let’s get the to the issue of Ejido land. . . In a nutshell, this is land that has been set aside by the Mexican government, ’strictly’ for use by its native population, similar to the reservations that have been established within our own United States for the native people. . . Unscrupulous investors and sellers have been known to take advantage of the unwitting foreign buyer in extravagant developments on such land. . . Such was the case in

“The most high-profile dispute in recent years -  the eviction of dozens of U.S. citizens from the Punta Banda peninsula south of Ensenada in Baja California in 2000.”

the above being a quote from the Merida Insider, where you will have to join in order to view the discussion forums there and add your own thoughts - if you wish. .

The best rule of thumb is to make contact with a ‘reputable’ agent in your search for property, and follow all the guidelines and regulations that go along with purchasing property in Mexico. .(make sure that the land is ‘legal’ for sale, not ejido land) . . make use of a recommended notario and lawyer, and do a little research yourself on the subject. .Two great sites that offer information. . . .MEXonline.com and caribpro.com. . .

Another issue addressed in ‘problems’ encountered in the purchase of beach front property is that of having the ‘beach front’ that you thought was yours, and that which you ‘thought’ could not be infringed upon. . . is not actually that, and can. . unless you secure this area of open beach between the beach front property you have purchased and the ocean beyond with a ‘beach concession’. . . Quoted from caribpro.com, which gives a much larger in-depth explanation of this, is the following:

If you have a property on the beach, then by all means apply for a Beach Concession – even if you have no plans to ever do anything with it. Retaining an unobstructed view should be a priority. 

In preparation for our intended move to the Yucatan of Mexico, I am letting the subscriptions for all my magazines expire. . . One being the National Geographic, which I have received for years and always been a fan of, and it seemed quite a bit out of the ordinary when I received my ‘last’ issue several days ago - only to find that their cover story was of the Maya civilization. . . . Quite intriguing considering that the Maya peopled the Yucatan where we had chosen our home site. . . I read with interest, and marveled at the beautiful photography and pictures enriching the article. . .

The area and era of the Maya that is covered in the article comprises the southern part of the Yucatan, parts of Guatemala, Belize, and areas of Mexico to the west. . . highlighting the historical span of A.D. 378 and beyond, when the arrival of “Fire Is Born” - from a region close to what is now Mexico City - appears to have altered the lives of the Maya to significant degrees. . . even if this area was not within the bounds of our chosen home place along the upper Yucatan coastline, the article held my fascination as I read and poured over the map that accompanied the magazine. .

The article details the events, with names and dates, as have been deciphered from the Maya writings left in stone, and gives credit to the varied scholars and archaeologists who have worked long and diligently in providing this information. . . It is well worth the read, not to mention looking at the magnificent photographs of the ruins left behind, by going to ngm.com/0708

It appears that the major events that occurred within this era and area did not have a great impact upon the upper regions of the Yucatan and the Maya living in that area, as cities there continued to flourish as the southern regions declined. . . The House of the Doves, a magnificent structure of architectural delight, was built during the ninth century while collapse was happening to both the people and cities to the south. .

Numerous ruins dot the landscapes of the areas of the Maya civilization, scattered around the ancient city sites. . . . a photographic tour of the different regions is only a ‘click‘ away. .

But in the area of our intended relocation, not too far from the city of Merida, is the The Temple of the Warriors at Chichen Itza, where ancient ball games just might have meant the winner lost his ’head.’. . .literally. . .

There is far too much information on the Maya people, their history, culture, and the magnificent monuments left behind by their ancestors for us to gaze in awe at - for me to begin to tell about it here. . . So, I leave you to peruse the links above to gain your own glimpse into this historical account - at least as far as scholars have been able to decipher it so far. . .

Yard sales are ‘lots’ of work! . . I don’t think I will be having another one for a while. . In particular considering the fact that it really is a ‘yard’ sale for us. . We have a carport, but no garage, therefore had to set up ‘halfway’ out in the weather. . And the weather of late here in Montague County, Texas, has been off and on with rain. . .

Sure enough, the day before we had planned to put everything out (the night before, so we would not be rushed the morning of the sale) - it rained . . Okay, there went those plans. . . Although there would be a roof over the ’stuff’ - rain could still blow in from the sides. . . . So, set the alarm for early (real early!!) the morning of the sale. . And, add to that the fact that ‘worry’ with getting everything carried out in time in the morning - and little sleep was had by either of us. . . And we are ‘old’ folks, and really need our sleep!!

Still. . we managed. . . and being out here in the country, we had planned to put signs at strategic places along the county roads to let people know where we were located. . Our hopes were for a good turnout. . . realistically, we knew that not that many would probably show. . . Our customers turned out to be somewhere in the middle. . . A better showing than expected, but not quite what we would have liked. . . It was a busy day and we learned first hand how some people ‘manage their children’ . . er, I should say “not” manage. . . .

Six kids, mama and papa, and papa forgot his money. . . okay - off to town he goes to find an ATM. . . mama plops down in a chair and lets the kids go. . . really go. . . The freshly washed stuffed animals got carried everywhere. . batted around the yard with a bat that was for sale also. .(until ‘my’ hubby put a stop to that). . the wait was long for papa to get back, so of course several of the kids had to use the restroom. . .(escorted inside by either hubby or myself ) . .they got thirsty. . not a problem, I got water!!. . (mama meanwhile is telling her life story to a neighbor [who had gone in on the sale with us]. . and ignoring the kids entirely. . .). . “No!”. . Hubby’s cell phone is NOT for sale. . . “No!”. . don’t try to pick up that cat!. .he is old and cranky!. . . . . “No!”. . the wagon on the deck is not for sale!. .only the things out under the carport. . . “No!”. .you cannot play in the house! .  .”No!”. . the decorative planter is not a toy! and it is not for sale!. . . . and, as we had both a computer and a word processor set out and plugged in, we worried as to what all was being programmed into them, or if they would even work any longer! . . after the two curious ones could not keep their hands off the keyboards there. . . Finally!. .papa showed back up. . after more than an hour!!. . thank goodness they did purchase a few items before they left. . .

We have a good pile of ’stuff’ left. . . stacked and covered under the carport. . . Wednesday it is all going to the local Hospice. . . the larger items that did not sell will be listed in the local shopper with our phone number . . . not another yard sale. . not for a while at least. .

Exactly - what all is required to make a legal purchase of property in Mexico?. .and to make the move there?. . This is one area of research for us, in particular after finding one simple sentence at sanfelipe.com.mx that states:

“ You must have an FM3 to enter into any binding legal contract in Mexico - for example to sign a contract to buy a house or to lease property.”

Though we are well aware that one must have the FM3 before making the move, this is the first and only time that we have come upon the reference that one must have it before making a purchase. . . . There are so many sites that give information on obtaining the different visas, and purchasing property in Mexico, that I am sure we have not covered but a small portion of them, but in the ones that we have searched out and read, we have found no (other) reference to this requirement. . . Perhaps a reader knows the correct answer??

But, back to the visas - there are three basic different types of visas. . .the FMT, tourist visa, the simple one for a stay longer than 7 days. . .  the FM3, for temporary residents up to 5 years (renewable). . and the FM-2, for permanent residency. .. Each has its own requirements for obtaining, and rather than get into the listing of all that here, which for the FM3 and 2 can get quite involved, I advise checking with a legitimate site for these requirement. .such as the Consulate General of Mexico.

In my post of July 10 - purchasing the property - I hit upon the topic of buying property within the restricted zone (within 31 miles of the water), and the role of the bank trust, or Fideicomiso in making this purchase. . . I had linked one site there (caribpro) where information on this procedure can be had, but another good link is MEXonline.com, where a simple explanation of the Fideicomiso is quoted here:

A “fideicomiso” is a trust agreement created for the benefit of a foreign buyer, executed between a Mexican bank and the seller of property in the restricted zone. Foreign buyers cannot own real estate in the restricted zone due to Constitutional restrictions. The bank acts on behalf of the foreign buyer, taking title to real property. The bank, as trustee, buys the property for the foreigner, then has a fiduciary obligation to follow instructions given by the foreigner who is the trust beneficiary. The trust beneficiary retains and enjoys all the rights of ownership while the bank holds title to the property. The foreigner is entitled to use, enjoy, and even sell the property that is held in trust at its market value to any eligible buyer.
 

In the purchase of our lot, which is beach front, we (hopefully!) followed all the guidelines and rules,  going through an attorney with the realty company, supplying documentation of various forms from here (copies of passports, marriage license, utility bill, drivers licenses, etc.). . . obtained the ‘apostilles’ from the State of Texas (where we currently live), and the use of Fed Ex for expediting the papers. . . We have received our ‘papers’ of legal ownership. . in Spanish . . (translation to English still in the works). . and our next priority is obtaining the FM3. . . .

According to information listed at the Consulate General of Mexico  - there are a variety of FM3’s that one can obtain, for various reasons : for business, for technicians, for retirees, for students, and for other profitable and non-profitable activities. . And, if you click on the any of the categories listed, up comes a list of countries (that one is applying from) that further add to the ‘requirements’ that must be met. .and, the requirements for these visas is quite long and exacting, therefore instead of attempting to list them here, I suggest going to the link above. . . . .

Now I must stop here and get back to the task of preparing for the yard sale this Saturday. . . that and other mundane chores that require my attention on a daily basis. . that and stopping every so often to ‘erase and revise’ the plans of our home. . . which I hope to post in the near ‘future’ . . . . So, good day to all. . . .