I GOT OUT

Personal stories on getting out.

September 14, 2006

Erik Thor, 23
Tijuana, Mexico

When I told people I was moving to Tijuana, they all said, "You're nuts," "You'll get killed" or "I didn't think they had much else besides bars and hookers." I either ignored it or told them to venturebeyond Revolution Ave. and the red light district. I spent four years in the Coast Guard, three years in the San Diego area. During that time, I picked up the Spanish language, and I explored Tijuana well beyond the tacky tourist area. I discovered this town to be a lot safer and more interesting and dynamic than most people think. I had found out that the state autonomous university (Universidad Autónoma de Baja California) has many programs that are on par with universities in the United States, and that the International Business major had an option for receiving a Mexican and an American (from SDSU) degree in four years. The tuition is only 200 dollars a semester, and I would pay the same during my two semesters as an exchange student at SDSU. Nearing the end of my Coast Guard contract, I decided that this was a good option. Living in San Diego and paying so much for so little without the benefit of a profession or college degree was not an option for me!

There are 20,000 Americans that live in Tijuana (out of 2.5 million people). They tend to congregate in Zona Rio, the non-touristy areas of Downtown, anywhere in Rosarito Beach and close to the border. Most choose the area to escape San Diego rent. They work in San Diego and live down here, or they are retired.

I support myself with part-time work translating and charging people agent fees for helping them find rental property here in Tijuana. Work is scarce with the translating for this company, but I am living okay off of the rental search service. I am averaging about $600 dollars a month. That pays my rent on a small one-bedroom house out in the eastern suburbs, the utilities, my transportation, food, beer money on the weekends, cable internet service. After the GI Bill gets started, I will be doing great.

As far as housing costs, it is significantly cheaper, but I know some Americans that overpay because they didn't do very much research. The $150 dollar a month place I am renting now would definitely rent for at least $700 in California. Prepackaged American food products cost more, so I avoid those. Name-brand clothing and electronics are somewhat more expensive, too.

Fresh foods and such are generally cheaper, but all depends on the product. I can see it going either way after I finish school. I could move further south into Mexico, having the ability to find good work and probably having permanent residency by then…and seldom going to the U.S.…or I could move to the U.S. or stay along the border; it all depends. I do get homesick and I make an effort to visit family as often as possible.

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