Wendy Moore ventured to the Yucatan two years ago after a Canadian boyfriend ran into visa problems that banned him from the United States for five years. She was living in Florida at the time and saw Mexico as a solution so the couple could remain together.

Wendy's friend John relocated quickly but Wendy was delayed for eight months while she recovered from injuries she suffered in a serious auto accident. When her health was stable, she loaded her eight Pekinese dogs and made the long drive down.

The relationship soon faltered, leaving Wendy alone in her beach house near the Mojarra entranda in Chuburna.

She stuck it out, partly because returning to Florida with so many pets is not an easy task.

Now, Wendy has many friends in the area and sees Mexico as her permanent home.

"I feel like this is probably going to be it. I'm going to stay here," she said. "The house is paid for and I've put quite a bit of money into it. I really like all my girlfriends. If they start to go home, that would influence things."

A pool was recently built on the beach side of Wendy's house. A mosiac turtle decorates the bottom. She is also proud of a spacious new bathroom, complete with a generous tub.

"Since I've been down here, I feel like my job is a professional home re-modeler," she joked.

Wendy, who is in her early 60s, sold real estate in Florida for 10 years and still owns a condo in Panama City that she rents to provide part of her income. 

The prior 10 years were spent in Atlanta where Wendy used her master's degree in social work to qualify the needy for food stamps and welfare.

She also worked as a bridge tender for a short time. Wendy sat in a small booth, raising and lowering the bridge for ships to pass. The bridge has since been replaced by more modern equipment, she said. 

Much of her adult life was spent breeding and competing show dogs. In addition to Pekinese, Wendy has raised Chinese Crested and Yorkshire Terriers. Nine-year-old Robbie was named Champion and featured on the cover of a dog breeding magazine. She also shares her home with a Green Amazon parrot named Buddy.

"All my dogs are from champion lines. They are not just pet quality," she explained. Wendy misses the dog show circuit and all the friends she made along the way.

She learned the hard way about the practice in Mexico of using the left turn signal to indicate it is safe to pass. As Wendy was preparing to make a left turn onto an entrada one day, she was struck by a combi.

"Like a bat out of hell, a combi came out of nowhere and passed me as I started to turn," she said. "I found out that ‑ to the older Mexicans anyway ‑ a left signal is an indication that it's okay to pass."

She endured the stressful ordeal of insurance and police procedures after hours alongside the road.

"All the policemen sat around yakking and yakking while we waited for the insurance people to show up. Once they finally showed up, they started arguing with each other," she recalled.

Wendy ended up paying $40 to the authorities to avoid a trip to the courthouse. A Mexican friend who stopped to see if she was okay vouched for her character, which helped.

She is pleased by the low cost of dental care here. She was able to obtain three crowns for less than the price of one in the U.S.

Wendy also enjoys trying new varieties of fruit available in the Yucatan, and finds the price of meat and liquor a welcome surprise.

She has come to appreciate other aspects of her adopted country.

"I like how clear the water is in the summer and how nice the people are. I feel generally safe here," she said.

She would like to speak better Spanish but says languages have always been a challenge.

"I get so tired of saying, 'no comprende.' I like talking to the neighbors and that's a problem. It would be much better if I spoke more Spanish."

Photography and collecting seashells are two hobbies that keep Wendy active. Her photos and shell collections are displayed throughout her home.

"You can take some beautiful pictures down here," she noted.

Wendy has a son living in Atlanta and a daughter in Kentucky. She has five grandchildren she will visit later this month.

Tags: Expat Profiles

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