Viva El Gringo!

By Andrea Sachs / New York

Some Americans would take umbrage at being called a gringo. But author Barry Golson considers it a term of endearment. In his new book, Gringos in Paradise, Golson, 61, tells the lively story of how he and his wife Thia, 60, built their retirement dream house in Sayulita, a seaside village of 1,500 on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. TIME spoke with Golson about expat life south of the border.

Why did you choose Mexico?

Because it is romantic, affordable and challenging. I think challenge puts some useful grit in your life at an age when you're tempted to go into cruise control.

Did you speak Spanish at the time that you moved?

I had middle school Spanish; my wife had none. We found it really wasn't necessary.

How expensive is it living there?

From 25% to 75% of the cost of living in the States. We went to small villages to have custom-made furniture done for our house. We furnished a four-bedroom house with beautiful, handcrafted stuff for $7,000.

Do the Americans live in enclaves, or are they spread out through the country?

They're divided into two camps. There are the gringos who go down there and live in gated communities or in condo complexes. They don't mingle as much. In our village, we live with our Mexican neighbors. My first next-door neighbor was a construction worker, and there were chickens running up and down the dirt road. By the way, chickens gobble down scorpions, so that makes them really good neighbors.

You write that some American expatriates in Mexico have the wrong attitude.

One thing that really puzzled the Mexicans we got to know was the gringos who come down and start the litany of complaints about inefficiencies. Gringo amnesia is having the lights go out in your village and forgetting that lights go out in the States too. Or getting irritated at a long line and forgetting what it's like to stand at the Department of Motor Vehicles. We went down determined to do things the Mexican way, and it was appreciated by our Mexican friends.

What advice would you give someone who is looking for a home in Mexico?

I have three pieces of advice: rent before you buy; rent before you buy; rent before you buy.

What's building like down there?

Everything is in cash in our part of the country. It's based on trust. You have to do your due diligence. Our builder, who is hugely honest, needed a large amount up front, so we drove to the bank. You really haven't lived until you've transported 200,000 pesos--almost $20,000--in a large Cheetos bag and handed it to your builder on a handshake.

Do some people get cheated?

Sure. There are scams. That's why you have to be there for a while. You have to know with whom you're dealing. The biggest mistake people make is getting caught up in the excitement of buying a place, especially over the Internet or after they've been there just a few days.

Does Medicare coverage follow you there?

No. But Mexico has--perhaps surprisingly to Americans--an excellent medical system. Medical care can be a tenth of the price of care in the States. Doctors make house calls. They give you their cell-phone numbers. I had skin cancer, and it was treated completely and professionally for $60.

What about crime?

Some studies have shown that Mexico's crime rate is lower than that of the U.S. Of course, crimes are underreported in Mexico because of distrust of the police. But my wife and I walk around our village at night in complete safety.

Do you eat Mexican food or American when you're in Mexico?

Both. There are wonderful restaurants down there. I'll tell you one stereotype that's true, though--the water. You don't drink the water.