Hermosillo, Mexico Report of what it's like to live there - 06/16/23
Personal Experiences from Hermosillo, Mexico
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
No, previously posted in the Caribbean and Asia.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
Home is Utah and it's an easy but lengthy drive. You can easily drive to Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada, etc. Unfortunately, the airport in HMO is not well connected. Only one flight per day going to Phoenix and for almost every itinerary you have to fly to CDMX first and then your destination. Travel around Mexico from HMO is not as easy as you'd hope.
3. How long have you lived here?
Two years.
4. What years did you live here?
2021-2024.
5. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
US consulate.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Housing is great! Everybody is in single family homes in gated communities. Houses are typically spacious and large. Some have outdoor space which is typically a patio area and not a grassy yard. As far as I know, all of the communities where housing is located have community pools, common areas, and playgrounds.
Hermosillo isn't that large so no house is very far from anything, although not really walking distance. Currently commutes are under 15 minutes. When the consulate moves to the new building (projected summer 2024) the commutes will be even shorter. Traffic and commute are a non-factor at this post. You can drive from one side of the city to other side in about 25 minutes.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Groceries are pretty simple here. If your searching for a specific specialized ingredient it might take you a few tries, but even our Walmart here carries Korean gochujang! Produce is good quality based on seasons and you have to take care to wash all local produce. Chicken, beef, pork, seafood, are all easy to find and good quality. Dairy is abundant. And anything you are really missing or craving you are can drive north to AZ and stock up.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
No. The proximity to the US makes it possible to get anything you can't find here or receive via mail. Weekend trips to Tucson or Phoenix are common in the community.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Sonora is the carne asada capital of Mexico and it shows. There is not a large, international, variety of restaurants but there is still so much good food to be had. Tacos, sopes, tostadas, tortas, enchiladas, burros, gorditas, chilaquiles, and it's all delicious. Even a flour tortilla is a treat. Besides an infinite amount of taquerias, there a number of upscale steak houses featuring meat from Sonora, sushi, italian, burger joints, chicken joints, chevicherias, seafood, burro stands. There are several different food delivery services. Food here is a highlight!
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
The ussual pests like cockroaches, ants, mosquitos, and lots of black widows in the summer.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
We receive pouch through the mail center in Brownsville, TX. No issues! It's typically pretty quick. I've also ordered from Mexico online retailers to my house address.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
I think most people employ at least a housekeeper. It's easy to find a part-time housekeeper who comes to your house 1 or 2 days a week. I think around 500 MXN pesos is typical for a day of cleaning. Some housekeepers will also cook and do laundry. Several families also employ babysitters or nineras, both full-time and part-time. Expect to pay about 100 MXN per hour. Nobody that I know of has a live-in helper.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
There are lots of gyms all around. Many community members join the Los Lagos Country Club which includes a large gym and group fitness classes.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Cards are accepted a lot of places but you'll run into places that don't so it's good to keep cash on you too. There is an ATM in the consulate. I've also used the ATMs at the bank, inside Costco and Walmart.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
None, that I know of for sure but I'll bet there is English catholic services somewhere. We attend church services in Spanish.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
In my opinion, it's definitely needed. You can *survive* with limited Spanish but life will be much easier with Spanish. There are a good number of English speakers but you can always rely on or expect it. Most of the staff at my kid's school have no English skills. It's not difficult to find medical providers who speak English but the reception and staff probably won't. I was surprised at how few people could speak English at the private hospital. I've been working with a private tutor for nearly 2 years now and I'm really glad I put forth the effort. You can easily find a private tutor, post has a language program, the local university offers a Spanish for foreigners program.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes. If there is a sidewalk, it's probably uneven and cracking.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
This is definitely a personal vehicle city. There are local buses but we are not allowed to use them. There are taxis but they aren't prevalent like large cities. Uber is available.
2. What kind of vehicle(s) including electric ones do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, infrastructure, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car or vehicles do you advise not to bring?
You will absolutely want to bring a car. And possibly two cars if you have two drivers. This city is built for personal vehicles and you'll see every kind of car on the road. From the huge Ford pick-up trucks to EVs. Really, anything is fine and you won't stand out. During summer monsoon season the streets can fill with water. But plenty of people drive sedans.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Yes. I am not the tech expert in our house so I don't know details.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
We have Google FI and keep our US numbers.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
At this point, there are more EFM jobs than EFMs who want to work. If you want to work, you'll be able to work. Most are full-time positions. Several EFMs work remotely easily since we are in the same time zone as the western US.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Sure, it's Mexico. While the state of Sonora as a whole experiences a lot of violence, Hermosillo itself is generally considered safe. We don't have restrictions within the city itself. I have never felt threated, fearful, or unsafe here. The highway we use to get to the border has a history but follow the RSO guidelines, only drive during the day, and nobody from our community has had any issue or incident. The state has a lot of cartel action going on but it doesn't really have any impact on us and our day-to-day life.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
We have been satisfied with the medical care we have received at post. There is a local doctor in the health unit who is really helpful and will see you and your kids for vaccinations or small things like ear infections. We have been to several different specialists and have been satisfied with all of them. We've also had good experiences at CIMA, one of the private hospitals. My spouse was hospitalized after some food poisoning and I had an elective surgery done. Both times we had a good experience with the doctors and the staff. People also go to Arizona if they feel more comfortable with that.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
Generally fine. It's a dusty desert.
4. Are there any particular mental health issues that tend to crop up at post, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter blues)?
You can feel a little bit "trapped" here and others have complained about this. Outside of the border, there are only two destinations to where we can drive. Besides that, all travel must be done by plane which as mentioned early isn't as easy or simple as you'd hope. It hasn't bothered me but I know that it gets to some people.
5. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
It is a hot, hot desert with a strong sun. We typically hit 100 by March or April and go up from there through the summer. August is pretty much unbearable. It is SO hot. I have found that I have acclimated pretty well and anything up to about 107 feels pretty good. November-February is a perfect though!
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
There is no true international school, no American school, and no school catered to English speakers. There are a number of private, bilingual or full Spanish schools to choose from. If you have older children who don't already speak Spanish then they would have a very hard time. There are bilingual schools but they are designed for students with Spanish as their first language, not English. All that being said, my kids really enjoy their school and are thriving.
My daughter started in 1st grade with extremely limited Spanish but she has been able to learn very quickly and find her way at school. The support for language learners varies by school. I don't know that the education is super academically rigorous but my kids love their school and teacher and happily go each day. Some schools that consulate kids currently attend or have attended in the past include Campgrande, CDI, IMARC, Bambu Montessori, Irish Institute.
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
I'm not sure but based on the support and accommodation for language learners I'm guessing it's not great.
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
Yes, plenty of preschools to choose from. Both bilingual programs and in Spanish. I think all the school listed above also offer preschool but you can find stand alone preschools too.
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
You can find just about anything you are looking for but it's going to be Spanish. At Los Lagos, in addition to group fitness classes for adults, they offer swim, tennis, golf, racquetball, dance, taekwando, for kids. As well as seasonal events like holiday parties and dia del nino events. Los Lagos also offers a gym day care for ages 2-5 within the facility. Outside of Los Lagos there are plenty of options for sports, dance, music, drama, cooking classes. I've found that Instagram and social media is the best way to find them.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Small. It's just us. I often get the question along the lines of "what are you doing here?". Expats from other places are even more rare. I've met one family from Canada. I feel the morale at the consulate is good! Most people come with the right expectations and we have a great community here.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
Coming from a family with kids, almost all of my socializing comes from the school or my kids activities. The parents at my kids school have been very welcoming, helpful, and inclusive. With the exception of my language skills, they have never made me feel "other". We attend a whole lot of birthday parties and kids activities. I have made friends with parents from my daughters dance class. I have found it easy to make friends with locals. For those who don't have that automatic connections through kids probably find it more difficult.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
It has been a really great place for my young family. The kids have made tons of friends. I think singles and childless couples do fine here but it can get a bit boring. There isn't much to go out and do here besides going out to eat.
4. Is it easy to make friends with locals here? Are there any prejudices or any ethnic groups who might feel uncomfortable here?
This is first post where I feel like I have actually made local friends that I will keep in touch with. I have found them to be very open and friendly.
5. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Proximity to the US is a big plus, especially if you have family in the west. We are in this nice spot where we are close enough to the border to take advantage of it with dealing with the challenging aspects of an actual border post. Learning a language and making local friends has been a fun and exciting part for me.
6. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Hermosillo doesn't have a lot to offer as far as entertainment. If you are looking for parks, museums, theater, etc, then this is not a good fit. We always that the only thing to do is go out to eat. My spouse golfs multiple times a week, we go to the kids activities, we go swimming or the playground, and spend time as a family.
Besides the border, there are two places where we can drive. San Carlos and Kino. Both are beach towns and easy to get to. We enjoy both spots! San Carlos is more developed and has a lot of retirees. The is under 90 minutes away and an easy day trip.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
It's hotter than you think even though you know it's going to be hot! We came here expecting to be moving into the newly built consulate but delay after delay I don't think it will be finished before we leave post. If you are coming 2024 or later you will get to enjoy the brand new, big, beautiful building.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Yes, it has been a great spot for our family at this stage of life. While not the most exciting or cosmopolitan city my kids have really thrived. We have all made good friends, the local staff is wonderful, and the short commute makes for a low stress day.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
winter clothes. Literally, I left them in a closet at my parents' house.
