Expat gallery owner finds Yucatan’s ‘gentler’ way of life attractive

Adele Aguirre, a successful New York business owner, was searching for a seaside getaway in a Spanish-speaking country some 10 years ago. After exploring various locations for several years, she found that getaway near Chelem, Yucatan and began visiting for weeklong stays every few months as she renovated her newfound home-away-from-home.

But soon she discovered she was visiting Yucatan more frequently and staying longer each time. Eventually, she said, she “just stopped going back” to New York, although she can’t remember consciously making a decision to relocate to Yucatan.

In a recent interview at SoHo Galleries, the Merida art space of which she is owner, Aguirre said among the assets of Yucatan she finds most attractive is its “gentler” way of life.

“When I lived in New York, all I did was work,” said Aguirre. “Everything about this place is more social.”

Aguirre, an attractive woman, said SoHo Galleries is a “hobby and passion”. She runs the gallery, which features varied exhibits primarily of Mexican and other Latin America art, with the help of two employees, a young married couple, Yesenia and Arón Echevarría.

Aguirre also praised Yucatan’s healthcare services and its security.

“The healthcare here is excellent,” she said. “I have health insurance in the U.S., but I go to doctors here. I trust the doctors here. They give you their cell phone number; you can call them on the weekend and they actually answer.”

Merida, where she also owns a home, has become more cosmopolitan during the past decade, Aguirre said. “I meet people from all over the world here now. And a lot of Mexicans from other parts of the country are relocating here also.”

This internationalization has led to a greater variety of restaurants and easier access to varied cuisine, which she finds important.

Regarding security, Aguirre said she never worries about her safety in Yucatan. “I walk at night to many places without ever worrying,” she said.

On the downside, Aguirre finds operating a business here to be more complicated that in the U.S., partly because of her status as a foreigner. “There’s a lot more paperwork here. Everything has to be stamped, with proof and more proof,” she said.

The upside is it’s more affordable to start a business here than in the U.S. And she added, “If you have a really good accountant, that makes it easier.”

By Robert Adams for TYT

robert@theyucatantimes.com

The opinions expressed in this interview reflect those of the interviewee and not necessarily The Yucatan Times.

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