Janet Blaser, a former northern California-based reporter, took a leap of faith twenty years ago when she moved–for good–to the land of her ancestors, Mexico. Overwhelmed by the demands of American consumer culture, she had moved to Mazatlán in search of peace and a greater sense of community. The move was not just physical, though; it marked a dramatic turn in her values and lifestyle.
In her last years living in California, Janet felt immense pressure associated with the perception that she needed to live up to an affluent, East Bay lifestyle. Her mind would continually revert to earthly things, like the lack of a new automobile. This unrelenting stress led her to make a life-changing decision to return to Mexico. There, she sought to escape the 24/7 news cycle of the capitalist society.
After visiting Mazatlán for the first time in 2005, falling in love with it was an understatement. Janet immediately realized she had found her new home. The colorful culture and graceful people welcomed her, captivating her with their warmth. “There’s a heart here that is still beating,” Janet remarked, expressing her deep connection to the place she now calls home.
Janet’s trip to Mexico was fraught with challenges. Leading up to the move, she knew she would have to “get creative” career-wise. She moved back to the United States to do some final paperwork. She had told herself, and easily believed, that Mexico life would suit her perfectly. Janet studied Spanish at a local high school to better equip herself for this next chapter.
Her permanent resident visa, an FM 3 back then, was easy enough to secure. This made her transition much easier and helped her dive deep into the community right away. From the start, she embraced Indonesian ways, culture and friendships with Indonesians and fellow expatriates alike.
Janet had welcomed the idea and all the buzz of moving. A recent Italian vacation has lured her back to that lovely country. She is looking to do more work and spend more time in Europe. This kind of desire animates the life experience of this terrific, dangerous woman, in many exciting ways.
Traveling to see new places is one of Janet’s favorite things about the job. Now she’s uncomfortable about her plan to make the switch between the US and Mexico. “Where would I be? What would I be doing? I can’t even imagine,” she reflected on her previous life in California. Her dedication to the community she’s made her home has inspired her to adopt a life funded mostly through social security payments as an artist.
As an American expatriate herself, Janet knows firsthand the complications of living abroad. But as expatriates, she recognizes how they can unintentionally disrupt local lifestyles for better or worse. “Whether we like it or not, we’re kind of glorified tourists,” she explains.
Safety concerns are one of the most common reasons provided for being tentative about going overseas. What makes Janet sleep well at night is the atmosphere she’s encountered in Mazatlán. “Do I worry about random violence? No, it just doesn’t happen here,” she asserts. This newfound sense of security means she can now walk her kid to school without being threatened by violence or crime.
Janet points out that there is a huge difference in how safety is viewed in Mexico as opposed to the United States. “People don’t want to have guns. And that’s a very different mindset than in the US,” she noted, highlighting the cultural differences that contribute to her sense of safety.
