Still Safe in Ajijic, Lake Chapala

Our family moved to Ajijic, Lake Chapala in 1994 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Our children were 10 and 12 and they will tell you that it was the best gift we could have given to them.

They are now fully bi-lingual (and also still have a smattering of French from their French Immersion schooling in Toronto) and their languages have opened doors for them around the world.

They were educated right here in Ajijic and both went on to universities in the US and Canada.

When we left Toronto I would not let them go across the street to Mac’s Milk alone but from the time we arrived in Ajijic, Lake Chapala they have been free to come and go as they like as I always felt my children were safe and still do.

The values of the Mexican people are church and family and no one is going to hurt your children. In fact, children are always welcome at any event from weddings, to parties to baptisms. It is perfectly normal to have children running around happily at any event and there is always someone to watch over them.

I still feel safe here even though the news and headlines up north daily warn people about coming to Mexico because of various threats from drug wars to a general increase in crime.

We come from a very large city and as such one had to keep ones wits about them as in any large urban area.

The increase in the drug wars is not necessarily a bad thing. The government of Mexico and the government in the US have joined forces in trying to break up the drug cartels and are having some success. It is due to this increased activity that more news is coming out about various captures of drug lords and their followers. This, however, is good news as the problem is being aggressively addressed.

This is a joint problem with the US as their consumption is the cause in part of increased drug activities and the US is still supplying guns to the drug cartels in Mexico. This is why Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, is committed to the Mexican government to help in any way they can.

The crime rate is still much less than in any larger city and usually non-violent. Once again it is a case of keeping ones wits about them. Walmart has reported some theft with people asking for help while their accomplices steal your wallet when you are distracted.

When I go to Walmart I always strap my closed purse in the shopping cart and if someone asks for help I suggest they ask a store clerk and move on.

When I take money out of the ATM I don’t do it alone at night and I don’t count it openly. Our house is locked up when we are out and we have barking dogs which my husband still maintains is the best defense against robberies.

Where there are people there is going to be crime but we all still feel safe here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala and still are very happy and grateful to be living in paradise.

Normal, sensible precautions are all that is necessary to be safe. Our area of Ajijic, Lake Chapala still enjoys an extremely low crime rate and I, for one, am very pleased that the Mexican government have take such a strong posture against drugs.

So, yes, it is still safe in Ajijic, Lake Chapala. You can still live a wonderful, happy, relaxed existence with little stress and we do have a very comprehensive infrastructure to satisfy all needs and live a very comfortable and safe life.