Jill Holslin in front of her house in Tijuana (photo by Rebekah Sager)
Fox News Latino reporter Rebekah Sager just published this fun piece on the new expat community in Tijuana. And yeah, this is me. hahaha! Check out the story!
A New Breed of Younger, Hipper Expats Flock to Tijuana
By Rebekah Sager
Published June 04, 2012
Fox News Latino
A year ago, Jill Holslin’s San Diego condo was foreclosed on. A professor of Rhetoric and Writing at San Diego State University, she made a radically unconventional decision—she walked away from her home and moved 15 miles south across the US border into the city of Tijuana.
Holslin’s not alone. A new breed of expatriates are leaving the US and calling Tijuana home. They are younger, hipper and speak Spanish. They love the culture and don’t live in the city simply because of the cheap rent. They are reinventing the face of Tijuana, once a mecca for American retirees moving to the city for its affordability.
Many of the expatriates of old returned to the US after 9/11, when federal authorities stepped up security at the US-Mexico border and waits to cross the border became much longer. “Fast Pass” or “Sentry Passes” became more expensive.
My neighbors know me and look out for me. I’m the “guerita” (white girl) on my block. I do speak Spanish and I understand immigration and border issues. I love it here.
Now hipsters are moving to Tijuana, drawn to its emerging arts and fashion scene.
Living simply in a small two-bedroom house, one and half miles from the beach, Holslin admits life in Tijuana isn’t always perfect. There are occasional blackouts, and when the city works on the streets, she and her neighbors may lose water for the day. But in general she says she’s really happy with her decision.
“The first question people ask is always about safety. The answer is to do your research and find the safe areas. I’m not afraid, but I don’t do crazy things. I like living in a big city. I feel safer here in the same way that I feel safe in New York. TJ stays open and awake until 3 or 4 in the morning. There are always people around. My neighbors know me and look out for me. I’m the “guerita” (white girl) on my block. I do speak Spanish and I understand immigration and border issues. I love it here,” Holslin says.
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2012/06/04/crossing-border-moving-from-us-to-mexico/
yeaaa! good article. this is a good sign, and a good slow change
however werita, can also be one with blonde hair…
let chalino sanchez serenate you with his classic ‘linda werita’
😉 saludos
Thank you so much for sharing this!
I’m thinking about moving to Tijuana. Where are the safe areas for us “gueritas”?