Grieving is an inherent part of change, and things are always changing. Grieving is therefore, an ever-present part of life. The intensity of our grief varies, rising and falling like waves in the ocean. It might feel less paralyzing or exhausting over time, but it does not keep reading …

Moving to Mexico as an expat is exciting, but you’ll also have plenty of worries. US citizens in particular worry about the cost of healthcare. It makes sense, as healthcare has been perhaps our primary expense in the US, and the cost of care might even be a big reason keep reading…

The other day, I came across a research study that looked at what is most predictive of survival after a natural disaster. This particular study examined several factors: who was present in the worst of the disaster’s path, what types of emergency services people had access to, but keep reading…

When I first started the Dying In Mexico project, I posted in nearly all the expats-in-Mexico-type Facebook groups, asking around for someone, anyone, who would be willing to talk to me about death. I had a few responses from those looking forward to learning from these conversations, but little response from anyone willing to share. Brian was the first to say yes. It was whole-hearted. Keep reading…

Death is not waiting for us; it is already here and has been walking alongside us our whole lives. Since the moment we were born, our death has been inevitable. Most of the time, we prefer to deny or avoid this truth, despite knowing how denial or avoidance usually keep reading…

A will (or last will and testament) lets you decide who inherits your property, who will care for children or pets, how debts get handled, and who manages your estate when you’re gone. In the US, if you die without a will (called dying intestate), state law decides for you. That keep reading…

Liminal. It’s a word that can apply to both space and time. It describes a state of being that is neither here nor there; materially, energetically. The liminal occupies the before and after, both sides of a border and the threshold in between. It describes a transition, a keep reading…

Some people find it morbid, negative, bad luck or just plain too scary to earnestly contemplate death. John Powers quotes from Dr. Richard Kalish in his book, Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, saying, “Death is blasphemous and pornographic. We react to it and keep reading…

There are common elements to end-of-life planning checklists, whether you’re preparing for end of life in Mexico or anywhere else. Universal to-do items may include completing an advance directive, identifying a medical or financial proxy, or executing a will. Common keep reading…

As expats, many of us made the decision to leave potential support networks behind when we chose to move to Mexico. We moved away from immediate family, away from lifelong friends, and away from the communities in which we spent the most formative keep reading…

When we first learn to speak Spanish the lessons are typically centered on how to introduce ourselves to strangers, order food at a restaurant, or ask where the bathroom is. I’ve yet to see a Spanish language lesson that focuses on how to talk about end of life, but why not keep reading…

Grief expert Dr. Alan Wolfelt teaches that when grieving, we can find peace by practicing the six needs of mourning. Mourning, Wolfet reminds us, is an outward expression of grief, while grief is an internal experience. So, how can we make space (and time) for healthy expressions keep reading…