Episode 4
She's Lived in Multiple Countries - Now Offers Concierge Services in Mérida Mexico
Xio's story will inspire anyone considering an international move.
🌍 Xio incredible journey:
- 30-year career in luxury hotel management (Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental)
- Fluent in several languages
- Moved to Merida, Mexico and built custom dream home in 6 months
- Now runs successful real estate business helping expats
🏠 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
✓ Why Merida beats European cities for expat living
✓ Real costs of building custom homes in Mexico
✓ Why foreigners need different buying strategies
✓ The cultural benefits Americans often miss
Xio proves that reinventing yourself internationally isn't just possible - it can lead to your most fulfilling chapter yet. Whether you're considering Mexico or just love international lifestyle stories, this conversation offers real insights from someone who's mastered the art of global living.
📞 CONNECT WITH Xio:
Website: discovermexicohomes.com
📸 Follow us on
Instagram: @passportjane
Facebook: @jane.byrd.154819
for behind-the-scenes, updates, and guest highlights!
🎧 Listen & Subscribe:
https://passport-jane-podcast.captivate.fm/listen
(Rate & review — it helps other women find these stories!)
Subscribe for weekly episodes that will inspire you to live courageously on your own international journey!
#expatlife #womenabroad #internationalliving #travelpodcast #expatwomen #mexico
00:00 - Introduction
01:53 - Guest Introduction and Background
04:00 - Xio's Early Life and Education
08:19 - Moving to Merida
10:07 - Building a House in Merida
15:16 - Exploring Downtown Merida
18:27 - Exploring Haciendas and Cenotes
23:47 - Making Friends in Merida
26:10 - Exploring the Food Scene
29:06 - Starting a Real Estate Business in Merida
34:37 - Xio's Artistic Side
Transcript
Welcome to the Passport Jane podcast. I get asked all the time,
Speaker:how did I end up with the Passport Jane podcast? And it's easy. I started traveling,
Speaker:looking at real estate, starting to explore other countries, meeting other real estate agents. But
Speaker:what I found is I met amazing people. I met amazing, especially women who were on a journey,
Speaker:women who had made the leap of faith to move overseas. And what I was so impressed with
Speaker:their story, not only did they take the leap to move overseas, but when they got settled,
Speaker:they did amazing things. They started businesses, they started second careers,
Speaker:they wrote books, they became artists, they became photojournalists, they became war
Speaker:correspondents, they started living their most amazing lives. And not only did they do that,
Speaker:they did that in another country. I found their stories so interesting that I wanted to share
Speaker:those. So it's a little bit of a journey that I want to share with you the stories of amazing
Speaker:women who have made the leap of faith and are living amazing, adventurous lives. Sometimes
Speaker:it's their second act in life, and they're doing it in another country. So Zia, thank you so much
Speaker:for helping me not only not only helping get the podcast set up with our guests today, but thank
Speaker:you for everything you've done for me. This is about our fourth year of knowing each other.
Speaker:And we met in Houston, and in real estate. So yeah, so I was looking for a long time,
Speaker:for a company that I want to transfer my license. And until I met, what's her name? I forgot,
Speaker:I was doing a deal with one of your girls. Shut up, I forgot her name. And I asked her,
Speaker:because everyone that I close and I start asking, How's your company? How do you like it? And she
Speaker:really loved your company. And then I say, and she gave me your number. And I'm so happy that
Speaker:I immediately knew I was going to be there. Yeah, it was a really good fit. Not only did you were
Speaker:you, you were born overseas, and you understood international, but you also were just such a good
Speaker:fit for our company. And then you also brought over some other people, because there was a few
Speaker:people that knew you. Yeah. And they, they liked and your input on that. So yeah, yeah, I really,
Speaker:I really enjoyed working with those girls. I still, you know, talk to them.
Speaker:Every time that I go to Houston, we get together. Yes. Well, we miss you in Houston,
Speaker:but I'm so glad you're here. So I just want to talk about this podcast is about inspiring women
Speaker:on a journey. And I have met so many women, especially expat women, people who are born
Speaker:in another country, move to another country, and then they build incredible lives. And you've done
Speaker:that not only one time, not only two times, but many times you have reinvented yourself in
Speaker:multiple countries. And that is so inspiring. And so I would love for us to talk about that,
Speaker:so that other women can see that that's possible that sometimes you can start out with, you know,
Speaker:a story that starts out one chapter, and you can end up in these amazing chapters. So yeah, well,
Speaker:um, I remember the first time I left Venezuela was long, long time ago. We came and my mom was
Speaker:a diplomatic and we live here in Mexico, in Mexico City, which I love the city is a beautiful city.
Speaker:Then I was transferred, she got, she got transferred to San Francisco. So I lived there
Speaker:for 10 years. Oh, wow. I love Frisco. Yeah. What did you do in San Francisco? I went to school
Speaker:there. Okay. What did you study the first time? First English, of course, because when I went to
Speaker:school, my school, high school from primary school all the way down to high school was a French
Speaker:school. Really? It was French non school. So you speak French as well. I do. Wow. So I haven't
Speaker:spoken many, many years. So I think I just too rusty. But so we went to school there. And it was,
Speaker:it was different from now, you know, you when I went to school, I used to start at seven o'clock
Speaker:in the morning. And we finished at five o'clock in the afternoon. So on the Monday to Friday,
Speaker:and then you have Saturday and Sunday and then Sunday, you have to go back to school because
Speaker:it was French non school, you have to go back to mass Sunday morning. And then you know,
Speaker:the whole weekend is gone. So when we moved to Mexico, I went to school there to study at the
Speaker:university and then my mom got transferred to the States. So I went to school in Oakland,
Speaker:California, St. Mary's College. Okay. It's a school for foreigners. Part of the school have
Speaker:a program called ELS, English as a second language. And then you spend, it's per month,
Speaker:you stay one month in school, you finish one level one, and then it's 10 months,
Speaker:you have to be there for 10 months. And it was really good. It was in Oakland, and I really
Speaker:enjoyed. Then we have lived in California and Florida, Connecticut, which I love Connecticut.
Speaker:I love it. What else? Kentucky. I lived in Kentucky for probably,
Speaker:I think, 18 years. I started my career as a real estate in Kentucky because we had to bring my
Speaker:mom from Venezuela. She have Alzheimer's and I have to take care of her. But I went to school
Speaker:here in Mexico, in Guadalajara, and I went to school for hotel and restaurant management.
Speaker:So I was in the hotel business, five star hotel business for a long, long time.
Speaker:What did you do in the hotel business? I was specializing in food and beverage.
Speaker:Usually, I got the tough part, which is managing a lot of men because catering,
Speaker:restaurants, the kitchen, most of the kitchen people are men. So yes, and I was really,
Speaker:really young. And I did that for 30 years. Wow. Yeah, that's probably you were very detailed.
Speaker:You are very, I love that about you. And it shows because it was probably in your first career
Speaker:that you had to do things perfect. I was in the wedding business, which was the same thing. And
Speaker:when you do something where you are in a service industry, it impacts really the rest of your life
Speaker:and your career. Yeah, it does. Where did you work in the hotel business? I worked for the
Speaker:Hilton International, Marriott, Intercontinental, what else? Those three big chains. Yeah.
Speaker:Yes. And you were also a mom, too. Yes, I was a mom. Yeah. My son is a cinematographer,
Speaker:so he knows about cameras. But he lives in California. And that's what was the reason
Speaker:when my husband decided to retire. We were thinking about Europe. Remember that I told
Speaker:you that? Yes, your husband is Italian, correct? Yeah, my husband is Italian. So we thought about
Speaker:going to Italy. But then I was thinking about my son. And I say, well, if we have grandkids,
Speaker:we're never going to be able to see him. And I say, well, do me a favor, choose something on
Speaker:the American continent. I say, you have a lot of choices from north to south, a lot of choices.
Speaker:Find me something that I really want to feel comfortable that I want to stay in the American
Speaker:continent. And then he found Merida. Yeah. So I know when I've talked to you before,
Speaker:one of the criteria was you wanted somewhere safe. That was one of the things. Yeah, we're
Speaker:looking for safe, quiet, very relaxed city. Warm. My husband loves, yeah, warm. It's very warm.
Speaker:Well, he likes the warm. I know that much about that. But then he was looking to be close to the
Speaker:beach, which I love the beach. So we, we go to the beach very often, we go to different clubs.
Speaker:And then we've been here for a year and a half, and we feel very comfortable.
Speaker:Yeah. So you're in Merida, and you purchased here. So tell me about that process of looking
Speaker:for a home. Yeah, well, first, my husband did all the research. When we came to Merida,
Speaker:I told him, we have two choices. The first choice, if I don't like the city, I will sell the big
Speaker:house, move to the small house. And then we stay in the States. But if I like the city, we will
Speaker:look for a real tour. And we're going to find a house. So when we spend here, like three days,
Speaker:four days, we walk around, we went to the beach, we went everywhere, progreso, and you know,
Speaker:different places. And I say, I think I can live here, let's try to find a real tour, I already
Speaker:have somebody who was a realtor, I know, you need a realtor to find a good house. Yes, yes. Because
Speaker:you can go to the internet, you can go to Zillow, you can go to different, but it is not the same.
Speaker:When you talk to somebody, and you tell them exactly what you want, they will try to feed you
Speaker:the house that you need, you know, the places and they know the area. So that's why I was like,
Speaker:okay, we need a realtor. That's the first thing I did. And, and I told her exactly what I was
Speaker:looking for. And I knew I want a private subdivision for security. And it's not because
Speaker:maybe that you need to have security. But that was one of the thing my husband wants. So yes,
Speaker:that that was, and then we were want to build a house. I didn't want to buy a house.
Speaker:An old house, because I don't want to deal with the pipes and the electricity and, you know,
Speaker:plumbing. And I told him, I'm not just I just want to have something new that I feel comfortable. So
Speaker:we started looking for different, we went to different subdivisions, and finally got to
Speaker:Knish. And I saw the house. And I love the finishing of this builder. And, and then that's
Speaker:I met Louis. Yeah. Yes, I've met Louis, your builder. Yes. And then that was the best choice
Speaker:we have. I love your house. It is a beautiful, it's four bedroom with a swimming pool. And now
Speaker:you have solar panels. Yeah. And it's in the gated community with a clubhouse. There's a guard
Speaker:at the front. There's paddleball courts, which is pickleball here, paddleball. And then swimming
Speaker:between one of the other, you know, I think they're the same in the US. They say pickleball
Speaker:here. It's paddleball. It's very popular here. All of the condos, all of the developments.
Speaker:Everybody does that. But I don't I don't have any idea. I mean, I know tennis and that's it.
Speaker:Yes. I don't know the difference. It's very popular, but they have them. And I see them
Speaker:around. And it's a popular selling point. Everybody does that. And a playground. And so
Speaker:they have a gym and place for the kids and they have for wedding and, and they have the bar if
Speaker:want to do a small gathering with people. And it is really nice. Yeah. I love your subdivision.
Speaker:And they're still building. There's new construction homes there. So you can tour
Speaker:and all of that too. So, so you picked, you found a house, you picked a builder. I know you looked
Speaker:at several builders and, and you narrowed it down to a builder. And then was it already in progress
Speaker:or did they start? No, we start from zero. Okay. And I remember Luis used to send us a picture of
Speaker:every week of the development of the house with the, he got one of those, what do you call?
Speaker:A drone. A drone. So he will drive the drone and just start to send us every week. We talk every
Speaker:week. And then it was very detailed and it was really good. It was excellent because we had to
Speaker:choose the colors and you know, like the, the, the kitchen, the, the room, the bathrooms and
Speaker:everything. Did you choose those materials remotely or did you come in and look at a showroom?
Speaker:We came four times. Four times. Okay. During the process of the six months, he built the house in
Speaker:six months. We came four times. That's very fast for a custom build. Okay. And then every time
Speaker:that is a new face, we used to come during the weekend and then we go and see, you know, what
Speaker:they're doing and take pictures. And yeah, it was really good. It was excellent. I was really
Speaker:impressed with him. So I know you highly recommend him and I've met him several times and they are,
Speaker:it's a very, very reputable and inviting. Young people. Oh my God. They are young people and
Speaker:they work really well. And one of the things that I really like about it, and that's why probably
Speaker:I recommend him is because anytime that I have an issue, even though I already passed the year
Speaker:of home warranty, I call him and he answered my phone call. Hi CEO, how can I help you? And then
Speaker:he will help me or fix anything that I need with no problem whatsoever. So that's very, you know,
Speaker:nobody does that for you. No, it's a really good customer service. So tell me about, so let's talk
Speaker:about Merida the city. So I have fallen in love with the city because of the historic, I love the
Speaker:architecture, the historic homes, this, Oh my gosh, the Centro historic homes that are so hidden. And
Speaker:then you open them. It's just amazing. Open those doors. Remember that? Oh my gosh. One of the most
Speaker:beautiful hotels I've ever seen in my life is in Merida. And then, um, you have condos, you have
Speaker:high rises, single family. And what I love is the quality and compared to the U S you can get so much
Speaker:more for your money. You know, a penthouse in us might be several million and here you can get
Speaker:penthouse top floor with a pool, you know, at the same price as maybe a, you know, a, a smaller
Speaker:condo in a high rise in the U S. So I love that. And then the city is a big city. It's a real city.
Speaker:And there's people, there's universities for universities. There's a lot of university.
Speaker:They have theaters. They have, let me see. I got my list here. Okay. That is the same. So you have
Speaker:the cathedral, you have restaurants, bars, and a lot of things to do in the downtown Merida.
Speaker:You have the Museo Maya. You haven't been there. It's beautiful. You can spend at least two hours
Speaker:in the Museo Maya. It's a museum. Yeah. It's a Maya museum, which you can see the history of
Speaker:the Mayan people. And it's beautiful. I mean, you can spend like a two hours or more than that
Speaker:inside the museum. You have markets. You can go to different markets. You have
Speaker:fresh food markets. You have like eight, I think four or five different type of markets.
Speaker:Plaza Santa Lucia. That was the first time when we came here, we went to Plaza Santa Lucia on
Speaker:Thursday night. They do have, in the plaza, they have all over around restaurants that are really
Speaker:nice. Maybe we can go there. They're really nice restaurants from different, from Argentinian,
Speaker:French, from Mexico. You have different restaurants. And it's going like this,
Speaker:like a half moon. And in the middle of the plaza, they do put typical music of Yucatan,
Speaker:people, folkloric. And people are dancing. And then you have on the plaza, you will have somebody
Speaker:selling ice cream. There are natural make ice cream. Somebody else making marquesita, which I
Speaker:love that. And you have to stay away from that because you get a lot of. What is that? Marquesita
Speaker:is like a big crepe, like the cone that you have for the ice cream, ice cream cone, but big one.
Speaker:So they, they, they put like a dulce de leche, Nutella, whatever you want. And they roll it
Speaker:and they're like this. Oh my God, you eat that and you, you cannot go back to sleep.
Speaker:So Plaza Santa Lucia for foreign and see the folkloric music and the entertainment
Speaker:on Thursday night is a wonderful place to go. Then you have Palacio de la Musica.
Speaker:El Palacio de la Musica is, it's a very modern and they have a lot of concerts and you can even
Speaker:have camera music or philharmonic concert. So the symphonies and so all different kinds,
Speaker:all kinds of music they have. It's really nice. It's very modern. You should go there and visit.
Speaker:And then you have Uxmal, which is the, you know, the ruins. Yes. What I like about Uxmal, it's not
Speaker:that far away. It's really well organized. It's beautiful. You can see the pyramids and, you know,
Speaker:people. And then across from Uxmal, you have El Museo del Chocolate, the chocolate museum.
Speaker:Oh. And it's really nice. I've been there like three times already. And then Uxmal at night
Speaker:have a beautiful performance, live performance on the pyramids. Okay. Oh my God. How far is it?
Speaker:Uxmal is like an hour from here. Okay. All right. Yeah. So we went to the cenotes at the
Speaker:Hacienda. So tell us about the Hacienda. The cenote was Mucuche. Yes. La Hacienda Mucuche,
Speaker:which I like it. I really like it. And the restaurant was good. Oh, the restaurant,
Speaker:the food was fantastic. The food was good. The cenotes are beautiful. You can float. So there's
Speaker:several cenotes. There's the bigger, larger ones that you can jump in and float. And then you can
Speaker:float through the natural. And the cenote is a natural cavern. Yeah. And they're beautiful.
Speaker:And the pictures are gorgeous. And it was a working Hacienda. So they made rope. And that's,
Speaker:so can you tell me a little bit about that, the history with the rope making?
Speaker:Yeah. Merida during the colonial time was very famous because they made that,
Speaker:um, what is the name of that? Yeah. I forgot the name that they make those ropes for the,
Speaker:for the chips. Yeah. So that's what the best thing, they do that over there. They used to do
Speaker:that over there. They bring people, they work on that and they, they, um, you can take a tour.
Speaker:Um, yeah, we did the tour and it was like a working farm.
Speaker:It was a working farm family live there. And then they may, um, then you can, you know,
Speaker:go to the cenotes and then you have the, uh, the launch over there. It was really nice.
Speaker:Yeah. It was very nice. I love that. I would recommend that to anyone visiting Merida.
Speaker:Also, there's a lot of Haciendas and there, a lot of them are now hotels, restaurants.
Speaker:Remember the hotel that we went to have the restaurant. It was really nice. I went there for
Speaker:the Dia de los Muertos and it was a beautiful performance. It was beautiful. I mean, the music,
Speaker:the altares for the, the, for the dead people, they were with a lot of flowers and it was
Speaker:really, really nice. Then, um, there is a lot of Haciendas here that there, and that, that Hacienda,
Speaker:when you, the first time I went there, they give us a tour around the place.
Speaker:It was like to dream. It was beautiful.
Speaker:Um, the rooms over there are so quiet and, and it's like a retreat, you know?
Speaker:Yes. Yes. What's the name of that one? Do you remember that one?
Speaker:God, I don't remember. It's, um.
Speaker:We'll put it in the show notes. So for people that can go, cause it is a restaurant, it is a hotel
Speaker:and, um, I, we went to the dinner there.
Speaker:Yeah. We went to dinner there, but the hotel is, you know, if you go early,
Speaker:you can ask them to give you a tour of the property and it's beautiful. Really, really,
Speaker:really nice. Yeah.
Speaker:What else? Tell, what are restaurants? Because we've been to amazing restaurants.
Speaker:Oh yeah. They have good restaurants.
Speaker:International food too. It's not, it, it's an amazing food scene here.
Speaker:Yeah. They have good restaurants here. Then you have the, you know, like a lot of mall here.
Speaker:There is one big one called Galeria, like in Houston, but they have the, in the middle of that,
Speaker:um, shopping mall, they have a ice rink.
Speaker:Oh, okay. So like in Houston.
Speaker:And they teach, you know, they teach the kids how to.
Speaker:Ice skate.
Speaker:Ice skate.
Speaker:Okay. That I did not know.
Speaker:And let me tell you the best chocolate that I have tried here in Merida, there is a store right there
Speaker:behind that area. Um, after you pass the, the, uh, the ice cream, the ice rink that is on the left,
Speaker:there is a place that make the most beautiful chocolate. Um, and the, to drink that chocolate,
Speaker:it's, it's like they do the way they French do it. And it's really good.
Speaker:So they make it fresh with the chocolate shavings and the milk and yes. Okay. We're
Speaker:going to have to go there. You know, I'm a chocolate person. So it's, and you bought me
Speaker:some, I think that's where you bought me chocolate from. You brought me a gift.
Speaker:Every time that I go out to, uh, to a friend house or when I go to Houston, I go and buy
Speaker:all kinds of chocolate and bring it to everybody. Yes. They're really good.
Speaker:Yeah. I love that about Merida because there's a lot of, a lot of chocolatiers.
Speaker:That's actually, that's the store for the Museo de Chocolate.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:So they make the chocolates over there and they have the store right there and it's really nice.
Speaker:Yeah. And there's all the American stores and European stores as Zara is there. You have all
Speaker:of the stores that we're used to in the United States, which is, it's, I like that when you come
Speaker:here that you can see things familiar. Not that I would want to go there. I mean, I could do that
Speaker:at home, but I like it that you still have that. You have your Costco's, your Sam's, your Walmart.
Speaker:Restaurants, hotels.
Speaker:You have everything.
Speaker:Last night I looked for Uber Eats and I was trying to avoid all of the things that we have
Speaker:at home, like chilies and Kentucky fried chicken and all the things. I was like, no, I don't want
Speaker:that. But I was surprised that it was all there. And actually I love about here as well, that Uber
Speaker:is very popular and Uber Eats as well. So you have all the conveniences because it is a very
Speaker:large city.
Speaker:Like when I go, I last, like two weeks ago, I went with my friend to the cantinas, me and her.
Speaker:So we decided to take Uber because every time that I go out with my friends, we take Uber
Speaker:because I say, I'm not going to drive and drink because here is very, only one drink and that's
Speaker:it. You cannot drink more than one. You get in trouble. So we take Uber and it's very safe. I
Speaker:mean, me and my friends and we went to the cantina, we went to different cantina and it was
Speaker:fun. That's one of the things the group should do.
Speaker:Okay. So tell me, this is another thing. You have made a lot of friends here and I love that
Speaker:because there, you have a community of people that you've gotten to know. So tell me about
Speaker:how you got to meet expats and other people from all over the world and locals and tell me about
Speaker:the places you've gone and the friends you've made.
Speaker:Well, you know, I can talk to almost everybody. I don't have any problem talking and I like to
Speaker:have people coming over to my house because that's the best way to, when you bring people to your
Speaker:house and then you start talking to them, you actually get more of what the people are. So
Speaker:more of the life and the stories behind every person. It's more personal. So I met,
Speaker:I met this couple from Lebanon. So they came over to my house and I bring to their house to have
Speaker:breakfast and dinner. Then I have this lady from the university, which is a PhD doctor from
Speaker:Bulgaria. Then I have my friend who owns a house in Telchak. He's from Bulgaria. And then we go
Speaker:there to go to the beach. And then, so you start making, you know, meeting people from different
Speaker:backgrounds. And then you have a lot of people from Mexico city here that are really, you know,
Speaker:that they just decide to retire here in Merida from all over the country. I have met people from
Speaker:Czech Republic. I met one guy who make, what's, what is that? He's a Slovanian.
Speaker:So you name it, I have met a lot of people. And there's a lot of Americans here as well.
Speaker:I met Jaja because I was looking for somebody to take care of Mikey and Lucy when I had to travel.
Speaker:And when I met her, I really fell in love with her. Mikey and Lucy are your dogs.
Speaker:Yeah. Mikey and Lucy are my babies. My babies that I love.
Speaker:So you were looking for someone to care for your dogs while you traveled.
Speaker:Yeah. And I found Jaja and she's really nice. I think she was, she's from California, but she,
Speaker:when she transferred here, you're going to meet her. She came from Washington DC. So
Speaker:she's really nice. She have a pet resort. What else? And then you start meeting people.
Speaker:You introduced me to the pizza maker from Naples.
Speaker:Oh, Barrio Napoli. That's the best pizza I've ever had. That was, I mean, the salad and the
Speaker:pizza of Barrio Napoli. Yeah. Luigi, Luigi and Maria. Maria is from, from, from, from here,
Speaker:from Merida. And Luigi is from Napoli, Italy. You can see he's really Napolitano. So they met in
Speaker:um, London and then they got married and they came to Merida and he has been such a successful.
Speaker:I mean, the restaurant was so busy when we were there. And actually we've tried to go
Speaker:multiple times and it was just too busy. But one time we got very lucky and got, yes,
Speaker:the pizza was amazing. What I usually do, I go earlier. And then when we go like around
Speaker:before seven o'clock, you can find a table. But after that, impossible. Yeah. Then we met another
Speaker:couple from, um, from another part of, um, Italy who have a small tapas restaurant. She is from
Speaker:Ciudad de Mexico and he is from, um, I think he's from not Treviso, but close to Treviso.
Speaker:And he got this tapas place that we go sometimes and, you know, have a good wine and tapas. It's
Speaker:tiny, teeny place. So just start meeting people. Yeah. Yeah. You introduced me to a couple, um,
Speaker:one's an artist at an event. Oh yeah. Fernando and David. He's doing wonderful. He's a wonderful
Speaker:artist. I like him a lot. So I love that. There's a lot of, um, you know, music, art,
Speaker:and there's a lot of expats here, people that are here working and then retiring at the market.
Speaker:You've introduced us to several people. Yeah. There is the lady, the lady from Austria. Yes.
Speaker:She's married to a, she's a chocolatier and she is married to a guy from Germany.
Speaker:They have a dog called, um, Frida. Then the guy from Slovakia is next to him. Then, uh, my friend
Speaker:that is from America that has Emily, she has, um, fresh food, fresh food. Yeah. She makes fresh
Speaker:food. And that's a really interesting business. So she does delivery and she does catering and
Speaker:healthy fresh food. Yes. And then there is another one. Um, what else? The farm that does the cheese
Speaker:with the cheese. I mean, she is wonderful. Yes. And their farm is outside of town. Is that right?
Speaker:Yeah. Can you go visit the farm or do they just bring it to the market?
Speaker:They bring everything to the market. I don't know if you can, I never asked that question. I should
Speaker:ask that question. Okay. Well, we're going Saturday, so I can't wait to go to the market.
Speaker:Yeah. The market is good. I always buy cheese from here and then go to my house and get the
Speaker:cheese, the bread. I make Tony to make bread, cheese and wine. Those are my favorite food.
Speaker:Yeah. So let's talk about your, your move here. You are a real estate agent in the U.S.
Speaker:and you're licensed in Texas. And then now you and Tony have started your real estate company
Speaker:here in Merida. So tell us about that. Yeah. We started something. Uh, our website is, um,
Speaker:discovermexicohomes.com. We're trying to let people know that, um, when we went through,
Speaker:we have to move all our furniture from, from the state to here. We found a great guy to do that.
Speaker:So we find insurance, we find a lawyer. So we have that information for people who wants to
Speaker:move over here and see, it wasn't that difficult, but you have to research a lot.
Speaker:And you need a guide. And if you have somebody who's already done it themselves.
Speaker:So we have a lawyer who does the immigration and, you know, they go through the whole,
Speaker:we try to go before I hire a lawyer, we went to Houston and we were trying to get the Mexican
Speaker:consulate for, um, you know, to ask for an appointment. We went there like three times,
Speaker:we try the website, we try, we couldn't do it. So finally I said to my husband,
Speaker:we need to hire a lawyer. We hired this lawyer and it was amazing. She found the appointment for us.
Speaker:She did everything. And it wasn't that expensive. And I was, you know, they did a good job.
Speaker:And you also got driver's license here. You have, um, so you, so the lawyer helped you
Speaker:with everything from buying the home, setting up things, immigration, things like that as well.
Speaker:Yeah. Yeah. They do do. Um, yeah, because we are foreign, we do have, um, it's different when you're
Speaker:Mexican or foreign to buy a house here, they help you with that. Um, they help you even with
Speaker:immigration appointment. Okay. You know, they wait for, you know, they, they go with you.
Speaker:Well, they go first, make the line for you. You pay somebody, they do the line and then you come
Speaker:back at eight o'clock and then you stay on the line. And yeah, that was number two. Oh, wow.
Speaker:Okay. That's really good service. Yeah. It is a wonderful service because you say, well,
Speaker:some people start at five o'clock in the morning. I say, lady, I'm not going to be there at five
Speaker:o'clock in the morning. Forget it. So there is any way I can help with somebody can help me to do the
Speaker:appointment. I'm willing to pay. I don't mind. So this young guy told me, yes, I can do that for
Speaker:you. And I say, okay, good. Wait for me. Just be there at five and I come back at eight and then,
Speaker:because they open at nine o'clock. Yeah. So it was good. So you help you and Tony help people
Speaker:who are going to move here. You help them with the process. You will also help them if they need
Speaker:real estate, if they need to get settled and you will show them the city and help as well.
Speaker:I call you a real estate concierge. It's like combining the service business with a food and
Speaker:beverage and combining that with real estate. And so I love that, that I can send a client or even
Speaker:another real estate agent. And, um, to connect with you, cause you also work with other agents
Speaker:in the United States or wherever for referrals. So if an agent sends you a client, you will give
Speaker:them the referral, which is amazing to have such a person here that has gone through the process
Speaker:and that knows everything and is willing to help another real estate agent.
Speaker:I'm getting better. I'm getting better. It's been a year and a half, almost two years that
Speaker:at the beginning, it was kind of hard for me to understand this system because it's different.
Speaker:As I tell you, it was so hard to find, um, like you find the house and then for somebody to answer
Speaker:you or going, the first thing they ask you, are you a real estate agent? Because I don't want to
Speaker:work with a real estate agent. I go like, okay. Yes. I know you have to like learn and to build
Speaker:the trust and rapport. And so, yes, it is. You really need a real estate agent to navigate
Speaker:the city. Yeah. Because sometimes people, um, buy houses here and they don't know that they've been.
Speaker:Yeah, it's not. Yeah. They, they might lose their money. Yes. So, and I recommend that
Speaker:anytime in a foreign country, always in a foreign country, you need to know somebody
Speaker:who's reputable. And, you know, one of my rules with them is I love a family that lives in that
Speaker:city. Who's been building for years that has multiple projects. They're from that country.
Speaker:Everybody knows them. And those usually are the ones that you can trust the people who are coming
Speaker:in from all over and are just building things or trying to sell things. You really have to build a
Speaker:network of people you trust. And I think globally, it's so important to have that because you are
Speaker:doing business in another country. Yeah. And. And then you have to know the rules and regulations
Speaker:and the laws and everything, because it's, everything is completely different from the
Speaker:state. We have such an easy way of doing real estate in the States that we don't even realize
Speaker:that until. Yeah. Until you go somewhere else. You go somewhere else. Yeah. That's true. So you
Speaker:and Tony have built this real estate company here. You help clients. You also, so you help clients
Speaker:directly. So then contact you directly if they want to look at property or if they're working
Speaker:with an agent, you will also work with agents in the States for a referral if they send a client
Speaker:as well. So. And actually willing to pay 50% of my commission because that's, that's. Yeah. That's a,
Speaker:that's an amazing referral. So yes. So contact Zio if you would like to refer a client.
Speaker:Especially when you know that you have the experience and you're honest, that's the
Speaker:difference. Honesty is one of the things that can help you a lot because selling is easy,
Speaker:but to be honest and try not to rip off people. That's not that easy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's rare.
Speaker:So Zio, there's another talent you have. Not only are you a real estate agent,
Speaker:you've worked in the service industry, you lived in multiple places. You're an artist.
Speaker:Yes, I am. But I'm, I've been painting and drawing since I can remember. My grandfather
Speaker:was also an artist. He does something that I cannot, he used to do something that I don't
Speaker:think I can do it. He was, he did oil painting photography, which I don't think I can do that.
Speaker:And then he did a sculpture, which I'm really bad about it. And I cannot, I cannot be anything with
Speaker:my hands. So yes, I paint and I draw. I love oil painting and I love watercolor. And one of the
Speaker:things that I love the most is drawing. Yeah. It's the drawing part. It's graffiti. It's, it's,
Speaker:it's amazing, but there is not that many people who likes that. Yeah. That's an art that I think
Speaker:that is dying. There is, you can see oil paintings on the museum. You can see watercolor, you can see
Speaker:acrylics, but you don't see that many drawing. Yeah. You know, like the detail drawing,
Speaker:hand drawing. Well, I've seen your art before. It's beautiful. And I stayed one time in your
Speaker:guest room and it's also your art studio. So I was so blessed to stay in this beautiful room
Speaker:that was gorgeous and a brand new construction home, but also an art studio where you actually
Speaker:had a piece that you were working on so that I got to see your process. I have a few pieces working
Speaker:on, but I'm going to change that because we're, you know, we have such a beautiful and large
Speaker:service quarters for the maid, which we don't have the maid. So I was talking to my husband
Speaker:as soon as he put the air conditioning there, I'm going to move the art studio downstairs
Speaker:and leave that area, you know, open for an office. Okay. Yeah. That's amazing. So you have,
Speaker:your home is filled with art. It's filled with art from your, some of your art, but also from
Speaker:all over the world. Do you have any special pieces? I remember there was some of your pets
Speaker:and your family. There's some portraits. Yeah. But are there any special, and there's something
Speaker:from Venice, I believe. Wasn't there some art? My husband, that's from my husband. I call
Speaker:La Mujeres de Tony, which means Tony's woman. Because those three prints that you have at the
Speaker:house were the first time in the world that people print in gold and silver. That was in
Speaker:Germany many, many years ago. I don't even, I don't know. I don't remember. It's in the 71 or
Speaker:something like that, that he was in Germany. And they did it for the first time. Those posters
Speaker:print with real gold and real silver. And those women are like, don't touch it. Yeah.
Speaker:They're women and they have masks. They're beautiful. They're from Venice. Yes. They're
Speaker:large paintings or prints. So yeah, that's an interesting thing. So that's his wall.
Speaker:That's his wall of his ladies. And then you have family art as well. Portraits. Yeah, I do have.
Speaker:My aunt used to paint too. And my son doesn't know how to paint, but he loves cameras.
Speaker:Oh, so you've got his photos. So he went to school in RIT in Rochester, New York for
Speaker:cinematographer. Yes. So I love that about your house. It's very global. When you're there,
Speaker:you can see all of your travels. And then the masks from Africa that my husband used to live
Speaker:in Africa. So that those are, I told him, you know, on the, on the room that is for TV room,
Speaker:I told him, this is your place for your mask for, you know, some of them, I don't like them,
Speaker:but those are my husband mask. My husband also has a mask collection. It must be a husband thing.
Speaker:And I don't, they're not my favorite. And he has them in his office because they're not,
Speaker:my house is French. It's not got mask, but in his office, he has the mask and he really likes it.
Speaker:But it's also from his travels. And then I think a family member recently brought him one from
Speaker:Africa as well. And he loved masks and he loved rocks and what is he has a curio cabinet in his,
Speaker:and what's in there? Is it owls? But what is his?
Speaker:The one upstairs is owls. But downstairs he got, he collect fossils.
Speaker:Oh, fossil.
Speaker:You know, so he had rocks and things like that. And I told him, when you finish filling up that
Speaker:cabinet, that's it. There is no more rocks, no more masks, no more anything here. That's, that's it.
Speaker:Well, your home is beautiful. It's a collection of your travels, your art.
Speaker:And when you're there, you can tell that you've lived a wonderful, amazing life.
Speaker:Yeah, it was wonderful. But sometimes I hide things from him because we have different tastes.
Speaker:That's funny. I think we all do. My husband right now does not know he's missing something as well.
Speaker:I didn't throw it away. It's only, it's just hidden. I know where it's at.
Speaker:You're better than me. I just disappeared the whole thing.
Speaker:My mom told me that she can't lie ever to my dad. She's like, no, I can't. If he ever asked me,
Speaker:I can't lie. And so if I throw it away, and I tell him I throw it away, he'll be really mad.
Speaker:But if I just hide it or forget where it's at. So I'm using that.
Speaker:I say, I don't know where it is. I'm really sure don't know what it is. And I go like,
Speaker:So now Tony's gonna know he's gonna listen to this podcast. And he's gonna know that
Speaker:you threw something away.
Speaker:He knows. He knows. He says he throws everything away. I say no, I first I don't do it. I hide it.
Speaker:Yeah. Then after a while,
Speaker:I throw one and then I throw the other one and then I disappear the whole thing.
Speaker:That's amazing. So is there anything else that you would like people to know about your city now,
Speaker:Merida? And
Speaker:Just come and visit Merida. Merida is beautiful. People are really honest and very friendly.
Speaker:And you work with so many different type of people. They're so humble.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And simple and, and approachable. That I really like people here.
Speaker:Yeah, that's wonderful. Well, thank you so much for spending your
Speaker:hour with us. And I can't wait for my guests to meet you.
Speaker:Thank you, Jane.
