Do you have embarrassing gas problems? Do you find this problem creeping up on you when you least expect it? I bet not.
If you have lived in the United States all your life, I bet you've never seen a gas main or line and have just taken it on faith that it is there pumping gas into your house. The same with water. How many of us would shudder at the thought of not being able to get a refreshing drink from the tap whenever we wanted it?
In Mexico, it is a part of everyday life that you have no gas lines leading into the house nor can you drink water from the tap. That's just life here.
What we depend on are these screaming men who walk through the streets from early in the morning and until late at night calling out,
"Gas!" or "Agua!" (water)
These gas and water servicemen are those on whom every resident in the country of Mexico depends to bring these two vital components of our existence. I don't know what we would do without them.
How it works is that your gas for heating and cooking comes in two four-foot-high tanks. These bellowing supermen will carry these tanks on their backs to where your outside connection is and replace the empties with newly filled ones. They test to see whether there are any leaks and off they go to their next customer.
Having never had to deal with such a setup, I had to have "gas lessons" from my landlady who took no end of pleasure in instructing the poor, ignorant gringo in how to turn on the gas tanks. What happens is that one day you will have hot water and the next day you will not. Whoops! Time to change the tanks.
Since there are two tanks, you have to switch from the empty one to the full one by turning off the valve on the empty one, pushing a lever to open the line, and turning on the valve on the full tank. Once both are empty, you have to wait for the street patrolling gas guy to happen by and get his attention. Or, you can call the gas company and they will make an appearance--eventually. Sometimes these men (and they are always men) will be wonderfully musical in their plaintiff cry, "Gas!" One guy, I swear, sounds like he is calling out, "Gas! Get your nice and friendly gas!" But, of course, he isn't.
Judging when you need more gas is easy. Doing the water is not. How many of us know how many times a day we would hit the tap in America for a cool drink? Who counts? That made the potable water issue a little harder to judge.
At first, we were using three five-gallon jugs a week, but that wasn't enough. Therefore, we went to four, which suited us fine. It is hard to decide how many jugs are enough at first. To complicate matters, the water guys in our first neighborhood would not come by daily and sometimes we ran out of water!
To get a refill of gas is cheap. Two tanks will cost $480.00 pesos and will last about three months. Water, in the five gallons jugs, will run $18.00 pesos each. We were spending $160.00 pesos a month for purified water.
You can hear the cries of these servicemen all over the city. They are out, rain or shine, to make sure that you don't run out of water and that the embarrassing gas problem won't catch you unaware.
Expatriates Doug and Cindi Bower have successfully expatriated to Mexico, learning through trial and error how to do it from the conception of the initial idea to driving up to their new home in another country. Now the potential expatriate can benefit from their more than three years of pre-expat research to their more than two years of actually living in Mexico. The Plain Truth about Living in Mexico answers the potential expatriate's questions by leading them through the process from the beginning to the end. In this comprehensive guide, you will learn not only how-to expatriate but will learn what to expect, in daily life, before coming to Mexico. BUY BOOK HERE: http://www.universal -publishers.com/book.php?method=ISBN&book=1581124570
Ok, you are ready to build a log home. If... Read More
This week we are going to continue our series on... Read More
Commercial steel buildings are prefabricated and custom-designed for use as... Read More
A clock is simply a device that measures time. Typical... Read More
Circuit Breakers are devices that stop the electrical current of... Read More
It doesn't matter if you live in a hot climate... Read More
An easy way to instantly improve your bathroom's image is... Read More
It is quite simple to repair a hole in a... Read More
While you are cleaning leaves out of your home's gutters,... Read More
You may think choosing garage doors is straight forward, however... Read More
Choosing a color scheme for a room can be a... Read More
The first step is to plan the design ? as... Read More
You've finally found the home of your dreams, 3 bedrooms,... Read More
If you like to cook, or even if you just... Read More
In an effort to help consumers in the Atlanta area... Read More
Modern Design is sleek, stark, and spacious with angular and... Read More
VANCOUVER, CANADA. Many homeowners, landlords, renters, property managers, business owners,... Read More
When decorating or making decorating decisions for new homes, it... Read More
As a qualified duct cleaning contractor I have discovered that... Read More
So you've scraped and saved, now you've finally gotten together... Read More
A swimming pool with attached spa has just been installed... Read More
Do you or one of your family members suffer from... Read More
Steel building kits are a comprehensive set of all the... Read More
This article is going to be about replacing an old... Read More
The purpose of a home ventilation system is to maintain... Read More
The secret to your home's interior design is Love.If you... Read More
I love bedspreads, don't you? A comforter can be used... Read More
There are many styles of picnic tables on the market,... Read More
One of the advantages of using machines to control processes... Read More
There are many things in life that are worth protecting.... Read More
Kitchen design is a sea of opportunity filled with potential.... Read More
A honed finish is a satin surface with relatively little... Read More
Some of the most common mistakes to avoid made by... Read More
Need for home remodelingThe need for home remodeling is on... Read More
Sun catchers add sparkle and beauty to any room in... Read More
This week we are going to continue our series on... Read More
Remodeling a kitchen is one of the best investments a... Read More
A Complete manual on how to install a Ceiling Fan... Read More
Your Own Homes Improvement Outline(One for the Ladies)Let me begin... Read More
Not everyone is aware of how to deal with contractors.... Read More
Feng Shui describes the communication that takes place every day... Read More
Hardwood Floors are beautiful to look at and expensive to... Read More
One of the simplest ways to start planning your bathroom... Read More
Like most folk, I believe that more can be achieved... Read More
Designing Your Own Dream Home for the New Home Builder:... Read More
How to Collect Physical Mold Growth Samples for Low-Cost Mold... Read More
The cost of energy is on the rise, so if... Read More
Imagine leaving a window open all winter long ? the... Read More
When a family decides to finish a basement space, there... Read More
The Heat is On with... Read More
What would you like in the backyard that is great... Read More
It is absolutely necessary to waterproof the foundation of your... Read More
The proper lighting in a room can make or break... Read More
Everyone can use more organization in their lives (except those... Read More
If the weather is turning chilly it must time for... Read More
It's finally spring! Time to move out the patio furniture... Read More
This story was told to me by a plumber I... Read More
You have your 3 quotes from each potential builder so... Read More
Want to improve the look of your property? Want to... Read More
Interior design for couples is one of the hottest, most... Read More
Double glazing reduces heat loss through your windows. You can... Read More
If you have recently built a new garage you might... Read More
A larger air conditioner will not always provide more cooling.... Read More
Everyone wants to save money. Don't you? Well, painting your... Read More
Log Cabin Homes: They have come a long way. Here... Read More
One of the best solvents you can use to remove... Read More
Home Improvement |