The Eco Divers Show

I think we told you that shortly after arriving, we checked in at Eco Divers. No Jorge! Word was he had left for Mexico City and was teaching there. On one of my walks I passed by Eco and there was Jorgito! I stopped and after a couple of beers, I got the whole story. Seems that years ago Jorge taught in the public schoosl. Over the years his mother has kept his teaching status in place. So, this summer, his mother called and said that he had a job teaching at a Mexico City school. What she also told him was that if he taught for only a few years (maybe 2 or 3) he would qualify for a pension when he reached retirement age (60?).  By keeping his status active and “lending” it to his relatives who taught school, he received credit toward a retirement benefit. Amazing. For a guy who never gave it much thought, he now thinks about it a lot. The monthly benefit will be about a $1,000 US ! More than enough to live comfortably here since he now owns his condo. We told some of you that story, no? Well, Jorge bought a condo about 6 years ago. Didn’t like it, so he gave it back after about a year. Then, he stayed in the condo, waiting to be asked to leave or evicted. Never happened! Mexico has “squatters rights”. Seems that if you live at a place 5 years, never being asked to leave, and you then pay the back taxes and file some paperwork- it’s yours! And, so now he owns it free and clear. So, along with the pension, his life appears to be set. Why him? Aztec/Mayan gods must be smiling upon him.