Meet India Davis...

I met India this winter in our San Carlos Spanish class. 

She's in the process of relocating to Mexico. Following is
my interview with her about how she came to her decision.

India Davis with Yaqui dancers.

India scored with the mop guy just before
Spanish class the other day.

One of India's dachshunds.

I'm India Davis. I'm forty nine, single, and retired from law enforcement at Pima County Sherriff's Department (in Tucson), where I was a bureau chief.


I retired in January 2017 after 22 years of service. The truth is we had a management change during the election in November and my Sheriff did not get re-elected. That usually changes the dynamics at the top of the organization. My position was an “at will” position which is common for higher management positions in law enforcement.


Arizona is also an “at will” state, so should the new Sheriff have chosen to fire me, I would have had no recourse. I did not want to be “fired” or have that on my resume, so I chose to retire. Absent the election, I would have stayed in that job for another three years at least. So this definitely changed my retirement plans.


I'm originally from the south, Louisiana and Mississippi, but I have lived in Tucson AZ since 1986 (off and on) barring military service and a short stint in Atlanta and North Carolina.


I have been traveling to San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico for about the last six years, usually for vacations four or five times per year. I love the water here and it is a short six-and-a-half-hour drive from Tucson. I love all water sports, but especially snorkeling. I will probably take some diving lessons and get certified for deep water dives while I am here. Since I retired early, I felt it would be a great time to try living in San Carlos, more full-time and less like a tourist, so I rented a place on Algodones Beach for six months.

Algodones Beach in San Carlos.

Where India lives in San Carlos.

I have traveled in Mexico extensively in the past and will continue doing so. While they do not have all of the comforts of home, it is easy to get accustomed to the lifestyle. I have never had any problems or discomfort traveling here.

The opportunity to rent the house long term was a key factor in deciding to move down for a trial stay. I did not want to keep bringing all of my stuff and then carting it home after every trip. I wanted something I could set up and make it feel like home.

There is the challenge of maintaining two complete households Long term that will be expensive. I have signed another lease for one year on a different house in the Caricol (another neighborhood in San Carlos). I'm looking forward to moving into that house and seeing what that year has in store for me. At that point, I may decide to rent out my townhouse (in Tucson) or sell it depending on the market.

I love the area and the proximity to the Sea, it is a calming influence on my mind and having had such a stressful job for the past twenty-two years, I really needed to de-stress.

To be here, I believe you need a special pass from the consulate for a one-time permission to bring “household items” without paying import taxes. I will check that out at the consulate in Tucson. I also have applied for and received my Temporary Resident Visa from Mexico which gives me the ability to stay beyond the 180 days permitted by the tourist visas you obtain at the border. My one-year temporary resident card was $4,000 pesos (about $200 U.S.).

Another challenge being in Mexico is mail and packages. I am an online shopper for all things from cosmetics to dog food. I also love to send and receive cards and letters (old school, I guess). I,m investigating the option of having a post office box in Tucson that is checked and monitored and delivered to a local real estate company here in San Carlos. (Note: Mexico's public mail system is slow and unreliable.)

My mom especially misses having me in the states, but she understands. My true friends also love San Carlos and I find that I am juggling the spare room for their visits, which is perfect. I cook at home most nights and usually make a trip to Empalme for fresh fish, shrimp and crab every few weeks and shop at the veggie market at Loma Del Mar on Thursdays for fresh veggies.

I would say (to fellow Americans) not to believe all of the hype and nonsense the media spins about things in Mexico. There is violence everywhere. Most people here are just living, making a living and minding their own business. As long as you aren’t in the drug trade you will be fine here. Mind your own business! is my best piece of advice. But that is true anywhere really.



Thank you India for sharing your story with my blog readers. Muchas gracias!