German Estrada Navarro seems to have a fondness for people from other countries who come to visit or live in Mexico. How else could one explain the earnest effort in his new book, "México Mágico", to make things easier for visitors, to help them avoid many of the common pitfalls that often ensnare and discourage foreigners."Our main intention is to give you practical information and, more than anything else, some approaches and proposals that may help you avoid some possible problems in the future, " he writes.

In only some 130 pages, Navarro covers a lot of territory, from arriving in Mexico with a boat or car to getting repair work done to the meaning of "mañana".

The result is a compact collection of information and tips that foreigners-whether already in Mexico or planning to come here-would be well advised to add to their library of 'Survival in Mexico's books.

Navarro spends some time trying to explain Mexico and its people and to repare foreigners for the fact that many things are done differently here. "One of the first mistakes that many people make is in trying to compare the way things are done here with the way things are done here with the way they are done 'back home'", he notes.

Of the Mexican tendency to agreeably promise results (or to show up), or to provide information that may not be reliable, Navarro suggest "one possible answer could be that we believe that part of our way of being nice is saying 'yes' to everything. Another is not knowing how to remain 'nice' even if we say 'no'…. or 'I don't know',…. 'I can't do it'".

He is no apologist, however, and readily acknowledges such problems as the Mexican style of driving, TELMEX and the government's dubious record of managing the Mexican economy over the past 70 years, which about covers Navarro's lifetime.

Navarro lives in the Puerto Vallarta area and with that orientation felt obliged to offer extensive advice and information about buying time shares and other property. He urges a go-slow, look-around, ask-around, ask-around, eyes-wide-open approach for foreigners who are considering such investments.

He cites PROFECO (the federal consumer protection agency) as a valuable source of information and guidance, and also includes reprints of U.S. and Canadian government advisories about legal and business matters in Mexico.

He also discusses insurance, the legal system, customs, immigration, bank services, property rentals, traffic, pharmacies, healthy eating, language and more.

While the book's content is interesting and informative, the presentation is a bit jarring. Rather than relying in the main body of text to provide the bulk of his information, Navarro relies heavily on the use of asterisks (as many as four per page), along with "Note", "Another Note" and "Author's note" to expand on what he is trying to tell the reader.

Nervertheless, the book is a worthwhile supplement to other resources for foreigners who live in Mexico or are thinking about doing so, particularly because it offers the unique perspective of a Mexican on how foreigners can get the most out of their time in Magical Mexico.

This book is for sale en Chapala and Ajijic with Mary Cruz Ibarra at 666 Juarez, Chapala, Jal. Phone: 765-4361. In Puerto Vallarta in stores and/or via Internet visit: http://www.go2mexico.com/mexicomagico/

Robert Shepard

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