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Questions about guitars & relocating/asylum
Posted by Brandyn on September 21, 2025, 8:35 am
Greetings! Some of you may remember me, though it has been 5 years since I was last in La Manz. I live as happily as can be in Arkansas and genuinely want to stay here. However, tensions are growing rapidly in the U.S. for people like me & my partner, and we are increasingly discussing what to do if we have to flee the U.S. as asylum-seeking refugees for our safety. Given this, I have some questions I never had to consider when merely visiting for vacation before:
1. Local guitarists play on classical strings of plastic due to humidity there. Is there any way to bring our acoustic & electric guitars without ruining them or rusting the amp, speakers, etc? I seem to remember Scott playing electric guitar there, so I know it's somehow possible — but I need to know the strategy for protecting our metal components before making this decision.
We do have a dehumidifier — but is that enough to protect the guitars and metal components in that level of humidity?
2. My partner smokes tobacco juice through a vape. Is there a source for buying more juice there when he runs out?
3. How are current conditions for United Statesians in Mexico? We've heard there's a lot of animosity and danger due to how poorly our new dictator has treated Mexicans — but my gut feeling is that Jalisco would be largely safe?
4. There are a number of potential refugees here who would want to come with us, but I'm not sure how many we would be able to accommodate? And I'm not sure how the community at large there would respond to having a sudden influx of transgender people? We'd need at least one doctor willing to learn about our medical needs and ensure continuity of care.
At this time, I am not making any firm plans to flee, as I am probably prohibited from returning home to the U.S. under this Administration due to my gender once I leave. But with the FBI threatening to label us all "domestic terrorists," and ever-worsening conditions, like our doctor's clinic being shut down and me being fired from my job due to anti-trans laws, I'm not sure how much longer we can hold our ground here.
5. How much is the going rent there these days? I was getting rooms for $1300 pesos or $65 USD/month when I was staying there before. I imagine it's gone up some, like everywhere else?
Thank you for any insights to help inform our safety plan.
I don’t have all the answers, but I will say that Trans and U.S. people are welcomed in La Manzanilla. There are good doctors here and in nearby Melaque and Manzanillo. Guitar strings do suffer but they are available on Mercado Libre, and probably locally too.
I'm guessing it must have been LONG ago when you paid $65USD/month for lodging....expect to pay close to 10x that now....Be careful with the guitar....a good humidifier will help but the salt air corrodes everything. Be prepared to live according the the Bhuddist principle of impermanence...everything metal (or made of any matter for that sake) here goes to shit fairly quickly. Good luck!
on September 21, 2025, 8:35 am
