Torreón is located in the Chihuahuan desert area, specifically the Comarca Laguna. It is part of the tri-city area of Torreón in the state of Coahuila and Gomez-Palacio and Lerdo in the state of Durango. The metropolitan area is roughly 1.5 million people and growing!
The economic base is diversified and includes cattle-ranching, cotton growing, textile and machinery manufacturing, dairy and retail. Many global firms have maquiladoras here and there are a number of universities located in the region as well. The weather is generally hot and dry, although there is a rainy season from about May to October (not that it rains all the time during that period), and can dip down to freezing in late December through the end of January.
PROS -- Wonderful weather, particularly if you are moving from a place like Cleveland, Ohio!
Very friendly residents who go out of their way to help you.
Both families and singles would be comfortable here, although it is imperative for singles to learn Spanish if they are going to become involved in local activities.
Diverse regligious community -- we have a number of Protestant denominations here, Buddhists, LDS members, Jehovah Witness ', Muslims, and Jews -- and, naturally, a large number of Catholic churches.
In general, the dress code is a bit more formal and convservative than in the US. You see very few people wearing shorts, for instance and both men and women are usually neatly and cleanly dressed -- no matter what their economic status.
Until recently, there was no a significant security problem. Some of the drug issues found in Mexican border cities and other locations are beginning to affect this locale, although such activity horrifies both the local residents and the government and thus they are being pro-active in addressing these challenges.
CONS -- You are hours away from the next metropolitan area -- that being Saltillo and/or Monterrey. The US border is also a significant drive and there are limited flights to the US, all of which are pricey.
Housing is not inexpensive here. Neither is food. If you buy a car or electronics of any sort, you will find that you pay a premium to purchase it here.
You will not always find people who speak English as you go about your daily activities. There is no local church -- Protestant or Catholic -- in English. You must at least learn "survival Spanish" to make your life pleasant.
Torreón is just 100 years old this year. It is not a colonial city and does not have the ambiance that many associate with towns in Mexico.
You can enter Mexico on a tourist visa.
However, if you are entering to work, you must obtain an FM3. Other family members will also need to have an FM3 linked to the employed family member. From experiences of friends here, it is MUCH better to use a Mexican firm to
help you obtain the correct work documentation than to use a US firm. The company employing you in Mexico should help you to obtain these documents. http://www.inm.gob.mx
There is a significant Mexican middle-class and upper-class in Torreón. There is much good housing stock, and more is being constructed all of the time. Houses are block and stucco and usually of two floors.
Few have heating or air conditioning systems -- but most do have "swamp cooler" systems. The very small expat community lives throughout the city, often in newer developments, but sometimes in the more traditional areas of the Torreón Jardin or Campestre la Rosita.
Several expats have had very unsatisfactory experiences with local real estate agents. It is best to communicate with the expat women 's organization, Circle of Friends, before arriving to find out about reliable real estate agents and the condition of specific houses. Termite damage can be a very serious problem, and as rains happen only infrequently (and then often are downpours) it is also important to check the condition of roofs or examine walls for leaks.
Most expats do have help. As this is a very dusty area, floors often need to be cleaned several times a week (most floors are tile).
Some maids will not only clean, but will also cook. Most expats only employ a maid one to three mornings a week, but some do have employees who work daily.
Gardeners are often employed as well, although they frequently double as outside-handyman and car washer. Most yards are tiny, but it is quite nice to have someone to do the lawn mowing - often with a weed whacker!
Vonage has been the most reliable company to use for phone calls. Skype and callback services are other options. The local phone monopoly, Telmex (owned by the world 's richest man, Carlos Slim Helu) is horrendously expensive. However, for the basic package of local calling, you receive 100 local calls for about $18.00 monthly.
Prodigy and MegaRed are the two major internet providers in Torreón. Rates vary and you should check their websites for current information. Quality varies greatly and with the growth of the city, the online experience is often slow. There are hundreds of internet cafes throughout the area and there are some wireless hotspots as well (this is a fairly new development).
Sky and MegaCable are two of the local television providers. They have some English programming imported from the US or other English speaking countries.
There are no English language newspapers. In fact, there is nowhere in the entire area to even buy an English language newspaper. You can not even obtain a copy of The New York Times locally! On the other hand, there are two large local papers in Spanish, El Siglo and La Opinion and if you learn to read basic Spanish it is really quite educational to read them!
The Mexicans do not even use the Mexican postal system. Most Mexicans either hand deliver mail (like wedding invitations) or employ a private courier. We use a mail forwarding service based in the US that collects our mail and then sends it by private courier (DHL, FedEx, UPS) to us here in Torreón once every two weeks.
If you will be here for more than a two week visit, you need to learn the language -- at least at a basic level.
Although there are tutors, schools and individuals who teach Spanish here, supposedly to foreigners, not many people have been satisfied with their experiences. It is important to talk to current expats to find good language instructors.
Rosetta Stone is one way to begin your study and continuing to supplement that with workbooks on your own will also help. In addition, attending local concerts, talks, and church services in Spanish will bring you up to speed rapidly.
Although some of my Mexican friends drink the tap water, I would not recommend it. Most homes have garafons of purified water (about $2.00 US per garafon) delivered to them and then use a counter top dispenser for ease of use. Electropura is the largest outfit and the one most people use. Alternatively, some homes have reverse osmosis systems, although you need to make certain they are in working condition!
Most homes have city water delivered through a piping system and then stored in cisterns beneath the garage or on the roof. Often there is a pump used to increase the water pressure.
Propane gas is used for cooking and for heating hot water. The tanks are often on the roof and the gas is delivered by truck.
CFE is the only game in town for electricity.
Some companies pay most are all of the utilities for their expats. This is something important to negotiate when you are finalizing your expat contract.
Almost all expats are sent here because of their existing employment in the US -- they are merely being sent to a foreign location from another plant. Large employers here include Caterpillar, Essex, John Deere, Takata, Delphi, Lincoln Electric, and Wrangler.
Some expat spouses have found employment as teachers at one of the English or bilingual schools here, but most expat spouses have been discouraged from seeking any local employment.
Basically, you only come to Torreón if you already have a job. This is not a city where an expat would move to and THEN do a job hunt.
The local currency is the Mexican peso.
Personally, we had no difficulty setting up a Mexican bank account, although I have heard of other expats having difficulty. The paperwork was very similar to that in the US. We have a debit card and use the local Banamex ATM 's just as we would use our bank card and ATM in the US.
There are private hospitals in Torreón with very high levels of service. Hospital Angeles is the one most often used by expats. There are a good number of local dentists and doctors who speak English and most medications are easily obtained over the counter.
I would highly recommend that anyone moving to any foreign country check with an International Travel Clinic at a major hospital in the US before moving abroad. Those specialized care centers can give you up to date region specific information.
There are a good number of bilingual schools availble, as well as a number of universities such as Tec. de Monterrey. Because there are so few expat families here, even the "American school" here is almost 95% local Mexican students. Almost always, parents drive the children to school. A few walk and a few car pool, but most ride in individual cars.
Depending upon the needs of the child, services might be able to be found.
There is a good network of excellent Montessori schools in Torreón, some of which have dealt with students with special needs, including at least one school that enrolled a student with autism.
Most expats from the US drive their cars here. You can purchase a car in Mexico, but it is expensive to do so, and most likely you can not take it back into the US without exhorbitantly expensive modifications.
Driving is an interesting experience as you change lanes or go through lights as necessary.
Your US driver 's license is valid here, but it is easy (and wise) to obtain a Mexican one. That way if you get stopped, you do not have to surrender your US license but can present your Mexican one.
There are superb executive bus lines that run to other cities in Mexico.
The local bus lines are SLOWLY being modernized, but are not used by expats.
In general, expats without cars will use taxis which are plentiful, always available, and quite reasonable. The international airport in town is a gem, although it is only served by two US airlines -- Continental and American. Other airlines do serve many other Mexican locations. Fares are beginning to come down as some low-cost carriers are entering the business.
Sears, Home Depot, Sam 's Club, Ace Hardware, Office Depot, Sally 's Beauty Supply and Wal-Mart are all located here. More local stores include Liverpool, Cimaco, Sanborn 's and VIP 's. Almost everything is somewhere here in Torreón -- the challenge is finding it!
Make sure you bring electric heaters if your home does not have a heating system. Also, purchase your electronics and computers in the US before you arrive -- they are much more expensive here. Pack warm clothes and down comforters for the winter months.
Futbol, futbol, and even American football! There is a Mexican League baseball team her (the Laguneros), a basketball team (the Algodoneros), and the beloved Santos futbot team! Despite the heat, many people walk, run and bike, and the Lala Marathon is a world-class event. We have plenty of gyms, including Curves, as well as golf courses and outdoor pools. Equestrian activities are also available, and, naturally, there is a bullring in town!
I 've never brought in a pet, but there are numerous vets here in Torreón and several expats have noted that they received excellent care for their animals here.
City Description
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