I have wrestled with this About Me page–what to say, how much to say, how to summarize me on a page–such an important, commit-it-to-print task!
The best way to comply with this obligatory part of my website is to answer a question that I am often asked:
“Why do you speak such good Spanish?”
Now, now…you can’t judge a book by its cover!
Just because I am blonde, blue-eyed and of Dutch/Irish ancestry doesn’t mean that I can’t hold my own in Spanish, and then some.
I remember the father that remarked in astonishment to his son on his first day in my middle school Spanish class, “Your Spanish teacher is a blonde?!?!”
Not too sure what he was expecting–perhaps not a Spanish teacher with the name of Katie O’Grady.
Okay, I admit it, the shock factor is a little fun.
And so the story is this…
I am a 4th generation native of San Diego , born and raised a half an hour away from the Tijuana/San Diego border. My Grandfather was the Chief of Patrol & Immigration in the 1940’s and a hero in my and many other’s eyes.
While working towards my Bachelor of Arts in Spanish at the University of San Diego, I lived and studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain and then Oxford, England, returning to the States to get my Masters in Cross-Cultural Education and Curriculum Development. I taught K-12 Spanish for San Diego City Schools for 12 years, receiving Teacher of The Year prior to my early retirement in 2012 to move to Mexico with my family.
I have always had a deep love and respect for the Hispanic culture, music, food and people and and know that if former lives exist, I was a salsa-dancing Latina in mine!
I am a lucky Mama to 18-year-old twins (who were 8 when we immigrated to Mexico), partner, wife and best friend to my retired firefighter hubby Frank (turned solar designer & installer extraordinaire), living and adventuring full time in mainland Mexico for the past ten years.
Los O’Gradys in Mexico is my creative commitment of putting to print–to record in a memorable and tangible form for ourselves, our friends, family and followers–these days of our lives; to inspire and invoke hope, to show that there is another way to live a life of design and personal choice whether in or out of The States.
Thank you for following along with our adventures and thank you, Mexico, for welcoming us to call you home.
Saludos,
Katie O’Grady
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*For detailed information on my Relocation Consulting, please email me at losogradysinmexico@gmail.com
I am glad I register. I look forward. Thank you.
Hi Willie!
Thank you for joining the adventures of Los O’Gradys in Mexico! Look forward to seeing you here and on our Facebook Page!
Saludos,
Katie O’Grady
You are an inspiration to me. I am looking into moving to La Mision just south of Rosarito and work in the U.S. Thanks for the inspiration. I am curious to know what part of Nayarit that you live in.
Greetings Anthony!
What a kind thing to say, thank you!
We also have spent quite a bit of time in Baja, and love it as well.
Here on Mainland Mexico, we lived our first year and a half in San Pancho, Nayarit~about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta.
We are now in the central highlands of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato experiencing yet another magnificent part of this beautiful and diverse country.
I wish you the best of luck in your potential move to La Mision…. ¡Viva México!
Saludos,
Katie
Cool site, and a well written “about” Katie. I subscribed and look forward to seeing more posts!
Randy.
Thank you Randy!
Thank you for being part of the adventure of Los O’Gradys in Mexico!
Cheers,
Katie
Thanks for posting your link on the San Miguel Civil List. Best thing to come out of the Civil List in a while!
Hi Carla and welcome to the adventures of Los O’Gradys in Mexico!
Thank you for signing up for our newsletter!
I appreciate the complement and look forward to sharing more of our around SMA adventures!
Cheers,
Katie
Hi Katie –
I don’t know how it took me so long to find your blog but I’m so glad I did! My family is planning a move to SMA in July of 2015, and I’ll be reading every post on your blog from start to finish! Thanks for sharing your journey!
– Lori
Hello Lori!
How exciting! Let me know if you need clarification on anything or if I can help you in any way.
Cheers,
Katie
Katie,
I enjoy reading about your family and living vicariously through your writings. I also enjoyed hearing your children talk freely about their move to Mexico. Your kids are a direct reflexcion of your great parenting. They are precious! I love hearing the positives about Mexico because I too love Mexico, the people and culture. Of course as a fellow American and southern Californian our news here is very stilted against travel to Mexico. Have you had any fears about car travel in and around the places you have lived so far? I believe in being a smart traveler where ever I go but the last time I mentioned to someone that we rented a car in Cabo last December and drove an hour north so my husband and daughter could take kite boarding lessons, all I heard was about beheadings in Cabo. Really? I felt completely safe. Safer than I would in parts of the U.S. Could you weigh in on your blog about the media and how right or wrong they are?
Gracias,
Trisha
Hi Trisha,
Thank you for your very kind feedback. Being a mother to Mairead and Liam is my ultimate life gift, and I am humbled and honored every single day to share this life experience with them and their Daddy Frank….
Regarding car travel, we just exercise common sense–no night driving, no driving into known areas of concern. As far as taking a car an hour north of Cabo, I would have no problem doing that at all. In fact, we have traveled the entire Baja Peninsula, down and up, with our at the time much younger children, dog, and plenty of stuff on board. Again, we never drove at night and exercised situational awareness…BUT, with that said, I feel VERY safe in Mexico—like you say, much safer than plenty of places even in my hometown of San Diego. Perhaps I will dedicate an article to this…Thank you for the inquiry and suggestion and please do stay in touch.
Cheers,
Katie 🙂
Hi Katie…I was a Spanish teacher in San Diego Unified at Correia middle school and then Patrick Henry High for 12 yrs. Where did you teach…maybe our paths crossed at some point in the past. I just recently retired last June. My last year of teaching was on a Fulbright exchange which I did in Mexico City…after that year I decided to retire. We had always wanted to retire in Mexico but weren’t sure where. We have been in Oaxaca for 6 months and love it for it’s art and incredible culture but have decided it’s not the place for us to put down our roots…we will be moving to Tepoztlan for a couple of months to continue our search…I read your blog because a friend living in Sayulita put it on her FB page…I have enjoyed it and sometimes I wish we had taken this leap earlier with our kids now 29 and 32…however we traveled with them often to Mexico, they are very bilingual and bicultural and adore Mexico…thanks for sharing!
Hi Kathy!
Thanks for reaching out and being in contact…
I was with San Diego City Schools for 12 years, first at Challenger Middle School in Mira Mesa, and then at Mt. Everest Academy in Claremont.
How fabulous that you got to do a Fulbright exchange in Mexico City—that must have been quite the experience!
I have heard that Oaxaca is beautiful and it is definitely on our list of places to adventure to.
Tepoztlan, I do not know, but would love to hear how you find it.
Our children went to school in Sayulita for a year…a fun, groovy little place for sure.
Stay in touch!
Cheers,
Katie 🙂
Just found your blog through another. I studied abroad in Mexico and love visiting. I look forward to reading more of your blog!
Hi Katie!
What part of Mexico did you study abroad in? That is fabulous that you had that experience!
Cheers,
Katie 🙂
Hi Katie 🙂 i came across your very interesting and inspirational article and it got me thinking how sad we are spending our days. working all day till 6pm and then i have no energy left to play with my one year old son. it is very frustrating and most of the time i feel like a robot cause i have to work to pay the loan with very little money left to spend on something enjoyable! what kind of work is there in Mexico? how are you managing financially? do you work? i am so curious as for me this is close to impossible but i dream it every day! thanks so much for your time. Regards Maria
Hi Maria,
Thank you for reaching out and introducing yourself.
I hear you loud and clear on your sentiments about your long days with little energy left to play with your son. That is very difficult, I know.
Regarding what type of work there is in Mexico, a lot depends on your skills and the region. For example, we just returned from a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula–specifically Playa del Carmen and south of there—and everything is very tourist-oriented.
Here in Central Mexico where we live, folks do all sorts of things from selling their art to opening cafes, to real estate to teaching, to… in my husband’s and my case, reinventing ourselves from firefighter and teacher to photovoltaic installer and writer.
We do have our pensions that we worked long and hard for, but it is nice to be able to supplement our income with our new and chosen lines of work, on our terms.
I am happy to answer any questions you have and I wish for you the absolute best.
Never loose hold of your dreams. There is another way.
Best regards,
Katie 🙂
Someone posted your piece in elephantjournal and it caught my eye. I loved and related to a lot of what you wrote. Just yesterday, my piece http://blogs.wsj.com/expat/2015/04/21/an-expat-reflects-on-israels-memorial-and-independence-days/ appeared in the Wall Street Journal expat column. I’m American, from the SF Bay Area, living abroad, raising kids, and write. I am doing a piece another piece for the WSJ and would love to interview you. Are you interested? If so, please email me at jennifer@langonline.com
Thanks!
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for reaching out and contacting me.
I find your own story so interesting as well and looking forward to reading more about it.
I would be happy and honored to have you interview me for the Wall Street Journal.
I will also contact you at the email you provided.
Thank you.
Cheers,
Katie 🙂
Hi Katie. I so enjoyed reading your blog. I thought maybe you weren’t writing anymore because I hadn’t heard from you. You’ve been busy leading a wonderful life of which I am so envious! The twins are getting so big- such smart and beautiful children. I loved your photographs- you look fantastic- and your writings. I will see if I can figure out how to follow you on your Facebook. Did you ever get your tooth finished?
Abrazos,
Shelly King
Hi Shelly,
So great to hear from you!
My blog has been active now for over 2 years and going strong! 🙂 Getting published on Elephant Journal has definitely been one of many highlights!
We are loving our lives in Mexico….
And thank you for the kind words about my children…they are pretty special. I am honored and so blessed to be their Mama.
I am on Facebook by both Katie O’Grady and Los O’Gradys in Mexico. Hope to see you there!
And, yes, regarding the tooth—was able to have it finished here in San Miguel by a wonderful provider.
Again, so great to hear from you….
Katie 🙂
Hey. Your site is cool. We sometimes day dream of doing the same!!
I might do some advertising on your site. Can you give me any stats?
Hi Amanda,
Welcome!
Thank you for the nice compliment…yours is great as well! I love the Young Living Essential Oils and have used them for years with my family.
Keep on day dreaming….they turn into realities if you want them to.
Feel free to look at the Advertising Page on the Nav Bar of my blog for pricing.
I average over 20,000 unique views a month, with a current yearly total of over 140,000 and growing.
Cheers,
Katie 🙂
I apologize for having to contact you through your “Comments.” However, I have been unable to find your email address.
I wanted to contact you to discuss a book I have written for expatriates living in México, Planning for the Inevitable, and a website I have created for selling the book.
If you would click on the link below, you will see the email I am sending other bloggers in México, which will explain my proposal.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Murry Page
Hello Murry,
Thank you for contacting me.
I messaged you through your Contact Form and will email you as well.
Cheers,
Katie
Hi Katie,
I just discovered your blog through the Women Who Sail Group on FB. Like you, I was a high school Spanish teacher and Interpreter for many years. I started going to Mexico on family vacations and later studied at UNAM in Mexico City in college. I’ve spent the last 5 years cruising with my husband on our sailboat, Gypsy and also doing land travel as often as the weather allows. Mexico is so much a part of my life and I never tire of exploring and experiencing the culture, the people and the landscapes. Thanks for sharing your life’s passion and vision through your blog. Un abrazo. Saludos! Lisa
Wow Lisa!
Thanks so much for commenting and sharing a bit about you! I would love to read more of your adventures!
We wanderlust spirits do tend to cross paths…
Un fuerte abrazo,
Katie 🙂
Just found your website and I love it! I’ve been looking for perspectives on moving to Mexico or Costa Rica with children and there is very little out there. My wife and I have 3 1/2 yr old twins (boy and girl) and we’re looking to get our of NYC and start living.
I have a million questions but for now I’ll just start by reading through your blog.
Best,
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth & Family!
Welcome to Los O’Gradys in Mexico!
And congrats on the boy/girl twins—yeah! I know first hand the joys of that life blessing!
As you read through my blog and questions come up, jot them down and I am happy to answer them the best I can!
Cheers,
Katie 🙂