Handy Conversions for Mazatlan

mazatlansource.com

Mexico, like the rest of the civilized world, uses the Metric system of measurements. A few very odd countries, such as the United States, still hold on to outdated measurement systems by using ridiculously illogical methods of measuring distance by inches, feet, and yards; liquids by pints, quarts and gallons; and weights by ounces and pounds. For the benefit of our visitors to Mazatlan from the U.S. who still resist moving out of the stone-age, we provide this simple chart for dealing with what, to you, will be a different method of measurements. 

Think about this amount...	as being this amount...	but it's actually exactly...
Pint	almost 1/2 liter	.47 liters
Quart	almost a liter	.95 liters
Gallon	almost 4 liters	3.79 liters
5 Gallons	almost 19 liters	18.93 liters
Inch	about 2-1/2 cm	2.54 cm
Foot	about 30 cm	30.48 cm
Yard	a bit less than a meter	.91 meters
Mile	about 1-1/2 km	1.61 km
Pound	a bit less than 1/2 kilo	.45 kilos
Ounce	about 28 grams	28.35 grams
Square Foot	almost 1/10 of a sq. meter	.09 sq. meter
Square Yard	almost 1 sq. meter	.84 sq. meter
Acre	4/10 of a hectare	40 hectares

Shoe Sizes are a whole different animal…we’re not sure what the Mexican shoe size numbers refer to, and this should be considered a ‘rough guide’ to finding a pair of shoes that fits you. As always, try them on before you buy, as the actual size from different manufacturers may vary wildly: Note that Mexicans in general are of smaller statue than Gringos, and therefore finding size 11 or larger men's shoes or size 9 or larger women's shoes may be difficult in Mazatlan without considerable searching.

MEN'S SHOE SIZES:

U.S.	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
Mexico	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32

WOMEN'S SHOE SIZES:

U.S.	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Mexico	22	23	24	25	26	27	28

TIME: Mexicans are a very relaxed culture. Waiting is part of life, and nobody gets uptight about things not happening on the same schedule as the rest of the world. Gringos who move to Mazatlan and are unable to adapt to this new relaxed concept of time are quickly driven crazy and most of them return to their time-structured lives back home. (The few that remain simply annoy their quickly-dwindling pool of friends with constant complaining.)

Here’s a few key Mexican words, followed by their ‘dictionary definition’, and then the reality:

“Ahora” is defined as ‘now’ but actually means ‘in a while’

“Ahorita” is defined as ‘right now’ but actually means ‘in a little while’

“Mañana” is defined as ‘today’ but actually means ‘some day other than today’

“Cinco minutos” is defined as ‘five minutes’ but actually means ‘five Mexican minutes’, which could be up to 15 minutes of more

“Momentito” is defined as ‘in a moment’, but could actually mean ‘five Mexican minutes’

If you are making time-sensitive plans with a Mexican, it's best to confirm what you mean: "5:15 Mexican time or Gringo time?" or "He's coming in cinco minutos or cinco Mexican minutos?". These will be understood with a smile and clarified in Mazatlan.

How to Barter in Mexico

ehow.com

Instructions

1. • 1
     Find out the current currency conversion rate for dollars to pesos. Conversion rates are ever changing, so the rate you look up may be different in just a few weeks time. This rate will be the key to your bargaining power while you are in the markets in Mexico, so have this dollar to peso ratio handy.
     
   • 2
     Read the Mexico travel guide for the specific region of Mexico in which you are staying. Each year a new guide is published, so be certain to either purchase or borrow a current edition. Locate the largest outdoor or flea market in the area and write out directions. Ask the concierge at the desk of your hotel to arrange safe transportation to and from the shopping market.
     
   • 3
     Locate an item that sparks your interest and inquire the price from the seller. Tell the seller their price is not what you were looking to spend. The seller will likely ask you to tell them the price you are willing to pay. Tell the seller half of the amount of what they said the price originally was.
     
   • 4
     Turn and begin to walk away from the seller and the item. Show general disinterest and say that you can find the item elsewhere cheaper. Tell the seller that you only have a certain amount of money and that will be your final offer.
     
   • 5
     Walk out of the store if their price does not meet your needs, or the seller is unwilling to compromise. If the seller accepts your offer then pay them with exact change in either pesos or US dollars. Calculate the value of the dollar to peso ratio in the store with your calculator to ensure that you are indeed paying the correct amount. If you have told the seller you only have a certain amount of money, then do not offer them a large bill and ask for change. Purchase your goods, thank the seller and leave the store.
     
     

Tips & Warnings

 

• Be kind with sellers and do not offer extremely low-ball offers, as the seller may become offended.
• Watch your purse or wallet closely in markets in Mexico. Petty theft against tourists is very common and little can be done once your items are stolen.

 

 

Tips for Changing Money

gocurrency.com

As a traveler, your main concern will be getting the most favorable rate possible. A commonly asked question is: should I convert now, or will my money be worth more when I go abroad? Unless your trip is months away, the answer is that it probably will not make much of a difference. The major currencies tend to move +/- 1% in a given day, which is a relatively minor move unless you are changing thousands at a time.


While still at home, you can exchange currency at your local bank. Experts suggest only changing enough to cover travel and transportation costs until you are settled at your destination, as the costs of exchanging money at home can be prohibitive. Other services you can use at home include online money exchange services, which will take American funds and send the converted money to your home. The obvious risk with services like these is fraud and the safety of your funds while they are in transit.

 

Changing Money at Hotels and Airports

 

While hotel and airport exchange may seem convenient, beware of high transaction charges. Generally experts advise avoiding exchanging money at a hotel unless you have no other choice. You can use the currency converter or calculator on our site to determine approximately what you are being charged in transaction costs, so you can more clearly identify how much the markup is.

 

Exchanging Money via Credit Cards

 

Generally credit cards offer the most favorable exchange rates for changing money, since credit card companies have access to better rates than individuals. Be careful when using the credit card if your home currency is falling-since the transactions are not converted instantly, there is a possibility that you will end up with a less favorable conversion rate a few days later.

Another alternative to cash is to bring travelers checks with you. Even though these are fading in popularity, they still offer some excellent benefits-namely, that travelers checks can be replaced if they are lost or stolen, and can be used freely at exchanges to get the currency of the country you are in.

 

Changing Money at Local Banks

 

The rates given at local banks are usually decent, although keep in mind that one of two things can happen. If the exchange rate given is determined purely by supply and demand, then you will end up with a price that is close to what is being quoted in the foreign exchange market globally (“market price”). The other alternative is that the government of the country you are in sets the currency exchange rate, which must be offered by anyone who is changing money. Regardless, local banks are often a convenient and relatively low-cost option for changing money.

Changing Money at ATMs

 

If you would rather not carry large sums of cash, ATMs are a convenient way to obtain local currency at a reasonable exchange rate. Keep in mind that your withdrawal may be subject to a fee, so check with your bank before leaving home. The other point to note is that your bank may freeze your card if out-of-the-ordinary transactions (such as withdrawals in 4 different countries over the course of a week) appear, so keep a copy of your bank’s contact information on hand.

For more information: International VISA ATM Locator