Puerto Vallarta Lifestyles Magazine   Order by Amex   Order by Check   Articles   Profiles   Search

Lifestyles Profile - Silvia Elias By Joseph Kandoll Recalling her introduction to Puerto Vallarta, Silvia Elias of PV Realty recounts, “My aunt lives in Mexico City, and one winter 20 years ago I came from Spain to visit her. Over Christmas that year, we spent time in Puerto Vallarta. That was when I decided it was where I wanted to live. “I worked in real estate in Spain on the Mediterranean coast, where most of our clients were from Sweden, Norway, England, mostly northern Europe. So, I was used to working in different languages from the beginning. Coming to Mexico I found a completely new system. The laws are very different than in Spain, especially concerning property. It was challenging to me, and I studied real estate law in special classes in Mexico City and Guadalajara. “And then, on top of that, there were the cultural differences. I have always liked Mexico, but my pace is very different. When I began working here, it was very unusual for a businesswoman to be in this line of work, especially when I was negotiating at a table with men from Guadalajara who just didn’t know what to make of it. “I first worked with the corporation in what was only an eight-month job. The rest of the time we spent traveling, reading, just taking it easy,” Silvia laughs. “Not anymore. There just isn’t a slow season.” Silvia, pictured with her partner, David Pullen, says, “It’s so important to be bilingual, or multilingual. I think a second language broadens your spectrum to realize and understand from the inside of a culture. Because, really, the language comes out of a culture, a way of thinking. “David and I finally got the majority in our business in ’93, when the laws changed allowing foreigners to own more than 49% of a business. Things are different now in Puerto Vallarta. The immigration laws have changed and the foreign community here is getting younger. It’s easier to obtain papers, to find a way to adapt before becoming a retiree. The community used to come and go; it was more seasonal. It’s good, a change that works better for us all.”

Back | Top of Page | Home | Free Newsletter | Search | Help | Tell a Friend

Last update 23/03/05 mox© Producciones ViVa