With the visit of author Nina Lesowitz in town, my week has been revolving around the theme of gratitude. This is not particularly unusual for me as gratitude and appreciation have been part of my daily practice for years. This week, though, with this topic at center stage, it was with a humorous chuckle that I received an invitation to attend a “customer appreciation” event on behalf of Intercam. This allowed me to contemplate the topic through new lenses, zoom out and reflect on some of the blessings I take for granted.
As an expat, I am extremely grateful for all the perks living in La Paz offers. Proximity to the ocean, year-round sunny weather, desert landscape mixed in with the warm, delicious, welcoming embrace of a Mexican backdrop. The expat community of La Paz is notorious for gushing over how “blessed” we are to be living in this “picture-perfect hidden gem” each time we meet. As true as these are, living here offers more than these general go-to feel-good appreciation platitudes.
During this reflection, I pondered the blessing of being able to open something as basic as a bank account while being an expat. The ability to do so is such an unappreciated privilege as we often overlook that it is much easier for us to access financial products such as bank accounts in Mexico as foreigners than for foreigners visiting the US, Canada, or European countries.
(from right to left) Juan Manuel Rullán, Director of the Intercam Banco Tourist Regional Division, Eduardo Guerrero, Branch Director and Alfonso Gutiérrez Martínez, Undersecretary of Economy of the Government of the State of Baja California Sur.
The client appreciation event at the Intercam branch brought back memories of a time before I opened my first Mexican bank account. Flashbacks of dealing with expensive exchange rates, ATM fees, and international transfer limits were a necessary and frustrating part of my life, a relatable experience for many expats. But here I was, at a bank whose mission is to bypass these frustrations, offering not just bank accounts, but other financial products, including mortgages for expats.
Chatting with the other customers at the event, it’s clear that Intercam has established itself as an authority in its field with its large selection of financial products curated for non-Mexicans paired with excellent customer service.
With about 25% of the people at the event being expats, I had an opportunity to speak with many long-term local customers. Many shared their satisfaction and appreciation for the smooth operation and excellent customer service they have continuously experienced over the years using Intercam as their main bank, whether for personal or business needs.
Among the attendees were local La Paz business owner Fabiola Martinez and her husband Lester Keizer, owners of Lover Lips Yachts: “We have been operating a private yacht chartering business out of Marina Palmira since 2022 and this branch and its staff have been a great partner in our business.” Other local business owners present at the event offered a glimpse of diversity, richness, and strength of La Paz’s business community.
This “appreciation event” also doubled as the official grand opening of the new Intercam La Paz branch, which was relocated to a larger and more central location, minutes away from the main cathedral and other tourist landmarks. According to Cesar Murillo, the branch manager, this La Paz branch is dedicated to simplifying financial transactions between the US, Canada, and Mexico, as well as supporting non-Mexican customers with a streamlined account-opening process.”
If you have been considering opening a new bank account, you’ll be happy to learn that Intercam offers different banking accounts for expats, tourists, and digital nomads as applicable. They pride themselves on the experience they cultivate within the organization to provide a customized experience for each client by assigning them with a dedicated agent. As someone who remembers a life before a local bank account, I can assure you that’s something to be grateful for.
The theme of gratitude was at the center stage for me this week thanks to Nina’s visit. Nina Lesowitz is the author of the book: “Living Life as a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude”, where she dives deep into the powers of gratitude as a tool for a better living. She and I met coincidentally at Thanksgiving dinner when I moved to La Paz in 2023, and her visit allowed me to reflect on and assess my current level of appreciation.
In addition to being appreciative for living in La Paz, I am equally appreciative of the privilege of having a Mexican bank account and how it continues to make my life easier, If you’d like to be “appreciative” about this in your life too, try the Intercam La Paz branch. You can’t miss it—it’s the only one in town, decorated in bright and cheerful Mexican motifs. You’ll thank me later.”