American School Foundation of Monterrey, A.C.

Monterrey>>Housing

Apartments		There are many different apartments in various locations around the school community. They all share some common characteristics: they are located in safe areas and they are spacious enough to live comfortably. The school does an excellent job of keeping them in good shape.
Household Details
Maids
Electricity, Water & Gas
Computers
Work Orders & Maintenance
Security

Housing>>Apartments

The school provides furnished housing for import staff (see pictures).
They are comfortably equipped and usually located within walking distance of the Elementary school. Some apartments located close to the Middle/High school area are also available.

The school will provide you and your roommate with a check list of items that should be in your apartment when you arrive. The items are for your use while living here. For more information, see the Apartment Inventory List.

For more detailed information please read the sections housing in the Orientation booklet and Household Details below.

Housing>>Household Details

Where to buy?	Total Home and a Walmart are on Lazaro Cardenas. Soriana and HEB also carry most of the necessary household items.There are a number of department stores, it pays to shop around. Sam's Club cards from the U.S. are accepted at the Sam's Club here. Costco is on Lazaro Cardenas and they accept foreign memberships.
Bottle returns/recycling	Some plastic two liter Coke bottles are disposable. You pay for a deposit the first time you purchase them you bring them back to the store (Oxxo, Mode, and 7-Eleven) when you want more Coke. Some stores will want you to provide a receipt verifying you purchased the bottle there, before accepting it for a return. Large (five gallon) plastic water bottles have a hefty deposit on them. There is also a deposit on glass beer and soda bottles. The school recycles cans, newspapers, glass, etc. There is no regular blue box recycling program but when separated, people collect tins, cardboard and metals. Just leave them aside by the trash. Outside Soriana supermaket parking lot you can find a recycling center "Recicla y Gana" that exchanges newspaper and carton, glass, and aluminum and plastic for store coupons
Treating fruits & vegetables	Rinse well with water first and soak in iodine solution for approximately 10 minutes. Do not store them in the fridge without rinsing first. Eventually, you will find that you only do porous fruits and vegetables in iodine (opinion). Use a little more iodine with lettuce, broccoli and cabbage; rinse and store. There are many brands of iodine; one is Micro-dyn. It is available at HEB and other grocery stores.
Laundry tips	Powder detergents made here do not dissolve well in the washer, a liquid detergent is recommended. There are a number of places you can safely take your clothing in Centrito. Center Cleaners at 8343-1245 is good and reliable, will pick up and deliver. Check the drycleaners and washers recommended by the PTA.
More on household details	Refer to the Orientation booklet, household details.

Housing>>Maids

It is common to have a maid to help you with the housework. Some are live-in and some come to the home on a day by day basis. The safest way to hire a maid is through friends who can give you some type of recommendation or through newspaper advertisements. Maids usually work from Monday to Saturday. Many maids go to more than one home in a day, so you may want to consider sharing or having her visit more often during the week. Their pay ranges are a small fraction of those in the U.S.A. Ask around to find out what the going rate is for half day or full day (in 2005 a half day=appox. 130 pesos). Some expected extras like clothing, medical bills or social security, and transportation may also be provided. Ask about cooking, ironing and laundry before hiring; however, most maids do not speak English.

Housing>>Electricity, Water & Gas

Outlets and grounding	Older apartments do not have outlets that accept a grounded connection. There are 6-inch extensions that can be bought at Soriana to make a fit. Power surges are a problem, buying extensions with surge protectors would be prudent. AC current is 120V and the plug configuration is the same as the US and Canada so your appliances will work here.
Water	Water can be bought at a grocery store and convenience. Once a deposit is paid on the five gallon bottle (garrafon) you may return the empty garrafon for a full one, only paying for the water. Check purified water & home delivery in PTA's phone book.
Gas stove and heater	Pick up a torch lighter in the grocery store. It is handy for the kitchen. Once you turn on the gas, a flame will automatically follow. The oven may take a moment. Turning on the gas heaters should be demonstrated to you at least once. A window should always be left open when the heating unit is on. If you are not sure what you are doing, don't guess. Get someone to help you to light pilot lights.

Housing>>Computers

The school has a number of Macintosh labs that are state of the art. Each classroom is equipped with a computer for teacher use. Check the Technology page for more details on staff computers. Check the School facilities pages for more information on computer labs.

You are currently not allowed to bring a desktop computer into Mexico. If you are going to bring a printer, you must get a letter from Jeff Keller and have that letter legalized in a Mexican Consulate. You must check the guidelines in the Orientation booklet. It is recommended that you get a power regulator to use the computer in your apartment.

Housing>>Work Orders and Maintenance

The school maintains all import staff apartments. If you need something done, fill out a work order in your school's office. You will need to arrange for someone to be home or grant permission for the maintenance staff to enter your house. A copy of the work order is usually left on the table listing what was done. Fill one out if you have a problem with insects, appliances, etc. If it is an emergency, you have two options: 1) call the school and ask for maintenance or 2) call Personnel Department with Maggie Alcoer.

Housing>>Security

Common sense goes a long way. Use all the locks. Limit the number of keys copied. You may decide to give a copy of the key to one of the locks to the maid leaving the others unlocked that day. Windows that slide open should be secure with wooden rods when closed. When going on an extended leave, ask to leave your car in the administration parking lot. "Clubs" are used on cars. If you are coming in a new car, a security system might be a good idea. Bikes should be locked in all public places. Insurance for personal effects is available through the school. Make a list of personal items that you have, itemize it with approximate value to get a quote on the cost of this insurance. Attach pictures of your valuables, jewelry, etc. to the list. This type of insurance is a valuable option. List of the emergency numbers.