Postgraduate students at the University of Guadalajara (UdG) are conducting a social science survey of expats living in Mexico. They are looking for respondents in the Lake Chapala area, in Puerto Vallarta, and in other places of high concentrations of expats.
Dr. Marco Córtes, Rector of UdG between 2008 and 2013, and CUCosta Research Professor Dra. Cecilia Soraya Shibya Soto, are managing the study, which they expect to give a detailed picture of the expats in order “to know the effect of the social, economic, recreational, and cultural practices of the foreign population on them, along with the main characteristics of their socio-moral, civic, and political identity in the community, and how the interaction of this foreign community with the local community has contributed to economic development, urban space, and identity construction.”
“With this data,” Dr. Shibya said, “the needs, opinions, and contributions of the foreign community will be better understood and heard, and this will enable various sectors to integrate with them for the improvement of all.”
The 50-question multiple-choice survey is designed for permanent and temporary residents, and is voluntary and anonymous. It covers location, income, religion, living costs, language, local involvement, cost of living, and recreation to give the research team a detailed demographic snapshot of expat communities.
The researchers are hoping for a large number of respondents to give them not only a statistically reliable data set, but also to make the information useful to other institutions, and provide a baseline of information on the expat communities. They are working with a number of local organizations to distribute the survey, so it may arrive in people’s mailboxes from a variety of sources.
To take the survey, expats can go to https://es.surveymonkey.com/r/iiigajijic.
A request for the results of the survey may be sent to ce************@*****il.com.