Mexico: A to Z

The following is adapted from an article written by 'Mexico Mike' Nelson in his book, Live Better South of the Border. Mike maintains an excellent list of AA meetings in Mexico on his web page. In Mike's own words....

"This material on AA is NOT copyrighted and you are free to share it with others. That's the idea, isn't it?

You'll find AA throughout Mexico, even in small towns. AA is very visible but as in the US, meetings move or change. Look for the AA symbol inside a triangle and a circle, usually on a blue background jutting out from buildings.

There are two different types of AA in Mexico. One is regular AA and the other is "Grupo de 24 Horas". These "24 Hour Groups" are more like institutional settings and the message here is of the hard core, "put the plug in the jug" type.

Meetings are usually at 8:00 or 8:30 PM in Spanish. Even if you don't speak Spanish, you will be welcome and often asked to speak. Remember, you are always welcome at a Spanish-speaking meeting, even if you don't speak the language. As an AA, you speak a universal language. Go ahead. It will do you good.

Meetings (reunión or sesión) last an hour and a half. There are often refreshments and AA birthdays are celebrated, except you might get tamales instead of cake, or both. Have a ball.

You’ll be pleasantly surprised to find English-speaking meetings in most towns with a large gringo presence. Just in case you forgot your International Directory, a list of all the ones I know about, arranged by geographic sections of the country, is on my web page <http://www.Mexicomike.com>. If a meeting is no longer where I said it was, check the nearest English-language newspaper. If not, just find a Spanish meeting and ask. (Your help in getting new information on meetings is appreciated — you know how these groups move around.)

NA has a sizable presence in the larger towns. Alanon is almost everywhere. OA, SALA and other programs are less likely to be encountered outside major cities. You'll also find Alanon and NA, though NA is not as "popular." You’ll always be welcome at an AA meeting.

If you have an AA medallion or ring and wear it in Mexico, you'll be surprised at the people you'll meet. Well, that's all the sobriety wisdom I have for now. I hope it helps at least one person. The main thing is to remember that you are not alone in Mexico. You can have a great trip and not lose your program.