Dec 19 2014

Every winter, Sayulita becomes home to a growing number of seasonal residents often referred to as snowbirds. A lot of them come from the United States and Canada, escaping the cold and snow, for a little bit of paradise here in Mexico. Some stay just a few months and others stay the better part of the year, like Gary and Jennifer Culp, and Chuck and Teke Mohill.

gary and jennifer culp in sayulitaGary and Jennifer Culp, from Pennsylvania, first came to Sayulita in 2006. Their grown son had vacationed here, and learned that the couple running the preschool was leaving. Gary and Jennifer accepted the position and moved here without ever having set foot in Sayulita. For the next two years, they worked at the preschool and lived here nine months out of the year. They built a house and later added on apartments, Casa Maya Del Sol, which they rent out. After retiring from the school, they have continued to live in Sayulita nine months each year.

“My continued reason to be in Sayulita is that I feel inspired here. I feel very alive. We have an endless summer and that’s when things happen,” shared Gary, who is developing a Mayan calendar based on cosmology, frequency, and vibration.

Both Jennifer and Gary volunteer for Costa Verde International School, teaching music and movement to the children “We have a wonderful group of friends here, but I love that Costa Verde gives us an opportunity to connect with younger families,” stated Jennifer. They both regularly practice yoga and Jennifer is involved in a theater group in town. Gary also enjoys nights out dancing at YamBak and Don Pato’s.

“We just love being in Sayulita. There’s a great flow of energy and a wonderful influx of tourists. There’s a variety of things to do and the weather is conducive to having a good time. We enjoy the variety of food and eating at the many different restaurants in town,” said Gary and Jennifer.

Like Gary and Jennifer, Chuck and Teke, who are from Bend, Oregon, spend nine months out of the year in Sayulita. They came here for the first time in May of 2001 for a wedding and fell in love with the town. That same trip, they bought a lot, and started building their house, Casa Martica, a year later.

teke and chuck mohill of casa martica in sayulita

“We love spending time in Sayulita and love living here. We love the ocean,” exclaimed Chuck and Teke.

The couple lives an active life style and enjoys playing golf. Teke also likes to take walks and Chuck enjoys riding his bike. “A lot of people that come to Sayulita enjoy the outdoors. They are active and have a similar outlook on life,” shared Teke.

Chuck and Teke spend time volunteering for Pro Sayulita, with Teke being the Treasurer. They also volunteer and help raise money for other organizations, such as SayulitAnimals, and have helped out with Sayuparke and Festival Sayulita.

The more time we spend here, the more people we know. Everyone is very friendly and the diversity is terrific. The Mexican families are very welcoming and it’s very special to be invited to traditional Mexican weddings and other events. We value how family oriented the people are here. This is a pretty cool place and it’s exactly what we wanted,” shared Chuck and Teke.