Donna Battin:  

In 2004 I retired after working for the same company for 30 years. In 2005 I moved to Mazatlan, Mexico. The transition was made easy by my friends Sally & Dan Lane (class of '63) who had been there for 3 years already. I lived there very cheaply for 7 years before moving back to Oregon. Unfortunately, the state of Sinaloa (location of Mazatlan) has the strongest drug cartel in all of Mexico. The members of the cartel didn't worry me, but the locals were losing their jobs because the ships & tourists weren't coming to Maz, hence no $ to support their families and many turned to crime, breaking into the "rich" gringos homes & apts. or just ripping off their jewelry on the street. My heart goes out to the locals but I felt it prudent to come home to Oregon. I've been back for 2+ years and miss the weather, beach and my friends there. But it has been good to reconnect with my friends & family here. On Dec. 13th of 2013, I was diagnosed with a b...Expand for more