Lots of little things have led me to believe that we probably have found our home here in San Miguel de Allende. We had pretty much already decided this would be our base, but this weekend’s events really cinched it for us. After beginning a sourdough starter and making a batch of homemade cinnamon rolls, I knew that my heart had finally caught up with the rest of me.
We’ve now been in San Miguel for just over a month, so we’re past the honeymoon stage. We have a lot of our walking routes to places down, and I find I can navigate my way through a large part of the city without having to whip out my phone to look at a map.
We have our empanada place, our tamale shop, and our preferred produce vendor. The grandmotherly server at my birria place (and Tigger’s chicken taco place), smiles when he sees us and can’t help but hover over Tigger trying to make everything perfect for him and chatting away in Spanish even though she knows he can’t understand her. When they messed up his order last time, she took over in the kitchen to make sure it was done right.
The guys at the bagel place see me walk in the door, and they say “You want bagels.” (As opposed to the rest of the customers who are there to order a sandwich or something.) I know if I want a larger selection I need to call in my order before 10 AM the day prior since the lady who prepares them preps a day ahead.
We know where to go to get our Icee fix and which of the small corner shops we can go to for certain items. For instance, the most local shop doesn’t have sugar, but if you go down the hill, that store does. And if the liquor store is closed, just pop in next door because that’s her sister, and she’ll get her for you.
Of course, the best part for us has been the friendships. I made a connection with someone before arriving through a local Facebook group. She has children around Tigger’s age, and her kids go to an expat school. They had a soup party at their house and invited a bunch of families, and we were able to make some great connections there. The next evening we gathered again with a smaller group of them to celebrate Chanukah.
When walking through a plaza a week or so later and we heard someone call out Tigger’s name, I really felt like we were becoming part of a community.
I made another connection through an email list, and this past Saturday Tigger joined her son and the local youth parkour group. When Tigger decides he wants to wake up at 9:30 in the morning instead of noon, you know he’s quite interested. My heart almost burst when I arrived a bit early to pick him up, and I saw some of his new friends giving him a hug. When he was leaving, he made the rounds of shoulder pats and fist bumps.
Later that night, we joined a couple of other traveling families who have found themselves enamored with this wonderful city and decided to call it home. After an enjoyable dinner of Indian food, we headed to the jardín (the main plaza) because it was the big day of the Festival of Guadelupe. I recognized one of the kids from the soup party, so we headed over to him.
As we stood in the plaza watching the kids sword fight with giant pencil balloons while the adults visited and enjoyed the unusually warm evening, accompanied by fireworks blasting off from a few meters away, we received an invite to go back to someone’s house for brownies.
Perhaps even bigger than all that, though, was when I had the opportunity for a trip in January, and my first thought was: “Too long and too soon.”
Yeah, we’ve found home. And it feels damn good.
December 21, 2015
You are such a great parent! He is so lucky to have you as his Dad
December 22, 2015
Thanks! I feel the same way about having him as my son.
December 16, 2015
Sounds like you are really happy there 🙂 Between yourself and Patti over at Meandering Family, I think the secret is out about San Miguel! Really though, it does sound like a wonderful city with so much to offer expats. You have settled in really quickly, and yes, if you don’t want to travel after just a couple of months, I think you may have just found your ‘for now’ home, (I never say ‘forever’). I hope that one day we will find a place to settle that just feels right, but for now, I’m still happy to wander, which I guess means that we’re not ready yet. Mexico is obviously a lot easier for you to stay in long term than Europe, which definitely makes things easier. We’ve had to do some creative travelling to allow us all to stay in Europe for at least five years, as Simon only has an Aussie passport. Best wishes, and seasons greetings for your first Christmas in your new home 🙂
December 16, 2015
Yeah, forever isn’t a commonly used word in our home either.
We only really settled down because Tigger wanted it. Although I was missing having local friends, I still had a significant dose of wanderlust in me, and I still do but I’m also really enjoying having a home base and an equipped kitchen to work with.
Mexico’s 6-month tourist visa was definitely an attraction! Wish it was easier in Europe.
December 16, 2015
Wow this is such a great story to read! I’m so happy you have found where you feel at “home” – while we live comfortably in Vancouver, i hope to find a home like this someday, somewhere, and let me tell you, it will be somewhere sunny that does not get as much rain as “Raincouver”
December 16, 2015
Sunshine is sure something that’s easy to get used to!
December 16, 2015
That’s really fantastic Talon! I’m glad you both have found somewhere you really feel you can settle down and be part of a community where there’s stuff to do and enjoy for both of you.
December 16, 2015
Thanks! It’s a very nice feeling indeed.
December 16, 2015
Fantastic… So happy for you…. Hope you’ll still be there when we finally get to Mexico:)
December 16, 2015
Me, too! 😉 Any ideas as to when that might be?
December 15, 2015
I’m so glad you have fallen in love with SMA. I had a feeling you would. I first fell in love with the physical beauty of the place, the color, the music, culture and traditions. But yes, it is that strong sense of community that really captured and held me. I love being part of that. Welcome home Talon and Tigger!
December 16, 2015
The beauty and vibe are definitely the first set of hooks that get into you. And it seems there’s always SOMETHING going on.
December 15, 2015
So glad you’re loving it there! We’re looking forward to the day we can come back and visit you!
December 16, 2015
I’m looking forward to that, too! Hope winter is being kind to you guys.
December 15, 2015
Sounds like you’ve settled in really well. I’m just glad you’re now happy with the decision 🙂
December 16, 2015
It definitely wasn’t easy, but I’m very glad it set in.
December 15, 2015
Sounds like you’re having an amazing time in San Miguel. As I’ve said before, Iove that city, and I could very easily find myself settling there as well, at least for a little while.
Connecting with people is a complete other level though, so I’m very happy to hear you’re both doing well and have made friendships there.
Best of luck, and hope you enjoy the rest of the Christmas festivities in the city, I look forward to reading more of your adventures!
December 16, 2015
Thank you! It’s a great place for sure. I’m not sure I’ll be able to get Tigger out of here except for a visa run, so it may end up being a while for sure. lol
December 14, 2015
Bienvenido a casa!
December 16, 2015
Gracias!
December 14, 2015
I’m so glad to hear you two have found a place that fits!
I think that havibg a sense of community is the most important thing. Whether in a jungle, beach or inner city; tha sense of community can make or break how you go on day to day and feel ‘human’ and not so alone.
December 16, 2015
Absolutely agree! And community is the thing we’ve missed the most. We’ve found so many wonderful places in the world but without community it just doesn’t feel like home.
December 14, 2015
Great news! I’m happy for you both. It will be really good to settle in for a while. And with the holidays, it’s a wonderful time to meet people and learn the traditions of your new home. Wishing you both all the best in the new year!
December 16, 2015
We’re very much enjoying settling in. Tigger is especially thankful that means I’m cooking and baking more. 😀
December 14, 2015
What an absolutely lovely post – finding a place you call home is such a wonderful feeling. One day, I hope we find somewhere that we love as much as you love San Miguel de Allende!
The handmade cinnamon rolls sounds absolutely delicious!
December 16, 2015
It’s quite the challenge really. There are so many wonderful places in the world it makes it more difficult to narrow down the choices significantly. Hope you find yours when you’re ready!
Yes, the cinnamon rolls were definitely a hit. There will be many more batches made.
December 14, 2015
Heartwarming post, Talon. There is nothing just like feeling at home, wherever it is. It might be thousands of miles from where you began life’s journey, or it might be right back where you started – like The Alchemist. It w makes future travels all the sweeter, having somewhere to come back to. Much happiness to you both.
December 16, 2015
Well said and very true!
December 14, 2015
Such a wonderful post. So happy for you!
December 16, 2015
Thanks!
December 14, 2015
It’s an amazing feeling when you connect to a place other than your home country – and actually, connect to a place MORE so than your home country. Being a European, I find that Mediterranean countries are much more able to embrace others into their community than, say, my home country of the UK. I love the UK, don’t get me wrong, but I love that in a capital city like Athens, Greece I know my neighbours and speak to people on public transport. You won’t get any of that in London.
Yes, it’s an amazing feeling. Bravo for reaching it.
December 16, 2015
I completely get what you’re saying. It’s really hard to beat a place with friendly locals.
December 14, 2015
Welcome!! I left the US to travel, and I fell in love with Mexico too! I moved to Cozumel as a single mom of 2, and now I have an amazing partner and another baby! Mexico is home. <3
December 16, 2015
Cozumel was our first stop back in 2011, and we’ve been back a few times. So glad you enjoy it there.
December 14, 2015
This makes me so happy for you both! I had a feeling that just because Cancún/the Yucatán hadn’t been a perfect fit for you that there was still hope of you finding a perfect base somewhere in Mexico. I know you were definitely on the fence about coming here (your head said it made sense but your heart said otherwise), but now that you’ve made the leap, I’m so glad it’s working out so well. It’s amazing what a good community of likeminded folks can do in terms of elevating a place into a feasible base—it’s a HUGE part of why Playa has been such a good place for us. It’s nice looking at our calendar and seeing it full of lunch and dinner dates; we’ve always tended to love the places where we were able to make connections with the locals, so it shouldn’t be any surprise that this has been critical for us too in finding somewhere we want to stick around for a while.
I’m sure we’ll make it to SMA one day (we still have to see that side of the country!), so when we do make our way there, I look forward to you taking us to the best places to eat (mmmmm… birria!). 😀
December 16, 2015
I figured we’d eventually come back and explore other areas of Mexico. It’s such a diverse and huge country. It was definitely hard leaving Europe, though, esp during my favorite season. So I’m glad SMA was able to win my heart over, that stubborn thing.
Community definitely makes all the difference. I’m finding myself wishing I had a larger place and kitchen so I could have more of my friends over at one time. Just means we’ll have more intimate gatherings I guess. Hope to get you guys up here some time!