If you go to San Miguel, I encourage you to visit these shops, you won't regret it. I'm very thankful to all these people because they gave me part of their time to have a talk with me. I definitely think it's worth visiting this town, have you visited?
I am visiting next week. I was considering moving there, but this video gives me pause - while it's tempting to move to a place that has a lot of English speakers, I'm afraid being surrounded by expats might affect my ability to learn the language as quickly as I'd like. Great video as always, Karencita.
Contributions that so many gringos live in San Miguel de Allende; Increase in drug trafficking in that area, in fact Guanajuato is the red light of the entire country in terms of narcotics and insecurity, adding to it the inefficiency of the corrupt PAN authorities, that there are so many gringos in that place is not good for the country, Let's remember Texas, that's how they started, they got in little by little like the humidity. Aportaciones de que vivan tantos gringos en San Miguel de Allende; aumento de trafico de enervantes en esa zona, de echo Guanajuato es el foco rojo de todo el país en cuanto a narcóticos e inseguridad, sumándole la ineficiente de las autoridades corruptas panistas, que haya tantos gringos en ese lugar no es bueno para el país, recordemos Texas, así empezaron, se metieron poco a poco como la humedad.
The reason I love your channel, besides the great work in filming and editing is that you always go deeper into issues than anyone else. The internet is no place for nuance but you seek it out anyway! I applaud that! Most people would go no further than. "it's too many foreigners" "it's expensive" "it hurts locals" but the truth is much more complicated than that and there are pros and cons to this! Thank you very much for another great video!
Thank you. I think being Mexican allows me to show another perspective compared to other channels and I'm taking advantage of that. If you noticed, then it's working. Thanks so much.
I completely agree with your comment, LaKC does great research and presents it in a clear and interesting way. Her videos are so much more informative and interesting than the average RU-vidr who walks around the city giving their random opinions.
We live in Oaxaca, & prices here are rising very rapidly. Some of the people are coming from San Miguel de Allende in order to find a less expensive place. Unfortunately, it is getting expensive. Like San Miguel, it is a big tourist town and 50% of the tourists are Mexicans. Although I'm not sure, I think what's driving prices up are investors from Mexico City, Airbnb, & out-of- town Realtors who are taking advantage of the situation, making it more like San Miguel de Allende.
Locals should reunite and legislate to protect their town from these type os escenarios before every mexican is paying rent to a foreigner. Wake up mexico!
Easier to blame the gringos than rich Mexican investors who are buying up the properties. I can see a backlash coming, where gringo-owned properties are subjected to a special tax or buying rights are restricted.
I have watched, and enjoyed so many of your videos. I love the insight and thoughtfulness you present in your vlogs. Please keep doing what your doing! PEOPLE YOU NEED TO SUPPORT THESE TYPES OF VOICES BECOME A PATREON TODAY!!!
Thank you, Karencita, for another great video. I can appreciate the sentiment that SMA has changed from a small, quaint pueblito to a fast-paced expensive enclave for retirees from within and outside of Mexico. I moved to Austin, TX more than 45 years ago when it was a small, quaint college town. It has grown incredibly large and is now a very expensive place to live. But I still enjoy living here and have learned to adapt and navigate through life's challenges. Growth and progress will always be frowned upon by some.
I am Mexican and I live in San Miguel De Allende. I don't agree with the interviewed people who said that in restaurants don't give nice attention to Mexicans because they prefer foreign people. That's not true. I always receive first-class attention here.
@@MattFKT así se hace en sus países. Los europeos en cambio, no tienen la costumbre de la propina allá. Sin embargo, eso no tiene nada que ver. A mí me dan atención excelente
Before I moved to SMA, I also thought it was going to be way too much of an ex-pat place to live. I didn't want to move to a small American enclave where English is heard more than Spanish and everything is priced up because of the foreign investments. In addition, the age range of most ex-pats here is 60+. I was in my late 40's, so it wasn't exactly the age group I would normally socialize with. I have lived in other cities in Mexico but what I found here in SMA is what I'm sure other ex-pats have found. it is a place of inspiring beauty and a unique blend of Mexican culture with a spirit of possibilities for anyone with a creative soul. Yes, it is true that the influx of foreigners drives up the prices of rent and homes to buy, but at the same time, the outside investment has brought jobs, new business, and more economic advancement for the locals. Even in the relatively short time that I have been living here, I have noticed the city grow with many new housing developments and commercial projects in the works. This may be due in part to foreign investment but you can definitely witness many more Mexican moving here from other parts of Mexico. And Mexican tourism here is very popular.
How do you know they are mexican? Theres more central and south americans coming into mexico plus middle eastern aside from caucasian populations. There may be more work, but the wages still remain low. New homes are built for foreigners with higher budgets, something a mexican worker cannot afford.
@@jj-bp3fr no. I do Real Estate here and 80% of the market is Mexican. Honestly, your comment is really ignorant and I perceive a little bit of xenophobia
Excellent, bravo! I believe I saw you last night in Andrea's wonderful mom and pop Italian restaurant too... Thank you for digging down into the reasons we expats LOVE the Mexican people and this pueblo mágico!
Amiga, te faltó visitar y entrevistar a los verdaderos originarios del pueblo, y los primeros artistas que llegaron a vivir ahí, y te contarán una historia muy diferente. Era un buen lugar para vivir y visitar en ese entonces, actualmente es una gigantesca plaza comercial, nada más.
San Muguel lugar donde se le da oportunidad a mucho talento mexicano, solo el 15% de sus pobladores son extranjeros. Solo ves lo malo amiguita, lo bueno esq tienen un pueblo bien cuidado, le has preguntado a los dueños mexicanos de comercios formales y ambulantes qué piensan? Estan fascinados, como yo si escucho todas las versiones, gente nativa renta sus casas, han tenido ganancias impresionantes con el arribo de los gringos y canadienses, te doy un ejemplo: Guanajuato muy lindo pero muy descuidado, puedes caminar y ver una linda arquitectura y a 2 pasos otra cayéndose a pedazos, a diferencia de San Miguel, que da gusto recorrer sus calles, limpias, cuidadas, hermosos murales hechos por artistas mexicanos, se nota hay civismo
No hay nada más malinchista, que denigrar a otro paisano mexicano por no decir lo que piensas. Ella entrevistó gente que sus generaciones nacieron ahí, ya dijeron que si es caro vivir si embargo les dieron mejores ingresos, también marco el racismo pero por parte de otra mexicanos. Quítense esa mentalidad de Tenoch, solo son perros entrenados de wokes gringos. Empecemos mejor en hablar de la xenofobia que existe en CDMX para gente de provincia como para los extranjeros.
Todo latino americano los quieren porque les conbienen train tabajos es mas estan en todo el mundo . Peru,colombia,gueatemala,Ecuador,salvador,costrica,thalianda,y muchos mas paises que los quieren porque train trabajos.
Hola, quiero decirte que me gustó tu video peeeero realmente la única persona que entrevistaste de San Miguel es el señor del mercado, la mayoría gente que tiene tienda de artesanías (son de Oaxaca) y como vemos los dueños de negocios son de fuera, ya que en San Miguel nos fomentan más a ser trabajadores de todos ellos, con salarios pequeños que no podemos pagar rentas y si estudiamos algo en su mayoría tiene que ser fuera de la ciudad ya que las carreras de la única escuela pública que hay son enfocadas en atender el turismo. Me hubiera encantado sumar a tus entrevistas la plática con alguien nacido aquí trabajando en algún hotel carisimo, alguien nacido aquí que emprendió un negocio.
Obviously where American retirees arrive, the economy improves and the ""status"" of the city rises and that is why prices rise. In the city, more than racism, there is classism, in Mexico, money ""whitens" you, if you arrive anywhere in a good car and with expensive clothes, everyone will treat you very well and it's normal, after all Mexico is a capitalist country.
It does not only happen in San Miguel de Allende.Have you been to Cancun ? It happens in Cancun,Puerto Vallarta ,and Cabo San Lucas; as well :maybe even more than in SMA
Thx for proving the perspective of foreigners. I love here in Houston, Tx and value the varied cultural experiences with him become available to me as a result of more Mexicans in here. It’s a multi way highway.
Thank you for showing this perspective. I've been concerned that it was becoming a 'disneyland' for expats and losing it's authenticity. I'm even more excited to move there and become part of the community!
i've been living in the SMA area for 43 years..the expats have been a very positive element in the city... the first public library, for example, a mobile dental health unit which attended less fortunate mexican kids in the outlying communities, the certification of the Instituto Allende, the annual Short Films Festival...the list is long.
Anyone know if the Hotel Feliz near the Institudo is still there? I have not been there for fifty years and always loved it there. I am 71 and considering now a move. It sounds lovely me it is still affordable and the sweet people of course are the real gift.
Pochos can do the same thing and it would come from the heart. Unfortunately, the Anglo has put into the Hispano this love of the material above all else and many would rather pursue a “career” rather than maintain their identidad. You support the Anglo in our lands you betray your blood and soil. Never forget that it was the Anglo who weakened Mexico to the point that the southwest and California was taken away. Never forget that new Spain was gracious in allowing Alexander von Humboldt( Anglo sympathizer) into our lands and then he promptly conveyed all this information to the American President Thomas Jefferson. These people aren’t your friends they are your enemies.
@@vizsla8579 Mexico was a colonial power in the 1840s same as USA. America had thrown off their colonial rulers only 40 years prior. Mexico, an empire itself, lost the war fair and square. Get over it. If you want an enemy in the US you can have one and it won't work out well for you. But that is not what the majority of US citizens want for the future of our relations.
@@vizsla8579 You must be a lot of fun at parties. Tell me, have you been a self-righteous jackass all your life, or is it something you picked up in college?
I have been to San Miguel several times it’s beautiful! I hope locals treat other locals equally as important as tourist. Also that they may not get pushed away from their own town due to being too expensive or not feeling welcomed in their own hometown. having locals enjoying and being part of the town is what makes “Pueblo Mágico” feeling.
We are treated exactly the same. Please don't believe what some people say that foreign people are treated better, that's not true. However, Real Estate is getting very expensive here (for Mexican standards). The salaries are not high here, so in that sense it's becoming unaffordable for some locals. My advice for not local people: give good tips, pay fair prices and if you have employees, pay good salaries. That's the minimum you should do to contribute to the beauty, social justice and even to preserve safety and peace in this place
We decided to move to the outskirts of SanMiguel, it’s lovely and cheaper. Centro has become expensive and crowded but maintains its charm, so it’s nice to visit now and then.
So , what you’re saying is, immigration has an impact on people’s lives.When the US and other western countries flood the job market with millions of immigrants it effects low skilled workers. Mostly blacks and POC are squeezed out of jobs and affordable housing, but if you complain the liberals will call you xenophobic.
boink800 a typical liberal- have to result to name calling because you don’t believe in the science of supply and demand. I guess Bill Clinton and Obama are xenophobic because they said the same things at their state of the union speech
@boink800 No way. You don't know what you are saying. For that to happen, income must be very similar, and it won't happen soon, unfortunately. Second, Americans don't come here because it's cheap. They come here because it's different, it's authentic and it's beautiful. I cannot stand comments like yours completely, ignorant and full of fear.
I spent some time in SMA earlier this year. I loved the people I met and beautiful architecture. I felt such a sense of love and appreciation there and I think it has a lot to do with the people. I enjoyed meeting the local owners of the vegan restaurants I went to and felt really welcome. I spent time in Alcocer doing some healing work with one of my teachers and went to a lovely retreat, Lavanda. I look forward to going back.
Cool video, interesting perspective. My sister retired here first and I visited and loved it, moving a few years later. I also found love at sixty and a Love for the live music like David Mendoza @ 1:03
I discovered this town yesterday just from going around the world on Google Maps and I have done a deeeeeeeep dive probably 10 hours between yesterday and today. This looks like a dream. Also, maybe not the ocean but there is a river/lake for fishing so Im a happy dude pipe dreaming of this. I fell in love with Mexico going to La Paz once and I would love to live there or here. I can deal with no true snowy winters even though it'll break my heart a little. lol Thank you for your journalistic and documentarian approach! I loved it! THANKS!
This was very insightful and enjoyable too. As I thought, SMA is still Mexico after all! It’s what you make of it. Have you done a video on Zihuatanejo? If not that would be very interesting!
This is a wonderful video, thank you! We’ve lived in San Miguel for the last 41/2 years, and we love it. Our friend group here is a total mixture of people, expats & locals alike. Compartimos en común el deseo de vivir bonitos. La ciudad de San Miguel de Allende es un lugar muy especial. 💗
Awesome! Congratulations!! We Mexicans are happy to receive lovely people like you. Congratulations for learning Spanish and for opening yourself to make Mexican friends too
@@nathanfarias5779 There are many people who work in the tourist industry that want to/need to learn English. Class rates won't be super high, but you could definitely carve out a nice niche! You can stay for 180 days on a tourist visa without issue!
I hope you are happy affecting original citizens who can't afford even rent a room to live, you don't love mexico you love the low price you get and lifestyle you get
Great video Karencita! My family always take me to San Miguel when I visit them in Querétaro. Love that place. I’ll be going back in September! In relation to this video, I hope that Querétaro doesn’t become saturated with expats, like San Miguel, because the cost of living will increase there and in turn will effect my family. The city is already being Americanized, especially the newer areas surrounding el centro. Let’s see what happens! 🤷🏻♂️
You really did change my perspective. I lived there and didn't want to be there, so I didn't like it. This gives me a new perspective. I also see that my friend M.J. (shout out from Morelia!) is thriving there and that makes me really happy!
If you understand how immigration works, you would totally know that this happens everywhere in the world. There are parts of the US in immigrant heavy communities where everything is in a foreign language. It is just how humans are.
It’s rarely mentioned anymore but one of the earliest American ex-pats in SMA who came in the 60’s was the infamous Jack Kerouac, author of “On the Road”, and his spiritual cohort in crime, Neil Cassady. The latter did not make it out of SMA dying drunk on railroad tracks outside of town.
7:04 Una vez más! 🙂 No las adquieren porque para los mexicanos en primer lugar no es novedoso, pero sobre todo tienen es preciso tomar en cuenta que muchos de los productos, bienes y servicios son caros de acuerdo a sus ingresos $$. Por eso es accesible para personas que reciben otro tipo de moneda más valiosa que el peso mexicano. Si “no comprenden eso” el racismo empieza por ellos mismos. Saludos!
Exacto! No es nada cercano al racismo, hoy en dia, si a una persona la atienden mas rapido y resulta ser extranjero, se van a quejar y van a decir que es racismo, todo es racista para estas personas.
Gracias Karencita. Your videos are inspiring me to retire in Mexico. I went to San Miguel when I was a child. It’s still a beautiful city. I might have to go back soon.
Soy de San Miguel, mi familia tiene años viviendo aquí, y si el pueblo está creciendo mucho, siento que se recibe más gente de la que se puede albergar, teniendo en cuenta los recursos naturales. Pero no siento que el trato de locales con locales en restaurantes no es discriminatorio. Pero todos son bienvenidos en este pueblito, si hablas con las personas adultas te contarán muchas historias increíbles sobre el San Miguel antiguo, uno que nadie se imaginaria que en un futuro se convertiria en lo que es hoy. ❤️
Somos muy afortunados de vivir aquí por qué tenemos muchas oportunidades que sin ayuda de los extranjeros sería muy difícil de conseguir, a parte es algo muy común ver tantas ONG que apoyan a los sanmiguelenses.
Thank you for such an insightful video. I've been researching central Mexico for several years. My husband and I are planning to retire there soon. We've visited Queretaro, Lake Chapala, Guadalajara, and San Miguel. Although we had chosen Lake Chapala, we're now thinking San Miguel de Allende might be a better fit. We're returning to SMA next month to look at homes and explore the city and surrounding area. We enjoyed hearing your perspective about how SMA is helping Mexico's artisan community. We were also happy to hear that foreigners living there appreciate and support the traditions and cultural aspects of the city.
I just visited SMA last month ago.. it’s nice but not impressed. It’s expensive way too americanizado. We met someone that retired there and complained about how expensive it has gone
US writer Sandra Cisneros moved to San Miguel de Allende from San Antonio, Texas, a number of years ago, but she did have family in the region and had visited them over the years so I don't know if that makes her a true foreigner or not.
I visited San Miguel de Allende in 1963 while I was studying in Mexico City at the UNAM. It was a small quaint town back in the day. It sure has grown. There were very few tourists at the time. I'm glad I got to see it before it grew to be so big.
Me bello San Miguel tuve familia allí, por cierto mi esposo siendo Alemán en ese tiempo 1971 me pidió si me casaba con el, al primer día de llegar a San Miguel, ha cambiado mucho ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Es verdad, San Miguel de Allende Guanajuato ha cambiado mucho y eso me da mucha tristeza, la ciudad es administrada por gente que no es nativa originalmente de San Miguel y que solo ha visto por intereses propios y se está perdiendo ese encanto por la cual hizo que me quedara a vivir tanto tiempo.
Lo mas ridiculo q he visto en mucho tiempo, para empezar tu video es para gringos, si se quieren rescatar y mantener las tradiciones y cultura, se empieza por el lenguaje, obvio que el giro comercial de la ciudad tambien se esta enfocando en el turismo extranjero, es como en todas partes de mexico, si tu argumento y motivo de hacer este video es la discriminacion q sufre un turista mexicano en su propio pais has videos en espańol y para la audiencia mexicana y enterarnos de la situacion de cada ciudad, muy mal por ti y por todos los comerciantes q lo unico que les importa es el dinero, tu crees que vas a paris o italia y todo esta en ingles? Esas naciones si tienen orgullo y si cuidan su cultura y sus ciudades intactas, q literalmente es lo que el turista anda buscando
Este es mi canal y puedo hablar el idioma que yo elija. Mi finalidad es mostrar a todo el mundo la perspectiva de una mexicana viviendo en su propio país. Siéntete libre de hacer los videos que tú quieras en tu canal.
With immigrants from 60 different countries from around the world living in SMA, I can’t help ask why do you start generalizing this segment of the population by calling them expats and then foreigners at the end of the vid? Expats is usually reserved for the white, upper middle class Americans who live outside the US. And Foreigners imply they have not settled here. Not every immigrant in SMA is either an expat or a foreigner. They are immigrants…. Call them that ☺️ Thanks for your report, it was good to see Francois from Adelita, the rug seller who knows to value his work and the immigrants who love the Mexican people!
I've been to San Miguel throughout many years and this last time I went there with a Canadian friend who was visiting. I didn't like what it become. Looked like "Mexico the Theme park" by Disney. I wouldn't take any visitors there anymore, sadly it's looking less and less Mexican every year.
@@LaKarencitaMX perhaps, but this was my personal take. High end stores selling sarapes at ridiculous prices, huge day of the dead "dolls", among other things. It looks Mexican, but you know something is off. Like Coco hah. Thanks for the great video.
It is not a theme park ! It's very beautiful and authentic❤️❤️❤️❤️. It's very clean and well maintained and it's very cosmopolitan. It's expensive yes, but it has all the amenities that you could hope for. Calling it a theme park is an insult to los Mexicans. Maybe you should visit Tijuana instead!
San Miguel is San Miguel because san miguel is for people with a wider vision, in some of this places if you don´t have the vision and share it you are not going to make it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, it is so nice to see you are coming into your own, keep it up
Hola, La Karencita! Me gusta mucho your videos! :) I appreciate you interviewing Mexican and foreign people and asking pertinent questions. One tiny comment for this particular video: the jazz music track drowns out the people speaking (cigar bar Aussie, etc). If you could lower the music volume so we can hear the speakers better, it would be great. Just a suggestion. Keep up the great work!!
wow, i loved that video. your photography is great, love your persoanlity. i’m going to check out more of your videos. also a question about san miguel-did you explore the music scene there at all? particularly jazz?
Si, a mi tambien me gustan mucho el español y palabras como jitomate, aguacate, chicle, vainilla, etc. etc. 🤗, espera 🤔 ahora que me doy cuenta estas palabras (y muchas otras) no son español, son nahuatl , un idioma americano 😑...
La Karencita, thank you for this video! Recently found that I can add, also, San Miguel de Allende (San Miguel de Arcangel) to my family’s birthplaces. : )
While I have no desire to live there, yet, I do look forward to spending time there. I'm actually moving to Merida the end of 2021. Yes, I know it's 🔥.
Another great video Karen. Great to hear the perspectives of the locals about so many expats in their town. The man explaining it is causing Mexican vs Mexican racism was interesting. I can see what he was talking about. If expats pay more for services and goods, of course workers would prefer to serve expats over Mexicans. That’s unfortunate. But understandable.
@@laeihbvaljefhbvalejfhbv you clearly didn’t get my point. I said his opinion was understandable, didn’t say I agree with racism. I saw his point. Don’t get it twisted.
El concepto de racismo está mal aplicado desde la pregunta de La karencia, en todo caso sería clasismo o discriminación económica, pero no racismo. No puede haber racismo entre la misma "raza" mexicana. Lo comento por que pudiera haber gente fuera de México que se confundiera. Y todos son bienvenidos. Saludos y feliz permanencia en el país.
@@lzmz805 I had to Google the difference between expat and immigrant because I was kind of thinking the same as you. What I saw was the difference is an Expat will live in a foreign country temporarily with the possibility of going back to their original country to live. Immigrants come to foreign countries on a permanent basis.
@@lzmz805 I believe it. In my case my wife is a Mexican citizen, we are retiring to Mexico in 3 years and I’m applying for permanent resident and possibly citizenship. The word immigrant fits me and have no problem with it, where, you are right, other Americans/Canadians would probably not like the term. I personally can’t wait to begin my immigration.
Yo usual usualmente llevaba a mis hijos salia de san luis temprano por la carretera a mexico astasan luis de la Paz y de Ahi a Dolores y pa leon gto y regresava a san luis por escalerillas la carretera a Guadalajara PERO la Ultima vez una camioneta Negra nos puso una Corretiza que no bolvi se acabo el encanto
Can we do a video Mexicana Texas? I feel like this is common in bordering countries. Mexicans move to our country, we move to theirs. There are pros and cons of both. Same thing happens in Europe with bordering countries. Im certain the Westerners have brought a good deal of tourism too that does help with economic flow and jobs.
Y luego la venta de propiedades en millones de usd algunos los venden mexicanos pero hay gringos que en San Miguel de Allende que venden las propiedades en lugar de retirarse como es . Sin ofender
It’s different because we don’t mind the Americans from before who moved down because they loved the country and integrated but these new Americans who come down to "retire" or buy up places just to rent them out leaving the houses empty for travelers are raising the prices way high up that’s how you can tell the difference of why they moved usually you’ll here a gringo who is proud to be American but say "más mexicano que gringo" then the Expats who go because they want an easier life knowing the money they have can go farther in Mexico and use it to their advantage and buy up places easily that would have took locals years to save up for just for profit it’s a beautiful city buts SMA it’s a VERY complicated situation hopefully a middle ground is found
