I can add a couple of things to this interview after living in San Miguel de Allende about 4 years. UNAM, the national university is building a campus in San Miguel, which will bring an influx of some 5,000 students. When that happens the students will have an impact on the culture here and bring a youthful vibrancy. Also, there has been a trend the last few years of young families moving in. I think this will change the character of the city to some degree. Guanajuato is quite beautiful, more dense than San Miguel, and with GTO's hilly streets, you need to be in shape to walk them. GTO has got a great creative energy that you can feel. San Miguel is one of Mexico's most expensive cities; some call it the Beverly Hills of Mexico. Some of the fancier restaurants have prices that are close to those San Francisco or New York. SMA offers opportunities for cultural activities and from what I've seen, the expats are quite generous with their time and money to support nonprofits that benefit the local community, from feeding kids in the campo, to paying full college tuition for students, toy drives during Christmas, animal rescue and sterilization, etc. Both cities are quite lovely and each has its unique charms. Sorry to say, the economic division is everywhere in Mexico; you find it in any industrialized place, even America. As well, you can choose to live outside the expat Centro bubbles and live in a traditional Mexican neighborhood. The small street I live on has both expats and Mexican families, and I couldn't be happier. Guanajuato is definitely the "cooler" city, though. San Miguel has its own vibe.
I was really happy with this interview because it was so straight-ahead, this guy Josh doesn't have a huge ego that needs to be fed! Keep up the great interviews!
Thank you. We're glad that you liked it. Each interview, I try to get better, keep the conversation going, and most important get out of the way of the guest to they can share their knowledge/expertise/experience on the topic they're here for. - Josh
I hope expats don't take over Guanajuato city. It's a lovely place but many of our Mexican people are tired of these rich expats over pricing homes in their cities. Young Mexicans can't afford those homes and have to leave in order to have a decent lifestyle. San Miguel de Allende is already too pricey, even for us regular US citizens!
I lived in San Miguel for three years and while it has a definite liberal bent to it, the word "hippie" is not a word I would use to describe the ex pats. Are there some old hippies there? Sure, but it is by no means the vibe of the place. The thing that makes me really discount this video is that neither of these guys know how to pronounce Guanajuato. How can you take someone seriously if they can't even pronounce the place that they're talking about?
No ! It was not the birthplace of the Revolution! You are getting the war for Independence and the Revolution mixed up.San Miguel was the birthplace of the war for Independence which was against Spanish rule.This was in 1810.The Revolution was in 1910 and was fought against Porfirio Diaz.This is like confusing the American war for Independence and the Civil War.BTW , both of my parents were from Guanajuato and I have been all over Mexico in my lifetime..
Basically you can say that the state of Guanajuato was the birthdplace of the mexican independence war. San Miguel de Allende is not really considered the birthplace of the independence war alone, is actually the town Dolores Hidalgo, since its slogan is CUNA DE LA INDEPENDENCIA NACIONAL, and that is known nation wide. On the other hand many cities of Guanajuato have national heroes, like Ignacio Allende from SMA, Miguel Hidalgo from Abasolo, El Pipila also from SMA, el ejercito Insurgente from Celaya etc.
It would be nice if you learned how to pronounce Guanajuato.Thank you
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Just let the guy know Independence (Not Revolution) started actually between San Miguel de Allende, Dolores Hidalgo and Querétaro, Guanajuato city was part of the route, important yes, but with a little bit of research you'll learn that San Miguel and Dolores are considered Historically the starters of the Independence War.
Different towns in Mexico, like in US, appeal to different people and things they look for. Personally I like the gringo Mex mix in San Miguel. I'm a Cuban American so I speak Spanish but I like a more liberal town, a place with lots of artists, I like greater variety of food options, I like lots of farmers markets and organic options, and finally I like a town that is forward thinking vs stuck in tradition and the past. For me San Miguel better fits this bill but the expat populations is a lot older although it's slowly becoming more mixed. Finally San Miguel these days is one of the more expensive places to live (by Mexican standards) in Mexico but that is usually a indication of the quality of lifestyle also.
I'm going to retire to SMA next year so the age deal is great for me! I like to think of SMA as 'yuppie Mexico' because as he discussed the restaurants are fabulous, the city is super clean and there's a lot of art going on there....I can see why GTO is a better fit for a young person. Liked that city as well!
Chris, my wife and I bought a house in SMA last year. We have no regrets. There's a price point for everyone. The city is constantly being visited by clean and sophisticated young people. Every one of all ages always have a grand old time. Some people just don't like to elevate their standards a single bit if it requires for them to step out of their comfort zone.
I like the age thing as well. I am a younger retiree...or soon to be...but too much of a good thing (partying) is sometimes too much. Retirement is about deliberate enjoyment of people and your environment...your surroundings.
I like the whole age thing. I am soon to retire early. Too much of a good thing (partying) can be too much. Retirement is about deliberate enjoyment ...of the people, your environment and beautiful surroundings.
Tunnels were built after a great flood, nothing to do with the mining. And SMA is at a higher altitude than GTO. Those are my corrections ;-). Good interview, thx!
I liked the interview, how you guys compare -contrast two of the most beautiful cities in 🇲🇽. Totally agree about San Miguel de Allende how there is a large population of immigrant retirees from the US and Canada🇺🇸🇨🇦. But for The young visitors prefer Guanajuato because it’s more lively, especially during the Cervantino festival in October✌️
San Miguel De Allende is beautiful but but it does lack culture. Most if not all the businesses around the main square are Americanized. They are like a movie scene and not authentic to Mexico. If you want to mingle with local culture you need to walk away from the heart of the main square of San Miguel De Allende. I feel this city has a superficial element that takes away from its charm. They even have a rotary club. 😒
The centro is pretty small so walking away from it is easy if you don’t find it authentic enough. After all, only 10-15% of the residents are expats so that leaves at least 85% of the population living their authentic Mexican lives. It’s very easy to visit and live in these neighborhoods while still partaking of the more polished parts of the town. Frankly, this is what I find most attractive about it. I have choices.
How did you deal with the crowds in Guanajuato? I left because the crowds were just too crazy. San Miguel becomes more interesting once you become more fluent in Spanish and get to know the local layer of the culture.
Great breakdown, both cities are amazing. Been in SMA now for a while...definitely the preferred one for me for various reasons, but everyone is different.
I agree with him 100% Both of these cities are in the State of Guanajuato and rival one another .They are both beautiful colonial cities .Guanajuato city is much larger than San Miguel .It's pretty much like he said ,in San Miguel most of your expats are of retirement age in Guanajuato city much younger people but not many expats live there.The food and music is awesome in both cities.I would say that rental and house prices are much lower in Guanajuato due to not being a large expat retirement area.In all honesty it all depends on your life style and what you are looking for.
I lived in SMA for a year. Great place to get started in your journey in Mexico. I applied for my permanent residence visa and went to spanish school for a year. It is a great town to visit and even live there for a year but after you lived there for a while. I realize that people sold their house in the USA for $1M in LA or NY then moved to SMA to show off their fortunes and brag about their careers and how much money they had. Most of the expats are very old and don't bother to learn Spanish. It is a very USA place to be and is not really Mexico. you don't get a chance to learn about Mexico. Expats are doing expats things with other expats at expat prices. I agree about the restaurants. I do really enjoy going out to eat in SMA. Also being a guy, it is difficult to meet other guys since there are no other guys there. After learning Spanish really well, I moved to Guanajuato and that is where a really good experience is. People are younger. Not a bunch of old people. I don't really want to live in a expat protected bubble. It is very common to go to a dinner party SMA with 40 people there (pre covid) in a very very fancy house where the person brought down 5 truck loads of belongings from the USA in an enormous house. Yes, the houses in SMA are very very amazing. There would be three guys at the party. Two would follow their wifes around and one would talk to me. Then I would talk to a woman who complained about her 30 years of marriage and how ugly her divorce was. Finally I had to leave the party early. Nobody interesting to talk to. I do have my 3 friends in SMA who I adore and talk to all the time. I miss them. I do not miss SMA with all the FALSE wealth of money. I still live in Mexico. I will visit SMA in July for 2 days.
That is good to know. Being somewhat of an introvert, I am not very skilled in privileged small-talk. I am better with a small group of friends, intellectual and experiential conversation. I have not spoken Spanish since I was a teenager and would love to learn some of my language again. Many things I would love to do and see....I am no millionaire and have never traveled in those circles before and don't care about starting now! Thanks for sharing your experiences regarding the area.
Maybe consider talking about nightlife (bars for example). In SMA, its basically impossible to find any decent bar in the city, but Id like to know about the situation in GTO. Not much info on other TH-cam channels, so I'm assuming the worst.
Otra diferencia es que mucho extranjero hace dinero . En san miguel . Y honestamente dan mucho mas caro que un nacional. Y que entre ellos se compran. Sin importar lo caro. Sin ayudar al propio mexicano. Tienen emplesdos mal pagados. Y exigentes!! Lo sé porque se como se vive aca!! El mexicano es trabajador . Sociable y ofrece lo que tiene. . No eetoy diciendo que todos. Pero asi es. Una vez estaba en la luciérnaga en un restaurante con mi familia . Y llegsron una mujer y un hombre gringos que por su vestimenta trabajaban en una compañia . El mesero amablemente mexicano les dio la carta. Y el gringo dijo Inglish por favor. Mi hermana y yo automaticamente volteamos a ver al gringo.. osea?? Se notaba que ellos vivian ahi. Y todavia espera que le hablen ingles. ? En estados unidos discriminan por no hablar el idioma y elllos?? No se tiene que hablar el ingles . Ni se debe exigir. !! Y asi hay mas . Guanajuato tiene mas cultura es mas barato. Y el turista es mas nacional
San Miguel has been an expat haven since WW II , hence the older community. Guanajuato is a university town. While visiting SMDA , less than 70% of my dining experiences where Mexican.
Remember, you are not expats, u r just immigrants. It is important to use the right words. Mexicans in the US and Canada are immigrants, usonians and Canadians in Mexico (like yourself) are immigrants too.
Guanajuato is NOT the center of Mexican Revolution. You mean Mexican INDEPENDENCE, an event which took place about 100 YEARS earlier than the revolution. And México is NOT in Central America. This guy is clueless. 🙄
Why not ? Guanajuato is the most beautiful city in this continent Queretaro , Zacatecas , Morelia Oaxaca this cities are beautiful and have a very heavy cultural life , every one should see the festival cervantino at least once in a life time In Guanajuato you Can not drive a car the streets were designed. For people , to walk , and fir some horse dd or carriages People drive their cars under ground there are plenty of tunnels , with sidewalks and light , great architecture, wonderful people , there are. Hundreds of small cities or towns , as moves as this cities. And no far away from this colonial cities
Thanks for this! It reinforces what my impressions about GTO vs SMA. I'm heading down in February to look for my new home, and I think might just skip SMA.
I was enjoying the video despite the mispronunciations, but I started getting triggered towards the end when Alex made the “sanitized Mexico”’comment, as a Mexican I found that disrespectful. Also what in the world does “too much haves and have nots” even mean? You lost me there…..
By "sanitized" he meant not authentic. He didn't really use the correct word but he was thinking on his feet and most native english speakers would understand what he meant.
My mother took me to SMA 50 is yrs ago. We landed on a school s blacktop! The coolest! She was studying about making silver jewelry. We now have bags full in a bank vault. Special isn't the word but it s special. She s 81 now. She s retiring. I m just packing up for us to move around there I ll keep ya posted . Talk about our journey s. This is only one. Peace and good will to all. Gwendolyn
My mom also took me to San Miguel when I was child! It was an amazing experience, we were there for 6 years. I don't meet many people who share that experience, but it really made an impact on me. I miss it so much.
@@Optimystik Hi Alex,. I bet you miss it. How long ago was that? Are you in the states now? Back then we were totally dumb Gringas! Ha ha such a different time and world back then. Tnx for writing.I haven't ever met another person like us ,either who s parents took them to SMA, ESPECIALLY 50 yrs ago. Hope to hear from you soon.
I go to both cities quite often and I’m not a big fan of SMDA. I’m from Guanajuato State, born and raised. I choose Gto City in spite of all gangsters and lack of space.
It has been about 16 years since I left San Miguel, but from what I remember living there for 6 years there were a good amount of young expats, not as saturated as older retirees, but living there as a kid there were some other American kids that I met. My mom who was in her 30s-40s and met a lot of people around her age as well.. it really depends on where you are hanging out and involved in. I left as a teenager, and that was probably the most scarce age range of expats there. The art scene in SMA has a diverse range of ages and is a mix of both local and foreign artists. I'm sure it's different now, and the population is more senior oriented.. which makes sense since it's an appealing retirement area.
Dude's, loved the vid. But, please learn how to pronounce Guanajuato! Drop the hard G.... I love both San Miguel and Guanajuato. But, I ended up moving to Merida. It's super hot, but has all I want. Que te vaya bien.
Guanajuato is beautiful but the hills, stairs, and cobblestone streets are hard on the body for the older crowd. I might try it again but I remember my knees and feet hurting from walking around in GTO. Loved the colorful houses and views, though.
11:23 'A very sanitized version of Mexico' ??? That can be interpreted as an offensive comment to some.
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Alex... You forgot to tell your audience all these were YOUR OWN VERY PERSONAL takes on your idea of both places. Secondly, please keep in mind Guanajuato Capital was the birthplace of our INDEPENDENCE war and movement, not our revolution. As per Josh's teaser, I find it a bit biased as it suggests SMA (San Miguel de Allende) is a no-no, which sounds waaaay out of line and even fearsome... The fact that your age didn't match that of the ex-pats in SMA doesn't have anything to do with being a place not suited for American ex-pats in general and it suggests lots of red flags. As with being a great choice to visit and experience... There are rotten apples everywhere... Good and bad in everyone.
Hi Sonika, thanks for writing. We're pretty sure that Alex takes normal taxis however there is Uber there. It seems a bit limited. We understand your safety concerns, but we certainly haven't heard of Guanajuato being particular dangerous. Thanks for checking out the video and please let us know how we can help you now or in the future! 😊
You can take a regular taxi..if you want to go to San miguel. There are some black people there.!! Too. So. I recommend you speak some Spanish. No all taxi drivers speak Inglish. Or write the address . It's a nice place you will enjoy it!!
Haha, neither San Miguel, nor Guanajuato are Central America, it´s still North America,..the difference between young American and young European expats is that Europeans want to stay in contact the locals, they even try to avoid their Europeans as much as possible, .. this is why Central Europeans adapt easier and faster to the MEx culture and even learn Spanish faster
Expat teaching 101!!!!!!!! Mexico / the city of Guanajuato are not in central america. For an artist, your guest speaker is quite ignorant. Your guest speaker should be ashamed for calling Mexico central america. For an US person, who has lived in Mexico for a while, not knowing geographical facts/latitudes about the place where he is living is completely shameful. I think, your guest speaker should return to where he came from, and perhaps, he should consider reading a bit more. Otherwise, he just looks unclean, not very smart, and immensely ignorant.
si me gustaría que no solo se fueran de san miguel, sino de Guanajuato no queremos turismo nacional menos internacional , este siempre le ha convenido Alos inversionistas que se benefician de el turismo , pero los naturales anhelamos ya un san miguel de antaño y propio para los que somos de aqui por generaciones. gracias.
Generally defined as the intended length of stay. Expat is temporary in nature where as immigrant is more permanent. Alex, for example, lived in Mexico for a little while and has since moved to Guatemala. Alternatively, when we lived in Madrid, we met several Mexicans that were there for work, and they would go on to move after a few years of working in Spain.
@@nicedoppy2077 there’s nothing to officially change. Intended length of stay is the key. At some point one might stop referring to themselves as an expat and adopt a different term, immigrant, citizen, national, migrant. It’s no big deal and nothing formal.
@@karlamarcellus4941 We hope to visit Puebla,Oaxaca, Queretaro, Morelia, Guanajuato, and San Cristobal de las casas...and stay in each for a few months.
@@bananapatch9118 Good choices! I’ve seen a couple of videos of TH-camrs who visited Querétaro and it seems nice. I was born in Puebla and lived there until I was 11 years old. I can tell you that the capital it’s very colorful city. One thing that always scared me was the volcano that was near. When it went off, we had small earthquakes, so that wasn’t fun. I also went to Oaxaca once but don’t remember much about it. I think I visited Puerto Escondido. I used to spend a lot more time in Tlaxcala and Veracruz, but i don’t recommend those since they don’t have a lot to offer as far fun activities. Anyway, the other cities you mentioned are also popular so you should be fine. I hope you enjoy your stay in Mexico :)
Josh & Alex need to work on their Mexican History a bit, as well as knowledge of the Music in Guanajuato. The Revolution in GTO was NOT about workers rights! It was the principle Mining center of Mexico, and the Silver barons did NOT want to give the Mother Country - SPAIN their take from the mines, or pay taxes! That REALLY pissed some people at the Top off pretty badly! An army was dispatched from the Capital to put the Guanajuatenses (people who live in GTO) in there place. The Insurgents heads were put on spikes at the Big Grainery - and that big Monument that overlooks the City...the statue of Pipila - an Indigenous man who deflected cannon balls with a huge slab of rock he carried on his back! Workers Rights?!! WTF? As for the Music and Culture scene: THE Most Important Music/Art/Performance Festival in all of Latin America , aka Festivo Cervantino has taken place in Guanajuato annually for almost 30 years! - (JESUS!...I should be doing these Videos!). Guanajuato also has a Superb Symphony Orchestra - one of the best in Mexico! AND - they perform a lot of 20th Century Classical as well as New Music by Mexican, and Women Composers! C'mon Dudes! - I spent 4 months there and learned all that! There are also String Quartets, Chamber Ensembles, and even Choral Groups that specialize in Early Music of "New Spain"...that would be - Latin America! Add to this one of the most prestigious Film Festivals in the Country - GIFF. Guanajuato International Film Festival. I'll leave it at this, even though there is so much more...like - Guanajuato being the Birthplace of the painter, Diego Rivera! I mean, really Dudes! What do you do with your time? - Oh Right... Street Tacos, and Mezcal - the Important Stuff!
This is what we have you for. Your last bit here are pretty judgmental. Josh was interviewing Alex about his time there so Josh has never been to SMA or Guanajuato and Alex was mainly there to study Spanish, work on his online business and he just so happened to find that he loved the culture there.
You could create your own tube channel and interview someone to talk about the cultural, language, history, assimilation aspect of Americans moving to Mexico either to vacation, visit, or to live there permanently. There is so much to see and learn about Mexico. Who wouldn't want to see and hear about the beautiful places and people there. Go for it!
I was with you all the way to the end where you got all rude and judgemental. That ruined it quickly. It would have been a lovely comment if you had just left that off.
".the statue of Pipila - an Indigenous man who deflected cannon balls with a huge slab of rock he carried on his back!" Hilarious! You actually believe that and think you are an authority on Guanjauto.
Probably one of the best, but not the only one or even best. The universities in Mexico City and Guadalajara are often better equipped and connected to the arts and national media. That being said, Guanajuato has one of the oldest universities in Mexico, dating to the colonial era. And it hosts the Cervantino festival which attracts musical and theatrical performers from around the world (every continent) every year. Its a very cosmopolitan atmosphere for such an old, smaller, and internationally lesser known city in Mexico that's largely had its best days behind it as one of the country's past main economic centers. The literary aspect of the festival also means its a city of literature.
Thank you very much for your information, I can now sleep in peace because of your gringo perspective of two beautiful cities in Mexico. No let me give you my perspecitve, go back to your country and get a real job. By the way do you have legal persmission to be working and living in Mexico?. They certainly give a hard time to Mexicans up north when they do not have documents.
As a person that has lived in the states for over 45 years (I was born in Mexico and moved here with my parents) kindness is better than hate my friend. And believe me I have experience some horrific experiences dealing with some anglos in my time here in the states. But in my personal experience the great majority of people have treated with dignity and respect. So choose to focus on treating people the way I what to be treated.
Thanks so much for having me on Josh! It was a lot of fun.
It was our pleasure. You did a great job 👏
Careful, Guanajuato is the cradle of Mexican independence not Mexican Revolution, that's 100 years of difference. Also Mexico is in North America.
I can add a couple of things to this interview after living in San Miguel de Allende about 4 years. UNAM, the national university is building a campus in San Miguel, which will bring an influx of some 5,000 students. When that happens the students will have an impact on the culture here and bring a youthful vibrancy. Also, there has been a trend the last few years of young families moving in. I think this will change the character of the city to some degree. Guanajuato is quite beautiful, more dense than San Miguel, and with GTO's hilly streets, you need to be in shape to walk them. GTO has got a great creative energy that you can feel. San Miguel is one of Mexico's most expensive cities; some call it the Beverly Hills of Mexico. Some of the fancier restaurants have prices that are close to those San Francisco or New York. SMA offers opportunities for cultural activities and from what I've seen, the expats are quite generous with their time and money to support nonprofits that benefit the local community, from feeding kids in the campo, to paying full college tuition for students, toy drives during Christmas, animal rescue and sterilization, etc. Both cities are quite lovely and each has its unique charms. Sorry to say, the economic division is everywhere in Mexico; you find it in any industrialized place, even America. As well, you can choose to live outside the expat Centro bubbles and live in a traditional Mexican neighborhood. The small street I live on has both expats and Mexican families, and I couldn't be happier. Guanajuato is definitely the "cooler" city, though. San Miguel has its own vibe.
Thanks for the added details, Mick. - Josh & Kalie
Thanks for this perspective!
Well said and I agree.
Well said
Great interview! Interesting and informative, you didn’t interrupt him, and no annoying background music. Love it!
Thanks so much, Susanne! - Josh
I was really happy with this interview because it was so straight-ahead, this guy Josh doesn't have a huge ego that needs to be fed! Keep up the great interviews!
Thank you. We're glad that you liked it. Each interview, I try to get better, keep the conversation going, and most important get out of the way of the guest to they can share their knowledge/expertise/experience on the topic they're here for. - Josh
I hope expats don't take over Guanajuato city. It's a lovely place but many of our Mexican people are tired of these rich expats over pricing homes in their cities. Young Mexicans can't afford those homes and have to leave in order to have a decent lifestyle. San Miguel de Allende is already too pricey, even for us regular US citizens!
Sounds like Canada for last 40 yrs
100% @@BCfitbody
I was in Guanajuato. It is beautiful and lively town, enjoyed it very much. I will go back
Great 😊 Thanks for sharing.
I lived in San Miguel for three years and while it has a definite liberal bent to it, the word "hippie" is not a word I would use to describe the ex pats. Are there some old hippies there? Sure, but it is by no means the vibe of the place.
The thing that makes me really discount this video is that neither of these guys know how to pronounce Guanajuato. How can you take someone seriously if they can't even pronounce the place that they're talking about?
Exactly....thank you..there's so much more to both of these beautiful cities...
juan-a-hua-toe... yeah that bothered me too, haha. If you're going to talk about a place, learn to pronounce it correctly.
No ! It was not the birthplace of the Revolution! You are getting the war for Independence and the Revolution mixed up.San Miguel was the birthplace of the war for Independence which was against Spanish rule.This was in 1810.The Revolution was in 1910 and was fought against Porfirio Diaz.This is like confusing the American war for Independence and the Civil War.BTW , both of my parents were from Guanajuato and I have been all over Mexico in my lifetime..
Basically you can say that the state of Guanajuato was the birthdplace of the mexican independence war. San Miguel de Allende is not really considered the birthplace of the independence war alone, is actually the town Dolores Hidalgo, since its slogan is CUNA DE LA INDEPENDENCIA NACIONAL, and that is known nation wide. On the other hand many cities of Guanajuato have national heroes, like Ignacio Allende from SMA, Miguel Hidalgo from Abasolo, El Pipila also from SMA, el ejercito Insurgente from Celaya etc.
It would be nice if you learned how to pronounce Guanajuato.Thank you
Just let the guy know Independence (Not Revolution) started actually between San Miguel de Allende, Dolores Hidalgo and Querétaro, Guanajuato city was part of the route, important yes, but with a little bit of research you'll learn that San Miguel and Dolores are considered Historically the starters of the Independence War.
Good stuff! I’d be very interested in similar commentaries on Oaxaca and Querétaro!
Thank you! Very interesting idea. If you know anyone we can interview, we'll be all over it!
@@ExpatsEverywhere Wow I really don’t with the exception of La Karencitaa on TH-cam lol. If you could set something up with her that would be awesome!
@@onedirection3510 We'll look into it.
@@onedirection3510 Shoot! We would interview her about her time in Vietnam because she was an expat there. 😅
@@ExpatsEverywhere Whatever man go for it! Could be the start of some excellent content!
Different towns in Mexico, like in US, appeal to different people and things they look for. Personally I like the gringo Mex mix in San Miguel. I'm a Cuban American so I speak Spanish but I like a more liberal town, a place with lots of artists, I like greater variety of food options, I like lots of farmers markets and organic options, and finally I like a town that is forward thinking vs stuck in tradition and the past. For me San Miguel better fits this bill but the expat populations is a lot older although it's slowly becoming more mixed. Finally San Miguel these days is one of the more expensive places to live (by Mexican standards) in Mexico but that is usually a indication of the quality of lifestyle also.
Honoring and respecting their traditions and past is a form of pride, not a condition of being "stuck."
Great interview. Thank you guys.
Thank you. Guanajuato is a city I so want to visit. Hopefully this year.
You're welcome. Keep us posted on your time there if you go.
I'm going to retire to SMA next year so the age deal is great for me! I like to think of SMA as 'yuppie Mexico' because as he discussed the restaurants are fabulous, the city is super clean and there's a lot of art going on there....I can see why GTO is a better fit for a young person. Liked that city as well!
Nice. Thank you for your input, Chris. Keep us posted on your retirement.
Chris, my wife and I bought a house in SMA last year. We have no regrets. There's a price point for everyone. The city is constantly being visited by clean and sophisticated young people. Every one of all ages always have a grand old time. Some people just don't like to elevate their standards a single bit if it requires for them to step out of their comfort zone.
U R GONNA LOVE SMA!!1
I like the age thing as well. I am a younger retiree...or soon to be...but too much of a good thing (partying) is sometimes too much. Retirement is about deliberate enjoyment of people and your environment...your surroundings.
I like the whole age thing. I am soon to retire early. Too much of a good thing (partying) can be too much. Retirement is about deliberate enjoyment ...of the people, your environment and beautiful surroundings.
Good interview man! My family is from Jalisco, but have been to GTO a couple of times and totally agree the culture and energy is awesome!
Thanks for the love, Chema! We appreciate it.
Tunnels were built after a great flood, nothing to do with the mining. And SMA is at a higher altitude than GTO. Those are my corrections ;-). Good interview, thx!
@@mikedowd66 cheers.
I liked the interview, how you guys compare -contrast two of the most beautiful cities in 🇲🇽. Totally agree about San Miguel de Allende how there is a large population of immigrant retirees from the US and Canada🇺🇸🇨🇦. But for The young visitors prefer Guanajuato because it’s more lively, especially during the Cervantino festival in October✌️
🥳Thanks, Fer Gomez! We appreciate it. Thanks for your input here about your experience there too.
Please say the city names correctly.
Thanks to both of you for this great info on those 2 gems of Mexico 🇲🇽 👍 . Good job and great interview .gracias
Thank you! We appreciate the positive feedback! - Josh
@@ExpatsEverywhere my pleasure!
San Miguel De Allende is beautiful but but it does lack culture. Most if not all the businesses around the main square are Americanized. They are like a movie scene and not authentic to Mexico. If you want to mingle with local culture you need to walk away from the heart of the main square of San Miguel De Allende. I feel this city has a superficial element that takes away from its charm. They even have a rotary club. 😒
Thanks for your input.
The centro is pretty small so walking away from it is easy if you don’t find it authentic enough. After all, only 10-15% of the residents are expats so that leaves at least 85% of the population living their authentic Mexican lives. It’s very easy to visit and live in these neighborhoods while still partaking of the more polished parts of the town. Frankly, this is what I find most attractive about it. I have choices.
Interesting to hear the two cities broken down and compared. 9:35 looked like Lake Atitlan Guatemala. All three are on my “retirement tour”. 🌴
Good spot, Scott. Alex lives there now.
How did you deal with the crowds in Guanajuato? I left because the crowds were just too crazy.
San Miguel becomes more interesting once you become more fluent in Spanish and get to know the local layer of the culture.
Great breakdown, both cities are amazing. Been in SMA now for a while...definitely the preferred one for me for various reasons, but everyone is different.
Thank you, Robert! 🙏
I agree with him 100% Both of these cities are in the State of Guanajuato and rival one another .They are both beautiful colonial cities .Guanajuato city is much larger than San Miguel .It's pretty much like he said ,in San Miguel most of your expats are of retirement age in Guanajuato city much younger people but not many expats live there.The food and music is awesome in both cities.I would say that rental and house prices are much lower in Guanajuato due to not being a large expat retirement area.In all honesty it all depends on your life style and what you are looking for.
Thanks for your comment. This is brilliant stuff here. We appreciate you putting so much thought into it. 🙏
I lived in SMA for a year. Great place to get started in your journey in Mexico. I applied for my permanent residence visa and went to spanish school for a year. It is a great town to visit and even live there for a year but after you lived there for a while. I realize that people sold their house in the USA for $1M in LA or NY then moved to SMA to show off their fortunes and brag about their careers and how much money they had. Most of the expats are very old and don't bother to learn Spanish. It is a very USA place to be and is not really Mexico. you don't get a chance to learn about Mexico. Expats are doing expats things with other expats at expat prices. I agree about the restaurants. I do really enjoy going out to eat in SMA. Also being a guy, it is difficult to meet other guys since there are no other guys there. After learning Spanish really well, I moved to Guanajuato and that is where a really good experience is. People are younger. Not a bunch of old people. I don't really want to live in a expat protected bubble. It is very common to go to a dinner party SMA with 40 people there (pre covid) in a very very fancy house where the person brought down 5 truck loads of belongings from the USA in an enormous house. Yes, the houses in SMA are very very amazing. There would be three guys at the party. Two would follow their wifes around and one would talk to me. Then I would talk to a woman who complained about her 30 years of marriage and how ugly her divorce was. Finally I had to leave the party early. Nobody interesting to talk to. I do have my 3 friends in SMA who I adore and talk to all the time. I miss them. I do not miss SMA with all the FALSE wealth of money. I still live in Mexico. I will visit SMA in July for 2 days.
Very insightful!!
That is good to know. Being somewhat of an introvert, I am not very skilled in privileged small-talk. I am better with a small group of friends, intellectual and experiential conversation. I have not spoken Spanish since I was a teenager and would love to learn some of my language again. Many things I would love to do and see....I am no millionaire and have never traveled in those circles before and don't care about starting now! Thanks for sharing your experiences regarding the area.
Thank you for sharing info about kind of expats living there, for my part I don’t like flaunting anything I prefer to blend with others if possible
Thank you very much for your comment, I learned a lot from it. Best regards.
Very nice video. I enjoyed it. Thank You. I subscribed.
The buildings and houses feel like Taking a Trip 300,400 years back in time !!! pretty cool video!!!
Thanks, Dario.
Mexico is the most beautiful country in the World...😍
Tranquilo, wey...🙄
Of course!!
I love Mexico but until I visit the entire world, I can't say that
Maybe consider talking about nightlife (bars for example). In SMA, its basically impossible to find any decent bar in the city, but Id like to know about the situation in GTO. Not much info on other TH-cam channels, so I'm assuming the worst.
Guanajuato is where the Independence movement began.
Alex, have you tried Oaxaca?
Otra diferencia es que mucho extranjero hace dinero . En san miguel . Y honestamente dan mucho mas caro que un nacional. Y que entre ellos se compran. Sin importar lo caro. Sin ayudar al propio mexicano. Tienen emplesdos mal pagados. Y exigentes!! Lo sé porque se como se vive aca!! El mexicano es trabajador . Sociable y ofrece lo que tiene. . No eetoy diciendo que todos. Pero asi es. Una vez estaba en la luciérnaga en un restaurante con mi familia . Y llegsron una mujer y un hombre gringos que por su vestimenta trabajaban en una compañia . El mesero amablemente mexicano les dio la carta. Y el gringo dijo Inglish por favor. Mi hermana y yo automaticamente volteamos a ver al gringo.. osea?? Se notaba que ellos vivian ahi. Y todavia espera que le hablen ingles. ? En estados unidos discriminan por no hablar el idioma y elllos?? No se tiene que hablar el ingles . Ni se debe exigir. !! Y asi hay mas . Guanajuato tiene mas cultura es mas barato. Y el turista es mas nacional
❤
Love your channel!
Thank you so much!
San Miguel has been an expat haven since WW II , hence the older community. Guanajuato is a university town. While visiting SMDA , less than 70% of my dining experiences where Mexican.
Remember, you are not expats, u r just immigrants. It is important to use the right words. Mexicans in the US and Canada are immigrants, usonians and Canadians in Mexico (like yourself) are immigrants too.
Wonderful information !!
Guanajuato is NOT the center of Mexican Revolution. You mean Mexican INDEPENDENCE, an event which took place about 100 YEARS earlier than the revolution. And México is NOT in Central America. This guy is clueless. 🙄
Why not ? Guanajuato is the most beautiful city in this continent
Queretaro , Zacatecas , Morelia Oaxaca this cities are beautiful and have a very heavy cultural life , every one should see the festival cervantino at least once in a life time
In Guanajuato you Can not drive a car the streets were designed. For people , to walk , and fir some horse dd or carriages
People drive their cars under ground there are plenty of tunnels , with sidewalks and light , great architecture, wonderful people , there are. Hundreds of small cities or towns , as moves as this cities. And no far away from this colonial cities
Thanks for the comment.
Thanks for this! It reinforces what my impressions about GTO vs SMA. I'm heading down in February to look for my new home, and I think might just skip SMA.
Glad it was helpful! Keep us posted! - Josh
Think that would be a mistake.
Is organic food available in Guanajuato? I've been there and loved it, but not long enough to check out grocery stores or farmers markets. Thanks!
What about Oaxaca? How does os compare to Guanajuato or San Miguel de Allende?
Is that really how you pronounce San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato?
Gwa-na-HWA-to
Phonetically
Wan a wat o
I was enjoying the video despite the mispronunciations, but I started getting triggered towards the end when Alex made the “sanitized Mexico”’comment, as a Mexican I found that disrespectful. Also what in the world does “too much haves and have nots” even mean? You lost me there…..
By "sanitized" he meant not authentic. He didn't really use the correct word but he was thinking on his feet and most native english speakers would understand what he meant.
My mother took me to SMA 50 is yrs ago. We landed on a school s blacktop! The coolest! She was studying about making silver jewelry. We now have bags full in a bank vault. Special isn't the word but it s special. She s 81 now. She s retiring. I m just packing up for us to move around there I ll keep ya posted . Talk about our journey s. This is only one. Peace and good will to all. Gwendolyn
Thanks for sharing, Gwendolyn!
My mom also took me to San Miguel when I was child! It was an amazing experience, we were there for 6 years. I don't meet many people who share that experience, but it really made an impact on me. I miss it so much.
@@Optimystik Hi Alex,.
I bet you miss it. How long ago was that? Are you in the states now? Back then we were totally dumb Gringas! Ha ha such a different time and world back then. Tnx for writing.I haven't ever met another person like us ,either who s parents took them to SMA, ESPECIALLY 50 yrs ago. Hope to hear from you soon.
@@Optimystik We were never the typical ol family,. Glad for that I was so lucky..
I go to both cities quite often and I’m not a big fan of SMDA. I’m from Guanajuato State, born and raised. I choose Gto City in spite of all gangsters and lack of space.
Thanks, Leo.
It kills me how in the intro he pronounces @0:14 Guanajuato and is NOT GuanajuaNto is Guanajuato :I
Sorry.
Ready to move need to get out would love to find something chesp to rent long term any ideas
San Miguel is boring, Guanajuato is energetic.
Interesante!! Thanks
Glad you liked it!
It has been about 16 years since I left San Miguel, but from what I remember living there for 6 years there were a good amount of young expats, not as saturated as older retirees, but living there as a kid there were some other American kids that I met. My mom who was in her 30s-40s and met a lot of people around her age as well.. it really depends on where you are hanging out and involved in. I left as a teenager, and that was probably the most scarce age range of expats there. The art scene in SMA has a diverse range of ages and is a mix of both local and foreign artists.
I'm sure it's different now, and the population is more senior oriented.. which makes sense since it's an appealing retirement area.
Thanks for sharing, Alex! - Josh & Kalie
Dude's, loved the vid. But, please learn how to pronounce Guanajuato! Drop the hard G....
I love both San Miguel and Guanajuato. But, I ended up moving to Merida. It's super hot, but has all I want. Que te vaya bien.
Thanks for the tips! We always find it hard to strike the balance of pronouncing things in English or the target language. You know?
Guanajuato city ❤️
Are you from there?
Guanajuato is beautiful but the hills, stairs, and cobblestone streets are hard on the body for the older crowd. I might try it again but I remember my knees and feet hurting from walking around in GTO. Loved the colorful houses and views, though.
11:23 'A very sanitized version of Mexico' ??? That can be interpreted as an offensive comment to some.
Alex... You forgot to tell your audience all these were YOUR OWN VERY PERSONAL takes on your idea of both places. Secondly, please keep in mind Guanajuato Capital was the birthplace of our INDEPENDENCE war and movement, not our revolution. As per Josh's teaser, I find it a bit biased as it suggests SMA (San Miguel de Allende) is a no-no, which sounds waaaay out of line and even fearsome... The fact that your age didn't match that of the ex-pats in SMA doesn't have anything to do with being a place not suited for American ex-pats in general and it suggests lots of red flags. As with being a great choice to visit and experience... There are rotten apples everywhere... Good and bad in everyone.
How do you get around? Do they have uber? I'm a black woman who is worried about safety travelling alone
Hi Sonika, thanks for writing. We're pretty sure that Alex takes normal taxis however there is Uber there. It seems a bit limited. We understand your safety concerns, but we certainly haven't heard of Guanajuato being particular dangerous. Thanks for checking out the video and please let us know how we can help you now or in the future! 😊
@@ExpatsEverywhere thanks for answering me back
@@TheRealMoanmyname You're welcome.
You can take a regular taxi..if you want to go to San miguel. There are some black people there.!! Too. So. I recommend you speak some Spanish. No all taxi drivers speak Inglish. Or write the address . It's a nice place you will enjoy it!!
@@MariaGonzalez-zt4oy thanks for the positive and thoughtful message, Maria. We hope that @sonika sees this and is inspired to go.
Haha, neither San Miguel, nor Guanajuato are Central America, it´s still North America,..the difference between young American and young European expats is that Europeans want to stay in contact the locals, they even try to avoid their Europeans as much as possible, .. this is why Central Europeans adapt easier and faster to the MEx culture and even learn Spanish faster
Thank you
You're welcome. Thank you! - Josh & Kalie
I believe that queretaro is better for your demographic age. It is a university city and has a lot younger population.
Expat teaching 101!!!!!!!! Mexico / the city of Guanajuato are not in central america. For an artist, your guest speaker is quite ignorant. Your guest speaker should be ashamed for calling Mexico central america. For an US person, who has lived in Mexico for a while, not knowing geographical facts/latitudes about the place where he is living is completely shameful. I think, your guest speaker should return to where he came from, and perhaps, he should consider reading a bit more. Otherwise, he just looks unclean, not very smart, and immensely ignorant.
He lives in Guatemala now. I thought the same as you at first until I realized he was referring to where he lives now, which isn’t GTO
@@afbeardsley3137 Thanks be to God. In Mexico, we don't need people like that.
Correct, he lives in Guatemala, which is where we were when the interview was recorded.
si me gustaría que no solo se fueran de san miguel, sino de Guanajuato no queremos turismo nacional menos internacional , este siempre le ha convenido Alos inversionistas que se benefician de el turismo , pero los naturales anhelamos ya un san miguel de antaño y propio para los que somos de aqui por generaciones. gracias.
The two citys are beautifull butt GUANAJUATO is amazing , while San Miguel is cute.
It's very very atractive GUANAJUATO.
Thanks for the input!
What is the cost of living for a couple?
Sorry, Betty. We haven't done a cost of living deep dive on either place.
expats or immigrants? what's the difference?
Generally defined as the intended length of stay. Expat is temporary in nature where as immigrant is more permanent. Alex, for example, lived in Mexico for a little while and has since moved to Guatemala. Alternatively, when we lived in Madrid, we met several Mexicans that were there for work, and they would go on to move after a few years of working in Spain.
@@ExpatsEverywhere a xpat is someone who suddenly can transform himself in a kind of regular inmigrant, right?
@@nicedoppy2077 there’s nothing to officially change. Intended length of stay is the key. At some point one might stop referring to themselves as an expat and adopt a different term, immigrant, citizen, national, migrant. It’s no big deal and nothing formal.
@@ExpatsEverywhere Thanks for your answer!! All the best Sir!!
@@nicedoppy2077 you’re welcome. All the best to you too. Much love ❤️
We hope to retire in 3 years to Mexico but we speak Spanish and really do not want to be around a lot of old people/expats.
Fair play. Don't be if that's not what you want.
Have you guys checked out Puebla or Oaxaca?
@@karlamarcellus4941
We hope to visit Puebla,Oaxaca, Queretaro, Morelia, Guanajuato, and San Cristobal de las casas...and stay in each for a few months.
@@bananapatch9118 Good choices! I’ve seen a couple of videos of TH-camrs who visited Querétaro and it seems nice. I was born in Puebla and lived there until I was 11 years old. I can tell you that the capital it’s very colorful city. One thing that always scared me was the volcano that was near. When it went off, we had small earthquakes, so that wasn’t fun. I also went to Oaxaca once but don’t remember much about it. I think I visited Puerto Escondido. I used to spend a lot more time in Tlaxcala and Veracruz, but i don’t recommend those since they don’t have a lot to offer as far fun activities. Anyway, the other cities you mentioned are also popular so you should be fine. I hope you enjoy your stay in Mexico :)
Hope the young people don’t feel that way about you once you retire !
"Expat" You're an immigrant bro.
Josh & Alex need to work on their Mexican History a bit, as well as knowledge of the Music in Guanajuato. The Revolution in GTO was NOT about workers rights! It was the principle Mining center of Mexico, and the Silver barons did NOT want to give the Mother Country - SPAIN their take from the mines, or pay taxes! That REALLY pissed some people at the Top off pretty badly! An army was dispatched from the Capital to put the Guanajuatenses (people who live in GTO) in there place. The Insurgents heads were put on spikes at the Big Grainery - and that big Monument that overlooks the City...the statue of Pipila - an Indigenous man who deflected cannon balls with a huge slab of rock he carried on his back! Workers Rights?!! WTF?
As for the Music and Culture scene: THE Most Important Music/Art/Performance Festival in all of Latin America , aka Festivo Cervantino has taken place in Guanajuato annually for almost 30 years! - (JESUS!...I should be doing these Videos!). Guanajuato also has a Superb Symphony Orchestra - one of the best in Mexico! AND - they perform a lot of 20th Century Classical as well as New Music by Mexican, and Women Composers! C'mon Dudes! - I spent 4 months there and learned all that! There are also String Quartets, Chamber Ensembles, and even Choral Groups that specialize in Early Music of "New Spain"...that would be - Latin America! Add to this one of the most prestigious Film Festivals in the Country - GIFF. Guanajuato International Film Festival. I'll leave it at this, even though there is so much more...like - Guanajuato being the Birthplace of the painter, Diego Rivera! I mean, really Dudes! What do you do with your time? - Oh Right... Street Tacos, and Mezcal - the Important Stuff!
This is what we have you for.
Your last bit here are pretty judgmental. Josh was interviewing Alex about his time there so Josh has never been to SMA or Guanajuato and Alex was mainly there to study Spanish, work on his online business and he just so happened to find that he loved the culture there.
You could create your own tube channel and interview someone to talk about the cultural, language, history, assimilation aspect of Americans moving to Mexico either to vacation, visit, or to live there permanently. There is so much to see and learn about Mexico. Who wouldn't want to see and hear about the beautiful places and people there. Go for it!
I was with you all the way to the end where you got all rude and judgemental. That ruined it quickly. It would have been a lovely comment if you had just left that off.
".the statue of Pipila - an Indigenous man who deflected cannon balls with a huge slab of rock he carried on his back!"
Hilarious! You actually believe that and think you are an authority on Guanjauto.
I wouldn't call sma hippie as Alex did; more like snooty yuppies. But the last time I set foot in the place was some 20 years ago.
Thanks for sharing, Ron.
I’ve never heard that the University of Guanajuato has the best performing arts college in the country. That’s very shocking.
🤷♂️
Probably one of the best, but not the only one or even best.
The universities in Mexico City and Guadalajara are often better equipped and connected to the arts and national media.
That being said, Guanajuato has one of the oldest universities in Mexico, dating to the colonial era. And it hosts the Cervantino festival which attracts musical and theatrical performers from around the world (every continent) every year. Its a very cosmopolitan atmosphere for such an old, smaller, and internationally lesser known city in Mexico that's largely had its best days behind it as one of the country's past main economic centers.
The literary aspect of the festival also means its a city of literature.
So if you don't care for "old people", pick another place. That seems he gist of his message.
Cuz SMA is a gringo bubble?
Queretaro
Please learn how to pronounce the word GTO.
"Life coach"
😂😂😂
Im glad he is not a history teacher !
Conclusion: IF U R YOUNG, U SHOULD GO TO GUANAJUATO. IF U R A SENIOR, GO TO SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE.
It sure seems like it. - Josh & Kalie
Pronounced wrong my friend
😅Wouldn't have been the first and unfortunately it won't be the last time we do that.
🖒🖒🖒🖒🖒
San Miguel is a joke
Guanajuato rules
Love it there
I will never visit San Miguel again
Fair enough. Thanks for the input.
Be careful with that joke comment amigo.
Clickbait
Bah!
Thank you very much for your information, I can now sleep in peace because of your gringo perspective of two beautiful cities in Mexico. No let me give you my perspecitve, go back to your country and get a real job. By the way do you have legal persmission to be working and living in Mexico?. They certainly give a hard time to Mexicans up north when they do not have documents.
Why be hateful?
As a person that has lived in the states for over 45 years (I was born in Mexico and moved here with my parents) kindness is better than hate my friend. And believe me I have experience some horrific experiences dealing with some anglos in my time here in the states. But in my personal experience the great majority of people have treated with dignity and respect. So choose to focus on treating people the way I what to be treated.
@@jpmorgan2749 #respect
We love your attitude, Jose! Have a blessed holidays and thanks for watching the video.
@@ExpatsEverywhere Not even, enjoy your stay, Mexico is a beatiful country. I know the USA-Canada and Mexico, like the palm of my hand. Peace to you.
@@franyo8014 Thank you, although, we’re not there. Our guest, Alex, was.
Peace be to you as well. ✌️