“ ON THE ROAD AGAIN “

Dusted off the gypsy runners …. they instinctively found their way back ‘home’ to my old winter haunt of SMA in early November. Found it strange to some degree to be here without my friend Bev. During Canadian winters, we had shared a home here for the better part of ten years and now, because of sad circumstances for Bev and her family, (her eldest son Chris is in a hospital rehabilitation program, having had two back to back strokes last year but is making some headway thankfully) .. I am walking the cobble streets of this charming colonial town in the highlands of central Mexico, on my own. I miss her dearly.

As I near the end of three months in SMA, I notice that there is a growing number of retired as well as a handful of younger people who are deliberately choosing life in other parts of the world, living nomadically, often opting for warmer climates over dealing with winter travails or the skyrocketing cost of living in Canada or United States. The dismal politics of both countries I won’t even get into 🫤 . In Mexico it is the drug cartels … always something I suppose, wherever one hangs their hat.

Yes, San Miguel hosts many expats from both Canada and the United States. They have chosen San Miguel as a home base, and many have long since sold their homes in North America and taken up residence here.

As for me, instead of navigating icy sidewalks and roads, temperatures hitting minus thirties celsius, I am navigating the cobbly streets of San Miguel in spring like temps. Both present their own variations of challenges.

This is my first time in San Miguel’s winter period however. It usually runs part of November through January. I had normally arrived in late January for many years. I must say, it has been rather chilly in the mornings … 4 C so I opt to stay in bed until it warms up to around 18 C usually by mid morning. This just happens to be my favourite temperature! Many of the expats who have lived here permanently for years, complained that this has been an unseasonably cold winter (central heating is not a thing here at all and very rarely is air conditioning even installed in any homes, given the generally mild climate of the highlands of Mexico year round). My temperature preference lies in the 15 – 20 C range so these winter temps were not much of a big deal to me. I made do with a wool scarf as a shawl to warm up if needed. Most folks, Mexicans and expats alike, bundled up in winter jackets, wool hats, boots, gloves, heavy ponchos, the whole nine yards. While most shivered even when bundled up, I had not even a hint of a shiver, even while only wearing my usual assortment of long sleeved cotton shirts and linen pants. Maybe I am related to Wim Hof 😂

The adjustment to life without a home base feels strange of course but not as much as I thought it would. I think, in many ways, I have always yearned for the open road … Willie Nelson’s ‘On the Road Again’ could very well be my song, my mantra for this stage of life 😊. And for those who wonder, yes, of course I miss my kids … both my children have been well ensconced in their own lives for years …. it is the natural order of life. Our time as fully engaged involved parents, nurturing and guiding, loving intensely is short lived. They now fly on the strength of their own wings. I have also been very much a part of my grandchildren’s lives from their very first hour of life. Twelve years in this amazing and precious journey as grandma, has filled me with so much love … to be able to watch another generation grow into loving, independent, kind, gentle, generous people fills me with hope for our world. They are still very young and I find I am missing them more than I had anticipated. Children can change so much in six months, unlike me … my bones just get creakier and more wrinkles magically show up 😂 … whereas they will undoubtedly have shot up several inches and their maturity will have continued on its upward trajectory before we meet up again in May. Yes, it will be wonderful to see family again.

So, I meander along on this solo journey, all the while exploring both my inner and outer landscapes. I certainly had not planned to be experiencing life on my own in these senior years. A favourite quote by Charles Darwin that I picked up when in the Galápagos Islands many years ago comes to mind … “it is not necessarily the most intelligent or the strongest that survive, but those most able to adapt to change” … and so it is 🫤😊

Sharing a handful of scenes from my life here …

Covers a few scenes from my first three months in SMA 😊. I have stepped away from planning too much of anything, but as the saying goes here, it is the magic of San Miguel that events and people just seem to show up when needed. Learning to go with the flow ….

I have made a few new friends, attended interesting talks at the local Biblioteca, taken in a few live plays at Santa Ana and movies at the wee Cinema Bacco where they have great alternative and foreign films, and are still serving a margarita and a bag of popcorn with the movie, all for 150 pesos (about $12), double what it was four years ago but still a bargain.

There is music everywhere, from mariachi, opera, classical, folk, flamenco, guitars, violins, all woven into the very fabric of San Miguel! It’s simply lovely!

Attending talks at The Center for Global Justice remains a favourite, and my very favourite this year, was an inspiring talk and slide presentation given by Wade Davis at a local hotel conference room. He is a fellow Canadian, and former anthropology professor from UBC who has worked for National Geographic studying and living amongst many indigenous tribes around the world for decades. A very knowledgeable fellow indeed. He is worth a google if it appeals … I don’t know of anyone who has led a more interesting life. It was just awesome being in his energy field. It was standing room only within a few minutes after I arrived to buy my ticket … I stood in line for a half hour before doors were opened and managed to scoot into a second row seat …

What always amazes me is the eclectic array of folks that gravitate to San Miguel … they come from all walks of life but there is an underlying thread of artists of every ilk, writers, performers, singers, musicians, actors …

Not the least of which are the breathtakingly beautiful sunsets!