We're in Mexico

Why my favorite spot in San Miguel de Allende might be some old concrete steps in the middle of a local market

I stood on the landing between two flights of stairs that divide two Mexican markets, Mercado Ignacio Ramírez and Mercado de Artesanías. There, on those steps, someone needed my help. My family and I are in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Allen and family promoting CampFI in San Miguel de Allende

When our two kids move out of the house in pursuit of their own lives, our intention is to slow travel. We call this our 6-3-3 plan, where we spend six months in the US followed by three months somewhere, and three months somewhere else. Our criteria for somewhere and somewhere else? Is it cheap? Is it cool? Is it safe? Can we connect with their culture? Are they welcoming?

My favorite mural in San Miguel de Allende

On this trip to Mexico, we are unfortunately just two-week tourists, trying to absorb as much of the culture as we can and trying to create even the simplest interpersonal connections with people. Can we live here, even for a few months? Can we make friends here? We are vacationing, yes, but we are also scouting for the next somewhere and somewhere else.

And so I stood on this landing and saw a young mother with her baby and stroller attempting to climb the steps. She tried to walk the stroller up the steps a couple of times. It was awkward and unstable, and she finally pulled the stroller back to the bottom of the stairs. She stood there a moment, her mind obviously calculating and reaching the same conclusion as mine - It wasn’t going to work.

My wife and I have spent the better part of the past year learning Spanish. We need another one to two years to be fully conversational, but this was a good trip to assess where we are on the language front. We can both speak at about the same level, but Maile is a bit ahead of me on comprehension.

I caught the young mother’s eye. Can we connect with people here? Can I help you? “¿Puedo ayudarte?” I said it slowly in my head a few times, and then loudly so that she could hear. She bombarded me with maybe two dozen words that I did not understand, but my new Spanish ears caught the words “sí” and “gracias” and more importantly, “mis ojos” caught an expression of relief on her face that is universal.

I picked up the front of the stroller, while she lifted the rear. Together, we carefully carried baby and stroller to the top of the steps. She volleyed another dozen or so unknown “palabras” in my direction, but the tone and sentiment were grateful. I mostly nodded kindly in return and rejoined my family at the bottom of the stairs. We can connect with people here.

We have been all over this city, eaten its delicious food, walked its beautiful streets, gawked at the magnificent Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, and much more, but this tiniest of human connections has been my favorite moment.

There are no filters on this photo - as my kids would say: The Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel is just this “slay”