Episode 3
Living La Vida Local: Sam's San Miguel Adventure
Sam Brose takes us on a captivating journey from the bustling streets of Minneapolis to the colorful charm of San Miguel de Allende, sharing how food and history flavor his life in this vibrant city. You know those food tours that make your mouth water? Yeah, Sam’s got stories that’ll have you drooling and dreaming about your next getaway. He spills the beans on the challenges of uprooting his life and how a tight-knit community back home made leaving a bittersweet adventure. We dive into the cultural quirks of life in San Miguel, where fireworks aren’t just for celebrations, but part of everyday life (just be ready for some late-night surprises!). So grab your snacks and settle in, because this episode is all about embracing the unknown and finding joy in every bite of life!
Takeaways:
- Sam's journey from Minneapolis to San Miguel de Allende is a testament to embracing change and new adventures, proving that our comfort zones can be expanded beyond familiar borders if we dare to take the leap.
- Living in San Miguel means immersing yourself in history where every corner store has a story that spans centuries, reminding us to appreciate the beauty of longevity and the lives once lived there.
- The vibrant culture of San Miguel is a whirlwind of celebrations and fireworks, creating an environment where community ties are strengthened across generations, making every day feel festive and alive.
- Sam highlights the importance of mastering the local language before moving abroad, as it not only enhances communication but also deepens cultural connections and enriches the overall experience of living in a new country.
- A significant life lesson for Sam has been redefining values post-move, learning that a simple, walkable lifestyle filled with good food and community is far more fulfilling than material possessions and a fast-paced life.
- Food is more than sustenance for Sam; it’s a celebration of culture and community, deeply rooted in his upbringing, showcasing how culinary traditions can foster connections and joy among diverse groups.
Sam Brose's Bio:
Sam Brose is a third-generation former Minneapolitan who transformed a background in pastry and nutrition-focused cooking into a life of cross-cultural storytelling. For years, he served as a chef and kitchen manager for nonprofits supporting adults and children with chronic illnesses. Today, he calls San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato home, where he works as a food tour guide with Taste of San Miguel, sharing his love of Mexican cuisine, culture, and history with travelers from around the world.
Selling nearly everything and moving to Mexico with a small savings and a big leap of faith, Sam discovered new confidence in navigating cross-cultural communication, leading tours, and embracing life’s surprises. His journey reflects a passion for food, community, and the transformative power of travel.
Connect with Sam Brose:
IG- @sbrose987
Transcript
Hello, travelers.
Speaker A:My name is Grace Simmons, and this is the Random and Wonderful podcast.
Speaker A:Settle in and listen to stories of wanderlust and transformation as you gain tips to inspire your next travel experience.
Speaker A:The Random and Wonderful is brought to you by the Amethyst Palava Hut, llc.
Speaker A:All right, so, Sam, welcome to the Random and Wonderful podcast.
Speaker A:Thank you again for a great going to be my guest today.
Speaker B:Thank you, Grace.
Speaker B:Happy to be here.
Speaker A:So, a quick intro, and I may have mentioned San Miguel.
Speaker A:Sam was the food tour guide and he had these incredible stories as we're going from all the different locations.
Speaker A:But if you want to hear his stories, you're going to have to book a tour with him.
Speaker A:What we're going to talk about right now is Sam's experience from moving from Minneapolis to San Miguel de Allende.
Speaker A:And I'm just.
Speaker A:I'm curious about that entire journey.
Speaker A:So first, please give us just a brief overview of what you do now, and then we'll get into how you got there.
Speaker B:Okay, that sounds good.
Speaker B:Well, right now I'm working for a very small food tour company here in San Miguel.
Speaker B:There's five of us that work for it, so it's a pretty small organization.
Speaker B:And it's the first time I'm ever kind of worked in this field where I've had to be very social.
Speaker B:I guess that part has been a challenge.
Speaker B:But it's been exciting to see that I can actually communicate with humans and I guess in positive and nice ways versus dictating.
Speaker B:I felt like a dictator before in my past, in my former life.
Speaker B:So that's what I do.
Speaker B:And I get to tell stories, which is a lot of fun.
Speaker B:And it's all the stuff that I love, which is food and history.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker B:Those are my things.
Speaker B:So it's been exciting.
Speaker B:I don't know what to say.
Speaker B:It's kind of a dream.
Speaker A:Nice.
Speaker A:So why or how did you even end up in San Miguel?
Speaker B:So I learned about San Miguel through a friend of mine.
Speaker B:Actually, she and I met each other in high school, which would be like over 25 years ago at this point.
Speaker B:And she came down for a semester abroad and never left.
Speaker B:And so I always knew about San Miguel.
Speaker B:San Miguel was always in the back of my mind.
Speaker B:And it turned out to be an easier transition for my move to Mexico because I originally thought, oh, I'm going to live in the big city.
Speaker B:I'm going to live in Mexico City, which I had visited many, many, many, many times over the last 25 years.
Speaker B:Number one tour destination for myself.
Speaker B:But coming to a small town like this or a small city, I should say was an easier transition.
Speaker B:Coming from Minneapolis, which is my hometown.
Speaker A:What was that transition then like?
Speaker A:Do you just kind of walk away from everything?
Speaker A:Was it a struggle to kind of detach from the life that you had before?
Speaker B:It was absolutely a struggle.
Speaker B:I'm third generation in the same neighborhood as my parents and grandparents.
Speaker B:You know, I came from a very close, tight knit community where I knew my neighbors were gener, you know, I was friends with the grandchildren of my grandparents friends, you know, so that was, that in itself was a challenge.
Speaker B:Like was it because I, I knew I'd be giving up a lot, I'd be giving up a lot of community.
Speaker B:I, I mean I had my contact here in San Miguel, but that's limiting.
Speaker B:I can't expect one person, you know, to fill the, an entire community.
Speaker B:So that was the most challenging part was to really, you know, get the guts to finally, to finally make the plunge, you know, to do that.
Speaker A:So before you officially moved, where did you have like some scouting trips?
Speaker A:Were you slowly trying to acclimate yourself to this because what life could be, or was it just a.
Speaker A:You made the decision and you went for it?
Speaker B:I think a mix of both.
Speaker B:I mean, I have been coming down annually to Mexico City, so I kind of knew that city fairly well.
Speaker B:So in my original plan was there and I kind of knew the neighborhoods I liked and I had met, I would say acquaintances, not necessarily friends.
Speaker B:And I've had a connection to Mexico that, you know, I'm divorced now, but I had a spouse, you know, for 10 years that was from Mexico City, that had lived in Minneapolis for a while with me.
Speaker B:And we had this long distance kind of marriage, back and forth kind of a thing for, for over a decade.
Speaker B:So I felt that, that part of it, I felt I had scouted Mexico City.
Speaker B:I was like, even if I'm not married anymore, I felt I could navigate at least in a survival ratio.
Speaker B:But for a long term, San Miguel was definitely on the list for a long term adjustment just because it's a smaller place.
Speaker B:But yeah, I guess in the end it really, because I was divorced, it really was me just being like, okay, I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it on my own.
Speaker B:I mean, I don't need anyone else to do it for me or hold my hand.
Speaker B:I need to just do it or not do it.
Speaker B:There's a point in your life where you feel like, at least for me, I felt like if I Don't do it now.
Speaker B:I probably never will do it.
Speaker B:And I'm not going to have anyone that's going to just guide me.
Speaker B:I'm just going to have to figure it out.
Speaker B:If I fail, I fail.
Speaker B:If I thrive, I thrive.
Speaker B:But at least I tried.
Speaker A:Yeah, I feel like that's one of the things that I've come across, especially with speaking with guests, when they make a change to move out of the US it's that yes or no decision.
Speaker A:I don't know.
Speaker A:Or maybe the number is really few where people have said maybe, like, maybe I'll go check it out kind of thing.
Speaker A:Most people are like, no, no, no.
Speaker A:There's something that's happened in their life and they needed to make that solid decision of change.
Speaker A:And moving kind of became a part of that process.
Speaker B:Sure.
Speaker A:So tell me about life in San Miguel, because I know I loved the food, and I think around the time that I went there, there were a lot of events that required fireworks.
Speaker A:So everything was very happy and exciting for me.
Speaker A:But what's it like?
Speaker A:What's it like living in San Miguel?
Speaker B:I think what is interesting.
Speaker B:I'll make this point.
Speaker B:The other day I realized the age of the corner store I go to now.
Speaker B:The business itself is new.
Speaker B:You know, it's a chain for Mexico City, but the actual building is like almost three centuries.
Speaker B:Actually, it is three centuries old.
Speaker B:And I think that that's.
Speaker B:When you think about what it's like living in San Miguel, it's like appreciating longevity, but it's appreciating what.
Speaker B:What others have created.
Speaker B:This beauty that I see around myself every day, you take advantage of it, looking at it.
Speaker B:But sometimes I like, in this case, I kind of took advantage of it because I only recently realized how old this actual building was that this corner store is in.
Speaker B:And I feel like that's part of the experience.
Speaker B:Living in San Miguel is realizing the age of things and how many people lived, how many lifetimes lived and used these buildings and these streets before I was even born, before obviously before I arrived here, but even before I existed on this planet.
Speaker B:And that's one of the things about living in a place that's 500 years old.
Speaker B:That to me is.
Speaker B:It's amazing.
Speaker B:It's quite different than what I experienced back in Minneapolis in the US where things are oldest buildings are maybe 100 or 150 years old, and they've been refaced so many times that you can't even tell.
Speaker B:So that's one thing.
Speaker B:Other thing is it's very exciting.
Speaker B:Like you said about all the fireworks, there's 150 celebrations here and most of them last two days or more.
Speaker B:So when you live here, one of the first things, especially for the first year, is getting used to noise.
Speaker B:Noise that you're not necessarily used to, you know, because a lot of those fireworks happen at 3 o' clock in the morning or 4 or 5.
Speaker B:But then you start.
Speaker B:Once you start engaging in those activities.
Speaker B:Now, I can't say I'm engaged in all of them.
Speaker B:No, I mean, I, I do have a normal life, I mean, or a life, I guess I should say.
Speaker B:But you start appreciating the continuity that again, kind of reflects in the city as for many.
Speaker B:You'll see multi generations.
Speaker B:You'll see like a two year old celebrating with an 80 year old at these celebrations.
Speaker B:And that's part of the life of living here, is experiencing that, the continuity behind things.
Speaker A:That is such a neat perspective.
Speaker A:You mentioned that you liked the food and the history.
Speaker A:Where did your love of food come from growing up?
Speaker B:I mean, and I grew up in a very poor family.
Speaker B:We were working class at best.
Speaker B:And food like, I feel like for a lot of communities that struggle economically, food becomes a celebration.
Speaker B:And especially when you don't always have the best food all the time.
Speaker B:And so there's certain days or certain times of the year or maybe paydays when you have these great elaborate meals that you normally wouldn't have.
Speaker B:And that's where the appreciation came from and from scratch cooking.
Speaker B:And I was very, very fortunate that my mother was a very good cook and a baker and my grandmother and I mean my great grandma, I mean, I had all these wonderful women in my family that made amazing food and very diverse food.
Speaker B:You know, I watch a lot of food videos, you know, where people kind of talk about people's cuisines and how bland some people's cuisines could be in the US where they're not exposed to things or maybe they're, you know, it's their, probably their, their budget or their income level, but it's also just how some, I don't know how to put it, Some cultures just don't use a lot of spices or seasonings.
Speaker B:And I, I was fortunate enough to grow up in a family that did.
Speaker B:And they celebrated when we could have those things because there were times when we couldn't.
Speaker B:And so that was where my love of food came from and being exposed to.
Speaker B:I live in the neighborhood I grew up in north Minneapolis is extremely diverse.
Speaker B:Now granted the Majority are African American.
Speaker B:It's 90% African American.
Speaker B:The other 10% is from everyone around the world.
Speaker B:So I was exposed to all those cuisines because my grandmother was a very social person.
Speaker B:And so all her friends were these, like, cacophony of cultures.
Speaker B:And she would.
Speaker B:They do recipe sharing and food sharing.
Speaker B:And so by the time I was in high school, I had tried, you know, more than a dozen cuisines from, like, Southeast Asian to, like, East African to, you know, typical African American cuisine, different types of, you know, Nordic and European cuisines, Jewish food.
Speaker B:I mean, I had tried it all.
Speaker B:So it was.
Speaker B:That's where my love of it came from, you know.
Speaker A:You worked with food, though.
Speaker B:I did.
Speaker B:I did.
Speaker B:I went to school to be a pastry chef.
Speaker B:That was my original idea.
Speaker B:And specialized in laminated doughs.
Speaker B:That's like croissants, like French style croissants, but also Scandinavian wienerbrood, which is like the Danishes.
Speaker B:And I did that for a while, and that was satisfying.
Speaker B:But then later on, I transitioned into special diets because I'd always had this kind of community aspect that I wanted to fulfill in my life.
Speaker B:In the last 10 years of my career, I worked for a couple of different nonprofits as a kitchen manager.
Speaker B:That's when I was in management positions making food for people with chronic illnesses.
Speaker B:But because I'm Minneapolis's charter, they had to be culturally sensitive.
Speaker B:So I can't just make, like, roast chicken breast and vegetables for people that are coming that are, you know, from the Hmong or Vietnamese communities or people from the Somalian communities, you know, or people from Latin communities.
Speaker B:You had to make food that they would eat.
Speaker B:Because the basis of these programs, all the programs I worked for, was the people's weight, you know, as part of a.
Speaker B:If you're suffering from HIV or types of cancer, you have to eat.
Speaker B:I mean, because if you end up losing a lot of weight, you know, obviously that's going to impact your health.
Speaker B:So that.
Speaker B:That was fun.
Speaker B:I mean, that was.
Speaker B:It was sad.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:I shouldn't.
Speaker B:I feel like I was too light on that.
Speaker B:There were a lot of sad moments.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:But it was fun because you had to research recipes from different communities and then modify it for medication or for low sodium or gluten free or dairy free or anti inflammatories, essentially.
Speaker B:And that was like, I learned so much in 10 years.
Speaker B:I mean, a lot.
Speaker B:I think it prepared me for now, dealing with tour tourists.
Speaker B:I got people from all over the world, so I'm like, I can roll with the punches, let's put it that way.
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Speaker A:Do you feel like that also inspired?
Speaker A:Because I know at first you said that the social aspect or the social requirements of your job now is kind of like something that you're learning, but the way that you grew up and even working as a special diet chef, was there some sort of practice, I guess, in the way that you had to socialize with people and to be able to get these conversations going, Especially when it comes to something like food and understanding people's culture.
Speaker A:Do you notice ties back to the way that you grew up?
Speaker B:Yes, I do.
Speaker B:I think miscommunication is a big thing.
Speaker B:A lot of times miscommunication can go negative.
Speaker B:However, you can learn something from that.
Speaker B:You know, when there's something that is either a cultural value or even just your communication skills in a particular language, that you can have patience behind that and then learn from that mistake so that the next interaction, or even that interaction, you can get something positive from it.
Speaker B:And humor helps.
Speaker B:Humor is cross cultural.
Speaker B:And if you can, maybe I hate to use the word less sensitive because it sounds insensitive, but me as a person, I'd have to be less sensitive about maybe some of the criticisms that I would receive because they can literally just be misunderstandings, you know, and yeah, that's.
Speaker B:I think that has helped me a lot and it helped me back then and it's helped me now.
Speaker A:What are some values that you've noticed have either changed or been strengthened since your move?
Speaker B:Values wise, I think coming from again, you know, this is like where you grow up affects you a lot.
Speaker B:I've always valued my time, you know, like when you, when you go to work or when you interact with people, my time has been the focus of what I valued because time is precious.
Speaker B:However, after moving to, you know, a Latin American country where time is perceived differently and that's, I guess it really is the case.
Speaker B:I've traveled to Europe and I've traveled to.
Speaker B:Even to South Korea.
Speaker B:Time is perceived differently everywhere.
Speaker B:And that's a value that's changed me, is to just.
Speaker B:To realize that, yes, my time's valuable for me, but it may not be as valuable to someone else.
Speaker B:And that kind of changes.
Speaker B:Like, I guess my attitude.
Speaker B:Like, I can't really be upset.
Speaker B:I already know the drill.
Speaker B:But that takes time to get used to that to someone says, meet me at 4.
Speaker B:Like, you know, like our interview tonight.
Speaker B:That could be 4:15 or 5:15.
Speaker B:I mean, I don't know.
Speaker B:I really don't.
Speaker B:And I just have to roll with it.
Speaker B:So you find things, you know, if you, you know, find coffee shops that you like in the area or find whatever you can to kill time in that area, sometimes that's what.
Speaker B:What it takes.
Speaker B:And that.
Speaker B:That's taken.
Speaker B:That's a value that's changed also.
Speaker B:Just valuing what is really important.
Speaker B:Like, I don't have a car anymore.
Speaker B:I used to think that that was the thing.
Speaker B:Like, that was it.
Speaker B:You know, when I lived back in Minneapolis, I always had a decent car that ran well and would use that, you know, for grocery shopping and.
Speaker B:But for travel, for all these different things.
Speaker B:And my value here is I don't need a car.
Speaker B:I am so happy not to have a car.
Speaker B:I never knew that was going to be.
Speaker B:I never believed that you'd asked me this five years ago.
Speaker B:I'd be like, you're crazy.
Speaker B:But now here I live with no vehicle, and I get by by my two legs or by the buses.
Speaker B:They have great interstate and intercity bus services in Mexico, but better than us.
Speaker B:It does make it easier, but.
Speaker B:Yeah, that's another value.
Speaker B:Like, what do I really value?
Speaker B:You know, I live in a modest casita.
Speaker B:You know, I'm not trying to, like, live a different.
Speaker B:Like in Minneapolis, I had a different lifestyle where as an adult, because probably because of my childhood, I wanted to always have better.
Speaker B:Better things.
Speaker B:Better clothes, better housing.
Speaker B:All these kind of things that I felt like were maybe milestone markers.
Speaker B:Those are the values there and here.
Speaker B:No, just some good food, a decent view, walkable stores in my neighborhood.
Speaker B:That's amazing to me.
Speaker B:I don't need any of the other stuff.
Speaker B:I buy used clothes here.
Speaker B:I never did that back in Minneapolis.
Speaker B:So that's changed.
Speaker A:What's some advice that you would give someone who's thinking about moving away from home to another country?
Speaker A:How do they get started?
Speaker B:I think while the advice I would give myself is probably what I would give them.
Speaker B:Okay, study the language harder before you arrive.
Speaker B:That was a big mistake on my part.
Speaker B:You know, my Spanish.
Speaker B:Even though being married to someone from Latin, it.
Speaker B:It.
Speaker B:You Know here it's a class thing.
Speaker B:So of course my ex was upper class, so they, his family all spoke English, so I didn't need Spanish.
Speaker B:It wasn't even valued.
Speaker B:But now that I live here on my own, yeah, it's value.
Speaker B:So I would say wherever you're moving, if they have a language different than your native tongue, you need to study that as much as you can before you arrive because you're always going to learn more on the ground anyways.
Speaker B:And the other thing is probably study.
Speaker B:A lot of people don't know how to convert money and the value of things, you know.
Speaker B:And this is advice for myself going back.
Speaker B:I came here with a savings and I burned through a lot of it because I would see the price and I kind of knew what the value was.
Speaker B:But you know, instead of buying like one thing, I'd be like, no, I'll buy two because it just seems so affordable.
Speaker B:And then once you get years down the road, you realize, no, actually it's, it's actually expensive when you start working in that currency and you start having to live in that currency and you start realizing you start seeing the value of things.
Speaker B:So I would say research so that you can budget better, you know, so that you're not struggling or not trying to figure things out at the last minute because you, you know, you overspent.
Speaker B:And also it's just kind of like a. I guess it's kind of a value thing too because it wasn't like I was trying to break.
Speaker B:But when you go someplace and you buy two of something that actually is technically expensive, it looks like you're trying to show off a little bit.
Speaker B:And that's.
Speaker B:Maybe you like to do that, but that's not something I was trying to do.
Speaker B:I was just like, wow, I can buy two of those.
Speaker A:You know, that's great advice.
Speaker A:I like it.
Speaker A:Make sure you study the language and make sure you study the currency exchange so that you can budget better.
Speaker A:Yeah, like it.
Speaker A:So one of my questions that I always ask is what is a self care practice that you use?
Speaker A:Usually I would say in travel, but what's a self care practice that you do routinely?
Speaker B:Self care practice I use, I try to get as much outdoor.
Speaker B:I try to balance that outdoor versus indoor.
Speaker B:For me, being outside in nature has always been kind of a reset.
Speaker B:And so that's kind of a self care thing that I always do.
Speaker B:You know, every day I go for a walk and that's usually maybe a little.
Speaker B:I live in a city that's very densely Built up so there's not a lot of big green space in the center.
Speaker B:But you.
Speaker B:I walk from the different.
Speaker B:Through the different neighborhoods of the different parks and gardens.
Speaker B:So that's something that.
Speaker B:That's self care that I do.
Speaker B:I think that I always do, you know, I mean, I like to say I get more sleep.
Speaker B:No, that's a lie.
Speaker B:That only happens, you know, when I. I guess I'm motivated to do that.
Speaker B:So that's the self care is nature or blocking.
Speaker A:Is there anything that I haven't asked you yet that you'd like to include?
Speaker B:No, I think you've done great.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:No, I mean, as far as, like, you asked all the things that were on my mind, like how I got here and whatnot.
Speaker B:No, I can't.
Speaker B:I'm terrible at this.
Speaker B:This kind of thing.
Speaker B:When people ask me, what.
Speaker B:What would you like that?
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:Pick my brain.
Speaker A:It's easier because sometimes I find that, like, someone would tell a story and it goes in one direction, and then I keep asking questions which take it into another direction, and I'm like, maybe they were trying to tell a different story.
Speaker A:So I like.
Speaker A:I want to give you an option if you remember what it was that you were trying to share.
Speaker A:Well, Sam, I really appreciate.
Speaker A:Thank you so much.
Speaker A:And thank you for being willing to reschedule so that we could get this conversation going first.
Speaker A:I'm glad we met.
Speaker A:And then just listening to the way you kind of walked us through the city, and I was like, okay, we have to.
Speaker A:I definitely need to have him on the podcast.
Speaker A:So thank you again for your time.
Speaker B:You're welcome.
Speaker B:This was awesome.
Speaker B:No, it was really nice meeting you and thanks for appreciating my.
Speaker B:My stories.
Speaker B:I really.
Speaker B:I really appreciate having me on here.
Speaker B:It was awesome.
Speaker A:Hey there, Grace.
Speaker A:Here.
Speaker A:I hope you enjoyed today's episode and gained some useful takeaways.
Speaker A:Thank you so much for listening and staying until the end.
Speaker A:Don't forget to rate the show or share it with some friends.
Speaker A:Have a wonderful week.
Speaker A:Take care.
Speaker A:And remember, be bold, Be curious.
Speaker A:Be ready to tell your story.
Speaker A:You never know.
Speaker A:Who needs it?
Speaker A:Bye.
Speaker A:Bye.
