danny and dylan move to san miguel
DANNY and DYLAN have both relocated to san miguel de allende, mexico.
DANNY considers himself a privileged guest in his new country of residence. DYLAN considers his residency an entitlement. they each comport themselves accordingly.
DANNY is fascinated by the aspects of local culture that are different than what he's used to. DYLAN is endlessly annoyed by the aspects of local culture that are different than what he's used to.
DANNY asks around for the best intensive school to learn how to speak spanish. DYLAN asks around for a dentist who speaks english.
DANNY inquires about the best place to meet locals. DYLAN inquires about the best realtor in town.
DANNY grieves that walmart and home depot are opening big box stores in san miguel. DYLAN rejoices that walmart and home depot are opening big box stores in san miguel.
DANNY goes out of his way to support indigenous communities. DYLAN teaches life hacks.
DANNY takes a class on the great poets and artists of mexico. DYLAN frets online that it's not easy finding an honest contractor around here.
DANNY studies local plants and wildlife and pre-columbian artifacts. DYLAN makes videos on how to live in mexico for less money.
DANNY tries to learn about the role of rockets and pyrotechnics in local traditions. DYLAN circulates a petition to prohibit many local traditions such as the setting off of rockets.
DANNY posts on social media with the goal of learning about post-conquest history of central mexico. DYLAN posts on social media trying to learn of the ATM machine with the best exchange rate.
DANNY frequents presentations about environmental challenges in the bahio, about the effects of falling water tables, depleted soils, and climate change. DYLAN frequents presentations about investing in crytocurrencies.
DANNY shops for produce from local vendors. DYLAN makes weekly trips to the nearest megastore and laments that they don't have certain items.
DANNY patronizes mexican artisans as much as possible when shopping for household items and clothing. DYLAN is proud that his belongings are cheap because they're mass-produced, and his wardrobe consists entirely of garments made by people in faraway sweatshops.
DANNY joins trekkers and studies the fauna and flora of the region. DYLAN asks if he can pay for an ayahuasca ceremony with a credit card.
DANNY is moved by the friendly, accepting, and generous nature of locals, especially indigenous peoples. DYLAN considers that these same traits expose the indigenous to lagging behind in the competition for material wealth, and he refers to this as "the gringo advantage."
DANNY delights in the characteristic tiendita culture, one of the elements that distinguishes authentic mexican culture. DYLAN complains that he has to drive too far to patronize the megastores he's familiar with.
DANNY tries to support, as much as possible, vendors who sell products from farms in mexico that employ biodynamic and cruelty-free cultural practices. DYLAN boasts of his indifference to sentient animals suffering unspeakable abuses in industrial farms.
DANNY feels compassion for our local panhandlers and never fails to support them with large donations. DYLAN mocks our local panhandlers, sometimes taunting them by asking them if they accept his favored currency, bitcoin.
DANNY talks about the idea of community and how we're all connected to each other and to the environment by a lacework of interactions. DYLAN calls himself a sovereign being and denies any connection to any other living being, even his housekeeper to whom he passed the covid virus and who subsequently died.
DANNY has become friends with his neighbors. DYLAN, we trust, will be moving back to where he came from.