In 1999, my husband and I embarked on a self-designed sabbatical, leaving behind our consulting jobs in Palo Alto, California, with a romantic vision of Europe as our future. Like many, we were captivated by the idea of a European home base, perhaps without fully considering what time zone our dreams truly aligned with.
Our journey began in Guanajuato, Mexico, a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage city, and while we explored various parts of the world, we bookended our sabbatical there. Europe, we thought, held the key to our retirement dreams. Barry, with his English upbringing, held a deep affection for the continent, and I, having spent part of my childhood in Europe, longed to return as an adult.
Not long after selling our Palo Alto home, Dutch friends offered us a house-sitting opportunity in Amsterdam during May. Springtime in Amsterdam – it sounded idyllic! This was our chance to experience Amsterdam as a potential international base. However, that May proved to be unexpectedly cold and wet, a stark contrast to California’s mild January. We spent our first days huddled under blankets, sipping tea, a far cry from the European spring we had imagined.
As a confident cyclist, I envisioned myself gliding along Amsterdam’s famous canals. The reality was less serene. The Dutch cyclists were intimidatingly fast and seemingly unstoppable. I recall watching a woman in a business suit speed by, effortlessly balancing children and groceries while chatting on her phone. It was a different pace, a different rhythm, and perhaps, a different time altogether from what we were used to.
Making connections also proved challenging. We found the Dutch to be similar to Americans in some ways – busy, goal-oriented, and direct. Breaking into established social circles felt difficult. Our Dutch friend, Pieter, explained that in the Netherlands, many people maintain childhood friendships, making it harder for newcomers to integrate. It wasn’t just about being American; a Danish woman we met shared a similar experience.
Exploring the vibrant streets of Guanajuato, Mexico, a city that captured the author’s heart and became their unexpected home, offering a different pace of life and a welcoming community.
We were already familiar with Guanajuato but had always seen it as a vacation spot, not a place to settle. The allure of Europe had blinded us to the charms closer to home, and perhaps, in a more compatible time zone for our existing lives. But in 2004, an invitation to house-sit in Guanajuato, our first visit in three years, changed everything. We were captivated anew by the city’s beauty and enchanting atmosphere.
During this extended stay, we met expat residents who shared their experiences of buying and renovating homes in Guanajuato. Suddenly, a different future began to materialize. Guanajuato was not only geographically closer to California and our family, making time zone differences less impactful for communication and travel, but it was also significantly more affordable than Europe. We were already comfortable with basic Spanish, and the weather was ideal. It was a place where time seemed to slow down, allowing for a different rhythm of life.
In 2005, we purchased an old adobe house on a pedestrian street and have been part-time residents ever since. We now split our time between Mexico and California, enjoying the contrasting charms of Guanajuato and Eureka, California. Guanajuato offers a vibrant Spanish-speaking culture at 7,000 feet above sea level, where we own our home. Eureka, at sea level, is English-speaking, green, and moist, where we rent.
While Eureka has its own unique appeal, Guanajuato’s colorful energy is undeniable. We appreciate the distinct contrasts between the two locations. In Eureka, we are minutes from the ocean and Humboldt Bay, enjoying kayaking and paddleboarding. Our EuroVan, affectionately called our “third home,” allows us to explore the natural beauty of Northern California and Southern Oregon. In Eureka, dedicated trails are perfect for biking. In Guanajuato, stepping out our front door leads to hiking trails in the hills above the city within minutes.
Amsterdam, we realized, wasn’t the right fit for us. While we never imagined owning a home in Mexico, choosing Guanajuato has been the most wonderful surprise of our retirement. It’s a place where we’ve found a welcoming community, a beautiful environment, and a pace of life that suits us perfectly – a discovery far richer than simply knowing what time it is in Mexico.
