By Don Krim It is only 48 hours before we hit the deadline for applications and the numbers are making me nervous: only 45 high school - prepa  - applicants, only 35 university (those already attending.) “Where is everybody?” I know the goal of any non-profit (NGO) should be obsolescence, to be no longer needed. But the question runs through my mind: “Are more and more local Mexican youth abandoning bachelor’s study (licenciatura) in favor of technical degrees(TSU) or just vo

By Don Krim Checking final details of Jóvenes Adelante’s Congress 3.0  - expecting 182 prospective applicants, 92 of their parents, 150 current JA  students and graduates, and over 145 supporters - the level of responsibility weighs on me. Prospective applicants are filled with hope, nervousness, uncertainty. Those graduating high school have a leg up - they’ve already had short interviews in December. They know us - a little. They also know there is more. University applican

By Mae Hart A new free English language school is opening. The project began after careful planning with Coco and Nancy Hoch  (owners of Geek&Coffee ), who helped set up the program and are hosting the school. The goal is to provide free English classes for local children and to create a space where learning is accessible to families from different backgrounds. With their support, the program now has an accredited English teacher who is officially trained and also paid for th

By Staff Writer On Sunday, January 18 th , San Miguel de Allende was honored by the visit of Mexico’s president  Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo . She came to visit the site where the new Centro de Excelencia de Parteria y Bienestar—Center of Excellence in Midwifery and Wellness will open. The project, promoted by  IMSS Bienestar Health Services , embraces the  'CASA' project, which was launched more than 30 years ago by Alejandro González and Nadine Goodman , together with dozens of

By Donna Lynes Miller Rosey’s Wish,   El Deseo de Rosey  is an NGO currently operating in San Miguel de Allende with the mission to end animal suffering through their free mobile sterilization clinics. Their story is below. Have you ever thought about the relationship between humans and animals? Did we shape them or did they shape us? The answer is most likely both; a symbiotic relationship that began at least 15,000 years ago. Whether you consider yourself a “dog person” or

By Susan Knight York There is no chef that’s left more of an impact on the culinary profile of San Miguel de Allende than Chef Donnie Masterton  of The Restaurant . He has influenced so many people, including young people zwho are working in culinary careers in San Miguel. The level of respect for him runs deep. In the 14 years I’ve been writing about  the culinary scene in San Miguel, I’ve learned one thing: it’s hard to miss how many aspiring young cooks have passed through

By Natalie Taylor Nadine Goodman  came to San Miguel from New York in the 1970s. A friend owned a house here and suggested she visit so that she could study Spanish. It was not intended to be a permanent move, but in 1981, Nadine  met her future husband, Alejandro González Rullán , and settled here. Alejandro was an actuary who had studied at UNAM. But he was also an activist, and his concern with social justice was in sync with Nadine’s beliefs. In the US, Nadine was always

By Stan Allen, 8-year volunteer On November 20, 2015, ABBA House opened its doors for the first time. Pastor Ignacio  and his young family realized that migrant need and care required more than hot meals and warm clothing delivered daily from the trunk of the family car. Pastor Ignacio had a humanitarian and ambitious vision 10 years ago! The initial mission of ABBA House was to offer migrants fleeing violence, poverty, and oppression in their Central American countries, a pl

By Sharon Doherty Most of us can remember a teacher who made a real difference in our lives, someone whose warmth, patience, and sense of humor helped us discover a love of learning. But imagine how much more powerful that connection can be when you are a Deaf child meeting a teacher who is also Deaf, who understands your world and your language completely. Laura  is one such teacher. Her story begins when her parents enrolled her at EEESMA School for the Deaf  in 2013, at th

By Natalie Taylor María Luisa, Pakina , Langenscheidt  was born in México City to a Mexican-German heritage. Her great-grandfather, came to México from Germany in the late 1800s and married into a family connected to the Obregons, a distinguished Mexican family. She grew up in México City but at the age of eight the family moved to San Miguel de Allende, where she did her primary schooling. Right after high school she married Jaime Fernandez, and as young housewife and mother

By Doreen Cumberford We know that San Miguel is a fantastic place to live, but do we ever stop to consider what a remarkable place it is to die? For expats, this enchanting colonial city offers profound cultural discoveries about death and dying that differ dramatically from often sterile Northern approaches. Here, death is embraced as natural, celebrated with joy, processions and celebrations rather than hidden away. When expats die overseas, complexity multiplies instantly.

By Danita Brisson If volunteering has begun to feel less fulfilling and more draining, you might be experiencing burnout. This month panel members, Arlene Van Note , President of the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of San Miguel de Allende , and Don Krim , President of Jóvenes Adelante  discuss how to recognize burnout, what to do if you encounter it, and strategies to stop it before it stops you. Recognize – How doesburnout feel? Arlene  says: “Trust your own body because

As entities committed to protecting animals, we are grateful to have the opportunity to express our position with regards to the recent...

By Danita Brisson San Miguel is blessed with several animal welfare charities, offering rescue, foster and adoption, spay and neuter...

By Danita Brisson Volunteering abroad is a local concern with global consequences. Fortunately, fellow Atención News  columnist and...

By Danita Brisson What began with one man’s concern about the health and welfare of children in the campo has evolved into one of San...

By Danita Brisson The most significant contribution you can make to an organization may not always be money. As nonprofits evolve from...

By Danita Brisson Over-population among San Miguel’s four-legged residents poses a threat to animals and humans. It’s the product of...

By Joyce Grenis, Board Member Step inside this house for a moment. You’re in a room with the glare of sunlight coming in the window,...

By Aundria McMillan Humphrey Watersheds are the backbone of our ecosystems, crucial for sustaining life by managing water flow,...