Expat Lifestyle: San Miguel De Allende, A Great Place To Live And A Better Place To Die?

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. Religious and spiritual preferences can be suspended - what rituals matter to you? and can they even happen here? Cultural shock can hit hard: Mexican law requires burial or cremation within 24-48 hours, unlike other countries. Geographic challenges are expensive and complicated when crossing borders. Hidden expectations include local customs you never anticipated, bureaucracy, language barriers, high costs, and even religious police involvement in some countries.  Mexican legal requirements operate differently than our home countries.

We are approaching Día de los Muertos in early November, the tradition that reveals San Miguel's heartfelt approach to death. This ancient tradition celebrates deceased loved ones with vibrant joy. Families create elaborate altars - ofrendas - decorated with marigold flowers, photographs, favorite foods, and personal mementos. This all entices the spirits of the departed to return to visit, making death a continuation, not an ending.

Throughout the city, decorative skulls - calaveras -, cut paper banners, and sugar skulls transform death imagery into art. Bakeries sell pan de muerto (bone-shaped sweet bread), while families gather at cemeteries for vigils filled with music, storytelling, and shared meals.San Miguel's Catholic heritage deeply influences death customs. The city's churches from the Parroquia to neighborhood chapels host masses and memorial services. Catholic traditions emphasize death as the transition to eternal life. Families blend indigenous Mexican spiritual beliefs with Catholicism, creating unique practices like burning copal incense, prayers to saints with ancient symbols alongside Christian imagery. This creates rich spiritual support honoring both local ancestry and faith simultaneously. Local funeral traditions can be elaborate.

Processions wind through cobblestone streets while mourners follow, often with mariachi music. Once we witnessed a cortege of purple busses honking, flashing their lights, covered with posters wend its way through town to honor a former bus driver.  Burial ceremonies are followed by lengthy gatherings with storytelling, abundant food, and open celebration of the deceased's life.

Our community has developed robust support networks. The 24 Hour Society offers round-the-clock assistance and funeral arrangements, Jardines Nueva Vida offers pre-paid funeral arrangements. The new Lee Carter Hospice Care Center offers compassionate, holistic end-of-life care. Volunteer organizations help navigate Mexican legal requirements, coordinate with funeral homes, and provide emotional support. Mexican law's 24-48 hour requirement makes advance preparation crucial. As a Scottish gal who grew up with death hidden, never discussed and adults-only participation, watching this beautiful cultural celebration unfold here delights me. I'm grateful to live here. Let's plan ahead and embrace San Miguel's unique approach to life's final chapter.

Doreen Cumberford, Transitions coach, author and host ofThe Nomadic Diaries podcast available at www.nomadicdiariespodcast.com