Population of English Speakers (American / Candadian / etc/
09-21-2013, 01:17 PM,
#1
Population of English Speakers (American / Candadian / etc/
Hey folks,
My friends in the US ask me all the time how many like me live in the city of Guanajuato, and I give some random number--lately I have been saying that there are 300 and sometimes I modify this to 300 households. Does anyone have any somewhat accurate estimate of the American / Canadian (Enlgish speaking) population of the city of Guanajuato?
Thanks,
Frank
09-21-2013, 01:50 PM,
#2
RE: Population of English Speakers (American / Candadian / etc/
I too have the same question.

The U.S. consul in SMA is very responsive and diligent. Maybe he could query Inmigraci?n; it chould be likely to keep track of the various permits issued to foreigners and find the number of them with Guanajuato residency.

INM results would not be completely accurate but would be a good indication and since all permits are supposedly computerized it should not be too difficult to sort the database of foreigners with Guanajuato residency and/or destination.

Or maybe Martha Roberts, U.S. Warden for Guanajuato, would know a way to make an official query. (She's a member of this forum.)

I could be wrong but i believe San Miguel de Allende had an "official" Mexican government estimate of 14,000 to 17,000 foreign residents last year so there may be a government agency that does indeed have the answer.
09-21-2013, 05:26 PM,
#3
RE: Population of English Speakers (American / Candadian / etc/
While we're at it let's be inclusive - the map below shades in green all of the world's countries in which English is the official or predominant language.

09-21-2013, 07:21 PM,
#4
RE: Population of English Speakers (American / Candadian / etc/
Do Not forget the college kids who seem to love to practice their English on us Ole farts. I was approached probably 8 or 9 times in a month by mostly young college gals with questions about me, where was I from, do I like Guanajuato, how long will I be here Etc?. They almost always in pairs sometimes a gal & a guy but usually 2 gals.
09-24-2013, 10:34 AM,
#5
RE: Population of English Speakers (American / Candadian / etc/
I am curious. My Norte American friends ask me all the time how many expats are here. I knew the SMA number would be big. I am guessing my 300 or 300 household estimate might be low.
Thanks for the replies.
09-24-2013, 04:06 PM,
#6
RE: Population of English Speakers (American / Candadian / etc/
Based purely on personal observations over 4 years of half time residency here, I would say the 300 household figure is high, maybe quite high. I seem to count mas o menos 200 individuals on a recurring basis. Much beyond that would be inflated IMO.
09-24-2013, 07:34 PM,
#7
RE: Population of English Speakers (American / Candadian / etc/
Ok. Thanks, jesm! Good to know that I am in the ball park. When my American friends express a little interest in Guanjuato life (those that get past the "is it safe with all the warring narcotraficantes" idea), I tell them one important aspect of expat life in Guanajuato, as opposed to other communities with very large numbers of expats, is the need to learn the language and the culture.
Not just a necessity. I think that is one of the pleasures of living as an expat.
09-25-2013, 08:45 PM, (This post was last modified: 09-25-2013, 08:48 PM by The Duck.)
#8
RE: Population of English Speakers (American / Candadian / etc/
Here's a way to figure it based on one of the first Spanish words newbie ex-pat homeowner's learn: "casita". Each new or remodel job seems to contain one of these.

With that fact in mind go to the main vacation rental sites* [VRBO and other homeaway sites, FlipKey/TripAdvisor/AirB&B/Craigslist etc - count up the offerings, deduct for duplicate entries and the obviously Mexican-owned properties [the vast minority] Multiply the remainder by 2 [as most owners have a significant other] then add 50 to 100 fornon-casitistas and all the singles floating around in long term rentals [for example this can include those teaching in the U and members of the OSUG] and, based on my recollections last I did such a count, 300 or so seems about right.

* you can't do this count from the GTO Sec Turismo site as most of these rentals are unregistered - to be so the owners need to be paying/collecting taxes: ISR, IETU, Estatal y IVA on a monthly basis - and of course to avoid costly errors also paying an accountant to handle them.
09-25-2013, 10:34 PM,
#9
RE: Population of English Speakers (American / Candadian / etc/
Very clever, Se?or Duck! I also did a count, less creative than yours but even more laborious. What I did was make a list of all the local expats I could think of who come from the U.S. or English-speaking Canada (as I understood Frank's criterion). Yes, this took a while. But then for me it was worth the effort, as I've long been curious about the number of "us" here.

My list includes friends, enemies, people I know well, and some I know only by sight. Most of the people on the list are year-round residents, but I also included anyone who spends at least a few months of every year here. (It would have been nice to limit the list to those who spend at least half the year here, like jesm, but that would have required a lot of guesswork.)

Anyway, my own personal grand total is 188. And I don't get out that much. I'm sure I forgot a few acquaintances, and, more important, I'm aware that there are many expats here whom I've never met. Once a year or so, I'll go to a party and meet a handful of expats who have lived here for five or ten years, and somehow we've never met at all. People travel in different circles. There are also several Gtolist contributors whom I believe I've never met. But then it's hard to tell, with so many using noms de plume.

In view of all that, I'm also going with the 300 estimate. I would say at least 300.

Way too much time on my hands,
Don
09-25-2013, 10:53 PM,
#10
RE: Population of English Speakers (American / Candadian / etc/
Thanks Don. Que lastima that two Aussies are missing from the list. Still grieving the loss of those two locos!


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