The Pandemic Pushed Me To: Move to Mexico
The Pandemic Pushed Me To…. Move to Mexico. The third and final instalment in our limited series exploring tales of optimism and positivity during the pandemic, puts the spotlight on Megs Miller who, earlier this year, left the bright lights of London Town for the equally bright, but slightly more colourful, lights of Mexico City.
With over fifteen years of hospitality experience, bartender, consultant and famed agave lover, Megs has worked in some of the industry's most beloved bars, including: Bramble in Edinburgh, Potato Head in Indonesia, plus FAM and Opium Cocktail & Dim Sum Parlour in London. Here, she tells us what prompted her to make the move of a lifetime in pursuit of a long-held dream.
As a teenager, Megs fell in love with Mexico as soon as she stepped off the plane from her snow-trodden hometown of Alberta, Canada. “I remember the smell when I landed. I remember everything; The tropical-ness, the colours, the aromas, the people. Everything is so bright and colourful. Mexico is so beautiful and engaging but also it’s quite spicy, so that’s quite intoxicating.”
Moving countries can be daunting, but Megs has ample experience with time spent living in Canada, London, Scotland, Australia, Indonesia and Colombia. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Megs credits her father for inspiring her intrepid spirit. “I had a thing with my dad - do you want to look back in fifty years and say you did it or you didn't? Do you want to live with dreams or memories? So, if it doesn’t work out at least I tried. I don't think trying something new is failing, even if it doesn't work out. That's kind of my mentality, just going for it. Worst-case scenario is that you learn from it, right?”
Whilst risk assessment is an important part of any big life-change, the rewards are abundant for Megs. “I just feel alive every single day. Life is never boring for me in Mexico. Every single day that I've woken up, living here, I feel like I'm inside a dream. The word that I keep saying, in Spanish, is ‘consentida.’ I feel very, very spoiled living in Mexico. I feel inspired for work, for friendships, for travel, for everything. So yes, I feel very ‘consentida’, very spoiled.”
For many, Mexico is a dream holiday location, but what’s it like to be there, full time? “Since I've landed in Mexico, I haven't had a single week the same.” says Megs. “I've gotten to go to four states already and over a dozen palenques and distilleries in less than four months, and those trips are always very, very fun. My Spanish teacher asked me ‘when was the last time that you were at a beach?’ Oh my gosh, I don't know! He asked, ‘When was the last time you had a vacation?’ I have no idea! But for the first time in my life, I don't feel like I need a vacation. I’m good. I'm good with the way life is going so I think that's a pretty spectacular feeling to have.”
When asked what advice she’d give to someone considering a relocation, Megs is passionate about the need to leap and jump into uncertainty. As someone who has lived in seven countries, Megs has reaped the bounties that adventure can bring. Of course, there are practical considerations to be made and due diligence is essential. Do your research, reach out to people you know, explore visa stipulations, and get creative. “I have a really good friend right now who’s doing an exchange program. There are also different opportunities so that you can try out the country first and maybe do work experience. I think there's multiple different ways to do it, but if you really want to go to Mexico, reach out and we can have a chat.”
As for her future, Megs is characteristically busy working on something new. “I just want to learn as much as I can about everything Mexican. Not just agave spirits, but also coffees, wines, cervezas, cacao, vanilla, honey and everything. The idea is to have a little Mexican tiendita with everything super Mexican, so now we’re just going through the stages of where and when. I’m taking my sweet time to do it right because this is the dream project. It’s the long term one so, despacito!”
In her own words, Megs is living her ‘consentida’ dream, and we implore you to do the same. For more tips and tricks, check out the full video interview.
