San Miguel de Allende is a case in point. Americans have invaded this small, historically significant Colonial Mexican town and refused to do the hard work of learning the language so they can assimilate into the culture. That which they expect of Mexicans coming to America to live, they do not expect of themselves.

The effect of this linguistic deprivation is social isolation and hostility. There are some American expats who actually boast that they will never learn Spanish. They expect all those who work for them to speak English. Rather than try to learn Spanish, many of them send their hired help to school for English lessons.

You cannot assimilate that which you cannot understand. You cannot have meaningful association with someone with whom you cannot communicate. Lack of communication breeds hostility and contempt. Am I wrong?

While doing research for our first book, the locals in San Miguel asked us:

"Why won't they learn our language?"

"Why won't they associate with us?"

This seemed to sum up the Mexicans' feelings in San Miguel de Allende.

The Americans to whom I've told this deny that there's a problem. The Americans do not get it. The Mexicans most certainly do.

In fact, I've had an American lunge at me over this issue. I live in a town an hour away from San Miguel. The San Miguelian American expats make frequent excursions to the capital city where I live. When they come to Guanajuato, they will act out often just as they do in San Miguel.

I once had one of these visitors inform me the citizens of the city to which I've expatriated all speak English but they are pretending that they don't. Nice, huh?

As we chatted, I told her that for the most part, the Mexicans do not like the fact that the American expats will not associate with them. Her response was,

"So, you are telling me that they do not appreciate all the money we throw at them?"

Is this not so American?

Let's buy their love and respect with our money.

I replied, "You will never have their love and I can tell you that you certainly do not have their respect."

That is when she went for my eyes. Her husband pulled her off me.

Acts of violence, which seem to be the American way of life, are not isolated incidents among American expats. I've personally witnessed violence twice. Recently, people have begun to come forward and report that Americans have attacked them in fits of I-am-certainly-better-than-you rage.