How B Roberson Moved to Mexico, Opened a Food Truck (B's Frito Pollo) & Built a Community

[00:00:00] You're watching Black Expat Stories, the show where we dive deep into the experiences of Black people across the diaspora who have boldly decided to immigrate abroad in search of a better life.

[00:00:09] I'm your host, Courtney Bowden, and I'm a Black American writer who also took the leap of faith and moved overseas.

[00:00:15] In this special On Location episode, I'm joining you from the Gourmet Food Park in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

[00:00:21] I'm sitting down with B, a Cali native and expat whose food truck has become a local sensation.

[00:00:26] We'll explore what inspired B's move to Mexico, why she started serving up her irresistible chicken, and how she's created a vibrant community around her delicious eats.

[00:00:36] B, I met you for the first time at a rooftop event, and that's where I had your food, your delicious food.

[00:00:42] And since then, your food truck, B's Frito Pollo, has become a mainstay in the Playa del Carmen community, and I'm so thrilled to be having this conversation with you.

[00:00:51] How you doing?

[00:00:52] I'm doing good. Thank you so much, Courtney.

[00:00:54] Yes, I do remember that night. You guys were all, everybody was like, oh my God, how we didn't know about your food truck.

[00:01:00] And so it was really a nice event because I got to share my food with you guys, and it just, the buzz got to go.

[00:01:08] Yeah.

[00:01:08] So yeah, it was a good time. Yeah, but I'm doing great. Thank you for having me.

[00:01:12] Of course. You're a Cali native, and you lived all over the United States.

[00:01:17] And before we dive into your expat journey, I want you to take me back to what life was like before you made the decision to move abroad.

[00:01:26] Okay.

[00:01:26] What was that like?

[00:01:27] Yeah, so I was born in California, but I spent my teenage years in Texas.

[00:01:32] Okay.

[00:01:32] And then from there, I moved to Washington, D.C. After that, I moved to Tennessee and then Atlanta and then back to Nashville.

[00:01:40] So I have lived in several different areas in the United States. And before I moved here, I was my first grade school teacher. So I did that, but by nature, I was an entrepreneur. I had my own Airbnb business in Atlanta. So I did that, but I was also, I also got into teaching my very first time teaching. And so I was teaching first graders and yeah. So that was my life. My Airbnb's managing those.

[00:02:08] And I had actually just had a breakup. And so I go into that and just healing myself, taking the time to just really just heal myself and spend some time with my friends and just enjoy life at that time.

[00:02:20] Live your best life, right?

[00:02:22] Live my best life. Yes, yes.

[00:02:23] Tell me what inspired your move and why did you choose to begin your expat journey here in Playa del Carmen?

[00:02:28] Not only was I just breaking up from a long relationship and it was also my 40th birthday, but as you know, it was COVID, the time for COVID.

[00:02:38] And I had plans to travel that whole 2020 year, but everything got canceled because of COVID. I couldn't have a big party because everybody was social distancing.

[00:02:49] And so I decided to look into doing something. What could I do epic to celebrate myself turning 40?

[00:02:57] And so I was talking to a friend and she was telling me about Tulum and Playa. And at the time I was teaching and I needed good internet.

[00:03:04] And she was like, I think Playa would be a good start. And so I started doing some research on it and, you know,

[00:03:10] I'm excited to give myself at least six months in Mexico.

[00:03:15] Wow. So you gifted yourself six months here in Playa del Carmen for your 40th birthday. I'd say that's epic for sure.

[00:03:23] Yes.

[00:03:24] You came to Playa, you loved it, which that's everybody's story initially, I think, because Playa does have a way of seducing you with its charm, doesn't it?

[00:03:32] Yes, it does. It's magical. The energy is bar none.

[00:03:36] It really is. And it really can only be felt once you're here, I think. People can tell you all about it, but it's only until you have your own experience that it becomes real.

[00:03:45] As a Black woman living in America, I'm sure there were other factors that influenced your decision.

[00:03:51] Talk to me about why you felt it was necessary to leave the United States altogether. You could have chosen to go to Miami, L.A., any number of places in the United States. Why abroad?

[00:04:02] I chose Mexico because when I came here, I felt like I was not just tolerated, but celebrated when I came here.

[00:04:10] The people were so nice. The people were so generous. The energy is magical here.

[00:04:16] It is.

[00:04:16] And I would like maybe a few days after I got here, a big weight had lifted off of my shoulder.

[00:04:22] In America, I tell people all the time, it's getting, it's ghetto. It's ghetto. It's heavy.

[00:04:28] It's ghetto. Wait a minute. Did you say it's ghetto?

[00:04:32] Girl, yes. It's ghetto.

[00:04:33] It's ghetto. It's heavy. It is toxic. And so as a Black woman, you're trying to chase this illusion of the American dream and you never really could fully grab hold of it.

[00:04:48] And but in the midst of that, you're true. You're you're I would say you're thriving a little bit, but it's more of survival. Right.

[00:04:56] It's not a pleasant experience because you not only are trying to keep your own self going, but you have the weight of racism, of prejudice, of women not getting their fair share, not being really respected.

[00:05:09] I wanted to experience what it felt like to be celebrated and not just tolerated.

[00:05:14] And I felt that when I came to Mexico and when I came here, I was like, just tell us you don't want to live a good life.

[00:05:20] Because that's what it felt like when I got here. Wow.

[00:05:22] Like it was a good life. And so I said, why not? Why not?

[00:05:27] Why not? Why not?

[00:05:28] The best journeys always start with that question. Yeah.

[00:05:31] Why not? And in a previous conversation, you shared with me that one of the straws that sort of proverbially broke the camel's back

[00:05:38] was what you witnessed with Sandra Bland, the Sandra Bland case.

[00:05:42] Oh, yes. Yes.

[00:05:43] Talk to me about how that impacted you as a black woman.

[00:05:47] It impacted me a lot because Sandra Bland, I definitely see myself in her.

[00:05:53] She was a she was an advocate. I was an advocate. She was outspoken. I was outspoken.

[00:05:58] And I wasn't I didn't really have a fear of the police. I felt like they're just human beings just like me.

[00:06:04] But I would if you know, I'm gonna talk to you. And if you show me respect, I'll show you respect.

[00:06:10] And I can feel that energy with Sandra Bland. And so what happened to her when she lost her life

[00:06:17] in the custody of the police, I see myself as her because I knew that my tongue is quick.

[00:06:23] And I knew that if a police officer tried to disrespect me, I would then use my words to make him feel

[00:06:30] how he's making me feel just point blank period. And so I could see myself losing my life if a cop with a fragile ego

[00:06:39] pulled me over. And so Sandra Bland story, almost I could say that I got secondhand, you know, PTSD.

[00:06:48] Yes, I could say that because when I would be driving, if a police officer got behind me,

[00:06:53] the anxiety that welded up inside of me, the fear that welded up inside of me, I would be driving

[00:07:00] two and 10, just driving scared. And who wants to live like that? That's not a way to live. That's not

[00:07:06] a way to travel and stuff like that. And so I knew it wasn't a it wasn't about if it was going to happen,

[00:07:12] it was about when would it happen. So Sandra Bland situation, the similarities of my and her energy

[00:07:19] was just a very shock to my system. And so I just, I want to live and not die. Why die when I can live?

[00:07:28] Yeah, I remember that time as well. And that was a wake up call for so many of us. I mean, since then,

[00:07:34] we've gotten many more wake up calls. But to your point about not only surviving, but thriving and

[00:07:42] desiring to have that as an experience. And I'm sure reaching that milestone of 40, it made you think

[00:07:49] about the rest of your life even more, right? It's so funny, because I think about in a Bible

[00:07:54] that I had about in 2002, or between 2002 2005. And I remember writing in there that I wanted to,

[00:08:02] one of my goals was I wanted to make 40,000 a year. This was back in 2000. And I also wanted to retire at

[00:08:09] the age of 40. And so I remember writing that that I wanted to retire it every time I do my 401ks at work,

[00:08:16] I would put my retirement age at 40. And so I would aggressively invest in the stock market.

[00:08:22] And so subliminally, I was telling myself I'm retired at 40 and came to Mexico and child,

[00:08:30] I told my kids goodbye.

[00:08:32] You retired from teaching, but not from the other things.

[00:08:36] Yeah.

[00:08:36] Yeah. But I left the workforce and came here and into Mexico. So at the age of 40. So

[00:08:42] Wow.

[00:08:42] So I was like, a self-fulfilling prophecy.

[00:08:45] That's amazing. I always admire people who make this leap by themselves. I came with my husband.

[00:08:51] How did your friends and family react to your decision to move to Mexico?

[00:08:56] It was a mixed bag because they knew that I'm a risk taker. But there was other family members like,

[00:09:02] is it safe out there? Are you afraid? You know, why do you need to go so far? You know,

[00:09:09] that because they don't understand. They give you that talk. Be careful. That little talk.

[00:09:14] They're not saying they're scared for you, but they're like, be careful. Make sure you see if

[00:09:18] you can get some mace or something or offering their advice on how to stay safe in the country. But

[00:09:25] once you, once I got here, I was just like, I felt so much safer here than I did in the States.

[00:09:31] Yeah. That's a lot of people's story. And people tell me that often. And I feel the same way

[00:09:36] myself, especially as a black woman. Right.

[00:09:38] So my husband and I, we moved here together, as I mentioned, and like you, some of our friends and

[00:09:44] family members had a lot of concerns because of how Mexico and other countries like it are portrayed in

[00:09:53] the media. Like you said earlier, the violence, the cartel, the corruption, the kidnapping.

[00:09:58] They had those same words of advice for us too. We know that visiting a place is much different

[00:10:04] than living there. I want to talk about your first days here. What were some of your initial

[00:10:08] impressions and how did you acclimate to your new environment? Because I'm sure this was radically

[00:10:13] different from what Nashville that you moved directly from. I would say that Mexico has grown a

[00:10:19] lot. Cause when I first got here, there was some things that I was just like, oh Lord, my first few

[00:10:25] days here were amazing. I was near fifth Avenue. I wouldn't do that again, but I seen the family

[00:10:32] that would be eating and the merchants and the live music, and it's just a lot of energy. And so I

[00:10:38] really soaked all that in. I came here with my dogs. And so me and my dog, we would walk. I would just

[00:10:44] explore the city. This is a very walkable city. It is. We would be going to the beach and just enjoying

[00:10:51] the sun. It was like, wow, this is amazing. Yeah. This is the life. And I was staying in Airbnb for

[00:10:58] about three, I got it for four days. And then I really aggressively looked for my permanent or my long

[00:11:05] term stay. So I would walk up and down the streets and look for signs and stuff. And then I found my

[00:11:13] place and moved in there. I know, look, that's Spanish. I was going to ask you that if you knew

[00:11:19] any Spanish. Google translate. I used to speak Spanish fluently when I was younger, which is

[00:11:24] surprising, but I want you don't use it, you lose it. And so having to navigate everything here,

[00:11:30] not knowing the language is very uncomfortable. And you just had to take a risk that you were

[00:11:36] that Google translate told you the, what it was being said in the contracts and stuff like that.

[00:11:41] Yeah. But yeah, I was the best risk that I could take, you know, I'm very proud of myself. Um, but

[00:11:48] went to the grocery stores and they didn't have a lot of, they have no seasoning, you know, you had to,

[00:11:54] we had to see what was the alternative, not having black products here. Yeah. It was weird, but you just

[00:12:01] realize what you don't really need. Right. So that's kind of kind of acclimated moving to my condo

[00:12:07] and was there for a year. I am a communicator. So I like to go out and talk to people and I'm not

[00:12:13] afraid to talk to strangers. I would just ask a lot of questions. I don't mind asking questions.

[00:12:18] Yeah. And, and so would ask questions connected with my people who do my laundry and then they would give

[00:12:24] me different resources or advice. Yeah. And you know, people often romanticize the idea of moving abroad,

[00:12:31] especially now on social media, the idea of the digital nomad and the expats is glamorized.

[00:12:38] What were some of those other challenges that you had to overcome after moving? After moving hard water.

[00:12:44] Yeah. And then also the food is different here, right? You, the food tastes different. America,

[00:12:50] you have a lot of stuff that's pumped with hormones and pesticides and all of the things that make

[00:12:56] you feel bloated and the flavors not being there. That was a struggle. Um, cause I was like, cause we

[00:13:01] used to Tex-Mex and... Right. Heavily seasoned. I don't know what they be doing at the black.

[00:13:06] I hear you come in the taco just with just onions. It's like meat, onion, cilantro, and salsa.

[00:13:13] Right. They be like, do you have sour cream? They be like, what? They don't even... It's not readily used

[00:13:19] Right. Right. Fun fact. Sour cream is not a thing on tacos here. No, it is not. Do not ask for sour cream

[00:13:27] cause they probably don't have it. Because they don't have it. Bring your own. Bring your own.

[00:13:30] I had to bring them on to some places. Yeah. So you're used to the American food and then you come here and it's...

[00:13:36] And we're going to get into... Cause this conversation about food is really important, especially because

[00:13:41] you started your food truck and you saw an opportunity. And I'm really excited to learn more about

[00:13:47] the inspiration behind that. But before we get into that, let's talk about the Blacksit movement,

[00:13:54] right? Because you are, we are one of many. I admire you so much for not just taking the leap

[00:14:02] abroad for also starting your business. And I'm sure this place represents a fresh start from you.

[00:14:08] And so what advice do you have for those people who are looking to have a fresh start of their own

[00:14:16] life? And they may consider moving abroad. So my advice to them is really like Nike, just do it.

[00:14:24] You know that? Because we can, the devil can be in the details, right? And we can detail ourselves out of

[00:14:30] making the move, right? So I would say the first thing is make up your mind that you're going to do it.

[00:14:35] And believe that the universe is going to guide you in a way that will, of course, do all the things.

[00:14:43] Move in intentionally, do your research, start joining some of the groups and the face of the

[00:14:48] groups and things like that. No place is going to have all of your needs, but most of your needs,

[00:14:53] right? And identifying that, but move in the way intentionally as you're just going to do it.

[00:14:59] I'm going to move. You found the reason because whatever the reason why you want to move abroad

[00:15:04] and you do it. I had to get the plane ticket. I won more and I woke up and I was like, I'm gonna get

[00:15:10] the plane ticket. The next time I got the Airbnb, you just start. It's once you speak it out and move

[00:15:17] intentionally, you just start just taking each step to start finding the ways to do it. I would say a

[00:15:23] great resource is joining the Facebook groups because there's so many people with so much information

[00:15:29] about the different places that you want to move. And they love sharing their stories and their

[00:15:34] resources of how they did it. And it also allows you to get friends. Like I didn't know anybody here,

[00:15:42] but I knew of people who were here because I would connect them with people on the Facebook group.

[00:15:47] Mm-hmm.

[00:15:47] But, and so that was refreshing. It's like, yeah, I'm moving alone, but I know that there's a Black

[00:15:52] expat community in this location because I've connected with them on Facebook.

[00:15:56] Yeah.

[00:15:56] Just be realistic when you're planning your moves, you know, that you're going to another country and

[00:16:02] find out what their, what the culture is like and do a little research, background research.

[00:16:07] Yeah.

[00:16:07] Learn some of the language.

[00:16:09] That helps greatly.

[00:16:10] You know, like, hi, you know, how to be polite, how to say, where's the bathroom? And they appreciate

[00:16:15] when you go to another country and you've taken the time to, to learn their language, to make it easier

[00:16:20] upon them.

[00:16:21] Many people are choosing to leave the United States in search of a better life, better quality of life,

[00:16:26] and I always say that the Blacksit is not just a moment, it's a movement.

[00:16:33] Yeah.

[00:16:34] And it's reshaping our entire narrative as a Black diaspora. And so I'm curious to hear

[00:16:40] your perspective on this emerging movement. What are you witnessing right now and where do you think

[00:16:45] this is all going?

[00:16:46] It's definitely a movement, right? And you're seeing Black people have more access to,

[00:16:54] people are literally looking for other options. And so I'm even noticing that there's more and more

[00:17:00] Black people here in Mexico. And they're coming here to check it out to see if this is a place

[00:17:05] that they can, they can live. But I think that it's, they're tired. What I said earlier, they're tired of

[00:17:11] just being tolerated. They're tired of sending their kids to school and their school and their child's

[00:17:16] not getting the same adequate resources as the people across the railroad tracks. They're tired

[00:17:22] of being scared if there's going to be a shooting in their schools or at the grocery store or heaven's dot.

[00:17:27] And it's not just by other citizens, well, citizens, but it's also by the people that we should be

[00:17:32] trusting the most, the police officers and stuff like that. That weighs on us. We've had enough

[00:17:37] tragedy and trauma. And I think that Black people are now they have the resources, they have the finances,

[00:17:44] they have the education, that they don't have to stay there.

[00:17:48] Yeah. They don't have to stay there. And the more and more that they see people like me and you

[00:17:53] and see that a life can be just as beautiful and refreshing and cool and easy, they will make the

[00:18:02] choice to lead. And I'm telling you, I'm on the blogs and on Facebook and they are talking about

[00:18:07] moving. And so they're, they're taking their, their dollars and they're leaving. Yeah.

[00:18:12] Yeah. I'm proud of them. I'm so proud to see more and more Black people make the choice to leave

[00:18:20] because it's like an abusive relationship. How your girlfriend, she was with that man that got

[00:18:24] bopped upside the head and you kept on telling her to leave and she just couldn't. Now she's free.

[00:18:30] And I just want to say, yes. When I see her, I'm like, yes.

[00:18:35] Rhonda gets so happy. I'm like, hey y'all.

[00:18:37] Yes.

[00:18:38] Yes.

[00:18:39] Yes.

[00:18:40] Yeah.

[00:18:41] It is like a family union every time.

[00:18:43] It does feel like a family union.

[00:18:44] Yeah. Because of day, you did that.

[00:18:46] Yeah.

[00:18:46] I'm sure the slaves used to feel like that when the people from the South came to the North.

[00:18:51] They'd be like, you made it.

[00:18:52] Yeah.

[00:18:52] Yeah.

[00:18:52] You child, we're so happy.

[00:18:54] You made it up. So that's the kind of joy that I feel when I see other Black people make the leap.

[00:19:01] And it's, it's a beautiful sight to see.

[00:19:04] It's a beautiful sight to see.

[00:19:04] Even if you just do it for a, a short time, three months, I was going to be here for six months and ended up

[00:19:10] staying longer and then moving here.

[00:19:12] That's my story too, girl.

[00:19:13] Yeah.

[00:19:14] It was a six month trial, trial experience.

[00:19:18] Two plus years later, still here.

[00:19:19] Right, right.

[00:19:20] Now this is it.

[00:19:20] Yeah.

[00:19:21] This is where you're at.

[00:19:22] And to see people bringing their children and showing them that their children can live in

[00:19:27] another place.

[00:19:28] I think about Felicia Rashad and Debbie Allen's story and their parents moved them here when they

[00:19:34] were young. And so they, they grew up in Mexico. And so they did not even, so when they went back to America,

[00:19:41] they went knowing, not having to experience the same type of racism that the other Black children in

[00:19:47] America did because they were in Mexico.

[00:19:49] Yeah.

[00:19:49] Mexico was welcoming and it wasn't about race and things like that. So I love hearing about that story

[00:19:56] because now look at them, the two amazing women that are so for sure in themselves and doing amazing

[00:20:01] things in the States. But yeah, so it's a gift and I love seeing it. And it's going to be-

[00:20:05] I do too.

[00:20:06] It's going to be more, more and more people start circulating the stories and America heavy child.

[00:20:12] It is.

[00:20:13] It is heavy.

[00:20:13] It is.

[00:20:14] It is heavy.

[00:20:15] Now, a huge reason why Playa del Carmen is one of the fastest growing cities in Mexico is because of

[00:20:21] us expats. Why do you think Playa is a good place to start one's expat journey?

[00:20:26] I think it's a good start. That's a good question. I think it's a great start because one,

[00:20:31] it's about a two hour plane ride from the States, right? It is part of North America. And so you're not

[00:20:38] flying across the pond. The flights at different times of the year can be affordable, right?

[00:20:43] I think Playa is becoming a great starter for a lot of people because you have a lot of your first

[00:20:49] world needs here now. They have a Walmart, they have, you can go and you can find American products

[00:20:55] and the more and more, like you said, because of expats that have come here and even melanated

[00:21:01] expats.

[00:21:01] Right.

[00:21:01] You go to the store, child, they got-

[00:21:03] J Moisture time!

[00:21:04] Yeah, I saw it!

[00:21:05] Let me tell you something. The other day I was at Walmart, I saw a kid too.

[00:21:09] What I'm saying?

[00:21:11] Coming up.

[00:21:12] Because I remember times.

[00:21:13] Listen, they know our dollars matter now.

[00:21:15] They do! They do!

[00:21:17] I want to know they have some child, boy.

[00:21:18] What's the child?

[00:21:19] Oh yeah!

[00:21:20] We coming up in the world.

[00:21:22] I was looking for some old baby because I have fish fries on today.

[00:21:25] Baby, they have old bait!

[00:21:27] They have old bait?

[00:21:28] Old bait, girl!

[00:21:29] It's okay, we got to talk offline about that because I have to import mine in.

[00:21:33] Oh, they have it.

[00:21:34] Okay.

[00:21:34] Girls, them kind of wins, you know what I'm saying?

[00:21:36] And not only that, but it's a lot of- we do have a good black expat community here.

[00:21:41] And I think that it's a great start because here in Playa, a lot of people speak English.

[00:21:47] Yes, it is a Spanish-speaking city or country, but you come to Playa because it was created for

[00:21:53] tourism and vacations and stuff like that. A lot of people speak to you in English, so you don't

[00:21:59] have to transition. You're not coming and not knowing anything that's being said because they will

[00:22:04] speak English to you, right?

[00:22:07] And like I said, it's not too far, so if you have an emergency back at home,

[00:22:11] you can go back to the States and take care of that. And we didn't want to live in the sun.

[00:22:18] And look at where we are. It's beautiful.

[00:22:20] And it's affordable. It's affordable. If you live in New York or California or somewhere where your rent

[00:22:26] is like $3,000 a month just for a little tiny space, you come here and you really can save on your

[00:22:33] living expenses here. And it is a great starter to me. It lets you feel what living in another

[00:22:39] country is without the major cultural shock. So many times when people find out that I live abroad,

[00:22:46] I get inundated with questions. Can you say the same?

[00:22:49] Yes. I grab pictures of my DMs all the time.

[00:22:52] Yes. How do you do this and how do you do that? And so people are curious to understand how we are

[00:22:59] living this expat life because it can be so different than life in the States or maybe in

[00:23:05] Canada or in other places like Britain. And one of the major reasons why I created this platform,

[00:23:10] Black Expat Stories, is to not just inspire people with amazing stories like yours, but to also inform.

[00:23:17] And so folks are looking for answers from people who look like us, right? Because I think for a long

[00:23:24] time moving abroad and world travel were often synonymous with white people. And now we're

[00:23:31] changing the face of that. And so we have a segment in the show called Ask an Expat, where I ask my guests

[00:23:40] some of the most burning questions from the viewers. Things like, how did you make your financial

[00:23:45] preparations to move abroad? How did you know where you were going to live? How did you make friends?

[00:23:52] How did you navigate the language barrier? How do you deal with homesickness? And so we got to give

[00:23:58] people what they want, right? But we can't give it all to you right now. That means that you should

[00:24:04] become a friend of the show for just a few dollars a month. You can get answers to questions and have

[00:24:11] access, all access to this behind the scenes content. I invite you to visit black expat stories.com

[00:24:19] support so that you can get the tea and the realness, right? Because we can only cover so much here

[00:24:26] around these experiences. I want to go back to something we talked about earlier in our conversation

[00:24:32] around the myths and misconceptions of Mexico. And I think it's a good opportunity to share with the

[00:24:39] viewers and those watching our longstanding relationship with this place as a black community.

[00:24:47] A lot of people think that this BlackSit movement is new and that a lot of us just landed here,

[00:24:55] but that's actually not the case. When we were talking a little bit earlier, you schooled me a little

[00:24:59] bit about how this country was a safe haven for the enslaved hundreds of years ago. Talk to me about

[00:25:08] how you understand this land as a sanctuary of freedom for us and how it has been for all these years.

[00:25:16] I tell you, it's hidden history, but it's not so hidden, but it is hidden because you didn't know about

[00:25:22] it. But I remember feeling so, so at peace and at home here. And I was like, man, what is it? And I

[00:25:29] used to think, I was like, what's going on? I have some Mexican people in my family. I was thinking

[00:25:34] about that. But I came across this article and I read the article and it was talking about during the

[00:25:39] war when slavery, slaves were moving to the north, the United States, a lot of people that were like

[00:25:46] in Texas and in those southern states to take the journey to the north could cost them their lives.

[00:25:52] Right. And so they said, we're down here. Why don't we just cross the Rio Grande? Once we cross the Rio

[00:25:57] Grande, then we'll be free. So a lot of people in the south, instead of them going up north, they went

[00:26:04] south and across the Rio Grande. And so the United States wanted to have a treaty with Mexico because

[00:26:13] Mexico no longer had slaves or anything like that. They abolished that. But they said that if you

[00:26:18] return the runaway slaves to us, we will pay you. And the article basically said they gave the

[00:26:27] the United States the bird. Or instead, once they set foot on our soil, they are free and they are

[00:26:34] welcomed here. And when I read that, I literally had goosebumps just all over my arms. And I was like,

[00:26:40] that is why I feel so connected to this land, because my ancestors were accepted here. They were

[00:26:46] welcomed here. They were this was a place of refuge for them. And so that made me even more want to

[00:26:53] give back to Mexico. Yeah. Like I wanted to be even more connected to Mexico. And I just felt at home.

[00:27:00] Yeah. I was like, wow. They were like, we're not we're not sending these people back. The way you abusing them.

[00:27:04] And I'm now we're not sending them back. Once they come here, they are free and they are welcome. And I

[00:27:10] was like, wow. So it just shows that, like you said, that we have a longstanding history with Mexico

[00:27:17] and we have been welcomed here and have been here. So you mentioned this knowing this information ignited

[00:27:26] the desire to give back. How do you see yourself doing that? I see myself doing that as being a resident.

[00:27:32] I'm here. I'm a resident. I'm a business owner. And so I pay taxes. I give back to the community.

[00:27:40] I hire the locals and I'm also looking for other ways to give back to them. But I think being here

[00:27:47] and communing with this land, I feel like that's the heart of giving back, right? And learning as much

[00:27:54] as I can about the culture, those type of things. But there are so many opportunities to give back.

[00:27:59] And so I look forward to learning more about those and so that I can give back even more.

[00:28:03] Yeah. And you're doing it day by day by making your delicious food available to the community.

[00:28:11] Bea, you've accomplished so much. What are you the proudest of?

[00:28:16] Bea, another good question, Courtney. I think I'm most proud of allowing myself to prevail, allowing myself to

[00:28:26] take the leap, allowing myself a different experience than the one that I'm used to.

[00:28:32] And I think that made way for so much more. And so I think that even I've allowed myself healing.

[00:28:43] When you come to Mexico and one thing that I love here is that they really have such a big community

[00:28:50] in healing through different modalities and different things like that. And so you have access to that.

[00:28:57] And so the level of healing, I'm changing the trajectory of my family's life just by being here.

[00:29:05] And so not only allowing myself to take the leap, but then getting the healing from the trauma and the

[00:29:12] chaos that I lived amongst. Right.

[00:29:14] You know, having to change my mindset from living in a very racist country to come into a place that,

[00:29:21] you know, you barely see, you don't see it. You and you know, I don't really see it, but healing from

[00:29:26] that and giving myself that gift. And so I'm most proud of myself for that. Yeah. Of course, I'm most

[00:29:32] proud of myself for doing, yeah, just doing something different. And then everything else is a byproduct of

[00:29:39] taking those steps. Right. And I've created an amazing community. I've connected with a lot of people.

[00:29:45] And, but first you have to make the decision to do the uncomfortable. The thing that scares you the most.

[00:29:52] That's right. That's right. So I'm most proud of myself for doing that because that in itself,

[00:29:57] people weren't doing that. No. And so to be some, to be like the first to be, to do that in my family

[00:30:05] and stuff like that, it's just been, I'm most proud of that. And I'm proud of you. No, thank you.

[00:30:10] I'm proud to know you. What's next for you and Bees Frito Pollo? What's on the horizon?

[00:30:17] Yeah. What can you tell us? I'm so proud of myself and Bees Frito Pollo too, though. I really am.

[00:30:24] It's because it's taken on a life of its own. I'm just the vessel to move it forward. But yeah, so

[00:30:30] we have some things coming up, expansion. And so we plan on being in every crevice of Latin America,

[00:30:37] as long as they have us. Having a Mexican corporation now allows me to go big or go home.

[00:30:45] So be on the lookout for more Bees Frito Pollo and some other projects to come up. They'll be happening.

[00:30:51] We're one step at a time. Now, Be, where can folks go to connect with Bees Frito Pollo? And where can

[00:31:00] they find their next finger licking meal? Ooh, okay. So first of all, the socials is on Facebook. You can look us

[00:31:08] up at Bees Frito Pollo. And that's B as in boy, Frito, F-R-I-O-T-O, Coyo, P-O-O-O. And then on Instagram,

[00:31:18] where we're most active is the real Frito Pollo. And then we are located, like we said,

[00:31:25] in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, off of Calle 28 and Avenita 25. We are inside of the Gourmet Food Park.

[00:31:34] And so yeah, you can find some delicious bites here and community.

[00:31:39] Up next, we'll explore the story behind Bees Frito Pollo and how it's become a top gathering

[00:31:45] spot for expats and locals alike. Be, most people move to a new place and they just make do with

[00:31:51] what's available to them. But what I love about what you've done is you saw an opportunity to bring

[00:31:57] something different to the food scene here in Playa del Carmen. So what sparked the idea for your food

[00:32:02] truck? As I had said earlier, one thing that you are very, that you made aware of as soon as you get

[00:32:10] here, that the food is very different than in the States. And they don't necessarily, they're not

[00:32:16] heavy on the seasoning. On the express. And I know for myself, food is my comfort, right? I love to eat,

[00:32:26] but I also love flavor. It was like we didn't have fried chicken or like some good macaroni,

[00:32:33] some good stuff that sticks to your bones. And so I had a friend at the time who did a lot of cooking,

[00:32:40] chicken, would sell chicken dinners and different things like that. She was a chef and she did catering.

[00:32:45] And so one day I had took her to a catering job and had some of her fried chicken and I was like,

[00:32:52] and light bulb just went off in my head. And I was like, we should open up a chicken spot. And we

[00:32:58] didn't know it was going to be a truss, but I was like, we should open up a chicken spot. I think that

[00:33:03] would be a great idea. And so I just seen a need for, especially because a lot of black,

[00:33:09] is the Black Sit movement started happening and Black people were moving to Mexico in droves.

[00:33:14] And so I didn't want one of the reasons for them to go back was because there wasn't good

[00:33:18] home cooked food, you know? Right.

[00:33:20] And so I identified a need and I said, let me fill it. And that's how the idea of the chicken truck and

[00:33:29] chicken idea came together. That's incredible that you just were even so thoughtful about

[00:33:35] creating something to make folks feel at home, away from home. And what I love about your menu is that

[00:33:43] it does give people that nostalgic taste of home away from home. There's nothing like going to mama's

[00:33:49] house, grandma's house, auntie's house and getting a good plate of food. And so why did you choose chicken

[00:33:57] chicken as your main menu item? And what else inspired the other menu items?

[00:34:03] For one, we all know that like you said, there's nothing like going to granny's house on Sunday

[00:34:09] and having some good fried chicken, having some collard greens, some good macaroni and cheese,

[00:34:17] you know, just eating some good food, right? We have the at the church in the basement

[00:34:24] and they serve me some good old- After service. Yeah.

[00:34:27] You know, and so the, the, those were the intentions is that I wanted people to feel

[00:34:33] like they were on a Sunday, at a Sunday dinner. And we know that chicken is just like apple pie in

[00:34:42] America. People love their chicken, honey, and fried chicken. Yeah. You know, so much so we have so many

[00:34:48] other fried chicken places. And so the intention was to make people feel at home, make people feel

[00:34:53] grandma's hug, make them feel a touch of mom. And so that's what really inspired. It was very

[00:35:00] intentional. I knew what I was missing with my family having Sunday dinners. My mom, I could remember

[00:35:06] my mom cooking chicken on, on Sundays. Yeah. And, and people would be in the house. She would have

[00:35:12] people from church come in and they'd be in there wanting that chicken. Grab a plate. Grab a plate.

[00:35:17] And they'd be like, Ooh, that's what this chicken is good. I remember those moments. And it just,

[00:35:22] it brings connection. It does. Food brings people together. Very much so. And so, you know,

[00:35:27] you gotta give the people what they need. That's right. And it, and I tell a lot of people that it

[00:35:31] was not even about me, right? It was really what the people need. The, the universe, God knew what

[00:35:39] people needed in this community so that they could feel connected and so that they could stay and not

[00:35:44] retreat back to the abuse. You know, sometimes your comfort, you go back to the comfort.

[00:35:49] To what's familiar to you. Right. So I just answered the call and yeah, so that, that's how it came to be

[00:35:55] the chicken and macaroni and cheese, you know, people who love them some macarons. You know, as I embarked

[00:36:01] on this journey, it's so funny because I did not re I knew people, my sister, let me just say,

[00:36:06] my sister Nia, she loved chicken so much. She eats the morrow. I remember I had to throw some chicken

[00:36:12] away in the trash. She was like, girl, you don't do that with that chicken. Give me that chicken. And

[00:36:16] she wouldn't. And I was like, why do people love chicken so much? And same thing with macaroni and

[00:36:21] cheese, girl, they love, I don't know if it's the cheese and the cream. It's the combination.

[00:36:26] The combination, you know. And so I started with the basics. I started with chicken, fried chicken,

[00:36:31] macaroni and cheese, seasoned french fries, because we like a little potato and with some seasoning on

[00:36:36] it and fried corn. And those were the staples of what I started with. I wanted to start simple

[00:36:41] and build upon that. Now we've expanded the menu to include some other southern favorites like fried

[00:36:47] cabbage and mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw, and just giving people, like I said, hearing the needs

[00:36:53] of the community or your clients or my, I said my family because they're the Frito family now and

[00:36:59] delivering that to them. So that's how the menu evolved even more. What's the most popular and most

[00:37:06] requested meal on your menu? Because I want some of that. So I would say that it is probably our Frito

[00:37:14] combos, either one of them. So the combos are the most because it comes and gives you a little bit of

[00:37:19] everything. It gives you a side, gives you the chicken and our sweet tea that people absolutely adore.

[00:37:25] So I'll make that good. This is not no powdered sweet tea, okay? Oh, that's real. That looks like

[00:37:31] Auntie and Grandma used to brew the sun tea. Yeah, the sun tea literally sits out in the sun for at least

[00:37:36] You make sun tea? It is not. I mean, I'm not gonna say, I guess it's sun tea because we

[00:37:42] sit it in the sun. Yeah. It wasn't intentionally supposed to be sun tea, but it is.

[00:37:46] Oh, there's nothing like sun tea. Because I know that you got to let it sit for a while.

[00:37:51] Gotta let it burn. Yeah. So we sit it out and we leave it out there for about maybe an hour,

[00:37:55] sometimes two hours so that it can get the flavors. But people love the tea. I have people

[00:38:00] requesting gallons of it. So we may start, we may start selling it. Okay. Be Sweet Tea in stores near you,

[00:38:07] right? Now, Bea, I'm an entrepreneur myself and I am all too familiar with the challenges and the

[00:38:17] the triumphs that come along with this journey. You were brave enough to start abroad because it's hard

[00:38:22] enough to start a business where you're originally from, but to move to a new country and do that.

[00:38:28] So can you share some of the challenges that you had to overcome and also some of the wins that you've

[00:38:34] enjoyed along the way? Yeah, the biggest challenge that I had to overcome was always a language barrier.

[00:38:41] I think that I said that earlier and it really was the language navigating, getting a truck fabricated

[00:38:48] in another part of Mexico and telling them what I want. And then they giving me something that I

[00:38:53] didn't want because of the language barrier. I thought Google was enough, but it wasn't. So I had

[00:38:57] to get a translator. Yeah. And so I'm so grateful for that. But that was a challenge. And then just

[00:39:02] finding out like what you need. There's, I know that there probably is a handbook, but I didn't

[00:39:08] seek the handbook. And so I remember we got, I got fined because I didn't have, I didn't have a hair

[00:39:14] net. And so that was a challenge. Just having to take the initiative to find out what is needed to,

[00:39:21] to operate a food truck or a food business here in Playa. And so those were the big,

[00:39:27] I would say that was the biggest and then finding help. So keeping good, consistent help was like really

[00:39:33] hard. I was hiring out of desperation because I needed help. I was doing everything by myself. So

[00:39:38] the first person that was like, Oh, I'll help you. I was like, okay, come on. Not really,

[00:39:41] really asking those tough questions because you just desperately need the help. So I would say

[00:39:46] keeping good help, which I have been able to now interview and not, not interview or hire out of a

[00:39:54] place of desperation, but of wanting to build a team and wanting to build a solid team. So you have to

[00:39:59] change the way that your hiring process is. I would say that's really it. It's the biggest,

[00:40:04] thing. Yeah. Like if anything else is like the people here are so resourceful. So you ask questions,

[00:40:08] they give you, they help you. There are so many people who helped me along the way. And so I'm so

[00:40:12] grateful for the Mexican community. It was the Mexican community that was like, let me help you. So I

[00:40:18] really appreciate that. Some of the wins, I would say the community that I've been able to build,

[00:40:24] you know what I'm saying? There's nothing like coming here on expat night and the place is packed

[00:40:29] with people from all around the world, having a good time, trying the food, finding connections here. And

[00:40:35] so that's been a really big win for me. I would also say I've started a Mexican corporation, which is

[00:40:42] Witch and Bees Enterprises. And that allows me to expand and grow in ways unimaginable. It just gives me

[00:40:51] access to the Mexican laws that cover me as a business, financing. I want to give back to Mexico with my

[00:40:59] dollars, my tax dollars and stuff like that. So I'm very eager to get into that system. When I read

[00:41:05] all of the rights that I had, when I read all of the, that's the contract or whatever, your business,

[00:41:12] your formation of your business, I was like, man, it's a lot of benefits, right? It's a lot of benefits.

[00:41:16] And so I'm so excited about that. And then just the response of the people, I would say about 95%

[00:41:23] of my clients are returning, loyal following. And so I'm really proud of that. I'm really

[00:41:29] proud of that. That is something to be proud of. And I'm glad that you mentioned the loyal customers

[00:41:36] that you have, because I'm curious to know about the community's response initially when you opened

[00:41:42] the food truck, how were you able to build Buzz? So when I first opened it, it was very quiet. And

[00:41:49] when I was like, Oh no, I guess you just think the customers are going to come out. And so I had to

[00:41:54] definitely start pushing it on social media, just pushing it on social media and letting people

[00:41:59] know that we were here. And it was probably like maybe three months after we opened, we had a

[00:42:05] prominent African-American, another fellow business owner out here, Mr. Opportunity, George. And he

[00:42:10] came and ate the chicken. He came one day, he was like, finally, he came. I think he underestimated me.

[00:42:16] But I was like, come on. I asked him to come. And then he finally came and he had the food and he put in

[00:42:21] the groups. He said, and in so many words, y'all better come over here and get y'all one of these.

[00:42:26] And I think it's important for us to know when we talk about groups and this expat lifestyle,

[00:42:32] WhatsApp is like, it's social media. It is more powerful than all the social media platforms

[00:42:40] combined. And so to have the Buzz building in these different pockets and these different communities,

[00:42:46] I'm sure it must've felt so incredible. Yeah. And so I just wasn't ready. We put a stamp of approval on

[00:42:54] it. And there was some other people who were just like, y'all just check over here.

[00:42:59] Yeah. And they hadn't tried it. And the people just started coming and they told them, they came

[00:43:05] and they said, oh, it's true. Oh no. And then I did events like where I met you at on the rooftop

[00:43:09] when the councilate came and it allowed me to introduce my food to another sector of people who

[00:43:17] may not come to out to the park. And so it just started to, people started eating the chicken.

[00:43:22] And then one part is really word of mouth. Word of mouth is the biggest. And I'm so grateful for

[00:43:27] word of mouth because you know, it's one thing to like pay for ads and stuff like that, but to have

[00:43:32] your friend, I'm always looking for a recommendation. So it's like to have someone tell you, have you tried

[00:43:36] this food and to see the response was amazing. I had seen people literally cry. Oh my goodness.

[00:43:44] This makes me feel like my mom just hugged me. This is, it tastes like my grandma's macaroni and cheese.

[00:43:49] And so that just, it is, it's wild. And so it took on a life of its own. Yeah. I really didn't even have

[00:43:55] to do anything at that point. It was like, the food spoke for itself. Yeah. And so many people

[00:44:02] watching this, I'm sure are inspired by your story and in all of your journey. And I know the chicken

[00:44:09] has been a huge hit, but that's not your only recipe for success. Talk to me about what has made

[00:44:16] you successful. What is B's success formula? Consistency, right? So mine is coming up with

[00:44:22] the night, feeling a need, seeing a need and feeling that need. But the one thing that keeps you,

[00:44:28] uh, makes you successful is consistency. So rain or shine, I'm usually open, right?

[00:44:35] The recipe is made the same way that I'm, I mix the recipe myself to the measurements.

[00:44:43] It took me three weeks to get that down and I consistently produce the good food. Right.

[00:44:50] And I'm very adamant about that consistency because my thing is not quantity. But yeah,

[00:44:56] some people just want to push out and they just want to have a bunch of, sell a bunch of chicken.

[00:44:59] But if it's not quality, then I don't want it. That's one thing that I tell everybody,

[00:45:05] it's the consistency. They know if they come to B's Frito Pollo, they're going to get

[00:45:08] some good chicken. They're going to get some good macaroni. I'm not perfect. So there, you know,

[00:45:13] there's been times where I didn't meet the mark, but for the most part, you're going to consistently

[00:45:17] get good chicken. And then that's the third thing is engagement. You've got to engage with your

[00:45:23] community. You know, you have to, you know, yeah, you open up a food truck and you open it up and

[00:45:28] people will come, but the returning guests come because they connect with your story.

[00:45:32] You connect with them. You show a sense of interest in the people who eat your food.

[00:45:38] I'm extremely profoundly grateful for my customers. And it's not, for me, it's not even about money

[00:45:45] anymore. It's about seeing people satisfied with a product that you produce. So I would say that's my most

[00:45:52] important. It's finding a need, feeling the need, consistency, and then engagement.

[00:45:57] Every time I visit this place, B's is buzzing. So how did your food truck evolve into a place where

[00:46:04] people don't just come for the delicious food, but they stay for the connections they'll make?

[00:46:09] It became the spot because it's cool. We have good music. You know, we make people feel comfortable.

[00:46:16] You know, I'm always engaging, coming out of the truck. Just kind of, we put games out on the table

[00:46:21] sometimes. I created Expat Night, and it's something that we have every Thursday night.

[00:46:26] And the intention is to have expats come from all over the world, and they're able to connect

[00:46:31] with other people who share that same experience as them. And so a lot of people started coming out.

[00:46:37] The kids came out, they met their friends here, and so people came out and they met people from other

[00:46:43] places and lifelong friends, right? You get you a glass of wine, and you know, it's like you're going to

[00:46:48] your auntie's house, and your cousins are sitting around the table, and y'all drinking wine.

[00:46:52] In the backyard!

[00:46:53] Yeah, it's like the cookout.

[00:46:55] Yeah, it's like the cookout. It's the hangout spot. And so we really wanted to create that

[00:46:59] environment and that energy here, and we've been successfully able to do that. And so it's just,

[00:47:06] I am always just so excited and elated that it happened because that was the intention.

[00:47:12] That was the intention from the jump is to give some, give the community a place where they can come and

[00:47:17] gather and feel at home, feel like no one's staring at them, you know, feel like they can say those jokes

[00:47:24] and the people that are around the table understand them, you know? And it just continues to amaze me.

[00:47:29] In prior conversation, you mentioned that it feels, it almost feels like you're on a world tour

[00:47:34] every time you're here at the truck. How does it feel to have created a space that brings people

[00:47:41] together from all walks of life? It feels good because it definitely feels like a world tour.

[00:47:46] I mean, especially when the people from Hong Kong or China or something like that, they come and eat

[00:47:52] the chicken and they come back four or five times and they bring their family, you know that you've

[00:47:57] done something right. And so it's just, it's amazing. It's like, you know, sometimes it's surreal.

[00:48:03] Like, dang, I get up every day and do exactly what I love to do.

[00:48:07] And I'm like changing lives of people. I'm connecting people and I get emotional a little

[00:48:14] bit because it's like, you know, dang, this little girl who had so much adversity was able to overcome

[00:48:21] so much. And here I am doing this and I am honored. I am grateful, full of gratitude. And yeah, it's a

[00:48:29] beautiful thing to see people love. They tell me that they've never tasted anything like this. Ask me to

[00:48:35] come to London. I'm going to open up a franchise in Canada. So hearing people say that from all over

[00:48:40] the world, all different walks of life, it just show a test to how food, good food brings people

[00:48:47] together. But again, engaging with the community keeps them here.

[00:48:51] Now I heard Jorge just dropped some in his grease and my stomach is growling. So

[00:48:56] It sounds like fried cabbage. Oh, okay. Oh yeah. So let me get this, let's get a plate together.

[00:49:09] Watching people connect over these mouthwatering meals, it's easy to see why this food truck has

[00:49:14] become such a hit. Bee took her passion for good food and cooked up a whole community. Her story

[00:49:21] captures the essence of the Blacksit movement and reminds us that this journey isn't just about

[00:49:26] changing locations. It's about planting roots and growing something meaningful in new soil.

[00:49:31] I'm Courtney Bowden and you've been watching Black Expat Stories.

[00:49:44] Are you feeling inspired to embark on your own expat journey? Hit subscribe to join the conversation and

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[00:49:57] Now, if these conversations resonate and you want to help this platform grow,

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[00:50:24] keep your passport ready, and your dreams without borders. Until next time, I wish you peace, love, and passport stamps.