Nuevas comienzos (New Beginnings)

I'm back in Merida and this time it's for the foreseeable future.  As of July 22nd, I'm officially a resident of Mexico!  

Why move to Mexico?  Well, in 1999 I came here on a cultural and language immersion program through Chico State and Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan (UADY).  This program brought a group of students and our professor to Merida.  We all had homestays and internships, mine turned out to be a substitute teaching position at a bilingual school for third grade. It was a great experience, although not without challenges, and I have been visiting on a fairly regular basis ever since.

My host family

    Some kids from my class celebrating Hanal Pixan

Back to why I moved here...

As I said, I've been visiting Merida regularly since I graduated and it has become more and more difficult to leave each time. At first, I jokingly told everyone that I was moving to Mexico after retirement from the university, but then I thought, why not?  The pandemic was the tipping point.  I was working at home alone and no longer felt fulfilled in my work even though I still enjoyed my coworkers and the students.  There was a lot of time alone to think about what might be next for me and so I began to research how to move abroad, specifically to Mexico.  After working on campus again for a couple of months, I knew it was time and by the end of the school year, I had things in place to make it happen.

Merida has my heart.  The people are friendly and kind, as they say, it's muy tranquilo, the climate is tropical (yay, summer year 'round), and there are so many things to do - free concerts, zoos, parks, art galleries, museums - and the food is delicious and fresh.  It's really a foodie paradise.  There's just so much to love and I plan to share a lot of that with you in this space.

I do not trust Facebook to preserve my content so I'll be posting links to each blog entry over there, but you might want to subscribe to my blog so you don't miss anything.  It's not monetized so you won't see ads here.  I can also write more here so I plan to tackle some topics that I think you might find interesting and will post some videos and photos here as well that you won't see on Facebook.

If ever there is anything that you'd like to know more about, just comment or send me a message.

Welcome to my new adventure!

                        

Still stressed but better

I almost didn't come to Merida this year.  While I have excellent medical coverage as a state employee, there were still many out of pocket expenses, so I knew I'd be traveling on a shoestring.  I was also concerned about carting luggage with my weak wrist and practiced lifting my bag for a couple of months, gradually adding weight to ensure I'd be able to hoist it without help into the overhead.  One other thing concerned me, how would I deal with the inevitable questions and opinions regarding our election year.  After all, I had assured my friends that there was no way such a ridiculous person would get elected. Estadounidences would see through the bluster and make a smart choice whichever candidates received the nomination.

So here I am, trying to take a much needed break from all of the stressors of 2016.  Well, I'm 8 days in with only 2 more to go and not at all relaxed.  I've been trying to avoid the news, but it's still around.  The other day, I went to breakfast and they had a TV with FOX news and entertainment on.  I asked the waiter why and he said a customer asked for it...boo hoo.  This compelled me to caution him not to believe everything they say and that not all Estadounidences agree.  By now a couple of other waiters had joined us and we had.a really nice conversation.  They thanked me for my words of caution and were grateful that someone from the US could speak Spanish and also would have a conversation with them.  The activist in me felt good after that encounter.

 

Today was very unsettling.  Since last year, two universities have opened satellite campus on the same block and they are sucking up the electricity for their AC resulting in the power going out in several of the small businesses in the neighborhood including this one.  It's created a lot of expenses for the small businesses and families in the area.  The peso is devaluing.  There is an abandoned house next door and all of the houses share common walls.  Because the peso is devaluing, the owner of this place is installing a security system with electrical wires at the top of the rooftop divider.  This is a preventative measure because he knows that with the devaluation of the peso, some people will get desperate and he wants to ensure that all of his guests are safe from break ins.  Those of us in my hometown know that crime increased when the economy crashed in 2008.  The peso is devaluing.  So much so that I paid a lot less for my room this time.  Good for me, but bad for the dear people who own this establishment.  

Why is the peso devaluing?  Well, for the past year it has fluctuated with DJT's rise and fall in the polls.  Since the election, it has gotten even worse with his proposed policies.  Just today, it fell to a low that hasn't been seen in decades.  21.75 pesos to the dollar.  Yesterday, the announcement that Ford would build it's plant in the US instead of MX made it even worse.  Now, I think we should try to keep as many jobs in the US as possible, but I have questions.  Will the president-elect bring the manufacturing of his products back to the US too?  Will prices rise in the US since wages are higher?  This is a very complicated situation and I'm not an expert.  The question my Mexican friend asked me is, "Why is he working so hard to destroy the Mexican economy?"  Doesn't he know that that will drive more poor people to try to cross? Increase crime in Mexico?  We both know that not all of Mexico is nice and safe like Merida, but it's the same in the US.  No wall is going to keep desperate people out.  We are neighbors and should work together, not insults each other and try to destroy each other.  My friend chose his words carefully, not wanting to insult the president-elect, but he heard the horrible insults hurled at no just Mexicans, but women (the worst in his opinion), disabled people, the LGBTQ community and Muslims.  He even asked me if I was going to the Women's March, I am.  People around the world are very aware of what we have done and are worried for the whole world.

I have yet to meet a Mexican I don't like and it hurts my heart to see my second home treated in this fashion.  I am going to limit my news intake this year, but I am also going to fight against every injustice that I can.  That is what citizens of the world do.

Aventura a Chunchucmil

Last year after I had a few days to rest from my broken wrist, my friends and I hired a driver from Montejo Rentals (Ricardo) and went on an adventure to Chunchucmil. On the way we went through several pueblitas.  Unfortunately, I don't remember all of their names and can't locate my notes, but I'll share as much as I can.  

Along the way we saw this casita and stopped to take a closer look.  The owner, a Mayan man, came out to greet us and to tell us about his land which had lots of fruit trees, mainly mango and lime.

Maxcanu

Maxcanu (the "x" is pronounced "Sh" in Mayan) boasts a regional mercado.  You can't miss it's bright green color in the city center.  This market serves many small towns in the area.  There are a couple of places to stay and to eat, but it's pretty out of the way, so if you stay there, you should expect a slow pace and tranquil setting.  

 

 

 

Another stop on the way to Chunchucmil was Hacienda Santa Rosa.  We parked and walked onto the grounds.  It was rather misty there and the jungle had such a magical feel.  Sometimes when I visit archeological zones or very old buildings, in the quiet of the moment I can almost feel the presence of the people who built and lived there. Santa Rosa is a luxury hotel in a mid-19th century building which was formerly an important property for nobility during the height of the hennequin boom.  Here are a few photos:

 

 

 

 

 

End of Part I, Aventura a Chunchucmil.

Merida 4,0.

                          

Last year on this day, New Year's Eve, I had a little trip and fall which resulted in a fractured wrist.  Because it was so difficult to type, I only wrote the one post and nothing about my grand adventure to Maxcanu, broken arm and all.  I will write a little about that later. 

I arrived in Merida a few days ago to a warm welcome by friends.  Apparently because I have stayed in the penthouse for the past three years, it is now mine and automatically reserved for me every year.  This makes me very happy since it has a view of the city and my own patio.  This past year has been difficult for two main reasons.  First, the broken wrist.  My recovery from surgery has been slower than I'd expected due to some complications.  I didn't realize how much of my health and ability I took for granted.  It was a good lesson in humility.  The second reason is the political drama of the past year.  It's good to get away from it.  I did not expect to be so gutted from the election results.  I've been voting for 38 years and my candidate has not always won, but this year, many of the things DJT said felt so personal and I took his so-called victory hard.  In 2017, I will be more of an activist and fight against his bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, and everything else that violates my values.  Today, at breakfast in a nearby restaurant, they had a TV broadcasting FOX news.

I think I may have to go back to the restaurant for dessert.

     

                                     

Familia

I had a post started that was entitled, "New Year's Eve in Merida," but I'm rewriting it because things changed that night.  You'll see why.

Familia isn't always determined by blood.  Sometimes strangers and acquaintances become family.  I have always been amazed by the unconditional kindness of Meridanos. Many years ago, when I was a student living in Merida, I found myself in a couple of vulnerable situations where Meridanos kindly helped me.  In one instance, I had gone to dinner with my professor after which we took a bus together to a nearby mall.  Before she got on the bus to her house, she told me which one to take for mine.  Apparantly the schedule changes after a certain hour and my bus was no longer running, so there I was, alone at a closed shopping mall in Mexico at night.  

Finally, a bus pulled up and some people got off, so I climbed on the bus to ask the driver for information.  He informed me that this was his last stop and he was on his way to return the bus, but that he would drop me off.  I declined and said I'd walk, but he insisted that it was not safe.  So now I had a dilemma, trust this stranger or walk home alone, at night.  Something told me I could trust this gentleman, so I did, and he was truly a gentleman.  On the ride he told me about his family and I told him a little about myself - still cautious.  This kind stranger would not allow me to pay the fare and dropped me a couple of blocks from my house.  That was 16 years ago.  

This is my 3rd time staying at Casa Alvarez, now 62nd Street Guest House.  Miriam and Enrique, the brother and sister who own this small hotel, are wonderful people.  Little did I know when I found them on TripAdvisor, what a gem I had.  This year when I arrived, I was greeted with hugs and kisses. They have told me that I am now family and I believe it.  We have a wonderful friendship.

On New Year's Eve, I left just before dusk to treat myself to a nice dinner and to check out the festivities in the centro.  And then I encountered this

                               

That, mis amigos, is a major crack in the sidewalk, and because I was checking traffic to decide if it was safe to jaywalk, I didn't see it.  Next thing I knew, I was hitting the pavement hard.  Now I've taken ice skating lessons, and the first thing they teach is how to fall.  For the first time ever, I forgot and broke the fall with my hand.  Big mistake!  

I got up and went back around the corner to the house. Miriam brought me ice for my sore wrist and Linden flower tea.  She also gave me a little something for the pain. The wrist actually didn't swell much.  I had ice on it within ten minutes.  Soon I returned to my room.  Within a few more minutes, another of the guests who I met three years ago came to check on me.  The next morning, I decide that I should see a doctor and experience the Mexican health system.  All of the concerned parties agreed, so a doctor was called. This doctor was very nice and said I should have it x-rayed. He wrote out an order and told me which hospital to go to, after which I was to call him with the results.

Miriam insisted on driving me herself.  This is NY day!  If you've ever been to an emergency room or urgent care, you know that the wait can be very long.  I was seen almost immediately, the doctor cam to the hospital t read the x-Ray himself and the called his orthopedic surgeon friend, who I hear, is the best in Merida.  Within 30 minutes, I had two orthopedics consulting and explaining my options.  I went with the safer option to make sure that I don't twist the radius. This...

                    

There are, of course, follow up instruction and I won't bore you with those.  The whole thing;  three doctors, x-rays, 3 prescriptions, cast = $346, in a very modern hospital.  

 

Back to family...

Everyone at the casa keeps checking on me, including Juliana, the housekeeper, who refills all my water bottles.  Roger and Diane, my friends from Maine took me with them to breakfast today.  My new friend Carrie, a teacher from Canada and later Florida, took me to the ATM and for food after I returned from the hospital.  She has lived in Campeche state for three years now and uses the Casa as her weekend getaway. It turns out, I met her parents last year and we had a few meals together.  It's a small world.  Carrie says that she stays here because no one in the big hotels would treat you like family.  Everyone at Casa Alvarez looks out for one another.

 

                         

I know that I have friends for life here.  Think about it, how many hotel owners or managers would drive their guests to the hospital an sit there through everything, translating the complicated medical terms into simpler terms (Spanish only) so it wouldn't be so scary.  It can be very daunting to stay calm and understand everything in your native language, but when it's your second language and you don't understand everything, it's much worse.  

Even though it sucks to have your arm in a full cast in the tropics while on vacation, I've learned two major things. First, it's good to know what it feels like to not be completely able bodied, because we tend to take so much for granted.  Second, fuck Donald Trump.  He has no clue and I'll be damned if I ever support someone so bigoted.  In fact, if he gets elected, I might just defect.

So just to end on a positive note...

      Charlie, who does not speak Spanish and whose person barely speaks English.  He's awesome.

                                  

 

Comida y bebidas

A food and drink post is obligatory.  Enjoy my feast for the senses...

                       

                              Enchiladas de queso con mole

                        

                 Frutas. Plátanos, mangos, aguacates, limones y tangerines 

                                        

                                         Café de maya con 3 licores 

Conversations in Merida

New Year celebrations and MeridaFest (474th birthday of the city) are about to begin and everyone's talking about it.  Last year I did the whole New Year's Eve walkabout for the first time and it was great fun.  I won't do the whole thing again this year, but rather go to one or two things, sit down and really take it in, after which, I'll return to the cash and watch the fireworks from my rooftop patio at midnight.

Back to conversations...

                      

   

I had lunch at Cafe La Via Olimpo which was closed last year for some reason.  The food was ok, I had some cheese enchiladas in a red sauce, but it was more like just tomato sauce.  The order of guacamole was delicious and so was the freshly squeezed lemonade.  The waiter was so very nice.  Since I was seated on the sidewalk, I placed my bag around one foot on the ground, but he brought around the other chair for my bag and said, "You will feel much better senorita."  We exchanged a few pleasantries throughout my meal, but the cutest part was that he patted me on the back in a grandfatherly way each time he passed by.  

While I was eating, a young woman and her daughter stopped at my table and my first response was, gracias, so she'd go away, but she stopped me and said that she just wanted to wish me Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  Of course, next she showed me some lovely bracelets that she and her daughter made and were for sale.  I declined, but by the time they had passed by again, I changed my mind and they were so happy.  The little girl was 10 and she was very proud of the fact that she was making the bracelets too.  I found out that she was a single mother and this was basically her only income.  It felt good to help a local mother trying to support her daughter.  

                        

   

So, I found out that grapefruit seed extract is anti microbial and of course non-toxic.  It has many uses, but one is that you can wash fruits and vegetables with it.  I found a health store like GNC and realized that I didn't know how to say grapefruit in Spanish.  The very kind lady promptly pulled up Google on her computer and let me type in what I wanted and voila, next thing I knew she scurried off to get it and my purchase was complete.  This stuff is amazing, diluted it will clean wounds and can be added to water to purify it.  

                         

As I was returning home, I found two young women who had forgotten their keys for the house, so I let them in.  They were from Romania, but currently live in Brussels, Belgium.  When they found out I'm from the US, they could not stop telling me how grateful they are that the Americans saved them from the Russians.  They spoke of how quickly we sent troops to protect them and they have a deep love for America.  It was really touching, because right now, I am feeling very disillusioned and try not to broadcast my nationality.  I only tell people when I am asked, but these young women restored some of my patriotism.  I think I'll end here today.