Monday, March 3, 2014
Sunday, March 2, 2014
What Would You Do With 200 Pesos a Day....
I met up with my friends Ariel and Rachel last night. We went to a lovely dinner to celebrate their engagement. They met last year in Guadalajara and fell in love. Rather than return to England, Rachel stayed with Arial, a Mexican, and they live together in lovely Puerto Vallarta.
I learned from Ariel yesterday that the average wage of a hotel worker is 200 pesos a day. That is about $15 USD. Ariel worked as a hotel "animator" which is the person that conducts all of the guest activities throughout the day and evening, i.e. yoga, water aerobics, volleyball, dancing, you name it. Imagine 9am - 5pm, then back in the evening from 8pm - 11pm, all for 200 pesos a day. You can get by on this salary, according to Ariel, but it is difficult.
I wonder who owns these fancy resort hotels and I wonder how in good conscience they can pay their workers so little. I mean, why would you want to pay someone to just "get by"...? Someone at the top is getting rich...really rich. Foreign owners, perhaps? Or, Mexican?
I learned from Ariel yesterday that the average wage of a hotel worker is 200 pesos a day. That is about $15 USD. Ariel worked as a hotel "animator" which is the person that conducts all of the guest activities throughout the day and evening, i.e. yoga, water aerobics, volleyball, dancing, you name it. Imagine 9am - 5pm, then back in the evening from 8pm - 11pm, all for 200 pesos a day. You can get by on this salary, according to Ariel, but it is difficult.
I wonder who owns these fancy resort hotels and I wonder how in good conscience they can pay their workers so little. I mean, why would you want to pay someone to just "get by"...? Someone at the top is getting rich...really rich. Foreign owners, perhaps? Or, Mexican?
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Zocalo in Oaxaca...
I wanted to capture a bit of the Zocalo in Oaxaca city. My video doesn't do this bustling social center justice, but hopefully it gives you a taste of what a zocalo in Mexico is. It's a park in downtown to visit with friends and family, listen to music, eat, get shoes shined, shop and pass the time when your not working...
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Summer in Winter...
I am a snow birder. This year, anyway. It has been great to take leave of the old life for awhile and just "be" here in Mexico. Most people my age have commitments of a mortgage, children and all those things that come with grown up life. Those of us that don't have those things however, have the freedom to do as and when we please, given some planning, commitment and follow through. For me, it started with a little dream...to exit the corporate world. Next came the baby steps of figuring out how I could actually make that happen. Later, it was following through with the plan, painstakingly. And last but not least, it was getting on the plane and making a life here for the past month and a half.
Traveling is wonderful but it isn't always easy. It can be hard being away from your loved ones. We travelers make friends with other travelers, so you might have a friend for a week, or two or maybe longer, but the time comes when people move on. To be a traveler you really have to be comfortable being your own best friend.
After spending the last week traveling in Mexico City I was anxious to get back to the easy life that is Oaxaca. It took me awhile to learn the streets here, but I know them now; it feels comfortable. As I was walking through the Zocalo today I was wondering how I may have grown these past weeks. I think that will unfold over time as my winter in Oaxaca becomes a distant memory...
Traveling is wonderful but it isn't always easy. It can be hard being away from your loved ones. We travelers make friends with other travelers, so you might have a friend for a week, or two or maybe longer, but the time comes when people move on. To be a traveler you really have to be comfortable being your own best friend.
After spending the last week traveling in Mexico City I was anxious to get back to the easy life that is Oaxaca. It took me awhile to learn the streets here, but I know them now; it feels comfortable. As I was walking through the Zocalo today I was wondering how I may have grown these past weeks. I think that will unfold over time as my winter in Oaxaca becomes a distant memory...
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Towers of Knowledge in Rural Oaxaca
Today I had a unique and very special opportunity to attend ceremonies for the opening of two new libraries for primary schools in the outlying impoverished areas of Oaxaca city. Two organizations, Friends of Pimpollo, started by my second cousin, John Kerr of Salem, Oregon, and Si Kanda, a Mexican organization, in addition to the help of parents and community members helped to fund and build these libraries.
As Juan Carlos of Si Kanda said, "...all children have the right to read and receive an education. It is up to the adults to make that happen for each child."
The modest building at each school was no bigger than 15 feet x 15 feet, set on concrete. The insulation was made up of more than 2000 plastic bottles and around 1500 tetrapak milk cartons filled with aluminum and the exterior was made of concrete. It was pointed out that even though the color of the library building was yellow, it was built "green".
Inside there were a few small desks and chairs and no more than 50 or so brand new books for the children. But boy, were they excited! For those that know me personally, they know that the library is one of my favorite places to go, as it is a hub for learning and the humanities. I was moved to the core to witness the opening of these towers of knowledge for these deserving children. With each book they read, their worlds will expand, they will learn, they will dream and it is my hope that they will dream big because the world belongs to them, too! (Incidentally, I had an opportunity to read a book to a few of the children. They didn't give me weird looks, so perhaps my pronunciation is improving. And, children are so forgiving...)
It was a wonderful moment when Boni, John Kerr's right hand man for his foundation, asked Aunt Mimi, a lifelong teacher to cut the ribbon at one of the libraries. I was behind sunglasses, but had a wave of emotion then and a couple of other times...I'm glad though. It was a big deal. These libraries are a big deal. And, it is not every day you are invited into another world where the needs of children are so great but you realize you can make a difference, either by volunteering or giving a donation.
The children in my life back home will have opportunities that many of these Mexican children will never have. But, due to the hard work of these organizations, the communities, parents and the dreams and hard work of these children, there will be some that will create opportunities for themselves and I know they will pay it forward...
I hope you might take a moment to view a few short videos that I have included below. If you are interested in making a tax deductible donation, please know that your donation will make a difference. Please click the Friends of Pimpollo or Si Kanda links above, to donate.
As Juan Carlos of Si Kanda said, "...all children have the right to read and receive an education. It is up to the adults to make that happen for each child."
The modest building at each school was no bigger than 15 feet x 15 feet, set on concrete. The insulation was made up of more than 2000 plastic bottles and around 1500 tetrapak milk cartons filled with aluminum and the exterior was made of concrete. It was pointed out that even though the color of the library building was yellow, it was built "green".
Inside there were a few small desks and chairs and no more than 50 or so brand new books for the children. But boy, were they excited! For those that know me personally, they know that the library is one of my favorite places to go, as it is a hub for learning and the humanities. I was moved to the core to witness the opening of these towers of knowledge for these deserving children. With each book they read, their worlds will expand, they will learn, they will dream and it is my hope that they will dream big because the world belongs to them, too! (Incidentally, I had an opportunity to read a book to a few of the children. They didn't give me weird looks, so perhaps my pronunciation is improving. And, children are so forgiving...)
It was a wonderful moment when Boni, John Kerr's right hand man for his foundation, asked Aunt Mimi, a lifelong teacher to cut the ribbon at one of the libraries. I was behind sunglasses, but had a wave of emotion then and a couple of other times...I'm glad though. It was a big deal. These libraries are a big deal. And, it is not every day you are invited into another world where the needs of children are so great but you realize you can make a difference, either by volunteering or giving a donation.
The children in my life back home will have opportunities that many of these Mexican children will never have. But, due to the hard work of these organizations, the communities, parents and the dreams and hard work of these children, there will be some that will create opportunities for themselves and I know they will pay it forward...
I hope you might take a moment to view a few short videos that I have included below. If you are interested in making a tax deductible donation, please know that your donation will make a difference. Please click the Friends of Pimpollo or Si Kanda links above, to donate.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Love this song....
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Amo Mexico...
My experience in Guadalajara, Mexico last year, was quite different from the one in Oaxaca this year. I was more on my own this time and as my stay winds down and I reflect on the past month, I realize Mexico isn't always an easy place for a traveler. There are many things that I love, the sun, the food, the learning experience of what it means to learn a language "in country", the friendliness of most Mexican people and of course, their resourcefulness. But, I must also say it is, at times, hard. Cultural differences, poverty, noise, pollution, litter, even cramming way too many people into a vehicle have at times made me uncomfortable.
But, of course, every country has its problems. Maybe Mexico has more than most, I don't know. It doesn't change that I still find this country fascinating; a study of contrasts. I have found here a basic truth about what it means to be human. Shadow and light. I think in the states we tend to put a veil on the dark stuff and in some ways want to think it isn't part of life. Here the darkness and the light are entwined. It is found in the calle (street), the art and in the broken down sidewalks set amidst the many churches laden with golden interiors...
But, of course, every country has its problems. Maybe Mexico has more than most, I don't know. It doesn't change that I still find this country fascinating; a study of contrasts. I have found here a basic truth about what it means to be human. Shadow and light. I think in the states we tend to put a veil on the dark stuff and in some ways want to think it isn't part of life. Here the darkness and the light are entwined. It is found in the calle (street), the art and in the broken down sidewalks set amidst the many churches laden with golden interiors...
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Colectivo!
Today was mine and my Aunt Mimi's first experience riding in a "colectivo" or group taxi. There are various stations throughout the city where you can share a taxi with other passengers headed in the same direction for very little money. The cars are marked with the destination, so as soon as you see a vehicle headed in the direction you wish to go you flag them down, ask how much, and hop in. Now, this system would never fly back home. In a 4 person vehicle we had the driver, 3 people up front (a mom, small child and grandmother - geegads!!), and in the back me, my aunt, and an elderly gentleman, all crammed in. Well, can I tell you...that is part of the charm! CHARM? Yes, wrong word. That is part of the experience, I meant to say! If we would have hired a taxi it would have probably been at least 150 - 200 pesos for where we wanted to go, however, we managed to go via colectivo for a total of 65 pesos (less than $5 USD for both of us), round trip.
You will notice I got a little flustered at the end of the video and it ended abruptly...the man that passed me had less than stellar manners...I told my aunt about the unwelcome pat I got and she said, "Where is he?!" Lucky for him he disappeared into the crowd, as I can guarantee you he would have gotten an unexpected earful of Aunt Mimi's fluent Spanish!
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Zumba!
I've got the moves like Jagger, I've got the moves like Jagger! Actually, I don't. Not even close. But, it sure is fun dancing in the park! Zumbar, the Spanish verb means to buzz, to hum or to flutter around. That, I'm assuming, is where the name "zumba" came from. For 15 pesos (less than a $1.50 usd) you can do Zumba in the park, on Sundays, here in Oaxaca city. One thing I noticed about this fun exercise is it is hard to keep from smiling...
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Julio Angel Pacheco Pacheco...A Fisherman
As I was walking back from lunch, I hear a man yell out, "Hola!", from behind me. It was Julio! I didn't recognize him because he wasn't in his work uniform anymore, but dressed in shorts and a t-shirt and baseball cap. We talked for a bit and I told him I had wanted to interview him, but couldn't find him. Now was my chance...so I put on my Spanish cap, which doesn't always fit, so excuse the mistakes....
Introducing, Julio Angel Pacheco Pacheco, a fisherman, in his own words...published with his permission...Gracias, Julio! Y muchas buena suerte!! - Rose
Even tiny ants...
love flowers...As I was headed back to my hotel room, from the beach, I looked down at the ground. There were two little ants carrying flowers on their backs. Perhaps to decorate their tables at home...? Or give to their sweethearts...?
Photo forthcoming
Photo forthcoming
Fishing for a living...
First of all, let me say that a blog post really should have a photo, but I'm having issues with transferring photos from my iPhone. The photos will have to wait...
This morning on my walk on the beach I met Julio, a fisherman, who makes his living off of what he can catch in the sea. He sells at the market but also works to feed himself and his family.
I spoke with another fisherman a little later on my walk and I asked him if he liked his work. He said he did. I asked if it was easy or difficult. He said it can be both. I wondered if it were dangerous...and he said that at times it can be. If the waves are really high they can crash you against the rocks and some fishermen have died...
These aren't the usual fishermen we see in the states, with fishing poles. They use nets and cast them out while standing waste deep in the warm water. There are several men, ranging in age from teenager to middle age, all working together. Once their net is full of little sardine type fish, they run it up to the bucket they have waiting on the beach. I noticed they keep it under a makeshift shelter of dried out palm fronds. I think this is to keep the seagulls away from their catch. I've watched these fishermen every day. To me, it looks like they are having fun and really have great passion for their work. If I am right, I think they are very lucky.
A picture IS worth a thousand words...I can't wait to upload my photo of Julio, who makes his living from the sea...
This morning on my walk on the beach I met Julio, a fisherman, who makes his living off of what he can catch in the sea. He sells at the market but also works to feed himself and his family.
I spoke with another fisherman a little later on my walk and I asked him if he liked his work. He said he did. I asked if it was easy or difficult. He said it can be both. I wondered if it were dangerous...and he said that at times it can be. If the waves are really high they can crash you against the rocks and some fishermen have died...
These aren't the usual fishermen we see in the states, with fishing poles. They use nets and cast them out while standing waste deep in the warm water. There are several men, ranging in age from teenager to middle age, all working together. Once their net is full of little sardine type fish, they run it up to the bucket they have waiting on the beach. I noticed they keep it under a makeshift shelter of dried out palm fronds. I think this is to keep the seagulls away from their catch. I've watched these fishermen every day. To me, it looks like they are having fun and really have great passion for their work. If I am right, I think they are very lucky.
A picture IS worth a thousand words...I can't wait to upload my photo of Julio, who makes his living from the sea...
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Hola, buenos dias...
Puerto Escondido, Mexico is a small beach town, a 45 minute plane ride from Oaxaca City. In the area where I am staying, in order to get to a small business district with shops and cafes, you must walk in the street, as there really aren't many sidewalks. There are a few, but they stop and you are forced to walk on the road. It is always a pleasant walk from my hotel, anyway. It's not just the beautiful flowers, or the sun beating down on me, or the view of the ocean, but the locals that always give a smile and say, "Hola, buenos dias". I love this. It reminds me that people seek connection all over the world. In comparison, many times I have walked a Seattle street and said "hello" only to have the person say nothing and leave me with my own crazy thoughts of, "Is it something I said?!" Maybe it is the gray, the rain, or people preoccupied with their thoughts about their next meal or funding their kids education....who knows? All I know is that I find the exchange of a greeting on the street to be one of life's little pleasures...
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Travelers Help Each Other...
You know your Spanish is coming along just fine, when a fellow traveler from Finland shares a cab with you and asks you to translate for him. I just hope the cab driver understood my translation!
All in a Day's Work...
I had been looking for a new bedspread for months, but I could never find the right one, so I went without. However, I just found the perfect, cotton, pink and yellow, (yes, I said pink and yellow) colcha (bedspread). And, I met the family that made it! It takes one day of work to weave via loom, a bedspread. I was astonished that it only took one day. Just look at the demanding physical work required...Imagine doing this from 8:30am - 6pm six days a week...#amazing...
All in a day's work...
Sunday, January 26, 2014
The Hairdryer Dilemma
As I was drying my hair the other day, my hairdryer malfunctioned. I had had it for years, so the motor had just bit the dust. As there are no Rite Aid's in Mexico, I thought it would be an adventure to find a shop to buy a hairdryer. I asked someone where I could buy one and I was directed to a store near the Zocalo. There were hairdryers alright, but they were very expensive, like $30 USD starting price. I thought there is no way I am going to spend $30 for a hairdryer when I can get one at home for $10 bucks. For the duration of my stay, I will let my hair air dry!
I put my hairdryer guiltily in the garbage and then a few minutes later, I fished it out. I thought, this is Mexico! They can fix everything here. Last year I had remembered seeing many a fix it shop in Guadalajara, though I didn't see any thus far in Oaxaca. I asked the people at the language school where I could get a hairdryer fixed. They laughed and said, "Everything is really cheap from China now, nobody fixes hairdryers! Buy a new one!". But I said, "This is Mexico, you can fix everything here! It's one of the things I love about your country!" His reply, "Not anymore. That's part of the past." I understood, of course. How could I not? Who wants to fix a hair dryer when you can buy a new one for "cheap" and throw the old one away. Back in the bin it went. But...when I think of all the hairdryers piling up in the many landfills around the world...it pains me...
I put my hairdryer guiltily in the garbage and then a few minutes later, I fished it out. I thought, this is Mexico! They can fix everything here. Last year I had remembered seeing many a fix it shop in Guadalajara, though I didn't see any thus far in Oaxaca. I asked the people at the language school where I could get a hairdryer fixed. They laughed and said, "Everything is really cheap from China now, nobody fixes hairdryers! Buy a new one!". But I said, "This is Mexico, you can fix everything here! It's one of the things I love about your country!" His reply, "Not anymore. That's part of the past." I understood, of course. How could I not? Who wants to fix a hair dryer when you can buy a new one for "cheap" and throw the old one away. Back in the bin it went. But...when I think of all the hairdryers piling up in the many landfills around the world...it pains me...
Monday, January 20, 2014
Once Upon a Time, in a Peublo Far, Far Away
...There lived a young woman who had a dream. Her name was Ariadna Elisa Vasquez Torres and she lived in a village of 6,000 people, called Diaz Ordaz, in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. She had a husband and a beautiful, little two year old daughter, who didn't really know what her dreams were yet, but that is for another story...
Ariadna runs an abarrote, or general store. She was able to start her business with a microfinance, zero interest loan, provided by the non-profit organization, En Via. This organization was started as a project in 2008 and has since then provided over 1500 small business loans to over 260 women, in five different communities. En Via also provides opportunities to tourists to be involved first hand in "socially responsible tourism". Thus, the money we pay, goes to fund the loans, education and small administrative fees.
One of the key goals of the organization is to provide affordable credit to women who have the drive and talent to start a small business, just not the access to affordable credit. The organization loans only to women, as it has been statistically shown, says Mickey, an En Via volunteer, that "women invest in their family, thus investing in the community".
The businesses vary, from Ariadna's general store, to small chicken farms, to the old art of weaving traditional tapetes (rugs) and so on. In order to secure the initial loan, the women must first do a presentation about their business. They then receive 1300 pesos ($130 USD) to purchase the raw materials or supplies needed for their business. In Ariadna's case, she would use this money to purchase merchandise to sell. The women pay back the first loan over a few weeks time and then can apply for a larger loan, i.e. 2000 - 3000 pesos, ($200 - $300 USD). They use this money to grow their business by purchasing even more raw materials. At the time the first loan is acquired, the women must also take a total of six business courses, provided by En Via. The payback success rate is 99 percent!
Ariadna's abarrote is open every day from 7am - 11pm at night. She is expanding her business by crafting little woven purses to sell, to pass the time at the store. When our group was there, a little boy came in to buy a couple of eggs and some cooking oil. Oh, the days of old, when you could send your kids to the store and not worry....yet, I digress. I asked Ariadna what her hopes were for her daughter and she replied that she wanted her to study so she could have more opportunities in life.
It was inspiring and moving meeting Ariadna and the other women. The 600 pesos I paid to go on the tour ($60USD) was well worth it as it gave me the opportunity to see first hand the good work of En Via, an organization that helps so many women establish a good livelihood for themselves and their families.
Ariadna runs an abarrote, or general store. She was able to start her business with a microfinance, zero interest loan, provided by the non-profit organization, En Via. This organization was started as a project in 2008 and has since then provided over 1500 small business loans to over 260 women, in five different communities. En Via also provides opportunities to tourists to be involved first hand in "socially responsible tourism". Thus, the money we pay, goes to fund the loans, education and small administrative fees.
One of the key goals of the organization is to provide affordable credit to women who have the drive and talent to start a small business, just not the access to affordable credit. The organization loans only to women, as it has been statistically shown, says Mickey, an En Via volunteer, that "women invest in their family, thus investing in the community".
The businesses vary, from Ariadna's general store, to small chicken farms, to the old art of weaving traditional tapetes (rugs) and so on. In order to secure the initial loan, the women must first do a presentation about their business. They then receive 1300 pesos ($130 USD) to purchase the raw materials or supplies needed for their business. In Ariadna's case, she would use this money to purchase merchandise to sell. The women pay back the first loan over a few weeks time and then can apply for a larger loan, i.e. 2000 - 3000 pesos, ($200 - $300 USD). They use this money to grow their business by purchasing even more raw materials. At the time the first loan is acquired, the women must also take a total of six business courses, provided by En Via. The payback success rate is 99 percent!
Ariadna's abarrote is open every day from 7am - 11pm at night. She is expanding her business by crafting little woven purses to sell, to pass the time at the store. When our group was there, a little boy came in to buy a couple of eggs and some cooking oil. Oh, the days of old, when you could send your kids to the store and not worry....yet, I digress. I asked Ariadna what her hopes were for her daughter and she replied that she wanted her to study so she could have more opportunities in life.
It was inspiring and moving meeting Ariadna and the other women. The 600 pesos I paid to go on the tour ($60USD) was well worth it as it gave me the opportunity to see first hand the good work of En Via, an organization that helps so many women establish a good livelihood for themselves and their families.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Freedom is...
An interesting way to get a lesson in the Spanish language is to be sitting in a hostel in Mexico, trying to blog, and using a Spanish language interface on BlogSpot.com! All that aside, la vida es en Mexico! I have been one week in Oaxaca, in southern Mexico and will look forward to spending the next 6 weeks here. Last year, while living in Guadalajara for a month, I fell in love with the Mexican people, the culture, the land, and, of course, the sun. When I created this blog a few years ago, I named it, without truly having a grasp on the "freedom" part of the name "folk, farming and freedom". I knew it was in me somewhere, just as much as the "folk" and "farming" part, but I wasn't quite sure how it was going to unfold.
Skip ahead a few years later....now, it is unfolding. Freedom! After a couple of years of embracing frugality I set forward on a plan to exit the corporate world for a spell in order to embrace la vida. We have one life, last I heard, and I am going to make the most of it. As a childless person, (whether by choice or by circumstance), one has more time and money to do as we wish. Some of us even do what would be crazy to many, like up and leave a job. But, preparation is always key and I firmly believe that baby steps will get you to where you need to be.
I embraced frugality because it wasn't that I didn't want to spend money, I just wanted other things more. I. Wanted. Freedom. To do as I wished. If even for a little while. I look forward to posting some stories about my adventures in Mexico and I hope that you enjoy them. Today in the streets of Oaxaca, I enjoyed outdoor markets, artists painting in the street, flamenco dancing, Jicama on a stick, the sun....la vida!
Skip ahead a few years later....now, it is unfolding. Freedom! After a couple of years of embracing frugality I set forward on a plan to exit the corporate world for a spell in order to embrace la vida. We have one life, last I heard, and I am going to make the most of it. As a childless person, (whether by choice or by circumstance), one has more time and money to do as we wish. Some of us even do what would be crazy to many, like up and leave a job. But, preparation is always key and I firmly believe that baby steps will get you to where you need to be.
I embraced frugality because it wasn't that I didn't want to spend money, I just wanted other things more. I. Wanted. Freedom. To do as I wished. If even for a little while. I look forward to posting some stories about my adventures in Mexico and I hope that you enjoy them. Today in the streets of Oaxaca, I enjoyed outdoor markets, artists painting in the street, flamenco dancing, Jicama on a stick, the sun....la vida!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)