December In Chuburna Puerto

Hi everyone.. we have had a busy month going to the tire shop, fumigating the property, volunteering for the APOYO program, and  taking in all the Christmas festivities. Of course we had to get it all in before the end of the world, on December 21st,  predicted by those interpreting the Mayan Calendar. 

As you read this on December 28 th  you will agree that one should always have an Oreo cookie close by. 

I am volunteering as a Director for the local Apoyo program I have been writing you about. So this month I've been accepting donations to our GUST fund 
( muchas gracias) , helping with jacket distribution (just in time for the cooler weather), meeting some families and  planning our fund-raising Fashion Show in January. It is going to be in our courtyard and has a Carnival theme...The guys dress in black shorts, white shorts and sparkly cumberbunds serving 120 women.  There will be great photos for the next BLOG.  

  LLANTERA repair in Chelem:     

Simple but Effective Signage. 

We had a tire that was losing air.

 Took the tire off and discovered a leak in the side wall.

 Tire off, repaired, replaced all for 50 pesos... less than $5.00. 
I know.. we couldn't believe it either and asked several times to make sure... 

FUMIGATION...for the ants, cockroaches, scorpions...all the critters that live with us in the tropics.. Alex comes by every 3 months...outside and inside to make sure they don't move in. 

CHRISTMAS IS A BUSY TIME... there are many religious ceremonies; traditions and of course, Santa.  

December 8... The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception is the patron of the village.. Her feast  is observed starting with an outdoor Mass at the Port..

The statue of the Virgin is taken out to the ocean with prayers said in recognition of  the main resource for the area, fishing. 

Families make the one hour walk with the statue and banners from the Port to the Chuburna Catholic Church. 

The procession is something to see, kilometers long, mariachi band playing, traditional dancers, many colorful banners, women with umbrellas to provide shade from the sun. 





Occasionally they stop for a dance while fire works explode near by..

A Mariachi band serenades the Virgin as the statue and banners are carried into the church.... The singer had a beautiful voice and the air was full of emotion.  

Antorchistas Guadalupanos

In Mexico, how do you know when the Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe is near? That’s easy. You begin to see groups of individuals and groups, traveling on foot or by bicycle, traveling long distances as part of a promise they made to La Virgen during the year.  The Antorchistas Guadalupanos are on the roads throughout Yucatan all of December. Thankfully, everyone reached their destination without incident. 
                                                                           (from Yucatan Living)

December 12: Day of the  Virgin of Guadalupe:  
Altars to the Virgin are in front of many Chuburna homes; some elaborate and some very humble.

An outside Mass celebrates the Virgin of Guadalupe and the return of the Antorchistas. 

Daniel, whose family taught us to make PIBs, and son Kevin participated in the Father/Son Walk with other dads and sons below:

CAROLING.. The children who attend the Free English School, offered by English speaking volunteers, came to the house.. How special to hear them sing carols in English. Needless to say, the FA LA LA LA LA.. was the loudest part of Deck the Halls. 

LAS POSADAS: a 400 year old tradition                                                                                                             
Our friends Minerva and Paulino hosted the Posada.  Posada is Spanish for "lodging" and is celebrated from  December 16 to 24th. The nine days represent Mary's nine months of pregnancy  carrying Jesus.   

Chuburna is divided in to 3 sections... In each section, 3 families agree to participate.  Carrying statues of Mary and Joseph those in the procession walk  to 3 homes singing for "lodging". 

At the first 2 homes the procession is turned away... However, at the 3rd home, Paulino and Minerva's, those behind closed doors initially sing their refusal but eventually open their doors to the procession and accept the statues of Mary and Joseph. 

 

Children have a significant role in this tradition..walking in procession, singing behind closed doors and finally breaking open the pinata and excitedly gathering up the candy.

Christmas Concerts are held outside in the square : Here are the children from the secondaria school... It was fun to see them dance to Christmas songs sung in English and Spanish. 

Rudolf and his reindeer buddies dancing to Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer. 

  

. Moving and shaking to Jingle Bell Rock..This Santa could dance. 

DECEMBER 18; a fun evening planned by the local government and featuring local talent, ended with Santa giving out gifts, purchased with funds raised by the expat community. 

CHRISTMAS EVE:   Mary arrives on a burro, accompanied by Joseph followed by a procession bringing the statues of Mary and Joseph back to the church where they will be placed in a manger with a statue of the baby Jesus.  The procession is made up of the children of the village. Candles are lit and midnight mass begins, followed by families and friends sharing a meal in their homes.  

MUCHO FRIO:  It's been colder these past few weeks especially at night 
( 58 degrees) so there is a collection for blankets going on for the elders in the village.  Even Gord and I have the front door closed and the comforter on the bed.   

Winter is here!

Looking forward to our continued friendship in 2013..
Have a 

Feliz Año Nuevo:  Happy New Year

Dorothy and Gord 

 

Day of Parades

 

Day of Parades:  Dia de Desfiles

It is November 20th, 27 degrees, sunny with a warm breeze.  The children are out of school as across the country, in every pueblo, town and city, there are parades commemorating the Revolution of 1910-20.  

  The local Police Band leads the parade of children down the streets of Chuburna to the square. 

To carry the flag is a great honor given to those students with the highest marks.

Knowledge of one's history begins early.  

                               The little ones are dressed as peasant women and armed resisters.

Aren't They So Cute

Gymnastics along the route 

On the cement... bare knees and smiles 

Grade 5 dressed as fruit playing pretend instruments to lively music. 

I have a great video of this  but it wouldn't upload so I can't share it with you... one thing I definitely want to learn to do. 

 Impressive gymnastics; balance and strength; on the cement of the roadway, 

BARE HANDS AND KNEES ON THE CEMENT>>NO MATS

                        Rhythmic Dancing with Pom Poms to Gandam Style..

!

Adults model healthy living by demonstrating a step class that happens three times a week in the village. I had joined them for one session several months ago and it was Hot Hot Hot!  They laughed with and at us expats who were dripping with perspiration, while the local women are barely breaking a sweat.
I hear they are doing it on the beach now so I just might try again. 

There were lots of smiles from the children and proud parents. 

 

The next big event is the Fiesta for  the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 8th... and I have just heard that the children are coming to our house caroling on December 14th.  

Christmas music can be heard in the shops in the city and there is a drive for presents for the police officers' children...They are paid so poorly this is one way we say thanks. 

Christmas is definitely in the air!.

Hasta Luega

Dorothy and Gord

Winter Arrives

Hola everyone... Back from Manitoba and heading into WINTER here at the beach...

• leaves fall off some trees while others have blooms; such is the contradiction of winter at the beach. My bougainvillea are enjoying the cooler weather.
• at the local dog shelter they don't bath the dogs when the temperature is below 28 degrees as " it is too cold". 
• 25 degrees outside in the shade and I have goose bumps
• the pool is 76 degrees = way to cold for swimming.

We are certainly acclimatized as I remember coming down several winters ago and jumping right in!... 

               But the hammock still beckons for an afternoon of reading and snoozing.

Gord's job at the local Marina has ended.  He enjoyed going in 2-3 times a week to work on the yachts with two other Canadians, one of whom owns the company contracted with the yacht club for repairs and maintenance; the other who is a friend and like-minded Mr. Fix-It. 

Always up for the challenge, he started on electrical projects ( lights in cup holders if you can believe it), major rewiring and finally being able to take apart and reassemble motors.  I know he is looking forward to returning next summer.

 APOYO: In August  I helped fill backpacks with school supplies for the local APOYO 

( support) program here in our fishing village of Chuburna.  Although school is "free" in Mexico the children require uniforms and shoes. They must purchase all of their books and school supplies (the list is as extensive as the ones we have in Canada), and pay for transportation costs to attend middle and high school.

Children here want to go to school.
For the poorest of the poor, this is often impossible, especially when there is more than one child in a family. At times, the eldest child (or eldest boy) can attend school if and when the family can afford it, thus, a few of the poorest learn some basic skills but most kids can look forward to adult lives of poverty, just like their parents. Many live in one-room homes with no running water, electricity or proper sanitation. There are few government social services available.  

Children who work hard in school and are at risk of not continuing due to the poverty in their family are eligible for the program.  Their name goes on a waiting list while they and their parents hope for a sponsor. Once a child is sponsored parents must make sure their marks are given to the coordinator of the program and the child must maintain 8 out of 10 in all subjects. Home visits are made to support the family when it appears a child may be struggling. 

Currently 70 children have sponsors.  Every sponsor receives a photo of the child they support  as well as a letter from that child which they must bring on the day the backpacks and uniforms are handed out.  Regular newsletters highlighting events at the school and including the children's marks are also emailed to sponsors. 

                                               Harold, the little boy we sponsor is      
                               proudly holding his back pack and wearing his uniform.

An annual Fashion Show fundraiser ensures there is money in a special fund for eye glasses, bus fare, examination fees etc. etc... 

Annual Sponsorships range from;
$150 through grade 6 
$200 for grades 7 - 9 
$275 for grades 10 -12 
Perhaps not much money to the more fortunate of us , but a profound difference to a child with a vision of a better future.  This past graduation, the valedictorians of two high schools were young students in the APOYO program.  Without sponsorship, it is most likely they would not have even gone to high school given their family circumstances.  Both are now going onto college. 

There are another 65 children on the waiting list for sponsors so if you are interested please let me know and I will put you in contact with the coordinator of the program, my friend, Beverly.  No money is kept for administration...It all goes to support the children.  

HALLOWEEN FUN: although Halloween is generally not celebrated in the Yucatan the children from the Free English School in Chuburna ( offered by volunteers) had the experience of visiting 15 homes along the beach.  We played scary music and, in a dimly lit courtyard, dressed as a skeleton,  I beckoned them in with my skeleton lantern. What fun to hear the nervous laughter accompanied by  "trick or treat' in English.

Dias de los Muertos ( Day of the Dead) is celebrated throughout the country. Leading up to this day, alters are built in homes on which to put photos, favorite items, drinks, possessions of relatives who have died.  Flowers are taken to the cemeteries.

Family members spend the day talking about the dearly departed, laughing and sharing stories... What a wonderful way to remember family members, sharing their lives with younger generations and honoring the memories of their lives every year. 

Pour into the grinder with a little water and out comes a soft dough

The special food for this day is called PIB. 
 I made some too and got to practise my Spanish.

Villagers bring soaked soft corn in buckets to be ground.  

My friend Bev is sorting  banana leaves. 

Another friend, Chris, cuts the spines to be used later for wrapping the PIBS

I am washing the banana leaves. We are  cooking outdoors at the home of one of the villagers. 

           A lesson about the beans that will go into some of the PIBs. 

Lily Anna cuts up  the chicken and pork  

 Adriana is cooking the mixture of chicken, pork and 
special tomato sauce over an open fire where she cooks all her meals, all the time. 

 Daniel prepares the pit as they will be         
            cooked "under the ground."

He breaks up rocks for the pit, covers them with wood and sets it alight to create a hot " carbon"..base upon which to cook the Pibs. 

Melted lard is added to the dough and it is kneaded like bread and then formed into a dish to hold the chicken/pork/tomato mixture

I was responsible for making the tops under the guidance of the children who, in Spanish, directed me on how to make them uniformily flat and "redondear" = round.  
I handed them to Adriana who covered the mixture

Experienced hands wrap the Pibs 

 Ready for the fire in the ground. 

In the Pit is the layer of stone and burning wood. The Pibs are placed on a sheet of metal laid on the wood, covered with freshly cut branches of leaves, some fabric, more metal and finally dirt to seal in the heat. 

    2 hours later we watch with interest as the Pibs are taken from the pit.

      

 Cooked, Ready to UnWrap 

 A wonderful meal with a generous family 

 In a couple of weeks we'll be going to the State Fair and in the next BLOG I will take you along with us.  

Buenas Noches ( Good night ) 

Dorothy and Gord