Time Flies When Having Fun!

Hi.... can't believe I haven't blogged since April.. Time goes too fast and we have been busy with 3 Joyful Projects for the children, families and students in Chuburna, hosting a fiesta for a local baseball club we enjoy being part of, sailing, gardening, installing water systems and travelling. . Hope you enjoy this brief look at the last 4 months of our life at the beach. 

May
TENT SHELTER for the Primary School Children 
 Not allowed to eat lunch in their classrooms children sat on the cement covered ground outside, on the outdoor stage; wherever they could find some shade.  

Fathers and grandfathers provided the labour. The Apoyo program paid for the materials, tent and refreshments. 

THE AREA WE STARTED WITH 

Workers Arrive 

The men mix the cement... No Machines here. 

                                                        

Cement is carried by bucket from where it is mixed to where it is spread.  
No wonder Mayan men have such broad strong shoulders. 

Two weekends later:   Nuestro trabajo aquí ha terminado! Our work here is done! 

RAISING THE ROOF: NOW IT WAS TIME FOR APOYO volunteers TO DO THEIR WORK. 

The cement is cured and ready to be sheltered. 

Who has the instructions?  I think Gord does!

The Cheering Section : wonderful women I volunteer with. 

GRAND OPENING 

Tables and chairs were provided by the school. Principal Martin tells us the tents are a hit as children clamber inside to eat their lunch, taking turns when all the seats are full.  He showed us photos on his phone - many smiles. 

May Beisbol Fiesta... We have been part of this team for 2 years enjoying the games on the weekends and being included in team related gatherings.  So it was time for us to reciprocate with an afternoon of swimming, eating and practicing our spanish!!!

The Pool was Never so Busy 

The Mamas Serve.....Never a Buffet Here.... No Helping Yourself

Gracias from the boys for hosting the fiesta. 

PS: They Won the Championship

JUNE

EDUCACIÓN INICIAL ( the first education)

This government funded drop-in program is offered Mon, Wed, Thurs., Fri. from 4:00 - 7:00. Ten to 15 moms and their infants-3 year old children attend. 

Using some of the funds raised at last year's Fashion Show, we filled the almost empty room and shelves with 2 play carpets, snap together mats, large lego building blocks, puzzles, various stacking and matching toys, a CD player, art and crafts supplies, a play centre, water dispenser and lots of cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and paper cups.. 

Comfortable on new mats and carpets playing with new toys

The 2 teachers receive $1,000 pesos ( $80.00) a month from a government fund to pay for:
Rent:      400 pesos or about $32.00
Supplies  300 pesos or about $24.00 

Wages: 100 pesos or $8.00 a month 

Parents and children work on projects planned by the teachers 

Just like the good old days, dancing and singing along with children and moms to music played on the new CD player. 

JULY 

Free Community Computer Centre

Our Apoyo Program, The World School, from Boston Massachusetts, and Principal Sergio from the Secundaria School, partnered to provide children and adults in Chuburna with a Free Computer Centre for school related studies only. 

For us, our children and grandchildren, access to computers is a given.  However, for the students of Chuburna this is not the case. Unlike our experience, there is not a computer or two in every home.. Even students in high school have limited access to a few computers at the school and often must pay for time at local internet cafes.  

 the space to be renovated between the two class rooms.

The World School is a charitable organization founded and run by students. 

Seven members of the school arrived at their own expense, mid-August, for 8 days.  They provided 37,000 pesos in funding towards the 70,000 peso renovation and 10 computers plus 6 laptops for the school classrooms. 

We  contributed 20,000 pesos of Fashion Show funds plus we raised  an additional 13,000 pesos.  

From this 

Gord and friend Roy did all the electrical including installing plugs, lights, and fans... 

 To This...... an amazing feeling to witness the students using the computers; many for the first time.  

 

TIME OUT TO GO SAILING 

ONE OF THREE WATER SYSTEMS GORD IS  INSTALLING ... keeps him busy and the extra pesos come in handy. 

AUGUST

SCHOOL SUPPLIES SET UP UNDER OUR TERRACE SO WE CAN FILL 80 BACKPACKS. 

NEED SURGERY???  you must provide your own blood donors.. 
Here is the hospital in Merida where Gord donated blood in response to a request by another expat for A- blood.  He was one 3 donors needed for the surgery.  Three hours later he had been tested, accepted and gave blood.  

BLUE HERON AND FLAMINGOS ON MY FRIDAY MORNING BIKE RIDE

GARDENING NEVER ENDS...

SEPTEMBER : 

We celebrated arriving in Mexico 2 years ago by taking a trip to Mexico City and Ajijic, Guadalajara...

Watch for our next Blog for the highlights....including the Bull Fight!!!

Hugs from the Beach ( Abrazos de la playa)

Dorothy and Gord 

EPILOGUE TO THE BLOG

My Epilogue to turning 60:

One Benefit of turning 60 in Mexico is then being eligible for a Tarjeta INAPAM..Show this card and get discounts on medications, laboratory tests, bus travel, tourist site entrance fees and the list goes on... As with any ID card, the photo is never flattering....NO YOU MAY NOT SMILE!!

The day after I turned 60 I went to the office, provided a copy of my passport, immigration card, and of course the electric bill to verify my address in Mexico.  Several minutes later I had the card and went shopping for discounts...  

HAPPY BELATED AND UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND SCHOOL CHUMS ALSO TURNING 60 THIS YEAR. 

Can you find me??

Elementary School Reunion.. 2010... we haven't changed a bit!

And the next day with our teachers....Still smiling! May we always be this happy!


Life goes on...enjoy each day as if it were our last!... Linda Somers  passed away not long ago so please keep her in your thoughts and let's make sure we school chums get together again the year we turn 65 as planned.  

Hugs from the beach
Dorothy and Gord 

60 in Mexico

Hi everyone... 

I never thought I would celebrate my 60th in Mexico...  Gosh, for a while I denied that I was even going to be 60...  But one can't stop the passage of time so might as well embrace it.

My Multi-National Party
9 Canadians, 7 Americans, 11 Mexicans and one handsome Mariachi Singer 

Comfortable on the front terrace overlooking the ocean 

Enjoying my first of several glasses of wine 

 We were entertained all afternoon by a mariachi singer with the most incredible voice.... A gift from our friends Beverly and Roy.  Every woman should experience being serenaded....pretty special. 

Mexican Food for a Mexican Party:  The meat is on the spit and cooked on site..
Under the back terrace

Tacos al Pastor 

Our Neighbours sitting on the wall are from Mexico City.  They come to the beach in the spring, return to Mexico City and then back to the beach for the summer.  We plan to return to Mexico City with them in the fall at their invitation.

As of 2009, the metropolitan area of Mexico City had a population of 21.2 million people making it the largest metropolitan area in the western hemisphere, and the largest Spanish speaking city in the world. 

The city was originally built on an island of Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs in 1325 as Tenochtitlan, which was almost completely destroyed in the 1521 siege of Tenochtitlan, and subsequently redesigned and rebuilt in accordance with the Spanish urban standards.  ( Wiki pedia) 

                                                      Music to dance too!!

What a fabulous afternoon...Thanks for letting me share it with you, my family and friends. 

Abrazos ( Hugs)
Dorothy and Gord 

Fashion Show and Visitors

Hello everyone... sorry it has been so long since our last BLOG....We've been busy hosting a fundraiser and friends who came to visit. 

In past BLOGS I wrote about the program I am now a director of... The Chuburna Puerto Apoyo Escolar Program.. where we find sponsors and accept donations for the children who attend school in the village.   

Well on January 26, 2013,  we raised 54,000 pesos ( $4,400 Can)  for the program, from the 3rd annual Fashion Show held in our courtyard. 

Our house was full of donations of gently used & new women’s clothing from women who live here and those who visit.  SO when you come to visit us please pack a few clothes you can leave behind... Without the clothes there is no show. 

We spent a whole day early in January making sure  the Models' & Boutique clothing were clean, ironed and priced.  As you can see the kitchen and dining room are full of donated clothing. Racks with the model's 40 outfits are in the TV room.  Needless to say it is good we haven't  purchased much furniture and that what we do have is easy to move.  

Mary is from Ontario.  She lives here full time and passionately  coordinates outfits from many of the donated clothes, finds models, writes and reads the descriptions of the outfits worn during the show.


Here she is with David, opening the show.

Beverly is from British Columbia and has lived here for 6 years.  She is the founder of the Chuburna Puerto Apoyo Escolar Program.

An amazing organizer, she manages every detail, recruiting and working closely with the volunteers, to ensure a venue, a dresser for each model, waiters, chairs, tables, sound system, music, tickets & programs, raffle & auction items, refreshments and food.

6 models and 1 pirate....volunteers who live here full and part-time.  

                                   Modeled over  40 outfits... Here is a sample

            

                                           

                       

                                            

8 husbands who served the women drinks. 

Gord was a bartender.

* 1 auctioneer & 5 In"purse"inators.  Each purse held an auction item...Sunset Cruise, Sailboat Cruise, Spa Day at Barefoot in the Sands, Progreso, 3 Nights at Flamingos Inn - Chuburna, 2 Nights at Casa de Luz-Merida

 

The guys were a hoot...sashaying up and down the sidewalk as Auctioneer Dave took bids. 

 

BEST FOOD EVER!!!!  Great Food Committee

Other incredible volunteers included 

* 1 Chuburna School, Telesecundaria Salvador Alvarado, for the audio system 

* Cindy provided 2 hrs. of music in the garden. 

* Amy took the photos

* 10 others provided umbrellas, tents and the tiles, & buckets from which we made small side tables; 

* 11 donors of raffle and auction items 

* 150 guests purchased tickets to attend and then spent more money on refreshments, the raffle, the auction and the boutique.

THE BOUTIQUE... BARGAINS ON GENTLY USED CLOTHING including what the models wore... Craziness on the terrace.

With so many volunteers magic happened on behalf of the well-being and education of the children of Chuburna Puerto.

Part of the money raised at the Fashion Shows is used for projects that benefit  many in the village such as a sheltered space for the children attending the Primary school to have lunch, renovations to a new medical clinic and for the drop-in program for moms and their infants-3 yr. old children.   The rest of the money goes into our GUST fund to support the children attending school with Glasses, Uniforms, Sundry materials and Transportation.

Sunday we "raise the roof" on the shelter and next week we are attending a session at the drop-in program to meet the moms and children as they set up  the materials and supplies we provided. I will bring you along in our next BLOG. 

WE'VE HAD COMPANY:  Lisa and Scotti from Castlegar came to visit and we had 9 glorious fun-filled days...collecting shells, visiting the zoo,  sightseeing in Merida - Scotti got to dance with Superman and Spiderman, playing in the waves, climbing pyramids, swimming,  fishing; and even getting a first haircut.  

No fear 

Scotti at the Fashion Show; our own little garden fairy 

Our friends from the village, Paulino and Minerva with son, Cristian and grandson, Junior, took us "reel" fishing.

Scotti got to practice her spanish -
" hola" 
" gracias" 

Lisa with the Catch of the Day!!!! 

PYRAMID CLIMBING..Scotti wore her special "Pyramid shirt " 

Collecting sea sells not far from our house

        Water Baby!                                                                                       

AHH this is the life! Can't believe it is winter!

Our Casita was also HOME away from HOME for friends, Syd and Carl from BC. who came to visit for 2 weeks in February.   Syd and I have been friends for 49 years growing up in Stony Mountain, Manitoba.  

We explored the ruins at Uxmal, toured the Ecomuseo del Cacao ( Chocolate Museum), played in Merida,  walked the beach, tried new foods and spent lots of time in and around the pool. 

Uxmal.. 1.5 hrs. from our home

Look way up!...

Carl and I climbed the Pyramid..... What a view! 

We attended one of the many parades during the Merida Carnival... here the guys are watching the infamous SOL Girls float... 





Rumour has it that 50% of the hundreds who come to see the parades, come to see the SOL GIRLS...

Given the expressions on the faces of these 2 guys, I believe it!!.






ECOMUSEO DEL CACAO        http://www.ecomuseodelcacao.com/

 Leading the way to an ancient Mayan Ceremony 

Honouring the Cacao Pod (from which Chocolate is made 

I never gave much thought to the plant that gives us chocolate!!!!! 

 We saw how it was made so many years ago...and then to have a taste... 
mmmmm good. 

Enjoying the pool.. 






We were fortunate to also meet the children when they displayed their school work in the town square.  

That's it for now... I have plants to tend to and floors to clean. Gord is off working for a fellow Canadian installing their water system...

We are looking forward to a visit from another long-time friend in a couple of weeks followed by our son David & girlfriend Julie over Easter.  

The days just fly by and we continue to enjoy sharing them with you all, thru this BLOG, emails and visits. 

From the beach

Abrazos

Dorothy and Gord