July 2012
Category Archives: July 2012
Editor’s Letter
By Jane Bauer
It is the time of year when we are reminded of just how much we are at the mercy of the weather. Last month Oaxaca was hit by Carlotta- a hurricane of voluptuous proportions who shimmied her way along the coast leaving fallen trees and dark skies in her wake. The most badly hit areas were Puerto Escondido, Mazunte, Zipolite and towns in the Sierra Madre, with many buildings losing roofs and damage from fallen trees. Quickly people pulled together and have been working to rebuild. If you are interested in offering help to hurricane victims we suggest contacting the local Red Cross in that area.
By the time this issue is off the press Mexico will have a new president. The new President of the Republic will serve a six-year term, replacing current President Felipe Calderón. The current 1917 Constitution does not contemplate presidential re-election. Leading in the poles has been former governor of the State of Mexico, PRI Enrique Pe a Nieto. He is running against former Mexico City mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for the PRD and Josefina Vazquez Mota for the PAN.
Last month I celebrated 15 years living in this area so I was thrilled to read Carole Reedy’s piece on foreigners living in Mexico. While we all have chosen to live here for different reasons; husbands, jobs, more pesos for your dollar living. One thing is abundantly clear; Mexico is a land of opportunity. It offers an incredible possibility for personal growth and with that many challenges. I consider myself privileged to have gotten to spend such a large part of my life here.
Through the hurricanes and elections I continue to be inspired and awed with each day. We hope to bring a little bit of that to our readers with each issue.
Extranjeros in Mexico: How We Got Here, Why We Stay
By Carole Reedy
While it’s difficult to pinpoint the precise number of immigrants living in Mexico, the 2010 census reveals that less than 1 percent of the population is comprised of foreigners, most of them from other Hispanic countries and the US. That’s about a million extranjeros. The reason it’s challenging to determine the exact number is that some residents stay “under the radar,” living and working on tourist visas or owning homes but not actually living in Mexico.
For centuries, people all over the world have felt compelled to leave their country of birth for human rights and freedom issues or for work opportunities….and even conquest. At the end of the 20 century, employers began sending professionals overseas to their foreign subsidiaries. In a country such as Dubai, for example, just 20 percent of the population are citizens, the rest foreign workers. Continue reading Extranjeros in Mexico: How We Got Here, Why We Stay
July in Oaxaca is Synonymous with The Guelaguetza
By Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D.
The Guelaguetza is the most colorful and exhilarating of the multitude of festivals in Oaxaca, with pageantry unrivaled in all Mexico. In a state with 16 different indigenous cultures, each with unique traditions, language, food, music, dress and dance, it should come as no surprise that the annual two-week July extravaganza draws both Mexican nationals and tourists from all corners of the globe. Continue reading July in Oaxaca is Synonymous with The Guelaguetza
Rotary/ Rotaract Huatulco
By Elizabeth St-Germaine
On May 9 Rotary hosted a Mother’s Day breakfast at Cosmo’s Ocean Bar to help raise funds for various projects currently being conducted by the club. A fashion show was presented by Ms. Evelia Copka, with original designs of unique Mexican style clothing, manufactured in Mexico and made with high quality materials, perfect attire for our beloved Huatulco. The models for the event were beautiful, longtime residents and well known women from our community. Continue reading Rotary/ Rotaract Huatulco
Blowin’ in the Wind
By Neal Erickson
The need for renewable energy sources has been high in the collective world consciousness for quite some time. According to some, as Bob Dylan wrote: “The answer is blowin’ in the Wind.”
As you drive toward Chiapas from Oaxaca on highway 190, you enter the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and will pass through some of the biggest wind farms in Latin America. On both sides of the road, at times seeming to stretch out as far as the eye can see, are acres and acres of futuristic-looking electricity-generating windmills. The Isthmus is only approximately 200km wide at it’s narrowest, and separates the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. Also at this point, the Sierra Madre Mountain range flattens out to a plateau before rising to the Sierras of Chiapas, creating a natural funnel for winds from the Gulf to pass through to the Pacific, and vice versa. Continue reading Blowin’ in the Wind
Passionate Readers: Who Are We?
By Carole Reedy
“And she is the reader who browses the shelf and looks for new worlds but finds herself.” ― Laura Purdie Salas, Poems about Books
If you are browsing through this issue of The Eye, you are probably a reader, traveler, or adventurer, or all three wrapped into one. There are as many different types of readers as there are moles in Oaxaca. Some read for information, others for facts about travel, the weather, politics, and the state of the world. Some read to pass the time-in the doctor’s office, on a plane or bus, or while waiting in one of those long Mexican lines at the bank. Some people read for adventure and to escape the day to day hum-drum routine. Some read for beauty or emotion. Emily Dickenson once said, “If I read a book and it makes my body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that it is poetry.” Continue reading Passionate Readers: Who Are We?
Señorita Manners
“Her godmother simply touched her with her wand, and, at the same moment, her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver, all decked with jewels.” Charles Perrault
It is the time of year for school graduations and you may be fortunate enough to have been asked to be a madrina or padrino. In pop culture godmothers turn pumpkins into horse drawn carriages and godfathers make sure anyone who crosses you is sleeping with the fishes. In the Christian tradition godparents are whom parents choose to have legal guardianship in the event that something happens to them. Given all these expectations, when you are asked to be a madrina/padrino de graduacion you might be a little unsure of how to respond and all that this entails. Have no fear! Being a madrina/padrino for a graduation ceremony can be a one time deal but his does not diminish what an honor it is to be asked. Parents chose someone close to the family or someone they have a great deal of respect for. It can also be a way to honor a person who has helped or had an influence on the child’s education.
Mexicans love a good fiesta and schools are no exception. There are elaborate graduation ceremonies starting in kindergarten. Students often spend weeks practicing dances to present at the graduation. As a godparent you will be expected to attend the ceremony. You should bring a gift such a gold jewelry or something having to do with education. Money is always appreciated and is an appropriate gift. After the ceremony you will be invited back to the house or a restaurant for a meal. It may expected that you will help to contribute financially to the clothing your hijada/hijado will need for the graduation ceremony- especially in poorer communities. If you are unsure, just ask or offer.
The level of commitment required after the event is entirely up to you. You can check in on you hijada/hijado’s progress at school, acknowledge birthdays and you may be asked to attend future events as madrina/padrino. However do not be offended if you are not asked at the next graduation. If you are unable or uninterested to perform this service it is entirely proper to decline.
Salchi’s Artist in Residence
By Liz Healey
When Beltran Arenas, a reporter/photographer from Oaxaca City first arrived in Salchi 5 years ago with his friend, Meghan Wood, he couldn’t imagine what a life-changing visit it would be. Beltran wanted to learn English, and he was soon adopted into the Wood family.
Meghan’s mother, Annie, is an artist, and Beltran became fascinated with her projects in Salchi, especially the tile mosaics that she was creating. He worked with Annie to refine his artistic talents and was soon designing and creating his own tile masterpieces. He created the Salchi logo and did several large pieces in homes. Continue reading Salchi’s Artist in Residence
Into the Wild
By Brooke Gazer
Parque Nacional Huatulco is one of 67 National Parks in Mexico. Having recognized its value for eco-tourism and conservation, the Mexican government set aside 29,000 acres of land and sea as a protected reserve in 1988 and the area was officially designated as a National Park in July 1998. The establishment of PNH was a major coup for both local and international conservationists since the area hosts several species of plants, birds, amphibians and sea life that are unique to the region. Continue reading Into the Wild
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