Category Archives: Huatulco

Huatulco, San Miguel de Allende

A Banner Year for the Novel and Its Master Storytellers

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Since the theme of The Eye this month is healthcare, herein lies a literary path for positive mental health! This is turning out to be a banner year for lovers of the novel. Many of us thought 2025 was a bit bereft of books by creative minds that produce beautiful stories. Now it appears they were being saved for 2026.

Fire up your Kindles and be sure your library card is up to date! Here is a handful of bright gems hailing from around the globe. There will be more to follow in upcoming months, with June appearing to be the biggest month for publication.

Land by Maggie O’Farrell
For me, this is the most exciting selection of the year. If this is your first foray into O’Farrell’s novels, you have many satisfying hours ahead. I’ve been hooked on her books for the past 20 years, ever since I first read The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox in 2006.

O’Farrell may be best known for her recent best-selling novel Hamnet, which has been made into a blockbuster movie and nominated for several Academy Awards. O’Farrell was also one of the screenwriters.

Regardless of the film’s success, I found the book much more emotionally satisfying (as happens most of the time for me). Two hours in the theater simply can’t compare to the hours spent in the silent contemplation of the reading process.

Land, due out in June, takes place in Ireland before and after the dreaded 1842-1852 Great Famine, also known as the Irish Potato Famine. It is a story of survival in a land of a million deaths. Another million fled the country. Publication June 2, 2026.

Contrapposto by Dave Eggers
It’s been a while since we’ve had news of a new Dave Eggers novel. He rose to fame in the literary world with A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, and has since repeatedly proved himself a formidable writer, with a substantial litany of the finest novels of our time including What Is the What, You Shall Know Our Velocity, and The Circle. Eggers has also been published in The New Yorker and Esquire magazines.

Eggers is so much more than a writer. He is also the founder of several literary and philanthropic ventures, including the literary journal Timothy McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, the literacy project 826 Valencia, and the human rights non-profit Voice of Witness. Additionally, he founded ScholarMatch, a program that connects donors with students needing funds for college tuition.

In this latest novel, about art and its world, we follow the two principal characters, Cricket and Olympia, for 65 years. Publisher Penguin describes it as “a wild and beautiful examination of the rules and market forces of the art world.” But it’s also about the power of friendship.

Eggers is a classically trained artist whose work has been exhibited throughout the world. This novel has been percolating in his mind for the past 20 years. Publication date: June 9. 2026.

John of John by Douglas Stuart
At the start of the Covid epidemic in 2020, Douglas Stuart’s debut novel Shuggie Bain seized our attention, as did his fairytale personal story.

Shuggie is a young boy in 1980s Glasgow, desperately trying to save his alcoholic mother while dealing with his own identity. The knowledge of the author’s personal struggle and ultimate success gave us joy and hope during difficult pandemic times.

In 2022 Stuart published his second novel, Young Mungo, that also received critical acclaim.

Now, Stuart’s third novel, John of John, promises more excellent craftsmanship in a gripping story of a young man returning home.

Award-winning author Colm Toibin raves about this newest from Stuart, saying “it has the emotional reach and empathy of his earlier books, but this book is special; it has an urgency, an immediacy, a brilliant sense of place, the drama of a fierce emotion repressed, hidden, and volcanically exposed.”

Ann Patchett, another venerated writer, also is enraptured: “Reading John of John is like moving to the Isle of Harris and settling into the family farm. The novel is so immersive, so all-encompassing, that I felt as if I were living in it. Douglas Stuart has written something brilliant and exceptional.”

I needn’t read further previews to know that I’ll be the first in line on publication day May 15, 2026.

The News from Dublin by Colm Toibin
Speaking of Colm Toibin, he graces us with a new series of short stories this year. These 11 selections take you across continents and eras. The Miami Herald calls Toibin an “achingly beautiful writer…with infinite compassion.”

If you’re among the many readers familiar with Brooklyn and its sequel Long Island, you may enjoy a change of pace in Toibin’s non-fiction. Travelers and European history fans may enjoy Homage to Barcelona, a book that celebrates one of the great cities of the world, from the vibrant architecture and expansion to the lives of Gaudi, Miró, Picasso, Casals, and Dalí.
Many of you may, like me, be interested in the separation of Catalan, as well a glimpse into Franco and the Civil War.

Toibin’s selection of both fiction and nonfiction will complete your library.

Now I Surrender by Alvaro Enrigue
The luminous re-creator of Montezuma and the Spanish Conquest in his novel You Dreamed of Empires took both sides of US/Mexican border by surprise. It was lauded by the most prestigious reviewers. The Washington Post called it “An alternate history of Mexican conquest, with a Tarantino-ready twist.”

Riding on this success, Enrigue takes on the American/Mexican Wild West in Now I Surrender. It’s an expansive novel of past and present using myth and history to tell the story through imagined characters such as Geronimo and the Apaches.

Publication date: March 3, available in Spanish and English.

Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead
Fans, including yours truly, of Whitehead’s Harlem Shuffle and Crook Manifesto are enthusiastically awaiting this third and final novel of the trilogy.

Returning are furniture dealer Ray Carney and his old friend and partner in crime, Pepper, who is a bit of a sociopath. It has now been 20 years since the death of Ray’s cousin Freddie. Ray is feeling a responsibility for Freddie’s son and needs to weigh the risks of rescuing him from the violent forces of the city versus maintaining the safety and security of his own family.

Most readers are familiar with Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize (for fiction) winning The Underground Railroad. The novel also won the National Book Award. Many readers feel this trilogy deserves equal praise.

Whistler by Ann Patchett
“It’s Friday and if you haven’t read this it’s new to you,” says Ann Patchett, introducing her Friday chats on Facebook. Every week she offers several minutes out of her busy literary schedule to discuss the books she’s reading.

You may know Patchett as the owner of the famous Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, with a branch at the Nashville Airport. In addition, she keeps an online magazine. At a site called Musing, you’ll find Ann Patchett’s blog, staff-picked reading lists, exclusive author interviews, shop dog diaries, and more. No matter where you live you can subscribe.

We know Patchett as a reliable storyteller. She has written extraordinary novels loved by a wide range of readers. My personal favorite is Bel Canto, and I’m not alone in my assessment: the New York Times Book Review named it one of the most important books of the 21st century. It also won the PEN/Faulkner Prize and the Orange Prize. “The Shining Path meets the opera star” could be the subtitle.

Now to her new book, Whistler. It concerns a subject we all ponder from time to time: the decisions we’ve made and the ones that have been made for us. Two main characters reunite to formulate and develop the plot and philosophical rendering. Pre-publication reviews are raves. Due out on June 2, 2026.

With so many wondrous novels arriving this year, we dedicate this and future columns to keeping you in the loop.

 

 

Huatulco

From Chalkboards to Starlink: A New Era for Rural Schools in Oaxaca

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By Jamie McIntyre—

Founded in 2008 to assist rural communities near Huatulco, Bacaanda Foundation began to focus its efforts on rural education in 2013. In partnership with CONAFE, the agency responsible for rural education in Oaxaca, the Foundation now supports over 550 children and 63 teachers, in 59 schools across 23 rural communities.

Initially, the Foundation worked to establish suitable classroom environments for students and teachers. With donor funding and community support, it built or renovated 46 schools and 33 teacher residences.

This initiative led to Bacaanda’s “Intelligent Rural Schools Program,” which uses technology to enhance student learning, and along with investments in teacher training these technologies are now being used in all classrooms.

This year, the Foundation completed installation of Starlink satellite systems providing high-speed internet to all 59 schools. With 400 iPads now fully integrated into student learning, we are seeing primary student test scores in Spanish and Math improve, by more than 30% in two years.

A review found significant gaps in student literacy, so the Foundation added a literacy module in 2025, focused on reading, comprehension and writing. Proficiency improved dramatically from 23% of primary students proficient last year, to 63% this year.

Many teachers at Bacaanda schools are recent high school graduates who lack experience and formal pedagogical training. At its two training facilities, the Foundation works collaboratively with CONAFE to deliver teacher training, which has proven to enhance educators’ skill sets, self-assurance, and instructional effectiveness.

Also, Bacaanda’s six trainers provide teacher support both in-class and online, but retaining teachers remains difficult. To address this, Bacaanda, in cooperation with CONAFE, began offering teacher salary support last year. As a result, teacher turnover in 2025/2026 dropped to less than half its previous rate.

Bacaanda Foundation is a registered charity in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. For further details or to learn about tax-efficient ways to give to this wonderful organization, please visit http://www.bacaandafoundation.org

Huatulco, San Miguel de Allende

Could Simply Moving to Mexico Be Considered “Health Care”?

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By Kary Vannice—

Every year, people pack up their lives and move somewhere else in search of something …undefinable. It’s not about the weather or the money, and despite what friends back home may think, it is not even about running away from responsibility. For most, it’s simply about wanting life to feel different…better.

And modern research backs this up. There’s even a term for it: lifestyle migration.

Sociologist Michaela Benson describes it as the movement of people who are not forced to relocate for work or safety, but who are “searching for a better way of life.” And that phrase comes up again and again in studies of first-world citizens who move to places like Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand and many other developing countries.

But does changing countries actually change anything internally? According to research, it certainly changes things energetically.

Psychologists Judith Rodin and Ellen Langer have spent decades researching what they call “perceived control.” Their studies show that people who feel they have more influence over their daily lives experience less stress, better health, and even live longer. Their work suggests it’s not simply what happens to us that matters, it’s whether we feel we are in control or being controlled.

The Journal of Happiness Studies found that agency, a sense of directing one’s own life, is consistently linked to higher life satisfaction across almost every country studied. In other words, feeling in charge of your day-to-day life matters, a lot.

When someone relocates, the move itself doesn’t magically solve all their problems, but it does force them to redesign their way of life. They’re now living in an environment with different bureaucracies, different expectations, different cultural rhythms, and different definitions of success. As a foreigner, they experience the unique freedom of not having grown up inside the existing structure, so they no longer feel bound to it.

Researchers looking at stress physiology use another term, “allostatic load,” defined as the cumulative physical, mental, and emotional “wear and tear” from chronic, repeated, or prolonged stress exposure. Neuroscientist Bruce McEwen, writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed how long-term stress responses become embedded in the body, affecting cardiovascular, metabolic, and emotional health. leading to long-term health problems as one ages.

These stress responses are not just triggered by traumatic events. Most come from constant low-level demands, time pressure, competition, and unpredictability in the surrounding environment.

Another study published in Psychological Science showed that people report greater well-being when their personal values align with the norms of the society they live in. Not feeling aligned with the current political climate, for example, can cause a persistent sense of friction and emotional discord.

Relocation can reduce that friction. Not because the new location is necessarily better, but because it aligns more with one’s personal values and lifestyle choices.

In her study Lifestyle Migration and the Quest for a Better Way of Life, researcher Karen O’Reilly documented how participants talked about wanting “time,” “space,” and “control over everyday living” rather than material gain. This is what prompted many of them to move from their country of origin. They described their decision to relocate less as an escape and more as a recalibration.

Of course, living abroad also poses challenges such as language, bureaucracy, and adapting to new cultural norms. But these types of challenges also carry unexpected health benefits. Manageable stress, the kind that comes from learning, problem-solving, and navigating new situations, can build resilience and cognitive flexibility. Unlike the draining stress of constant pressure, these kinds of challenges engage the brain, encourage social connection, and create a sense of accomplishment. Figuring out how to open a bank account in another language or navigate a new governmental system may be frustrating in the moment, but it also fosters confidence, adaptability, and a sense of autonomy in daily life.

If you strip away the romantic ideals of living abroad, you start to see that changing countries often changes how we feel about ourselves and our lives. For many, it fosters a more calm, centered, and grounded sense of self and personal agency. Both of which have long-term positive health benefits and can contribute to living longer.

So, could relocating be one of the best things you do for your mental and emotional health?

Not so much because of the new country itself, but because you stepped outside of the patterns and systems that once defined you. In this case, well-being has less to do with where you land and more to do with what you leave behind. A new environment invites an opportunity to live in a new way, and for many, life no longer feels like something that happens to them by default, but more like something they are creating with intention.

Kary Vannice is a writer and energetic healer who explores the intersections of culture, consciousness, and daily life in Mexico.

Huatulco

Marihuana in Mexico

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By Julie Etra—

The history of marijuana—known in Mexico as marihuana or colloquially as mota—its cultivation, regulation, and use as a drug, became indelibly tied to its neighbor to the north, the United States of America.

Origins in New Spain
Cannabis seeds were first introduced to Chile, Peru, and Mexico in the 16th century by the Spanish, most notably Hernán Cortés, who promoted its cultivation for fiber production. What we now call hemp was then known as cáñamo. Its use was already widespread in Spain, a legacy of Moorish agricultural practices dating back to the early medieval period.

Although hemp and marijuana share the scientific name Cannabis sativa, hemp contains very low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—typically less than 1%—and therefore has no intoxicating effects. Marijuana, by contrast, has been selectively bred for decades to enhance psychoactive properties.

Cáñamo has long had multiple commercial uses, including textiles, rope, and soap. It is easily distinguished from marijuana plants: hemp grows taller, often reaching up to five meters, and expends its nutrients on vegetative growth rather than seed production. In marijuana cultivation, male plants are removed to prevent pollination of the females, which increases the potency of the flowering tops.

Early Uses in Mexico
In Mexico, cannabis use evolved from medicinal and religious applications into recreational use. At the time of the Spanish conquest, Indigenous peoples were already familiar with a variety of psychoactive plants, including psilocybin mushrooms, peyote (a mescaline-containing cactus), tolóache (Datura species), and picietl, a form of wild tobacco.

By the 16th century, cannabis preparations were reportedly used to treat gonorrhea, regulate menstrual cycles, and relieve muscle and dental pain.

One of the earliest prohibitions came on July 4, 1882, when President Porfirio Díaz issued a decree banning the sale of the plant known as “Rosa María,” identified as marijuana.

Marijuana as a Drug
By the early 20th century, marijuana use had become common in Mexico, including among revolutionary troops. Its presence in popular culture is reflected in the Mexican version of the folk song La Cucaracha, popularized during the Revolution (1910–1920). The well-known chorus humorously refers to a cockroach unable to walk because it lacks marijuana to smoke.

Regulation and U.S. Influence
Marijuana was first officially prohibited nationwide in Mexico in 1920 under President Venustiano Carranza through regulations targeting substances considered harmful to the population. At the time, opium—introduced largely by Chinese immigrants—was viewed as the more pressing concern.

Cannabis consumption migrated northward as Mexican laborers crossed into the United States in the early 20th century. Combined with alcohol Prohibition (1920–1933) and the economic hardships of the Great Depression, this contributed to a thriving illicit border economy and rising anti-Mexican sentiment.

In the United States, sensationalist propaganda portrayed marijuana as a dangerous drug associated with crime, violence, and moral decay. The so-called “Reefer Madness” era stigmatized both the plant and Mexican immigrants, helping to justify strict criminalization.

Restrictions on cannabis began appearing in some U.S. states as early as the late 19th century. A major nationwide campaign was launched in the 1930s by Harry J. Anslinger, the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, whose efforts culminated in federal prohibition. The Spanish term “marihuana” itself was deliberately emphasized to reinforce its association with Mexico.

The Counterculture Era and Rising Demand
Demand increased dramatically in the 1960s and 1970s, fueled by the counterculture movement. Marijuana became associated with antiwar protests, civil rights activism, sexual liberation, and a rapidly changing music scene. Much of the cannabis consumed in the United States originated in Mexico, particularly from the states of Chiapas, Guerrero, Nayarit, Michoacán, Oaxaca, and Sinaloa.

Tensions between the two countries escalated. In 1969, President Richard Nixon launched Operation Intercept, imposing intensive inspections on vehicles crossing the border from Mexico. In 1971, he formally declared the “War on Drugs.”
Aerial herbicide spraying campaigns in the late 1970s aimed to eradicate marijuana crops. Instead, production shifted toward larger, more organized operations increasingly controlled by criminal groups.

Rise of Cartels
The 1980s saw the emergence of powerful drug cartels, notably the Guadalajara cartel led by Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo. The organization expanded into cocaine trafficking from Colombia. The 1985 kidnapping and murder of U.S. DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena triggered a major crackdown but also ushered in decades of violence as competing groups fought for control of territory and trafficking routes.

Gradual Decriminalization
Beginning in the early 2000s, Mexico embarked on a slow path toward decriminalization. President Vicente Fox initially supported strict enforcement but later advocated reform as a strategy to weaken organized crime. In 2009, possession of small quantities for personal use was decriminalized.

Medical cannabis was legalized nationwide in 2017, influenced in part by the case of an eight-year-old girl, Graciela Elizalde, whose severe epilepsy responded to cannabis-derived treatment.

In 2021, Mexico’s Supreme Court declared the prohibition of recreational cannabis unconstitutional, effectively legalizing personal use. However, a comprehensive regulatory framework for commercial production and sales has yet to be fully implemented.

Current Policies in Mexico
Adults over 18 may possess up to 28 grams of cannabis in public for personal use. Smoking in public spaces remains restricted, and legal commercial sales—such as dispensaries common in parts of the United States—have not yet been fully established nationwide.

Edibles and cannabis products may circulate informally in some tourist areas, but their legal status remains uncertain. Commercial sale to tourists is illegal.

As of January 2026, Mexico has also banned the importation, sale, and marketing of vaping devices and e-cigarettes, though enforcement varies widely.

Travelers should carry prescription medications in original labeled containers. Some medications that require prescriptions in the United States are available over the counter in Mexico, including high-dose ibuprofen and certain antibiotics.

Cannabis Laws in Mexico:
What Visitors Should Know (2026)

Mexico has decriminalized personal cannabis use, but the legal framework remains complex and enforcement can vary. Visitors should exercise caution and discretion.

✔ Possession (Personal Use)
Adults 18 and over may possess up to 28 grams (about one ounce) of cannabis for personal use. Possession above this amount can result in fines or criminal charges.

✔ Private Use
Consumption is generally permitted in private residences. Property owners, hotels, and rental hosts may prohibit smoking on their premises.

✖ Public Consumption
Smoking cannabis in public places is illegal, including streets, beaches, parks, restaurants, and hotel common areas. Enforcement varies by location, but fines or detention are possible.

✖ Commercial Sales
Legal retail dispensaries like those in parts of the United States or Canada do not yet operate nationwide. Buying cannabis remains legally ambiguous and may expose buyers to illegal markets.

✖ Sales to Tourists
Selling cannabis to tourists is illegal.

✔ Medical Use
Medical cannabis is legal with proper authorization, though access remains limited.

✖ Importing Cannabis
Bringing cannabis into Mexico — even small amounts — is illegal, regardless of whether it was legally purchased elsewhere.

✖ Vapes and e-Cigarettes
As of January 2026, the importation, sale, and marketing of vaping devices and e-cigarettes are prohibited in Mexico.

✔ Prescription Medications
Travelers should carry medications in original labeled containers. Some drugs that require prescriptions in other countries may be available over the counter in Mexico, but regulations differ.

 

Huatulco

Why Oaxaca Is One of the Most Fascinating Cuisines in the World

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By Alicia Flores—

Travelers often arrive in Oaxaca, Mexico expecting tacos and margaritas. What they discover instead is one of the most intricate and culturally rich cuisines on earth.

Oaxacan cooking is not simply a collection of recipes; it is a living expression of geography, agriculture, and tradition. Corn, chile, cacao, herbs, seeds, and seasonal ingredients combine in ways that have evolved over centuries. Many techniques still used today predate the arrival of the Spanish.

At the heart of this cuisine is corn.

For thousands of years, Indigenous communities across Mexico have cultivated and refined maize varieties adapted to different climates and soils. The process of nixtamalization—soaking corn in an alkaline solution before grinding it into masa—is a technological achievement that transformed corn into a nutritionally complete food.

From this simple ingredient comes the tortilla, the foundation of daily life throughout Mexico.

Visitors are often surprised by how different a handmade tortilla tastes compared with the versions they may know from supermarkets. Fresh masa, pressed and cooked on a hot comal, produces tortillas that puff slightly as they cook, releasing a warm aroma of toasted corn.

It is a small moment that reveals just how deeply food and culture are intertwined.

Another hallmark of Oaxacan cuisine is mole. These complex sauces can contain dozens of ingredients—various chiles, seeds, spices, chocolate, and nuts—slowly toasted and blended into a deeply layered flavor profile. Every region and family has its own variation, and recipes are often passed down through generations.

Sourcing food play an essential role in the culinary landscape. A walk through the street of Huatulco reveals mountains of chiles, fresh herbs, cacao beans, cheeses, tropical fruits, and handmade tortillas. Cooking here begins with the ingredients themselves.

For travelers who want to understand these traditions more deeply, cooking classes can offer an extraordinary window into local culture. Learning how ingredients are prepared, how flavors are balanced, and how techniques have evolved over centuries brings the cuisine to life in a way that simply eating at restaurants cannot.

Food becomes a story.

In Huatulco,  cooking experiences give visitors the chance to explore this culinary heritage firsthand—preparing traditional dishes, learning about regional ingredients, and discovering why Oaxaca has earned a reputation as one of Mexico’s great gastronomic destinations.

Those curious to explore further can learn more about the experience offered by Chiles and Chocolate Cooking Classes, where guests dive into the history of Oaxacan cooking through hands-on preparation and discussion of the ingredients and traditions that define the cuisine.

Discover Oaxacan Cooking in Huatulco

For travelers who want to go beyond restaurant dining and truly understand the ingredients and traditions behind Oaxacan cuisine, hands-on cooking classes offer a unique perspective.

In Huatulco, Chiles and Chocolate Cooking Classes, led by Chef Jane Bauer, invite guests into the kitchen to explore the foundations of Mexican cooking. Participants learn about regional ingredients, traditional techniques, and the cultural stories that shape the cuisine of Oaxaca.

The cooking studio has eight stations which allows everyone to take part in the preparation of several dishes while discussing the role of corn, chiles, cacao, and other essential ingredients in Mexican food traditions.

By the end of the experience, guests leave not only with recipes but with a deeper understanding of why Oaxaca is considered one of the most important culinary regions in Mexico.

Classes run regularly in Huatulco and advance booking is recommended.

Learn more or reserve a spot here: http://www.huatulcofoodtours.com

Alicia Flores writes about food, culture, and travel in southern Mexico. She is particularly interested in traditional ingredients and the culinary heritage of Oaxaca.

Huatulco, San Miguel de Allende

Medical School in Mexico: An Option for US and Canadian Students?

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By Marcia Chaiken and Jan Chaiken—

Several decades ago, we met American students attending the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG) School of Medicine waiting in line at La Chata – an ever-popular restaurant in the city center worth the wait. We chatted as the line inched forward and agreed to be seated together when we reached the front. We were surprised that the students were conversant in Spanish but definitely not fluent and wondered how they were able to understand their med school lectures. They explained that the UAG program was developed primarily for US students, with many courses in English and coordinated with hospitals in the US for clinical rotations. We assumed their decision to attend UAG was motivated by the beauty and rich cultural opportunities in Guadalajara.

Years later, we had closely watched our oldest granddaughter, youngest niece, and cousins’ kids negotiate the lengthy process of applying to US undergraduate schools that have high acceptance rates for med schools, then applying to outstanding med schools, and then seeking a “match” for residency in a specialized field. We frankly wondered if UAG and similar med schools in Mexico would have provided an easier option for aspiring MDs who wanted to practice eventually north of the border.

Medical school acceptance rates in Canada are extremely competitive. There are 18 accredited medical schools in the country – of which 7 are in Ontario. The overall acceptance rate is under 15%. The acceptance rate is even lower for applicants who live out of province – about 5%

While there are about 160 accredited med schools in the US that grant MD degrees, competition is still fierce. Fewer than 50% of applicants are accepted each year: the med school that our granddaughter attended accepts under 3% of applicants each year. At her white-coat ceremony at the beginning of her first year, the dean of students pointed out that all the newly inducted students and many other applicants met the basic criteria for acceptance: very high undergraduate grades, very high Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, and extracurricular activities involving medical proficiency. But the reason they were selected was because all of them demonstrated a very high level of compassion for others.

Mexico, with 151 med schools, has slightly fewer than the US. The acceptance rates vary significantly between the public medical schools and the private ones in Mexico. The highly prestigious public Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) accepts fewer than 2% of medical school applicants. Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), which some say is second to UNAM in prestige, is less competitive but still rejects close to 90% of applicants. Some of the top-tier private medical schools with classes in English, such as the Universidad de Monterrey, are equally as competitive. Whereas the private UAG accepts about 43% of applicants, other private universities have developed more inclusive programs leading to medical degrees that are frankly aimed at attracting English-speaking students from north of the border. Anahuac University has such a program in Cancun which accepts about 60% of applicants. Xochicalco School of Medicine has campuses near the US border and accepts over 80% of applicants.

In general, students north of the border who have not been accepted at a medical school of their choice in their home country do have opportunities to study in a medical program in Mexico. But realistically they are highly unlikely to be accepted in one of the most prestigious medical schools in Mexico. Their best chance appears to be one of the programs that have been established to educate students from the US and Canada.

Another barrier to medical education north of the border is cost. In the US by 2024, four years of tuition, fees, and living expenses generally cost between $250,000 and $400,000. Tuition each year alone in US medical schools two years ago cost between $42,000 and $67,000, depending on whether the school was public or private and the region of the country. Tuition in Canada is generally significantly lower for Canadian residents, ranging from $4000 to over $25,000 – but the annual fee for foreign students can reach between $90,000 and $100,000 (Canadian dollars). Tuition in the prestigious public medical schools in Mexico are essentially symbolic and remarkably low for Mexican citizens, for example at UNAM under $30 (US dollars) per year. But foreign students attending the programs in Mexico developed to serve English speakers can expect to pay fees comparable to US medical school tuition – about $36,000 for the first years of in-class basic sciences teaching to $59,000 a year for clinical years spent in Mexico and over $80,000 a year for clinical years with rotations in the US.

Although cost of living in Mexico is reputedly much lower than in the US and Canada, as recent US and Canadian temporary residents can testify, the days when gringos could live high-on-the-hog in Mexico are over. To maintain a standard of living that even the most impoverished American or Canadian med student would expect is no longer inexpensive in Mexico.

Another consideration in choosing a medical school is the probability of matching with a residency program after graduation. For those in their last year of med school “Match Day” may be ranked as high on the anxiety scale as a wedding day. In fact, in the case of our granddaughter, Match Day engendered even more excitement. Imagine, the hundreds of soon-to-be MDs all waiting to be informed at precisely the same second whether they were chosen to be a resident in the field of their choice at a highly desirable teaching hospital, a hospital that was not exactly high on their list – or even any hospital at all.

Before choosing one of the programs in Mexico for a medical education, prospective students must realize that earning an MD degree does not escape the rest of the arduous process of becoming a licensed physician in the US or Canada. Admission to a US or Canadian residency program is not guaranteed and may not even be possible depending on the med school and the particular program of studies undertaken in Mexico. For Canadian graduates of Canadian medical schools, post-MD residency is almost guaranteed – over 95% of applicants “match” within their preferred field. And for graduates of US medical schools, the match rate for US residency programs has been only slightly lower. However, the match rate for residency in the US for students who completed MD degrees out of the country (including in Mexico) is much lower – in 2024 according to the American Medical Association – 67%. And although first-time residency applicants from foreign med schools matched in Canada at a respectable 87%, those who didn’t match during the first application were unlikely to be more successful in subsequent applications, with rates dropping to under 30%.

Finally, to be licensed to practice in the US or Canada, MDs trained in other countries must take a sequence of rigorous exams that require intense study. Most medical school students take some of these exams as they complete their in-class studies and are at the top of their game. And based on our observations of young relatives going through this exam process – one really needs to be passionately committed to practicing medicine north of the border to have the stamina and knowledge to pass.

As much as we love Mexico, we advise young students who have applied to med school in the US or Canada and were not accepted, think twice. Take a year or two and work in a related field. Find out if you really have a passion for medicine, and if you do, choose one of the programs in Mexico that is authorized to make sure their graduates match for residency in the specialty you want in the US or Canada.

Huatulco, San Miguel de Allende

Editor’s Letter

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By Jane Bauer—

“We are here to awaken from our illusion of separateness.”
Thích Nhat Hanh

When you rant or retort obnoxiously on social media, it is like holding a hot coal in your hand and expecting someone else to burn. Your comment affects everyone who reads it — including you. Cortisol rises. Stress follows.

I opened my phone this morning and within minutes my nervous system was lit up. News of a cartel shooting. Messages asking if I was okay. A fire in Xadani. Canadians ranting about Mexicans ripping them off. Mexicans ranting about Canadians being cheap and gentrifying their country.

Stress — the invisible toxin.
Every time we open our phones and consume outrage, our bodies release cortisol. Heart rate increases. Inflammation pathways activate. The nervous system does not distinguish well between physical danger and social conflict; it simply reacts. Living in a constant state of judgment is physiologically corrosive.

Yes, we are living longer than previous generations. Medicine has dramatically extended lifespan over the past century. But we are also surrounded by more environmental toxins than ever — pollutants in our water, plastics in our oceans, chemicals measurable in human blood. Chronic disease now dominates modern life. We have prolonged years, but have we protected vitality?

To be healthy is to be whole — regulated, connected, integrated. Healthcare, at its root, should mean caring for that wholeness.

We often talk about “coexisting,” as if we are separate entities sharing space. In reality, we are deeply interconnected. Like a tree that depends on the quality of the river from which it drinks, the tree and the river are one. Separation is an illusion.

Be more understanding. Be more open. Assume good intentions more often than not. Regulate your nervous system. Put the phone down. Cook something real. Hug a tree and a stranger. Sit across from someone different from you and listen.

Wholeness isn’t optional; it’s essential. And in a time like this, choosing calm may be one of the most radical health decisions we can make.

See you next month,

Jane

Huatulco

FOUR ACES: By carving shadows, stars are recovered.

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By José Palacios y Román—

Facing a blank sheet of paper, a canvas, metal, or stone to paint or sculpt is always a challenge. For millennia, humankind has expressed its experiences through diverse materials—some ephemeral, others that still endure in museums. It is about leaving traces and memories of the passage of time.

Before the Renaissance, various human groups chose to destroy their precious objects in order to renew them. This was the case prior to the European invasion of Mesoamerica, where every 52 years a new count of time began and life was renewed.
With this in mind, Copalli Art Gallery, in its commitment to supporting and promoting new local talent, presents an exhibition featuring four promising artists. Three of them belong to the millennial generation and share the distinction of being natives of the Oaxacan coast. We are excited to present them and wish them a long and fruitful career in the arts.

They are:
Abisai GUMAG (Pochutla, 2002)
Life is a constant search that he unravels on the canvas. Every path Abisai has taken leads him back to painting: working as a sign painter, decorating mezcal bottles, photographing the sea, creating custom graphic design, and cooking—all to earn a living and be able to paint. He never begins with a preconceived idea. Instead, he observes the canvas, allowing stored emotions to emerge. From one stroke to the next, there is no turning back. He moves to the rhythm of life, absent from ordinary existence in order to create.

Javi VASHER (Bahías de Huatulco, 1999)
He has found his language in water, color, and emotion. Having grown up, lived, and loved Huatulco his entire life, he holds a degree in International Trade and Customs. Through art, he discovered form and expression by portraying both the delicacy and strength of the feminine. His work combines geometry and detail, balance and fluidity, reflecting a deep connection with nature. In each stroke, the flow of water on paper becomes a metaphor for life: unpredictable, luminous, and constantly transforming. He is devoted to watercolor.

Heriberto HERGON (Santa María, Huatulco, 1990)
His connection to nature gives meaning to his art. His life has unfolded entirely in the region. From early childhood, he became an artisan, creating unique and beautiful pieces from seeds, gourds, and wood. This practice bordered on painting and led him to develop skills through drawing and painting workshops. Detail-oriented and meticulous, with a steady hand and enormous patience, he has forged his own path without grand ambitions, simply reflecting his tranquil and transparent spirit through his canvases.

Alex TAPIA (Mexico City)
His art serves as a bridge between tradition and spiritual exploration. He settled in Pinotepa Nacional and has lived in Huatulco for thirty years. A master of martial arts, discipline flows through him as deeply as painting. Guided by mentors, he has developed his own visual language to express his worldview. His oil paintings capture serenity and beauty in the simple and the everyday.

Welcome.
This group exhibition reflects Copalli Art Gallery’s commitment to offering this magnificent space to emerging artists from the coastal region of Oaxaca.

The opening will take place on February 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in Tangolunda, Huatulco. Wine, snacks, and live music will be served. Admission is free.
Follow us on social media: http://www.instagram.com/copalliartgallery

Huatulco

Ants in the Selva Seca

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By Julie Etra—

Ayayay. Ants are everywhere—in and outside our house here in the Bahías de Huatulco. That should come as no surprise given the climate. According to the literature, Mexico is home to more than 1,100 species of ants across 10 subfamilies.

Our house hosts the big, flesh-colored mordullos, or carpenter ants, who appear in the bathroom just before dawn. There are the tiny “sugar” ants—whom I call crazy ants because their movement seems randomly drunk—skittering across my desk. At least two species of small black ants are nearly always on my kitchen counters, despite my diligence (and generosity) with vinegar, bleach, and insecticides.

I’ve written before about the truly terrifying barranderas (sweeper ants) that invade in coordinated waves in pursuit of live prey (www.theeyehuatulco.com/2012/06/01/sweeper-ants-of-the-selva-seca). During the five-plus months we’re here each year, we usually endure two or three of these incursions. And then there are the leafcutter ants—the subject of this article—capable of stripping my vigorous, 15-year-old bougainvillea in a single night. Here, I’m talking about Atta mexicana, the Mexican leafcutter ant.

Ants in Mexican Mythology and Culture
Ants appear in pre-Hispanic mythology, most notably in stories involving the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. In one version of the myth, Quetzalcoatl transforms himself into an ant to retrieve the first kernel of corn from a mountain, bringing sustenance—and civilization—to humanity. Through this story, ants become linked to the origins of life and agriculture.

In the Mexico City neighborhood of Azcapotzalco—whose name means “place where the ants live”—ants appear repeatedly in sculptures, murals, and architectural details. Once a distinct community and now absorbed into the city’s sprawl, Azcapotzalco is home to the Parroquia y Convento de los Santos Apóstoles Felipe y Santiago el Menor, built in 1565. A depiction of an ant still adorns its façade.

Legend holds that the Spanish enslaved the local population to construct the church, and that the maltreated locals responded by placing an ant at its base as a curse. One interpretation suggests the ant represents Quetzalcoatl returning from the underworld with corn for humanity—though how this constitutes a curse is unclear. Another version claims that when the ant reaches the base of the bell tower, it will announce the end of the world, for which we are all still waiting.

As explored in The Eye archives, ants remain part of Mexico’s culinary culture in the form of escamoles (ant larvae) and chicatanas—the winged reproductive females that appear during the rainy season. These prized ants are captured, their wings removed, and prepared in a variety of traditional dishes.

Range and Habitat
Leafcutter ants (Atta spp.), known in Mexico as hormigas arrieras (muleteer ants), are aptly named for their ability to transport plant material weighing up to ten times their own body weight—the ants themselves serving as pack animals.

They range throughout the Neotropics, from southern Mexico through Central and South America and the Caribbean, and occur as far north as southern Texas and Florida. They inhabit elevations from sea level to nearly 9,800 feet (3,000 meters).

Leafcutters require warm, humid environments and well-drained soils to build their vast underground fungus gardens. Although the literature often claims they thrive mainly in managed landscapes such as farms and roadsides, my own observations suggest otherwise. I’ve watched them harvest flowers and leaves from native trees in the selva seca, and friends in Pluma report similar behavior. At least here, they seem just as at home in wild ecosystems.

Foraging and Food Preparation
Because leafcutter ants cannot digest cellulose, harvested leaves—and occasionally flower parts—are transported back to the nest, processed into pulp, and incorporated into existing fungus gardens.

There, the ants cultivate a specific symbiotic fungus using enzymes produced in their fecal fluids (yes—ick). The fungus produces nutrient-rich structures called gongylidia, which feed the entire colony, particularly the developing larvae. In return, the ants protect the fungus from pests, while symbiotic bacteria suppress unwanted molds.

Physiology
Leafcutter ants are astonishingly strong and agile. They can carry fragments weighing up to 50 times their own body weight, thanks to powerful mandibles, robust muscles, and flexible, multi-jointed legs equipped with grasping feet. They can even pivot on their hind legs to maneuver material into designated chambers.

This remarkable physiology allows them to travel 600 feet or more from the nest in search of suitable plants.

The Colony
A single leafcutter colony can contain up to eight million individuals, ruled by a single queen who may live more than 20 years. The nest itself is vast—sometimes covering more than 720 square feet (67 m²) and extending 23 feet (seven meters) underground.

These subterranean cities contain thousands of chambers, including fungus gardens, brood chambers, a queen’s chamber, food-processing areas, and separate garbage dumps to maintain sanitation. Sophisticated ventilation tunnels regulate airflow throughout the nest.

Caste System
Leafcutter ants operate under a highly structured system of task partitioning, with roles determined largely by size:
· Minims: Tiny workers that tend the fungus gardens, brood, and waste.
· Minors: Slightly larger workers that groom and cultivate fungus.
· Mediae: Foragers that harvest and transport plant material.
· Majors: Large soldiers that defend the nest and perform heavy labor; they bite.
Older ants often become trash workers, a hazardous role that exposes them to toxins and pathogens. These ants effectively self-quarantine, protecting the queen, brood, and primary fungus gardens.

Reproduction
Leafcutter ants reproduce through massive mating flights that occur after the first substantial rains of the season. Winged queens (chicatanas) and males take to the air, mate, and shed their wings.

Each fertilized queen carries a pellet of symbiotic fungus from her natal nest to seed a new colony. She lays eggs and initially feeds the larvae with infertile eggs, storing sperm for life.

The mating flights are said to be spectacular—and lucrative—for human predators who harvest chicatanas during this brief window.