Yucatan Living

News: Obama comes to Mexico

News starting March 23, 2009

Clinton & Obama Coming to Mexico
It has recently been announced that both Secretary of State Clinton and President Obama will visit Mexico in April. We have high hopes for these visits in the wake of the recent troubles and unfounded Mexico bashing. If this President can discard the term "war on terror" as inflammatory and undiplomatic, we hope that Mexico bashing and the terms "war on drugs" and "trade war" can be discarded as well. Please visit The Truth About Mexico and Mexico Trucker for updates on these issues. As for the war on drugs, to Mexico's credit, they have not retaliated with inflammatory and undiplomatic talk of a war on illegal arms merchants or a war on the seemingly unending drug market, both of which originate north of the border and out of their control. With well over 1.2 million Americans living in Mexico as legal residents... and

probably several times that number living in Mexico on tourist visas at least part of the year... and well over 23 million regular American visitors and tourists to Mexico... and 29.2 million Americans of Mexican descent living in the U.S.... it looks as if that adds up to close to 70 million votes. Perhaps that surprising number will serve as a reminder of the close ties between the people of these two great nations and ease the way toward returning to a cordial relationship between the two. We are holding our collective breaths in anticipation of great success for both these visits.

Census Facts: As Cinco de Mayo Approaches
As May 5, a national holiday in Mexico that is now also widely celebrated in the U.S., draws near, we thought we would give our readers a link to a Press Release from the U.S. Census Department. This Press Releaseprovides us with the historical events associated with Cinco de Mayo, a list of facts about the Mexican-American population in the United States, and dollar amounts for the importance of trade and business between Mexico and the U.S. Perhaps these facts will help to dispell some of the rumors and myths that have, of as late, been disturbing the peace.

Immigration: Its All A Matter of Perspective
Sometimes, we just can't resist buying into the admittedly juvenile game of "gotcha!" just for a minute or two. A rather conservative website The m3report that reports only on crime in Mexico (thus fueling a hefty share of the current Mexico bashing) could not resist reporting that, between 2010 and 2050, 334,000 persons are expected to leave Mexico each year. That's not a "gotcha!" because, during that same time, over 70 million American Baby Boomers will retire and a minimum of 23 million are expected to move TO Mexico. When we first reported on that story last year, we calculated that to be over 300,000 new American residents per state in Mexico! But we aren't going to congratulate ourselves with a "gotcha back" because we know that this migration is actually a function of what is known as a population bulge. Mexico has more working age people than it can employ and the U.S. did not have enough children during the 60s, 70s, and 80s, to fill all of the jobs they need filled. The end result is moving Mexicans into the U.S. to fill those jobs, while our huge population of retirees (which we cannot afford) wraps around and take their place in Mexico. So - who's doing the immigrating? We both are - because we need each other! We hope as time goes by, more and more Americans and Mexicans and politicians realize that.

Finding The American Dream - In Mexico!
You might be interested in this article! by one of our expats about some of our friends here in Merida. It is a good read for anyone - of any age - who thinks they might want to move to Mexico, and specifically to Yucatan.

Merida: La Expo Construccion Yucatan
In difficult times, grand opportunities are born - so say the organizers of Yucatan's Construction Expo, which will take place on March 27 and 28 at the Convention Center. ...and they know what they are talking about because they have delivered grand opportunities in the construction business in Yucatan for well over a decade. This expo will give those in the construction industry new opportunities to negotiate business finance and strategy, to expand markets, and to form relationships with new clients. It is the most important event of its kind in all of southeastern Mexico. Watch the clock on their website to keep informed about how long it is until Yucatan's La Expo Construccion begins. So far, Yucatan has escaped the financial difficulties that are hurting construction in other parts of the world. We wish these companies all the best as they gear up to continue building and remodeling in our little corner of the world.

Mosaicos La Peninsular Celebrates 40 Years in Business
For those of our readers who love the old pasta tiles, you don't have to purchase an aging colonial home to get them and you don't have to take whatever is available when you do find them. At La Peninsular, the tiles are still made by hand (read our article and see photos of the process here), just as they have been for over 100 years, using hydraulic pressure, instead of mechanical pressure to finish the tiles. This not only brings down the price but also makes the entire process easy enough to allow customers to design their own pasta tile floors. In addition, La Peninsular handles ceramic floors, but they are made in another part of the country and last only approximately 12 years. That isn't much of a bargain when compared to the 50 years an ordinary pasta tile floor will last. La Peninsular also sells quarry tiles, concrete tiles, tinacos, lattice windows, balustrades, and several other products. The folks at La Peninsular just happen to be friends of Working Gringos since their first renovation project over seven years ago. Everyone at Yucatan Living would like to congratulate Ignacio Duran and  La Peninsular on their first 40 years of success and wish them many more!

Non-biodegradable Plastic Bags Banned in Mexico City!
If we were jig dancers, we'd be dancing on the table right now! Mexico City has just passed a law that gives everyone ONE YEAR to get rid of its non-biodegradable plastic bags in stores! After that, store owners or operators can be hit with a day and a half in jail and $77,400 in fines. The alert we read was in English and did not specify whether that fine is in dollars or pesos but, either way, it is a hefty amount and the end result will be the same. (Now, if only something could be done about those disposable baby diapers! But they're working on it - Click Here to see Nature Babycare Diapers. We can't wait until we are old and gray and tell stories to our grandchildren about "way back when" the world was full of plastic shopping bags and the forever kind of baby diapers!) Congratulations to Mexico City for its forward looking stance against non-biodegradable plastic bags! We'll be looking for that law in Yucatan soon. The best part about this news? Where goes Mexico City, there goes Mexico. It’s only a matter of time before plastic bags will be outlawed all over Mexico. Why not get a head start? Either use the traditional Yucatecan plastic or henequen sabucanes (shopping bags) or purchase one of Yucatan Living's shopping bags and do your part to save the planet? The link  to buy a Yucatan Living shopping bag is HERE.

Grouper Season Expects Bumper Year
Some 22,000 fishermen headed out for the 2009 Grouper fishing season, after a month-long ban to allow the population to grow. Last year, the final harvest came to 5,500 tons. This year, it is expected to be about 7,000 tons. Yucatan's populations of grouper, octopus, and lobster are now protected, in order to ensure the health of the fishing industry here for many years to come. The ban on Grouper fishing ended March 15. The ban on octopus fishing is from Dec. 15, 2008 until Aug. 1, 2009. The ban on lobster fishing is from March 1 through June 1. These measures have been undertaken in a collaborative agreement between the Mexican Navy, interested federations, fishing cooperatives, and other agricultural, fishing, and environmental entities.

Save the Children Celebrates 6th Anniversary
For the past six years, Save the Children has worked with the Regional Patronage to assist approximately 3,000 children on the south side of Merida and in five communities in Tixcacalcupul. Save the Children is an international organization devoted to helping children in poverty and children in need. The major focus of Save the Children is directed toward helping parents and the community provide an environment in which children and children's rights are protected. Children themselves are taught the precepts of what it means to be a good citizen and to continue to improve their communities after they are adults. We are deeply appreciative of the work of both the Regional Patronage and Save the Children and wish them many more years of success to come.

7th Parlamento de las Niñas y Niños de Mexico
There are 5 Federal Districts in the State of Yucatan, which means that our state is sending 5 children to D.F. to sit in the House of Representatives for a day. There, they will be able to voice their opinions through civil and democratic participation. They each won this honor by drafting concrete proposals for building a better country. Mexico believes this is an important exercise that will produce a continuous supply of young, interested, well educated, and responsible citizens who are free and independent thinkers, able to decide and act within the principles and values of their democratic nation, as well as to be able to behave responsibly in their relations with other nations. Congratulations to all of the children who were selected for this great honor, and to the adults who rightly see the need for such a program.

Proyecto Itzaes Asks For Your Help
This year, fundrasing for Proyecto Itzaes is a huge challenge because of the global economic slow-down. Proyecto Itzaes, based in Chickulub, has an annual budget of $100,000 USD that is necessary to support their programs in six towns and villages in Yucatan. Their programs include: Books Without Borders, Scholarships, Biointensive Gardening, the Oral History Project, Diabetes Prevention, and Computer Literacy. They may not get one large donation for the entire amount they need but, if everyone posts a link to Proyecto Itzaes from their Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, etc, it wouldn't be so hard to get 1,000 donations for $100 - or 10,000 donations for $10. If you will do that for them, they will not only reach their budget goals, but will also make many new friends for Proyecto Itzaes. The link is here. Cindy thanks everyone in advance and promises to let us know how well this turns out.

Akumal Library Needs Summer Interns
From Ed Blume's Eco-Yucatan we learn that the Hekab Be Library needs Spanish speaking interns during summer school (July 6 - Aug. 9). Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, fluent in Spanish, and must have at least 3 non-relative references. This is a great opportunity to spend some of the summer doing something productive, and it will look super on the old resume as well. Visit the library's website to check out the environment and help decide if this opportunity is for you. If you, or someone you know, is interested in being an intern for about a month this summer, get in touch with the library by e-mailing akumallibrarygmailcom