Yucatan Living

Yucatan News: Physics and BiciRuta

7 March 2016 News 2

Physics

It is with great pride and pleasure that the Physics Faculty at Merida’s UADY announces that the three young physicists who will represent Mexico in the Olimpiada Iberoamericana and the Olimpiada Internacional de Fisica (Physics) are all three students at the preparatoria of the Universidad Autonoma de Yucatán. Their names are Diana Citlali Avila, Aarón Hernández and Alfonso Noé Castillo. This is the first time a young lady will represent Mexico in Physics and we would like to point out that she is not unique. Her entire generation of young Yucatecas has been taught, right here in Yucatan, that they are as quick, as intelligent, and as deserving of honor as their male counterparts. Look for great things in the future from Diana Citlali Avila and from all of Yucatan’s young lady scientists and researchers. Congratulations as well to each of the students, their families, and their teachers. Sometimes we forget how unusual it is for one state to produce so many talented young people. Congratulations, again, to everyone involved in this wonderful achievement for our students and our adopted state of Yucatan.

Forbes Says Merida

For the third time, Forbes magazine has named Merida as one of the best cities to live in in Mexico, along with San Luis Potosi and Leon in Guanajuato. In its February issue, it praises Merida's security, its infrastructure, quality of life and cultural offerings. It also cites its availability of skilled labor and the presence of high-tech companies, financial, insurance and services banking. There's a lot to love about Merida! (read the report here in the Diario de Yucatan).

Yucatan Breaks World Record Cochinita Pibil

In 2010, Yucatan broke the current world record for creating the largest cochinita pibil sandwich. Expats from the Deep South can think of it as a super good pork poboy. In 2010, Yucatan’s Guinness World Record sandwich weighed 3,094 kg, which is a pretty large sandwich. But this sandwich got knocked out of the world record books from 2010 until now by the Philippines. This year, 2016, Yucatan’s cochinita pibil boasted 7.2 tons of pork and weighed in at a whopping 6,626.15 kg. Needless to say, “Yucatan Wins World Largest Cochinita Pibil.” Congratulations to each and every one of the 500 people it took to build this sandwich!

Merida’s New Night Bici-Ruta

Family fun on bicycles has long been a staple of cultural opportunities for Yucatecos, and especially for Meridanos. Over the course of the past year, the original Bici-Ruta has been divided up so that more people, throughout the Municipality of Merida, will be able to take advantage of it. Unfortunately, many people work during the morning hours on weekends and were still unable to participate with their families in this great event. No more! Now, there is a Nocturnal Bici-Ruta. As part of the Saturday night Noches Mexicanas, it begins at the head of Paseo de Montejo and continues out on Paseo de Montejo from there. The trial run was a grand success, with many families expressing their gratitude for finally being able to participate in this long-standing cultural event. As with all the Bici-Rutas, this one includes stops along the way that feature opportunities for the purchase of handicrafts, as well as several forms of entertainment. This will probably make Noche Mexicana even more fun and well-attended than it already is!

UADY Ranks Sixth in Nation for Foreign Students

UADY (Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan) is currently the academic home to 250 Mexican students from other states in the nation, as well as 200 foreign students from Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, the United States, Canada and Austria. At any given time, Yucatan has as many as 80 of our own students studying in one of three prestigious universities in Mexico or as foreign students in Spain, United States, Germany, England, Chile, Argentina, France and China. These young people are forging bonds that will last them a lifetime and that will bring honor and respect to Mexico and to Yucatan as well.

Henequen Boom Could Come Again

At the beginning of the 20th century, Yucatan’s fortunes were made as a result of henequen farming. Merida was said to have more millionaires in 1900 than any other city in the world. Due to environmental awareness, the Green Revolution just may see henequen in the position of being able to restore the former splendor of Yucatan. According to best estimates, sales of henequen fabric in China alone would be enough to do it. Do you think this humble plant can regain power in the Yucatan? Vamos a ver...

Drilling for Dinosaurs

Well, okay... not for dinosaurs exactly. Geologists plan to start drilling in April from a special platform in the Gulf of Mexico, going down almost 5000 feet into the heart of the Chicxulub Crater. The special platform is being sailed 18 miles offshore and drilling will have to go through 50 feet of water and over 1600 feet of limestone. Scientists are hoping to find tiny fossils and even trapped DNA in the core samples that they will gather there. The expedition is being led by the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling as part of the International Ocean Discovery Program. The expedition is being led by the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling as part of the International Ocean Discover Program.

Valladolid English Library Needs a PC

A typical day at the Valladolid English Library involves putting books into the collection database, the building and maintainance of databases, email searches, facebook posts, correspondence, poster design, and much more. Now that we are staffed with a director and practicum interns at VEL, we are finding that having one computer is not enough to get the work done. So we are desperately in need of a computer, in good working order and probably best if no more than two years old. If you have a computer that you do not use and would be interested in donating it to VEL, please contact vel.library.1@gmail.com.

Uber is Everywhere

The taxi drivers are developing their own program called Mi Taxi Yucatan. This is in response to the fact that the car service Uber begins working today in Merida. This is certainly going to change the way things are done, as it has in cities around the world so far. What will you do? Take an Uber drive or stick with the traditional taxis?