Yucatan News: Lobsters and Pirates
Why Yucatan? Peace, Freedom, Security, Justice, and Equality
Yucatan Living brings our readers snippets of news every week... not just for those expats who live here, but for the many people who are looking at our adopted home as a place they might like to live as well. Here is a little insight on what is going on with our State Congress. They have closed their regular session and have gone off on vacation, just like every other Congress we know of. The big difference here is what they have accomplished. They have approved 56 initiatives and 64 decrees, 47 of which are reforms and new laws. They will be back on September 1, to work on finishing up a Law on Sustainable Forestry Development. Although no place is perfect, Yucatan is a state where there seems to be constant striving for Peace, Freedom, Security, Justice and Equality. Leave us a comment to tell us why you live here, or why you think you might like to! This is just one reason why we consider Yucatan a great place to live!
Have You and Your Dog Been to the Ice Cream Pirate?
There is absolutely nothing we love better than the story of a super successful, young entrepreneur in Yucatan. Luis Enrique Ramírez Andino is actually from an ice cream making family in Chetumal. While in law school, he decided he wanted his own ice cream business in Merida. Can you imagine the competition? Everyone thought he had lost his mind, but that never even slowed him down. He sold pens door to door to make the money to get started. On his first day in the ice cream business, he sold five liters of ice cream. The next day, 20 liters. Then he started putting photos of his flavors on social networks and went from a couple of hundred followers to 20,000 overnight. He’s up to 35,000 followers now. There is something to be said for having 300 flavors of ice cream and still being willing to try new ones if your customers ask for them. When he really won Merida’s heart was when he developed a doggie flavor for Asociación Cinco Patas. When they found the right flavor, they started making ice cream croquettes for puppies. To learn more about the Ice Cream Pirate, visit them on their Facebook page.
Job Expo 2016 Offering 2,500 Jobs
Eighty-eight companies, including the Yucatan state government and several municipalities will be offering 2,500 jobs, with salaries up to $30,000 pesos per month, at Siglo XXI Convention Center on July 21. Free transportation will be provided from Parque Santa Lucia to and from Siglo XXI. The jobs are in the service sector, as well as in trade and industry. In addition, scholarships will be given to those who need training for their new jobs, as well as to those who are interested in starting their own businesses. The event will last from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. If you know of someone who is looking for a good job or who is interested in starting their own business, please be sure to pass this along. There is also a smaller Job Fair being given by one company at the Hyatt Regency this week. More details here.
Coming Soon: Wikipedia in the Maya Language
The Wikimedia Association of Mexico, A.C. has sent an invitation to Maya language specialists to contribute to the creating of content for Wikipedia in Maya. The content will be a collaborative and community project in a digital environment and training will be provided by Wikimedia. Training will be held July 25 through 29 and there are still 50 places available. Interested parties can register online through www.centroculturadigital.mx/. Workshops will take place at the Palomeque House at Calle 59 #523 x 64 y 77 in Merida’s centro. This is an exciting project. The Maya language is actually fun to learn and speak! We are grateful to see that the Maya language is coming back into its own.
Yucatan Cuisine Number Three in World
Its official! Global Travel Store has published its list of the top five places to dine in the world and Yucatan is third on the list. San Sebastian, Spain, is first; Rome, Italy, came in second and then Yucatan, Mexico. Yucatan was followed by Beirut, Lebanon and Delhi, India. Evidently, Yucatan still makes the best roasted suckling pig, cochinita, in the world. Many thanks to Enrique Escalante, president and CEO of Global Travel Store for his recognition of Yucatan’s wonderful cuisine.
Merida: Yet Another International Award
World’s Best Awards for 2016 has just named Merida as fifth among the Ten Best Tourist Cities in Mexico, Central and South America. The survey was conducted from November 2015 to February 2016. Merida (as well as other parts of Yucatan) was described as combining its colonial legacy with modern luxury, in a cosmopolitan atmosphere – and they did include a reference to the romance in Yucatan’s culture. Now, here are the cities that Merida will have to surpass for next year: San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico; Cuzco, Peru; Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico; and Mexico City. Our score this year was 86.2. We’re number 5, with Mexico City at number 4. Do you think we can pass them up this year? The survey categories are airports, hotels, islands, airlines, car rentals, spas, cruises, and tour guides.
Three of Every 100 Mexican Children are Born With Extraordinary Minds
We spend a huge amount of time and money helping disabled children in Mexico, and it has not escaped notice that many of those children are quite bright and contribute greatly to society in Yucatan. But what about the rest of the children? What about those who get bored easily, or who are labeled with various forms of hyperactivity? Enter the area of gene testing and new tests that measure the IQs of children. As it turns out, three of every 100 Mexican children scores in the exceptional to genius range. Until recently, their abilities went unnoticed, but no more. The next time you see an emotionally sensitive child who is also being labeled with hyperactivity, take a second look. If that child is able to rapidly assimilate knowledge and seems to interact well with adults, find a way to get them tested. This is a whole new area to be explored and has potential benefits for the future of the entire world.
Federal Police Take to Vacation Routes
This year, the Federal Police are adding 4,800 patrol cars across Mexico to assist drivers along the way. Of course, part of that assistance will include a breathalyzer if the situation calls for it. Be careful of teenagers with fast cars. That always seems to be the biggest danger on holiday roads, especially if alcohol is involved. Tourist police, municipal police, state police and federal police will be out in force between July 16 and August 21, so do be careful out there and don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it.
Temporary School Maintenance Jobs
During the long summer vacation, parents and older teen students are getting an opportunity to clean up, fix up, and paint 40 schools on the south and west sides of Merida. This is not a new situation. Parents often swing in to help if there is an outbreak of disease or if something like mosquitoes need to be killed. The difference this time is that the Governor says this is going to be an ongoing program. This is wonderful for the children because teachers have long been telling us that the condition of the environment in which children spend most of their day has a great deal to do with their ability to learn. This program will help family and community economies, as well as the children served by the schools.
Yucatan’s Sustainable Lobster Industry
A few years ago, Yucatan’s fishermen were asked to cooperate with a voluntary ban on fishing a variety of fish and shellfish throughout the year in order to protect the species and ensure a future for their industry. There was a moan and groan or two but, by and large, everyone was on board with the plan. Today, it has been announced that Yucatan’s lobster industry is now supporting 1,200 fishermen in 315 small boats and 28 larger ships, is a sustainable industry, and is first in production of lobster in all of Mexico’s lobster fishing areas. Now, the fishermen are working with the government to make sure that any lobster taken is no less than 135 mm in abdominal length and is not a female in any stage of reproduction. Since most of Yucatan’s lobster catch is exported to the Mayan Riviera and France, you might want to fish for your own. If you do, please remember the laws.
Summer Begins in Progreso
And so it begins – the great migration from Merida to Progreso. This is an amazing time of year if you are a new expat. For old expats, maybe not so much. The crowds at the beach are beyond belief. The economy doubles and triples overnight. Hundreds of thousands of people crowd to the beaches. Every kind of sport is available. Free shows take place every day and night. Discos, dance clubs and restaurants open just for the summer season. If you decide to come to the beach during school vacation, do bring an extra suitcase of patience and remember that roads will be packed with traffic. Overall, this is an experience that everyone should have, at least once, and then maybe move on to a little quieter beach village. Or stay home in the city... Merida is hot during the summer, but sometimes blissfully uncrowded.
