Yucatan Living

Yucatan News: Little Bits Here and There

News starting October 05, 2009

Its been a busy week in Yucatan this week! There is something wonderful going on from Tixkokob to Chelem and from Chuburna to Tizimin. The weather is cooling (yes, it is... really!) and energy is high and it seems as if there is nothing ahead but blue skies for Yucatan!

Shelter for Battered Girls: Please Attend and Get Involved If Possible
On October 6, 2009, there will be a grand opening of Crisal House, a shelter for battered girls from the age of 12 to 17 years and 11 months. The project, sponsored by the Rotary Club Meridians, has taken 10 years and $200,000 USD to obtain the property and remodel it. These ladies believe that education is the key to a healthy future for the girls who come to restart their lives at Crisal House, and that educating a woman is educating a family. They are looking for others who want to help them and the girls. For more information, contact: Rotary Club Meridanas # 71454. The current President is Anavelia Estrella Carrillo. Their contact e-mail is gganavelia@prodigy.net.mx  and their telephone number is  999-970-0362. If you ever find yourself in need of a list of Rotary Clubs in Yucatan, that list is on the website of Rotary District 4200.

Summer Electric Rates to End Oct. 10
For those who are unaware of this practice, the Federal Electric Commission has a system with a number of different stratifications. You could be toddling merrily along and, without using any more energy than you did the year before, all of a sudden find yourself with huge electric bills… or, wouldn’t this be nice? …with a bill that drops and you don’t know why. The CFE is currently warning residents that the summer rates end on Oct. 10 and to be mindful of how much electricity they are using, just in case their additional charges end up costing them way more than they expected. For a better understanding of these electric rates, see our article on Saving Energy in the Yucatan. 

Europe Likes Pulpo Too!
There is good news for everyone who depends on the pulpo catch in Yucatan. Not only is the catch itself continuing to climb, but the numbers of customers and how much they are ordering are climbing as well. For many years, most of our pulpo went to Asian markets. Now, the pulpo market has begun to grow throughout Europe as well. This is great news for an economy that was so unfairly hard hit just a matter of a few weeks ago.

Americans Play Chess in Mexico
The 2009 North American Youth Championship in Mazatlan is underway with a small American team attempting to fight against a 124 member Mexican team and 4 Canadians. There has been a bit of a bobble in the number of events the Americans can enter because the Mexicans and Canadians are gender equal, while the Americans divide their players both by age and gender. It has not escaped some of our feminist friends that this has the potential to cost the U.S. team some medals before all is said and done. Nevertheless, it looks good for the Americans, as they are at or near the top in every category. We hope all of the children attending this event are having a wonderful time, and that they are making memories and friendships they will cherish for a lifetime.  (U.S. Chess Website)

New High Performance Weightlifting Gym Coming to Progreso
Mexico has always been very serious about its weightlifting and body building sports and, now, the Port of Progreso Weightlifting Gym is coming to Progreso. Not only that, but they will also get their own resident international weightlifting star, in the person of Cuban Carlos Omar Jimenez Salgado. Looks like our little Progreso (for those of us whose memories go that far back) is really growing up and branching out.

Yucatan’s Coast Matures in the Tourism Industry
At the end of October, a cruise ship loaded with 160 Japanese millionaires will stop in Progreso as part of their around-the-world tour. There have been quite a number of millionaire ships stopping in Progreso in recent years and all passengers have reported that they enjoyed their trip to Progreso as well as their day-trips to the interior.

As Progreso grows, the ships that come to our state are growing as well. Carnival is soon to be replaced by Trump, with a ship that carries over 1,000 crew members and almost 4,000 passengers. Yucatan’s taxi drivers and service providers now attend classes that cover all phases of the hospitality industry. A second look at the most recent Yucatan Tourism website shows that there are now many interesting things to see and do for tourists without having to take long trips into the interior of the state. While this is not necessarily a good thing for the interior, it is finally a good thing for the beach communities that were often passed by in favor of shopping trips into Merida.

News Roundup from the Interior
We know that most of these stories are carried in the larger papers, but RadioMayab has the time, space, and staff to do an excellent job of bringing us extra photos and interviews with those who have already made the news. RadioMayab is one of our favorite sites now and we hope you will like it too.

• The State Public Library has given new equipment to the Public Library in Loche, Panaba, so they can have a Computer Center of their own.

• During the State Fair at Xmatkuil, small farmers (defined as less than 50 head of cattle or sheep) will be awarded enough money to buy more stock and carry out regular maintenance on their farms, including planting and fencing supplies.

• Women farmers, as well as women living at an HIV hostel, are receiving everything it takes to plant organic backyard gardens that will feed their entire families.

• 200 more baby sea turtles have been released by the human toddlers on vacation at Chelem’s ISSTEY. And another generation of environmentalists is born!

• Lookout world – Here they come! The first workshop for young entrepreneurs has just ended and 100 new, well trained young business people from the interior of the state are ready to meet their future! Our congratulations to them all and appreciation to DIF for making it happen.

• Not to be outdone by the ladies, the fellas in the Rotary Club of Yucatan partnered with the Young Entrepreneurs to support a reforestation program in Hunucma

• And the Lion’s Club, with the support of optometrists and interns from the University of Memphis, TN, gave low-cost eye-glasses to 450 residents of Chicxulub Pueblo. Please call your local Lion’s Club and get involved in this project.

Lost: 9 Year Old Perrita
This little dog is 9 years of age. She accidentally got out of her home and is now lost. Her family is devastated, as you can well imagine. If you see her, or hear of anyone who may have rescued a small dog, please get in touch with AFAD through Lidia Saleh at lidia_salehHotmailcom