Yucatan Living

Yucatan News: Book Signings & Bici Ruta

11 March 2013 News 4

Merida English Library: Request for Submissions

In May, the Merida English Library will celebrate its 17th anniversary and is requesting submissions for the May “You’ve Got MEL.” What they want are your thoughts on MEL, memories, anecdotes…and not just for that month. THey could use your help, input, ideas, comments, and book reviews in the Newsletter. In addition, if you know about a market, a restaurant, places around the city that sometimes are not being listed, or even places outside Mérida, and you feel like sharing, they encourage you to do so.

Book Signing: Merida Writers Wednesday March 13, 2013

This will be a fun way to meet some expats and buy a book about their experiences here in Yucatan. There is a special beach price ($120 pesos) for the book for this occasion! The authors of Our Yucatan: Tales and Poems, Mostly True, But Laced with Artistic License are having a book signing! The books will be at a special discounted price of $120 pesos (a savings of 30 pesos over the regular price). Please try to make it to this event. Everyone is invited! For more information, email lg5050 hotmail com.
Location: Costa Brava Condos, Calle 19 #194, Chicxulub
Directions: Go into Progreso heading to the malecon. At Calle 27, turn right and keep on that road until you come to Costa Brava Condos – about 1 km. Look for OXXO on left and for Red & White Balloons
Time: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Yucatan Reading Fair: FILEY (Feria Internacional de la lectura Yucatan)

From March 2 through 17, ICY is presenting a Yucatan Reading Fair. This fair coincides with the International Day of the Mother Language and there will be readings from the greatest authors of Yucatan throughout the state. The fair has many and varied events. You can read about one of them on Joanne Rosado's blog here and get the schedule from the website.

Opera Yucatan A.C.: New Location, Free Admission, Date Changes

Opera Yucatan has been working hard over the last few years to bring opera to the Yucatan. In addition to supporting the local annual opera, they have been bringing operas to the screen once a week, with a short discussion about the opera beforehand. Now, Opera Yucatan is pleased to announce a change of venue. The third season of Opera at the Movies will continue at Sala MAYAMAX in the Gran Museo Del Mundo Maya. Not only is this a newer movie theatre, but because of the donation of the location, the weekly opera movies are now free! Due to the change of venue, the new dates for the remainder of the season are:
Saturday, April 13 - KATIA KABANOVA by Janacek,
Saturday, May 4 - ANDREA CHENIER by Giordano,
Saturday, June 1 - OTELO by Verdi

Yucatan Bird Club: La Asociación de Yucatán de Pájaros

No Dues, No Officers, No Board of Directors! For those who are interested in more than just the month long winter bird festival in Yucatan, there is a new club formed by three expat women that is dedicated to building “a friendly, international group providing an email network of people interested in birding for organized field trips, occasional meetings, a specific locations’ directory in Merida and the Yucatan, and serving as a repository of information.” If you are interested in birding and in making new friends with like-minded folks, please do visit the Yucatan Bird Club website or send an e-mail to: yucatanbirdclub@gmail.com.

YAPA Bad News, Good News and Great News!

Our last news for this week is a wonderful e-mail from Dan Powell, at YAPA. We think YAPA (and all of the expats in Yucatan) are doing a wonderful job! …and now – Dan Powell:

Flamboyanes Crisis Update!

I recently sent out a post asking for interest only about putting together an event to raise money for the Flamboyanes Animal Crisis. The option was get a large group (52 people on an ADO bus leaving from Progreso) to see a Merida FC Soccer game on the evening of Saturday March 16. The Bad news - there is not enough interest to fill the bus from Progreso but there was plenty of interest from Merida to attend a game. So....Plan B.

The Good news is that this posting brought forward several people who have not only expressed interest in seeing a game but also want to volunteer AND donate money from both Progreso and Merida. For all of those who pledged money - and for those that would like to - I am sure you are going to like the Great news.

2 for 1 donations! The Great news is that, through the YAPA posting to its' membership, a very generous donor has contacted us to say that they have made arrangements with a Non Profit Foundation in the US that will match our donations dollar for dollar to a maximum of $2,000 USD. (approx. $25,000 MXN or translated - about 100 dogs/cats).

While I was disappointed about the bus trip, I am overwhelmed at the Good news and the Great News. We could, potentially, spay/neuter 200 animals! We already have a $500 USD donor. (Another huge thank you to this anonymous donor to kick start us off.) $1,500 to go to meet our match (or approx. $20,000 pesos). For all of you who have pledged to take money to Planned Pethood for this project, could you please let me know how much and when you took it there so that I can keep track of our donations to hit that $2,000 mark. We want to be able to get the full amount for this once in a lifetime chance.

If you are in Progreso and/or can't get to Planned Pethood to donate, please contact me, Dan Powell (danielpowell4@gmail.com), to make arrangements to get your donation. We are tentatively looking at doing a campaign on Sunday the 7th of April. Please help us hit this target.

The Foundation wishes to remain anonymous so a great big huge Thank You to YAPA!
-Dan Powell, Just a guy who wanted to watch a soccer game!

Michigan State University News

The Associate Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University and Yucatan’s Governor Rolando Zapata Bello have announced that 25 American students, who are in the state as part of an academic exchange, will develop health projects on telemedicine, osteopathic clinical skills, and hemodialysis units in public hospitals. In return, the students are getting additional training on the care of pregnant women at “Dr. Agustin O’Horan” Mother and Child, and the Korea-Mexico Friendship and Health Center in Progreso. Yucatan’s health secretary also noted that another Michigan State health project is to conduct research into the condition of groundwater in the state. The academic and medical exchanges between the Health Department in Yucatan and Michigan State University are not new. Much has been accomplished by both sides and all of Yucatan, including expats from across the southeastern region of Mexico, are the beneficiaries.

Yucatan: Public Safety Continues

Many members of our expat community come to Yucatan because it is the safest state in Mexico. This is not simply a happy accident. It is the result of hard work and dedication by the people of the State of Yucatan. Toward furthering the goal of keeping Yucatan at the forefront of public safety in the nation, the state has just been granted a $317 million peso loan. This is a low interest, 20-year loan from the Federal Government with no involvement on their part in programs or projects. With a dedicated population of both Yucatecos and administrators, Yucatan now has an opportunity to gain ground and continue her march into the 21st century.

More Dairies Coming to Yucatan

A few months ago, the members of Yolisto had a discussion about where one might find locally produced cheeses in Yucatan. Sadly, pickings were slim to none at the time because there were so few operational dairies in the state. Well, all of that is changing right this very moment. Understanding the dire nutritional state of many of Yucatan’s poor, very young and elderly population, Yucatan’s Social Supply Management Department has joined the National Crusade Against Hunger. At the beginning of 2013, Yucatan had 213 licensed dairies. By the end of the year, that number will have climbed to 220, with at least two of the seven in the Progreso area. For all vulnerable populations, the milk will be subsidized, which is wonderful news for the people, as well as for expats and other groups who help to support and operate food banks. The fact that subsidized milk is expected to add up to $5 million pesos to the local economies of the state is not lost on anyone. Now – about local cheese. No news yet, but with new dairies on the way, can cheese be far behind?

Multiplying Investments: 3 x 1

On March 21, representatives of INDEMAYA will head for Los Angeles, Glendale and San Francisco, in California; Portland, Oregon; and San Diego, Arizona, where they will meet with groups of migrants to discuss the 3 x 1 Program for Remittances. In this program, when the remittances of a group are pooled and sent home together, the amount of the pooled remittances is matched by local, state and federal pesos. The resulting amount is then dedicated to improving infrastructure (roads, schools, parks, sports, etc.) in the hometowns of the migrants. Every expat in Yucatan has probably driven on a new road provided by these projects, or gone to a ball game in one of their parks. We have seen many wonderful projects completed with both the 2 x 1 and 3 x 1 programs and hope they are around to help improve the quality of life for Yucatecos for many years to come.

Bici-Ruta Numbers Triple: Additional Route Added

Since its numbers tripled, Merida’s Sunday Bici-Ruta has had an extra route added to try and serve everyone who wants to ride. The new route is called The Biciruta of Animaya and will offer even more activities because there is a recreation center along its path. Now, Merida’s little Bici-Ruta has turned into public policy promoting health, wellness, and a lifestyle that includes bike riding as alternative transportation. Since this new Bici-Ruta is expected to grow rapidly as well, and given that demand in other parts of the city is rising, the Mayor of Merida is working to create a Bici-Ruta in San Jose Tecoh, San Jose Tzal and others. The Bici-Ruta on Paseo de Montejo continues as it always has. The Bici-Ruta Animaya begins on Calle 60 in Caucel and continues to Calle 75. Participating in the Bici-Ruta is a great way to learn so much about Merida and her people. We wholeheartedly recommend it, as well as the Bici-Rutas in other cities. We understand that there is growing interest and demand for them across the state.