Yucatan News: Blood, Books, Toys
United for the Birds!: 2015 TOH Bird Festival: Drawing and Photography Contest
Early events are beginning for the 2015 TOH Bird Festival in Yucatan and you can help to promote knowledge, appreciation and conservation of birds through photographs and drawings that capture the beauty and behavior of the birds who inhabit the Yucatan Peninsula! We have quite a few really talented photographers in the expat community and hope they all participate in this event. To learn more about this contest, check the guidelines on TOH Bird Festival 2015. The rules are in a pdf link from the website. You have until November 5 to register for the contest and can do so from the site itself. The Merida-Celestun Xoc ch’ich Bird-a-thon will be November 20 – 22, 2015, so everyone needs to spend some time on the TOH website for that as well.
First in the country: Veterinary Bloodbank
Did you know that Merida is the site of the first veterinary bloodbank in all of Mexico? El Banco de Sangre Veterinario del Sureste opened in 2014 and serves all of Mexico. To date, it has provided blood to over 150 patients. The director, Jesus Magaña Martínez, has over 15 years experience in human bloodbanks, and he communicates with the World Network of Veterinary Blood Banks. This organization counts Merida's bloodbank as the 17th largest in its organization, behind pioneers in Spain, other places in Europe, the USA, Canada, Colombia, Chile and Argentina. Around here, we are very familiar with erlichia, a disease that dogs get through tic bites. Often the disease is so devastating that a blood transfusion is needed to safe the dog's life. After experiencing a failed transfusion for a dog of his, Magaña Martinez decided to open a safe and quality bloodbank for animals. He says, "We have the first permit that was issued at the national level for this type of service. The Federal Ministry of Health through the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk (COFEPRIS) gave us high marks as a veterinary blood bank." The blood bank ensures that the product is free from diseases that could be transmitted to the patient.
The bloodbank is looking for animal donors... dogs and cats that will pledge to donate their blood every quarter. They currently have thirty animals that are participating quarterly. In exchange for their donation, the animals will get a free veterinary checkup every three months. There is currently a high demand for blood and not enough donors. C'mon, Merida expat community... can we help? Donor requirements are as follows:
- 25 kilos or heavier
- Age from 1 to 8 years.
- Vaccinated and dewormed.
- If females, they must have had no more than three litters (ummm... that should be true ANYWAY!!)
- They must pass a checkup and be able to donate up to 450 milliliters each time.
- Cualquier raza... any breed!
See the ad in the right column for the phone number to call, or go to their Facebook page.
David Goes Home: A New Grant Spradling Novel
This is the first review of Yucatan’s beloved expat author, Grant Spradling’s new book. It can be purchased as an e-book on Amazon books. ‘Grant Spradling, a retired Congregational minister, has penned a captivating story about a young preacher, David Ward, who is the main character in other Spradling novels. The wit, pathos, and intellect of this gay pastor draw the reader into the mystery and nightmarish search for the murderer of the clergyman’s hometown sheriff in the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma. The preacher’s love for men, self-doubt, and the struggle against the religious right of David’s upbringing transports the reader to another world and opens one’s mind to the continuing conflict of the church and the gay community.” —Dr. F. Lee Barham, author, The Religious Right is Wrong
Book: Ten Years of Yucatan Living
Grant Spradling isn’t the only one with a new book out this month. We can hardly believe that it's been ten years since we started publishing Yucatan Living. Ten years since we recognized that there were a lot of English speakers moving to and interested in moving to the Yucatan, but nowhere for them to find out more about it. Since then, of course, blogs and websites about the Yucatan have blossomed into a virtual garden of information... with Yucatan Living like a spreading flamboyane in the center, showering beautiful red petals and shining like a beacon from afar. Phew! That's some serious metaphor there. To celebrate our longevity, we self-published this book of old and new photographs... you'll recognize some of them from the website and others are completely new and never before published. If you have been reading Yucatan Living all these years, we hope you will show your support and buy at least one book for your coffee table or your bookshelf. Or even pay it forward and buy one for a friend or relative who might be thinking about the Yucatan.
Invitation from HealthItinerary (Medical Tourism Support)
On October 21st at 10:30 AM, there will be a free coffee-break information session for expats and snowbirds. They claim that for less than $1 USD per day you can have peace of mind regarding healthcare here in Yucatan. Healthitinerary.com is a local business that assists expats with their medical services. They are not an insurance company or agent. They are partnered with a very well known & highly respected local physician who is the Academic Coordinator at the Marista University (Medical). He was previously the Director of two of the largest IMSS Clinics (Mexican Social Security) here in Merida, and he is currently a Medical Coordinator for a number of the Insurance Companies. He also has a Family Practice also in Merida. The company provides services like free registration with a family doctor, free 24/7 call line to a medical coordinator (answered by an English speaking Doctor) and access to a private ambulance paramedic service which covers Merida and the nearby Beach Communities, as well as other benefits and services, and discounts on procedures and medications. The company also provides patient advocate/health concierge services to medical tourists who come here from overseas to benefit from the excellent and affordable medical services here in Merida. They have been bringing medical tourists here for over 3 years. If you are interested, contact them at their website.
October Christmas Dreams Fundraiser a Success in Chelem
The October Bingo Fundraiser for Chelem’s Christmas Dreams was held at Lizard Joe’s this past Friday night and was, by all accounts, a rousing success ($10,600 pesos!!!). This program makes certain that no child in the area they serve goes without a Christmas present. You can always count on the expat love of bingo to ensure that this is one wonderful event that will always be with us. The Chelem Christmas Dreams Rummage sale will be held on Thursday, November 12, at Rico’s Grill N Chill, so Visit the Chelem Christmas Toy Drive Facebook Page to keep up with these non-stop expat events and to find out just how much the expat community contributes to the programs they serve.
Farmer’s Market Between Chelem and Chuburna
Beginning Monday, November 2, 2015. Randy Miller went to the Slo Food Market in Merida and invited some wonderful vendors with amazing products to come for their Farmer's Market. He will also be showing off the growing gardens at the Natural Thangs Garden Center's Farmer's Market area. They have three varieties of Corn, Arugula, Eggplant, Squash, Cucumber, Beans, Radish, Beets, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, four varieties of Tomatoes, Dill, Bell Peppers, Habenaro Peppers, and Swiss Chard so far!!! Directions. Leave Chelem for Chuburna and they are at about the 5km mark on the Highway....Can't miss them! Between the local and expat farmers’ markets, there is no reason for shopping for food to be anything less than a wonderful adventure in Yucatan.
Valladolid: Do Expats Live There?
Everybody knew that a few expats live out in Valladolid. Some of the hotel and B&B owners are friends of ours. Then they got an English Library. Few in Merida took much notice. Then they began a Thursday Lecture Series, much like the Merida English Library’s Saturday Lecture Series. …and then the astonishing numbers started rolling in. This past week, over 60 people from nine countries came to the Valladolid English Library to enjoy “The Benefits of Birding” lecture by Colleen Shafner and Filippo Aureli. So – in answer to the original question, we would have to say that “Yes. Expats do live in and around Valladolid in growing numbers.” To keep up with what’s going on in Valladolid, “Like” the Valladolid English Library Facebook Page. Who knows? You just may find the new home town you’ve been looking for.
Expat Photographers
Over the past few months, a number of Yucatan’s expats have shown a remarkable talent for photography. The photo here is by Dennis J. Malone. https://www.facebook.com/dennis.j.malone.1?fref=ts You may also like the work of Yuca Tan Man, https://www.facebook.com/yuca.t.man?hc_location=ufi&pnref=story and Sarah Bradley Koch. https://www.facebook.com/sarah.b.koch.7?fref=ts There are quite a few more wonderful expat photographers and we will give you the links to their work in the coming weeks.
Priests Moved to Different Parishes
There is no easy way to say this. Father Mex has been moved from Chicxulub to Valladolid. There are other changes as well, including in Progreso, Chelem, Chicxulub and Dzemul. However, Father Mex has been a fixture at the beach for decades. He works with the fishermen, with sailors on foreign ships, and with almost all of the local social charities and programs. To see him go as far away as Valladolid, is a little disconcerting because he will be difficult, if not impossible, to replace. The new Archbishop is working hard to bring much needed change to Yucatan. Hopefully, everyone will work with him to ensure that the Church and civil organizations will not only continue their work, but will be able to accomplish much more in the future than ever before.
INM (Institute of National Migration) in Progreso
This immigration office has distinguished itself by providing superior service to an average of 200 expats and visitors per month for some time now. They are open to the public from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM, but continue with the paperwork until 6:00 PM. This is what makes it possible for them to get caught up and ease the crunch of long lines. Most of the things they deal with are changes of address, license renewals, issuing residence cards, and work permits. We have not heard any complaints for the past two to three years and sincerely hope that the workers in this office are aware of how much the foreign community appreciates their dedication and hard work.
Posted By Khaki Scott
