Giving with heart...and chiling out on a trip to the heart of Indigenous culture

This is the height of tourist season here in Zihuatanejo.  Each day in our wanderings through the city, we run into someone whom we've met here over the past 6 years.   Just like the locals, we greet them with huge smiles and hugs and say "Bienvenidos"!  The streets of are little neighbourhood are once again full of middle aged or older non-Mexicans' living their winter fantasies here in the sun.   The town depends on this, and we don't seem to have let them down. 

Here at Casa Ceiba,  the majority of the long term renters are back.  A great mix of US and Canadian residents from both West and East coasts, these returnees are happy to find their friends back for the season.  The days are full of the familiar poolside games and happy hour groups.  This year a new game, pickleball,  has started in the small basketball court.  I want to join in but yoga is my morning routine and after 0830, well it's just too hot to play.   Familiar groups head out for their morning walks and shopping trips, in this strange place where what you do at home or what kind of home you have really doesn't matter.  We are all equals here and we share a love for the tropics, Mexico and Mexican people.  And we adjust to a life here that is in some ways similar to our lives at home but in so many ways such a different environment to live. 

Because so many N. American tourists are here, it is also the height of our charitable season.  For many people, it is their reason for being here.  A small list of the charities that I'm aware of would include:  Sailfest/Por Los Nino's which supports the areas poorest children to receive education in functional class rooms.  Related to that group is the Nino's Adelante program which funds selected students to finish high school by matching donors with children.  Our lives have been made infinitely richer here by our 4 year long relationship with Doraliz and her family...more later. 

This year one of the American women who is a permanent resident here decided to share her talents for cooking gourmet meals and has started a "Cooking Hot in Zihua" class to fund the charitable program called "Rice and beans" which guarantees the areas poorest children one hot meal/day while they are at school. 

 Sailfest is also a destination for many of the coast cruising yachties from the US/Canada who are on beautiful ocean going sailboats.  Unfortunately with the recent problems for boaters, the number of boats in attendance this year will be less, but that doesn't stop the boat owners who do come from being keen to volunteer their shore time for such a worthwhile project.

 I'm participating in the street fair once again; this time vicariously.  Lety's bags for Sol Sisters will be on sale once again at a table manned by Cathy in the new location in front of Restaurant Arcadia on the waterfront.

 

We recently attended the first of 3 concerts put on by a US band who travels the world doing charitable gigs and enjoying the locals who join in on instruments their group is lacking.  Great turnout and the M-docks band gave it their all. 

There is also a seniors home(s) that routinely requires donations of medical equipment and basic supplies...never mind someone to simply drop in and visit.  Having a senior's care facility is a new concept in a country where it was an expectation that every aging person had a family to care for them.  Seniors who are alone for whatever reason now have a place to live when they need support.  We're going to miss a fabulous concert being held here this week as a fundraiser,...the best way possible to get people to donate...a 60's themed band bringing us all back to the days of our youth! 

Local Christian based churches are full on Sundays as we stroll down Calle Adelita...I believe the focus is on giving to the community. 

Guitarfest, although not really a charity, brought out the charitable giving in us as we were asked to fund in advance the travel costs for the various performers...we took a leap of faith and it would appear to have been successful as Guitarfest is scheduled to happen March 2-9th...yippee....this is a great addition to Zihuatanejo's music scene and a great benefit to the entire community. 

So when I recently met with the local director of the school children's charity, Nino's Adelante, I was surprised to see him express some of my concerns...what has this taught the Mexicans?   Are we, the strangely alone and often elderly "gringo" perceived as having unlimited funds?  Do any of  the locals support their own people in need?   According to Jose, although there are at least 100 well off families here in Zihuatanejo, no, the do not participate in supporting the charitable work.  He feels that they have decided the people in need are a bottomless pit...   And the risk is that we might begin to feel the same way.

Gene and I were recently invited to Doraliz's aunts wedding and were requested to "sponsor" the photos, which was quickly amended to asking Gene, and his sophisticated camera to take the photos...we had a choice.  Should we risk taking someone's wedding photos, or should we yet again, pay more money for a "professional" photographer?   Doraliz's Mom who seems to realize that really we didn't have any relation to the bride/groom encouraged Gene to take the photos himself.   We saved 4,000 pesos (about $350 Canadian) and had the experience of a lifetime. 

 

A fabulous Mexican wedding shirt, 4 hours of shooting and a host of happy Mexican's faces later...our part in the wedding was done.  No short of miraculous to consider the team effort that happened to bring the bride and groom the wedding of their dreams....it was lovely and we felt honored to be in attendance, even though as the only non-Mexicans there, we were the first to leave.  

 

 

We're heading off on our annual "vacation within a vacation" and this year, much to his chagrin, Cori is staying home with dog-sitters.  He doesn't really know this yet but, tomorrow, when we walk away and he's with his new "Mom and Dad" I know he's going to experience a lot of anxiety.  We're off to Mexico City and then the country of Guatemala...the whole country.  We love the mix of indigenous culture, nature and Spanish colonialism - at least that's what we're expecting to see.  And we want to feel cool air,..ironic as it may seem, we are craving a chill.  And invigorating cool, crisp air.  It's a vacation of our dreams and we are rewarding ourselves for selling our apartment but also more to the point, we are aware that these trips to remote and off the grid places are only possible while we have our health.  This year has taught me that things can change at any time, and no one is immune to changes in health.  I am not invincible and I want to travel with Gene now to see what Aldous Huxley called the "most beautiful lake in the world" in the country of trees.   Guatemala - here we come after a few days in the grandeur of Mexico City.   Monica has volunteered to be my long-distance travel agent if we run into trouble in the big city...she's my amiga and I love her!  And she tells me to take taxi's everywhere rather than walk...we shall see!

As Kristen reminded me, when I commented on my normal fear of losing something "don't be so scatter brained"...out of the mouths of babes!!   Well I am a bit scatterbrained, cause I am always looking for that next great sight, that next great experience that will mark the quintessential reason for being here...in the winter world I love.