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...in focus
is Focus on Mexico's
informative and fun newsletter about living in Mexico on your own terms. You will
be receiving it the first Friday of every month. We decided to send it on
Friday so you'll have the whole weekend to take your time and enjoy the
articles and digest the news. We hope you like ...in focus. If you
have any questions, or would like to see more articles on a certain subject,
please write to us at newsletterteam@focusonmexico.com.
We have these articles for you;
-
Shoulder Replacement in Lake Chapala, Mexico Style
-
GREAT NEWS for our very own Lake Chapala
-
One US journalist’s nonconformist view of Mexico
-
Mexico Real Estate and Investment News - Mexico's Economy Races Ahead
-
CNBC Stock Market Host is Buying Up Real Estate in Mexico
-
Through the Cooking Class in Lake Chapala
-
Spanish 101: Mande is not the same as Monday
-
Buen Viaje, Ana!
-
Volunteers Needed for Friends of Villa Infantil (FOVI)
-
A letter to the Friends of ACA
-
NEW this month, Karen shares "stuff" in Karen's Korner...The stock
market, flies, CPR & more!
All this and more await
you in this issue of the ...in focus
newsletter.
Enjoy! Read on...
Shoulder
Replacement in Lake Chapala,
Mexico Style
By Walt and Nancy
Heine
Editor's Note: Alumnus Walt Heine
recently had shoulder replacement surgery in Guadalajara. He posted his experience on his
blog, and with his permission, we thought you might be interested in his take
on this event. As a side note, Walt has had pain in his shoulders for
years...every movement, even hugging (which is Mexico's national past-time!) was
painful! Walt's surgery was on July 21, 2010. His other shoulder surgery has
been scheduled for November 10. Nancy
recently wrote me that Walt was excited because on August 1 he could reach up
over his head with the left hand to wash his hair, something he has not been
able to do for years. Life is good!
Walt has had pain in both of his shoulders for many years, and gradually has
lost the ability to lift his arms much. Well, a month ago Walt found out the
reason was that he had no cartilage at all in his left shoulder and has very
little in his right shoulder. Our doctor sent us to an orthopedic specialist
who immediately recommended shoulder replacement surgery.
This is how the process went. We tried convincing our doctor in the U.S. about
Walt's shoulder pains. He was not terribly interested, and told him to take
Ibuprofen. Then our doctor here in Mexico
tried exercise and medication almost to no avail (although we have to say that
the medications available here are often more effective than some in the US, thanks to
the FDA).
Read more about Walt's Shoulder Replacement in Lake Chapala, Mexico...
GREAT
NEWS for our very own Lake Chapala
.jpg "A view of Lake Chapala Mexico")
Quoting below from a recent article in
the Guadalajara Reporter, we can see abundant
rainfall is filling up Lake Chapala during our current rainy season Lake Chapala
swells toward 32-year record.
FRIDAY, JULY 30 2010, Guadalajara
Reporter, by DALE HOYT PALFREY
Experts keeping an eye on Mother Nature predict a bountiful 2010 rainy season
that could push Lake Chapala close to maximum capacity for the first time in
more than three decades. With heavy precipitation continuing through this week,
flood and landslide alerts are out for the Chapala
lakeshore and elsewhere in the region.
Just six weeks into the summer rainy season, the lake has already regained 77 centimeters in
level, putting it on a par with the high mark registered last October. By
comparison, the lake rose just 39
cm. during the entire 2009 wet cycle. Lake Chapala
tends to rise most dramatically from mid-August through late September.
Late last week, National Water Commission (Conagua) regional chief Raul Antonio
Iglesias issued a personal prediction that the lake will rise an additional one
to two meters this year, hitting above "Cota 97" on the lake
elevation scale before the rains subside. It has not ascended to that mark
since 1978."
Read more great news about Lake Chapala...
One US
journalist’s nonconformist view of Mexico
By Linda Ellerbee
Friday, June 25 2010, Guadalajara
Reporter
Editor's Note: There is so much bad press
in the media about Mexico these days that it's refreshing to hear another point
of view. Enjoy.
Sometimes I've been called a maverick because I don't always agree with my
colleagues, but then, only dead fish swim with the stream all the time.
The stream here is Mexico.
You would have to be living on another planet to avoid hearing how dangerous Mexico has become, and, yes, it's true drug wars
have escalated violence in Mexico,
causing collateral damage, a phrase I hate. Collateral damage is a cheap way of
saying innocent people, some of them tourists, have been hurt or killed.
But that's not the whole story. Neither is this. This is my story.
I'm a journalist who lives in New York City, but
has spent considerable time in Mexico,
specifically Puerto Vallarta,
for the last four years. I'm in Vallarta now. And despite what I'm getting from
the U.S. media, the 24-hour news networks in particular, I feel as safe here as
I do at home, possibly safer. I walk the streets of my Vallarta neighborhood
alone day or night. And I don't live in a gated community, or any other
All-Gringo neighborhood. I live in Mexico. Among Mexicans. I go where I
want (this does not happen to include bars where prostitution and drugs are the
basic products), and take no more precautions than I would at home in New York;
which is to say I don't wave money around, I do keep my eyes open, I'm aware of
my surroundings, and I try not to behave like a fool.
Read about what Linda has to say about her nonconformist view of Mexico...
Mexico Real Estate and Investment News -
Mexico's
Economy Races Ahead
by Micahel Zenn
Friday, July 2, 2010
A recent article from The New York Times should be very interesting to anyone
considering a home in the Lake Chapala area of Mexico.
Yesterday's cover story in the New York Times reported that Mexico and other Latin American
economies are significantly outpacing their northern counterparts and most
other countries around the world.
While Europe and the U.S. worry over massive deficits and fears over a fragile
recovery, Mexico and other Latin countries have been controlling debt, keeping
taxes low and inflation under control which is encouraging investment and
fueling growth.
Mexico is now surging out of the recession with a 4.3 percent growth rate in
the first quarter and is on pace to reach 5 percent this year, "outpacing
the U.S. economy", Canada and most of Europe. In fact, the Mexican economy
is growing so quickly the Central Bank had to up its growth view almost 2
points from just a few months ago.
Currently, Mexico
is enjoying the lowest business tax rate of 13 major countries, the strongest
currency (peso) against the dollar, and one of the fastest growing real estate
investment markets in the world.
CNBC
Stock Market Host is Buying Up Real Estate in Mexico
Guess who is
promoting buying real estate in Mexico?
Jim Cramer, the Mad Money host from CNBC, as quoted by Tom Brennan, Web Editor,
Mad Money.
This is certainly telling... When the host of a talk show that promotes buying
and selling in the Stock Market tells you it is not a bad idea to diversify
'away' from stocks and 'buy real estate', you have to believe he knows what he
is talking about, especially when he practices what he preaches.
It's long been known that there are a number of choice destinations in Mexico for
American (and Canadian) boomers looking for a lower cost of living, a good
climate and excellent health care. Our favourite of course, is right here in Lake Chapala Mexico. Check out this gorgeous
luxurious home under $300,000 U.S.
Or how about La Reserva
in Ajijic. This Yacht Club community with homes starting at $205,000 U.S.
(pre-construction prices -- subject to change without notice) is a
one-of-a-kind development and a fantastic investment opportunity.
Read more about what Tom Brennan says about buying real estate
in Mexico...
Through
the Cooking Class in Lake
Chapala
By Karen McConnaughey
Bill and I had a wonderful experience recently. Sally Bahous sent us an email
entitled "Asian Cooking and Dining Class with Lisa Le." Lisa was
going to demonstrate how to make Pad Thai and Vietnamese Summer Rolls, followed
by lunch. These are two dishes Bill and I love so we immediately wrote Sally
back for all the information. The class was to be held at the clubhouse in the
Raquet Club in San Juan Cosala on the shores of Lake Chapala.
Lisa, a Parisian fashion stylist, first learned Asian cooking at her parents'
restaurant in Vietnam.
She has been in the restaurant business over 15 years in Paris
and Toronto.
The cooking class was a Fundraiser for Villa Infantil (the Villa Infantil
Nuestra Senora Guadalupe y San Jose children's
shelter), an orphanage on the south shore of Lake
Chapala between San Pedro Tesistan and
San Cristobal.
The primary focus of Friends of Villa Infantil (FOVI) is to support the welfare
of children by securing donations for education and emergency needs. That's one
of the many wonderful things about the charitable organizations in the Lake Chapala
area...there are so many ways to contribute by volunteering or by just
attending one of the creative fund-raisers around the village.
"The best way to enjoy Asian food is to cook and share it with
friends," Lisa says. "I loved the idea of having good times,
socializing with people and sharing food the way it's done in Asia."
Teaching Asian cooking, she discovered, combined all these. And volunteering
her services for a favorite charity made it even better...for all of us.
Learn more about this event and how you can help the kids...
Buen
Viaje, Ana! - Focus On Mexico Says goodbye to Ana
We had a great going-away party for Ana...there were a few tears, but mostly
the evening was full of happy memories and great food since it was a potluck.
We have a lot of great cooks among our Focus alumni. There were about 100
people there. I've included a few photos here of the party just in case you
weren't able to make it.
There was lots of hugging going on too. Ana's novio Sergio was there. And, Mark
Sconce wrote a poem especially for her. It was a bittersweet, but wonderful
evening.
Ray also took the opportunity to introduce Liz Verar, our new program director,
to our alumni. Liz is going to be a wonderful addition to the Focus team. We're
lucky to have her.
It's
your Ana-fest day! :-D
Abrazos y besos to everyone who came
to the party and who helped make it the success it was.
Annual
Alumni Get-together
By the way, our Alumni Potluck was such a hit, we're planning on doing it once
a year. It was a good way for our alumni to mingle and get to know one another.
Watch for announcements in an email or the newsletter.
Spanish 101: Mande is not the same as Monday
by Tere Ruiz
Yes
Sir!
I have seen in the war movies that when a Captain addresses a soldier, they
always say "Yes, Sir!" This is a good translation for
"mande." (pronounced MAHN-day).
The word "mande" comes from the verb "mandar" which means
"give an order." Here in Mexico, it is used for
"what" or "what?" Mande is much more appropriate than
"que!" (what!), and most of the times it is used with people who have
a higher hierarchy than others, or simply when you are being polite and don't
want to sound rude.
For example, when you call your child or any child, he or she shouldn't answer
"que?" ("what?"), but "mande." It gives a
connotation of paying attention to the person who is talking to you, like when
someone calls you and you answer "yes" meaning "I'm listening."
The same happens when you call a subordinate, like someone who works for you
like for example, a maid, a gardener, a worker, etc...
Learn more about why Mande does not mean Monday...
Volunteers Needed for Friends of Villa Infantil (FOVI)
FOVI
is looking for a few good people for several openings.
Basically, you tell us what you love to do, and what skills you have, and we
can find a place for you to use them!
We could use a real go-getter with great enthusiasm to spearhead some
fund-raising initiatives in order to help achieve our goal of providing for the
kids' education and other basic needs. Someone who can help us get a full-scale
sponsorship drive underway with the aim being to have full sponsorship for each
child, preferably by Christmas.
And always, there is a need for people to provide lunch one day a week for
about 20 kids. This one is great fun, lots of interaction with the kids as you
serve up a favorite dish like a casserole or pasta, with juice and cookies. We
provide an orientation visit with a seasoned lunch crew to help you get accustomed
to the routine.
Also, is there a semi-pro level photographer out there who would offer their
services so we can get the kids photos updated on our website? This is much
needed so our web person can do a make-over on our website, and also to get
started on the sponsorship program.
Get Satisfaction: Volunteering can bring joy to your life in unexpected ways.
After spending a lot of time with these children and seeing their smiles, you
will realize that you made a real difference in someone else's life. Other
added benefits to you: You can give voice to your heart through your giving and
volunteering, you can keep your talents alive, and you will feel needed and
valued. Contact Sherry or Lisa today!
For more information, please contact Sherry Hudson at
ravenblackhorse@hotmail.com, or Lisa Le at lisale888@gmail.com
I surf the Internet a lot and am always looking for things
to share with our subscribers. It's something I enjoy. And, I also figure if
I'm interested in it and it's important to me, it might be important to our
readers too. So this column will be Karen's tidbits of information she has
collected in the past month.
Flies
& Mice Defense
Everyone has problems with unwanted pests from time to time. Insects bother you
and get into places where they are not welcome. Bill and I had a mice problem
recently, and this year seems to be a bad year for flies. I was looking for a
natural way to control both these problems, and guess what...in my research I
found that rosemary was recommended for both.
I thought...how could something so simple and something that grows like a weed
in Mexico
solve my problem? I was skeptical because we've all heard the stories about zip
lock bags full of water and/or copper pennies solving the fly problem. Now I
don't know about you, but this solution has never worked for me!
I immediately went out and cut our rosemary plant like crazy...so much so, Bill
has taken it away from me! :-D After cleaning out the buffet drawer the mouse
seems to have taken a liking to, I put a white tablecloth in there, so I could
immediately spot anything unusual when I opened the drawer. I placed one
12-inch sprig of fresh rosemary on top of the tablecloth. I refreshed it a
couple of weeks later, and there have been no more mouse sightings whatsoever!
Not one! Truly amazing.
Regarding flies, I put rosemary on the end table between Bill's and my TV
chairs and our bedroom nightstands. No more flies! Seriously. And, I actually
thought that I was just making this up...you know...wanting it to be true. But
I left the rosemary too long in the TV room, and we started getting dive-bombed
by kamikaze flies again. I immediately cut some fresh rosemary for the table,
and no more fly-overs! It was amazing. My friend David went home immediately to
try it and reported that he "has bunches of it in various places and it
already seems to be working." My next test is to take some sprigs with me
to an outdoor restaurant. If it works even a little bit, I think every
restaurant in town should put a small pot of fresh rosemary on every table.
Wouldn't that be great! I do love outdoor living, but without the flies, thank
you!
Let me know if you try it and what you think.
The
Stock Market
My friend and Focus alumnus Dave Catt posted this little tidbit about the stock
market on his Facebook page. I had to share it because I thought it was very
interesting. Can anyone help confirm this?
If you had invested $50,000 into the S&P 500 in 1999, by the end of
2009 your investment withered to just $37,937... ...That same $50,000 in Mexico's IPC
index exploded to $147,965. Grab your sombrero, because Mexico's IPC index is spanking the
S&P 500 like a rented mule :-))
New,
Easier CPR Instructions
This is worth sharing with all your friends and family. There is a new method
of CPR and only takes a few minutes to watch....and those few minutes spent,
could SAVE A LIFE!
It's called Continuous Chest Compression CPR, a hands-only CPR method that
doubles a person's chance of surviving cardiac arrest. It's easy and does not
require mouth-to-mouth contact.
Spanish
Translator
I have used BabelFish (Yahoo) and we have PowerTranslator on all our computers.
I don't think either of them hold a candle to Google Translate...the best, most
user friendly Spanish translator I've found. Try it. You'll like it!
http://translate.google.com/#
A
recipe from MarthaStewart.Com
If you've read this newsletter at all, you know I'm a frustrated Martha Stewart
wannabe! I found this terrific recipe on her web site and thought it was
perfect for my Mexican and Expat friends alike since it combines fresh fruit
and Tequila! Enjoy!
Frozen Melon-Margarita Pops
This tangy hand-held treat makes you feel grown-up and kidlike at the same
time. Dip juicy pieces of melons in margarita mix (recipe below), perch on
wooden sticks, andfreeze until icy. For a zingy combo of cool and hot, nibble
peppery nasturtiums between bites.
Serves 4-6
Stir together 3/4 cup tequila,
1/2 cup Gran Marnier
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
And a pinch of coarse salt in a large bowl
Cut cantaloupe and watermelon (8
oz each, rinds removed) into wedges. Soak into tequila
mixture for 15 minutes. Insert ice-pop sticks into wedges. Freeze on a
rack-lined baking sheet for one hour. Enjoy!
Friends
of ACA
Dear Friends of ACA,
The entire Lakeside Community, along with residents and visitors from as far
away as Puerto Vallarta,
have enjoyed the healthy bounty of fresh food that Marie and Wendee of ACA
Centro Ecologico have provided over the past 15 years. In addition, ACA has
employed local women, trained farmers, worked with school children and taught
innovative ways to raise food in areas large and small.
However, the farm is in need of your
help. Personnel changes, the current economic climate and loss
of grant money have placed the farm in peril. A group of concerned Lakeside residents have banded together to form
"Friends of ACA". We want to see this institution continue to do what
it has been doing but, perhaps more importantly, to take advantage of the
tremendous opportunities that are knocking. We know the potential is great with
the eat-locally movement gaining momentum as more people become aware of how
much healthier their lives can be when eating food without pesticides, hormones
and chemical fertilizers.
We are writing to ask for your help and to give you information on what is
happening behind the scenes. Our mission is to help ACA get back on stable
ground and more importantly grow to meet its potential but it won't happen
without your help. Funds are needed along with volunteers. On Saturday, August
14th at 2:00 p.m. Lake
Chapala area residents
are invited to attend a gathering at LCS where we will outline the planned new
direction for the farm. In addition, we are launching a campaign to find people
to fill various volunteer positions.
It is exciting to realize where this can lead but it needs an infusion of cash,
a new organizational structure and new operating management. The financial need
is urgent. Your financial contribution will buy us time to get the more
important efforts of restructuring in place. Please trust that the Friends of
ACA will give their best efforts to ensure the money is used wisely and for the
most immediate needs.
We are very excited about helping this Lakeside
institution and hope you will join us.
Sincerely,
Greg Ochs
Lake Chapala Green Group and Friends of ACA
To make a financial contribution you may choose either of the methods below.
- Click the PayPal button on the left of the www.greatgreens.org main screen.
This will bring you to the "How To Donate" page. Click the PayPal
button on that page, enter the amount you wish to donate, and then follow the
instructions for either the PayPal option (for registered users) or the
"use other credit card" option.
- Donate via check or wire transfer directly to ACA's bank account:
To HSBC Branch: Sucursal #0699
Bank Address: Avenida Francisco Madero, #208 Col. Centro, Chapala, Jalisco,
Mexico
Account Holder: Associacion Comunitaria de Autosuficiencia A.C.
Account number: Cuenta # 401337261
International Swift Code: BIMEMXMM
Clave number: 33726103
Phone: 01 376 765 4110
For further information about donating, please call ACA's financial advisor Jim
Barkley at 376-766-2695, or email jim@barkley.net.