| Focus On Mexico
April 2011 Newsletter |
- Restaurant Listings for Lake Chapala
- Learn how the IMSS Works
- Learn how you can Lower your blood pressure
- A New Food Pairing Trend: TEQUILA!
- Learn about Earth Day 2011
- What is a Molcajete?
- Spanish 101: Trabajo
|
Click here or the picture above to see the April community events for the Lake Chapala Area...
Below is a link to a list of Mexico's most important civic holidays and
traditional festivities during 2011.
See the complete list of holidays and fiestas for Mexico and the Lake Chapala area...
|
10
Reasons Why Lake Chapala is not for You
By Karen McConnaughey 
My friend (Focus alumna) Kitt Vincent sent us an intriguing article recently
about “10 Reasons Why Retiring Abroad May Not be for You.”
Her comment to me:
I looked at the 10 reasons NOT to retire overseas and can honestly
say that not a one describes what you find here in Mexico. It just confirmed
that I made the right decision coming here. Can you believe that they
list not being able to make friends! Kitt
No, Kitt, I cannot. I was amazed at the list and decided I had to dissect
the ‘cons’ in relationship to Bill’s and my experience.
Find out whether Lake Chapala is for you...
|
Travel
Companions – Driving to Mexico
by Karen McConnaughey
 We’ve
had a lot of requests lately to find out if anyone was driving south to
Lake Chapala or north to the states so people could caravan or share a
ride. What we have done in the past is just keep our eyes and ears out
for similar requests and pass them on. However, as you can well imagine,
this is a most inefficient delivery system!
We think this is a good idea, Focus on Mexico has created a classified section for that very subject learn more…
|
Work
from Home at Lake Chapala
A Real List of Opportunities
By Karen McConnaughey
 Working
from home isn't for everybody, but most of us who do work out of our homes
wouldn't have it any other way. When it comes to working from home, everyone
does it a little bit differently and for different reasons. I like the
dress code! I love the hours! I absolutely LOVE the commute!
Bill sometimes starts to work at 6:00 a.m. Occasionally I will continue
working until 7 or 8 pm. I never have liked alarm clocks. The silliest
thing I ever did when I was working an 8-5 job in Kansas City was set
my clock an hour ahead so it looked as if I was getting up at 7:00 a.m.
in the morning instead of 6:00! The things we do to fool our minds!
Learn more about how you could work from home here in Lake Chapala...
|
|
Restaurant
Listings for Lake Chapala
Restaurant Listings on Ask Focus
By Karen McConnaughey
Just in case you haven’t been perusing our new Ask Focus site,
I want to introduce you to our Restaurant Page. This has a very complete
list of the restaurants in the Lake Chapala area with days open and hours
of operation as well as what kind of food is served. It is divided into
tabs: Ajijic, Chapala, San Antonio Tlayacapan, Riberas del Pilar and Other.
Also find out what restaurants are open late...
|
How
the IMSS Works
 The Instituto
Mexicano de Seguro Social (IMSS) offers a low-cost health care option
for foreigners resettling in Mexico.
Learn about the three tiers of IMSS...
|
Lower
Your Blood Pressure
...with Just 30 Seconds of This
 You
could lower your blood pressure significantly in 30 seconds if you just
do this: breathe deeply.
In a study, that simple act helped lower the study participants' systolic
blood pressure. In fact, the study participants only had to do it six
times to see their systolic pressure dip as much as 10 mm Hg! Not too
shabby for a few slow in-and-out breaths.
Learn more about lowering your blood pressure...
|
Pairing
Food with Tequila
A NEW FOOD PAIRING TREND: TEQUILA!
By Karen McConnaughey
 These
days tequila is far removed from its old reputation of just a shot to
get happy on! The process of making fine-aged tequila is just as involved
as a fine wine or Cognac so why not treat it as one? Here are some great
pairings of Tequila and food to host your next Mexican fiesta. You’ll
have to let us know how it comes out. As you will see from my Sources
below, I have gone through quite a few web sites for food pairing ideas.
I haven’t tried them all, but I’m definitely going to hit
hubby Bill up to try a few of them!
Learn more about what kind of food to pair with Tequila...
|
Earth
Day 2011
Earth Day 2011: A Billion Acts of Green®
Be kind to the planet
Earth Day aims to inspire awareness of and appreciation for earth's environment.
It is currently observed in more than 140 countries around the world.
Ever wonder why millions of people celebrate Earth Day each year? Well,
long before the 'green' movement we know today, there were minimal laws
or measures in place to protect the environment. And this year on April
22, Earth Day Calls for a Billion Acts of Green, because little acts of
green can go a long way for biodiversity.
Read more about how you can help the Earth to be greener...
|
|
The
Molcajete
First off, here’s the definition of the molcajete:
A molcajete (mohl-ka-HET-tay) is actually one part of a duo, molcajete
& tejolote (teh-hoh-LOH-teh), the Mexican version of the mortar and
pestle. This popular cooking tool was first used by the Aztec and Mayan
cultures. It is carved from a single block of basalt, and is basically
a stone bowl with three legs. It can be used both for preparing and serving
food.
Read more about Molcajetes...
|
 By
Tere Ruiz
Trabajo is a word that has many meanings. The word "trabajo"
is a noun that means job or work.
Learn about how to use the word "trabajo"...
|
'STUFF'
that fascinated me during the last month
Walking Benefits Brains
Walking is especially good for your brain, because it increases blood
circulation and the oxygen and glucose that reach your brain. Walking
is not strenuous, so your leg muscles don't take up extra oxygen and glucose
like they do during other forms of exercise. As you walk, you effectively
oxygenate your brain. Maybe this is why walking can "clear your head"
and help you to think better.
Movement and exercise increase breathing and heart rate so that more
blood flows to the brain, enhancing energy production and waste removal.
Studies show that in response to exercise, cerebral blood vessels can
grow, even in middle-aged sedentary animals.
For more on Brain health, to find out what a S'Meep is, a couple of clever cleaning tricks and a further update on avocados, read more Karen's Korner...
I so enjoy finding tidbits for my column. Hope you’re enjoying
it too. Thanks for all your comments.
Enjoy.
|
TOP
reasons for you to read the Focus on Mexico blog
Yes, the climate is great in Lake Chapala. Yes, the cost of living is
better in Mexico. But that's not what keeps us here. It's the Mexican
people who warm our hearts over and over and makes us realize we are so
lucky to live here. Read two heart-warming stories that are the epitome
of why we say "Life is Good."
Karen Mc Connaughey writes in "No Electricity
in Lake Chapala Mexico"
 After
seven years of use, this weird little ceiling fixture in our bathroom
died. It was a one-piece unit, bulb and everything…we had never
seen anything like it. We first went down to Ace Hardware in Chapala and
then to a lighting store in Riberas del Pilar to find something…nothing
like that in Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos…our little village! We
found one exactly like what we needed, which also had more wattage…perfect…a
good light in our bathroom…what a concept!
Read the entire story of how Roberto and Luis saved our day...
Marie Dwyer-Bullock writes in "Hot Water
is a Luxury in Lake Chapala"
 "Gloria,
our maid asked Ray if she could borrow $2500 pesos to buy a washing machine.
We have learned from experience that it is not a good idea to loan money
to your maid...So when Ray mentioned that Gloria wanted to borrow $2500
pesos for a washing machine, my first thought was, 'what kind of washing
machine can you buy for $2500 pesos..."
Read the entire article to learn why what we think of as common everyday life is a luxury to some...
To see
more postings on the Focus on Mexico blog, click here...
|