Focus on Mexico Blog

There is a story in the news today about a father who is the reserve team manager for the Mexican soccer team, Las Chivas, who has quit his job after they refused to let him take time off to go see his son play for the world cup.

This story really encapsulates what a priority family is to Mexicans but what struck me even more was his understanding of time and what is eternal….

Goal.com reports:

Mexico star's father quits coaching job to watch him at World Cup

Javier ‘Chicharo’ Hernandez has quit his job as manager of Chivas' reserve side in order to watch his son, Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez, play for Mexico in this summer's World Cup in South Africa...

All of us have our favorite myths to dispel about living in Mexico. We could go on forever about living peacefully in a quiet area of Mexico without fear of drug traffickers, drinking water, swine flu or some other such nonsense. But I’m tired of beating you over the head with all that, and besides you have Kristina’s wonderful video, Mexico Mythbusters, to go to for a great primer on Mexico and our area. In fact, if you haven’t seen it, go watch it now and come back here later.

If you've never visited Mexico, you may have some preconceptions about what you're likely to find here. I’m going to share with you a couple of my favorite misconceptions.

 #1: Tequila is best with a pinch of salt and lime

You may think that you should only drink tequila as a shot — doused with lime and salt—but you would be wrong!

Tequila is a drink to be appreciated and sipped—not slammed down in a shot, its flavor masked by salt and lime. If you need to do that, you're drinking the wrong tequila.

You need to know that drinking many of the higher quality, 100% agave Tequilas with salt and lime is likely to remove much of the flavor. These tequilas are usually drunk from a snifter glass, instead of a shot glass, and savored like brandy, instead of quickly gulped

by Kristina Morgan

Unless you’re completely out of touch and don’t watch the news or read tabloids you’ve heard of 2012. There’s even an action-packed movie by Mel Gibson that promises to scare the heck out of you if most websites about 2012 haven’t already. So is 2012 the end of the world? The beginning of a shift in spiritual consciousness that heralds the Golden Age of humanity?  Or just a bunch of conspiracy-theorist hype?

A History Channel program titled "Decoding the Past: Doomsday 2012: End of Days" says a galactic alignment or magnetic disturbances could somehow trigger a "pole shift."

"The entire mantle of the earth would shift in a matter of days, perhaps hours, changing the position of the north and south poles, causing worldwide disaster," a narrator proclaims. "Earthquakes would rock every continent; massive tsunamis would inundate coastal cities. It would be the ultimate planetary catastrophe."

Living in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico makes the Mayan prophecies that originated here particularly fascinating to me but I wondered what the Maya really think of their prophetic date and about being at the source of all this hoopla, especially where it concerns a prophecy that may be ladled out in heaping mugs of fact-distortion and fear—or mean the end of the world. So what do the Maya have to say about these interpretations of their calendar?

By Tere Ruiz

In May 2008 I wrote an article announcing the Art Exhibition that would take place at Hospicio Cabañas on Maria Izquierdo's paintings. Some of the people who came in our Focus on Mexico Programs in Lake Chapala, Mexico, between May and September that year had the rare opportunity to enjoy her paintings when we took the Sunday tour of Guadalajara

As you might recall, Maria Izquierdo was born in San Juan de Los Lagos, Jalisco in 1902 and being one of the most important Mexican painters of the twentieth Century, she even had an exhibition in the Arts Center of New York City around 1929 using the landscape and traditions of Mexico as inspirations for her artwork. Her work celebrates popular culture and daily life in rural Mexico, offering us a different vision of the Mexican art as a forefront woman and artist.

Now we are very proud to share with you that on July 2009, among other world-famous deceased artists, musicians and authors, Maria Izquierdo's name was chosen as the name one of the impact craters discovered on Mercury last October.

Maria Izquierdo's paintings are exhibited permanently in the Blaisten Museum in Mexico City, when not traveling around Mexico and other countries.

Other craters in Mercury were named after the following personalities:

Charles A. Eastman, a Native American (Sioux) author, physician, and reformer who helped found the Boy Scouts of America.

Ernest Hemingway, an American writer and journalist who had a significant influence on the development of 20th century fiction.

So hurray for our Maria Izquierdo, one of the most important artists from Jalisco, Mexico.

Focus On Mexico offers 8-Day Educational Programs to Ajijic and Lake Chapala, Mexico (2^nd Best Climate in the World). Join us on a Focus program and learn why thousands of Americans and Canadians chose to retire in Lake Chapala.

Our programs offer the perfect balance; a wonderful vacation and an insightful, educational experience. Our expert speakers cover all topics: Health Care, Real Estate, Legal System, Immigration, Bringing Pets, Cost of Living, US Taxes for Americans, Non-Residency for Canadians, Living on the Lakeside, Investing in Mexico, Mexican Economy and much more...

You’ll get everything you need to help you decide if Lake Chapala, Mexico is the place for you, plus have a lot of fun doing it. Retiring in Mexico couldn't be better. 

Happy Mother’s Day in Spanish—The Traditions and Customs

May 10, 2009

"Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.”
~Marion C. Garretty

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there! This is one of those rare and special times when we share Mother's Day with Mexico! (It's always May 10 here).

This is a very special day in Mexico and it’s celebrated in colorful fashion. Children honor their mothers and thank them for their efforts in bringing them up and according to a custom in Mexico, “sons and daughters make themselves present in the house on the eve of Mothers Day on May 9.” Mexicans are very sentimental and as a rule, even today, the mother is the matriarch of the home regardless of her age. And, there are flowers for sale everywhere. And, if they can’t afford to buy them, there are beautiful wild flowers that mothers will appreciate even more!

The day is usually celebrated with gusto and some churches in Mexico organize a special mass. The highpoint of the event is the orchestra which plays “las mañanitas” and distribution of ‘tamales’ and ‘atole,’ the traditional early-morning meal to all local mothers.

Bill was awakened at 5:00 this morning by a band. Around 9:00 a.m., they were right outside our gate playing for a mother whose daughter (the daughter is around our age!) arranged it. They played several tunes for the neighborhood and then went down to the Ixtlahuacan Plaza where we heard the band and firerockets for several minutes. It is a very special day in Mexico, and I love to be a part of it all.

 If you are using Firefox and do not see the following video, click here to check if you need the firefox plugin... 

In his Mother's Day proclamation, President Barack Obama wrote, “Mothers are the bedrock of the American family—vital to their children's growth and happiness and to the success of our country…Mothers are role models, teachers, and sources of unconditional support. There is no substitute for the bond of love between mother and child, and nothing is more worthy of reverence.”

And, did you know that the founder of this special day was very specific about the spelling of the holiday. It was to be Mother's Day, singular and possessive. The idea was to recognize the maternal leader of each family, not just mothers in general.

Mother's Day has become a world-wide celebration. No matter the gift, the message is the same, "Thanks, Mom. We love you."

My friend and co-worker Tere shared a story of what Mother’s Day means to her and I hope it’s okay with her for me to share it with you:

“For the first Mother's day in my life, I had the Mañanitas played outside of my house, because, yes, those trucks that make so much noise promoting their product with loud speakers, can also be used sometimes to play Las Mañanitas all over the town for Mother's Day.

To me, as I haven’t had a Mother since I turned 5, Mother's Day was always a very dramatic day for me, assisting to mass and performing a festival to the mothers of my friends who would always congratulate me and pamper me on Mother's Day.

But since I had my daughter Andrea, who is my gift from Heaven, Mother's Day became "the Day" of the year, one of my favorites. I loved to see my daughter performing dances in the Mother's Day Festivals when she was a little girl. Last year, Andrea finally made it to my town after learning about buses and ways of transportation, at 4 pm, tired and with a dead flower in her hands. Today, a year after, she is on her way now, and I am sure we will enjoy a great Mother's Day together, cause she is my greatest gift of all. I love Mother's Day, and I always thank Mother Marie for protecting me and my daughter as a loving mother.

In a way, I always had lots of Mothers, as my friend's mothers always looked after me.

I also remember the times my brother and I fixed breakfast in bed for our mother, and celebrated her special day until her death in 1992. I still miss her and "talk" to her almost every day. I’ve also been very close to my step-mother, and felt especially appreciative of being able to call Margie today and wish her a Happy Mother’s Day.

PLUS...I got two special calls today. One from one of my nieces that I’m very close to, Angie. She said, “Happy Mother's Day, Mommy #2. I love you and miss you.” I miss you too, my love.

And, our dear Ana called to wish me a happy mother’s day too, which touched my heart in ways I cannot even begin to explain. I was also able to wish her mother Cristina a great day too…what a special family they are…I love them all! I am very blessed with the family and friends I have, and, so, before I get too weepy, I’ll just say…Happy Mother’s Day to mothers everywhere and to all women who mentor and influence the lives of others in a positive way!

Take a few minutes to wish that special mom in your life a wonderful day – qué tengas buen Día de la Madre.