It is fun to see my Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar experience come full circle. I left for Mexico City on August 19th 2010 and soon after celebrated with Mexicans the bicentennial of their country's independence.
Now, yesterday on September 15th (the eve of Mexican Independence Day) I spoke to the Oakland Rotary Club about my experiences living and studying in the beautiful country that is our southern neighbor.
I also attended the San Francisco Rotary Club meeting on Tuesday (the second oldest club) and have plans to speak there on January 10th.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Back in TX...Mid-Cities Rotary Tour
Since being back in the U.S., I have had the pleasure of visiting several Rotary Clubs in District 5790.
Here are some photos.
Here are some photos.
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| West Abilene Rotary Club |
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| Addressing West Abilene RC |
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| With father and husband at HEB Rotary Club (my sponsor) |
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| With PDG Paul Lucas at the HEB RC |
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| Arlington Noon Rotary Club |
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| With Outgoing Ambassadorial Scholars Veronica and Kate |
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| Highland Village Rotary Club |
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| HEB Pacesetters RC |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Our last week in Mexico City!
This year has been quite an adventure. This week, we are seeing all our friends before skipping town with our little Mexican cat.
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| Dinner with ITAM pals, Veronica and Sandra |
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| Dinner with friends Arturo and Mariana at the Hacienda de los Morales in Polanco |
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| Brunch with Rochelle, Jen, Catrina and Emily |
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| Breakfast with Rotarians Maricarmen and Silvia at La Palmera |
Where the Virgin of Guadalupe was first sighted
Recently we visited the Basilica of the Virgin de Guadalupe. It is found in the north of the city, amid a bustling community. The new basilica is huge and very sterile...it resembles a train station. The old basilica just behind it, is beautiful with a museum inside with artwork and tributes to the Virgin. And, just behind that basilica, is the real treasure, the chapel that was built on the hill where the Virgin was first sighted.
Here is some background on the Virgin de Guadalupe:
Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe (Spanish: Virgen de Guadalupe; Nahuatl: Tonantzin Guadalupe) is a celebrated Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.
According to tradition, Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, saw a vision of a young woman on December 9, 1531. While he was on the hill in the desert of Tepeyac near Mexico City, the lady told him to build a church exactly on the spot where they were standing. He told the local bishop, who asked for some proof. He went back and saw the vision again. He told the lady that the bishop wanted proof, and she said "Bring the roses behind you." When he looked behind, he saw a bunch of roses growing. He cut the roses, placed them in his poncho and returned to the bishop. When he arrived to the bishop, he said he had brought proof. When he opened his poncho, instead of roses there was a picture of the young lady in the vision. Today, the icon is displayed in the Basilica of Guadalupe nearby, one of the most visited Catholic shrines in the world.[1] The Virgin of Guadalupe is Mexico's most popular religious and cultural image, with the titles "Queen of Mexico",[2] "Empress of the Americas",[3] and "Patroness of the Americas";[4] both Miguel Hidalgo (in the Mexican War of Independence) and Emiliano Zapata (during the Mexican Revolution) carried flags bearing the Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Guadalupe Victoria, the first Mexican president changed his name in honor of the icon.
source: wikipedia
Here is some background on the Virgin de Guadalupe:
Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe (Spanish: Virgen de Guadalupe; Nahuatl: Tonantzin Guadalupe) is a celebrated Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.
According to tradition, Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, saw a vision of a young woman on December 9, 1531. While he was on the hill in the desert of Tepeyac near Mexico City, the lady told him to build a church exactly on the spot where they were standing. He told the local bishop, who asked for some proof. He went back and saw the vision again. He told the lady that the bishop wanted proof, and she said "Bring the roses behind you." When he looked behind, he saw a bunch of roses growing. He cut the roses, placed them in his poncho and returned to the bishop. When he arrived to the bishop, he said he had brought proof. When he opened his poncho, instead of roses there was a picture of the young lady in the vision. Today, the icon is displayed in the Basilica of Guadalupe nearby, one of the most visited Catholic shrines in the world.[1] The Virgin of Guadalupe is Mexico's most popular religious and cultural image, with the titles "Queen of Mexico",[2] "Empress of the Americas",[3] and "Patroness of the Americas";[4] both Miguel Hidalgo (in the Mexican War of Independence) and Emiliano Zapata (during the Mexican Revolution) carried flags bearing the Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Guadalupe Victoria, the first Mexican president changed his name in honor of the icon.
source: wikipedia
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| Old basilica |
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| New basilica |
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| Doors to the chapel built where the indigenous man saw the Virgin |
The Amazing Pyramids to the Sun and Moon (Teotihuacan, Mex)
We finally made the 2 hour trek north to the gorgeous indigenous pyramids of Teotihuacan in the State of Mexico. These pyramids (along with the city below them) were built in @ 100 BCE to honor the Gods of the Sun and the Moon.
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| Pyramid of the Sun |
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| Jeremy on top of the Pyramid of the Sun with view of the Pyramid of the Moon |
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Day trip to nearby Cuernavaca
A day trip to nearby Cuernavaca. Apparently there are more than 20 Spanish language schools here. Nice day trip, 1 hour south of Mexico City in the state of Morelos. Beautiful rolling hills.
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| Jardin Borda |
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| Hacienda/Museo Robert Brady (gorgeous!) |
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| downtown Cuernavaca |
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Visit to the Polanco Rotary Club in the historic Hacienda de los Morales
I had a very nice visit with the Polanco Rotary Club May 4, 2011. They gave me and my friend, Fiana, (who was visiting from NYC) a warm welcome. The club meets at the beautiful and historic Hacienda de los Morales in Polanco.
Oaxaca - my new favorite place in Mexico
During Semana Santa - the week before Easter Sunday - Jeremy and I traveled to the beautiful state of Oaxaca, Mexico. We spent a few days enjoying the beautiful bays of Huatulco and then took a 12-seater plane (30-min ride across the mountains) around the small and picturesque town of Oaxaca and its nearby indigenous villages. I highly recommend visiting Oaxaca City, the nearby Zapotec ruins, and the local villages with their age-old traditional crafts, including artisan mezcal production, black pottery, alebrijes (carved and painted wooden animals), rugs with natural dyes, textiles, among others.
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| Beautiful Tangolunga Bay in Huatulco |
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| Beach time with our San Fran friends Terry and Alison |
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| Oaxaca City |
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| Ex Convent of Santo Domingo |
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| the traditional way of making Mezcal from agave |
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| Using natural dyes for the rugs |
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| Mitla |
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| Ancient ruin at Mitla. |
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| 2,000 cypress tree in Tule |
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| handmade wooden carvings - "alebrijes" |
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| woman making handbags |
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| black pottery made famous by Dona Rosa |
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| Monte Alban, perched on top of the hill, overlooking Oaxaca City |
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Why is Toluca so important?
Yesterday, I traveled 1 hour north of Mexico City to the city of Toluca, which is the capital of the State of Mexico and the seat of the state government. Toluca is a hot spot at the moment as prospective 2012 presidential candidates prepare to announce their campaigns. One such candidate is the darling of the PRI (the oldest political party in Mexico) and governor of the State of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto.
I accompanyed Rotarian Maricarmen to a luncheon and health workshop in a small pueblo (town) in Toluca, home to may Otomi indigenous people. I learned some key Otomi phrases:
Tonda Pa (Buenas Tardes / Good day)
Tzengua (Hasta Luego / Goodbye)
Mago (Ya me voy / I'm leaving)
The lunch was officially Mexican: we ate chicken with mole (delicious) with rice and beans...and it would not have been complete without an after-lunch drink of tequila! (I had mine with Squirt, a grapefruit flavored soda..commonly served on ice with lime and salt...known as a Paloma).
On our way back, we drove through downtown Toluca and then stopped in La Marquesa, a fun area of rows and rows of little restaurants serving local delicacies of ant eggs and trout..all along the highway. I am told that this is a very popular stop on the weekends. It is very colorful with bright pink and yellow tablecloths and signs in bold green and blue and purple.
I accompanyed Rotarian Maricarmen to a luncheon and health workshop in a small pueblo (town) in Toluca, home to may Otomi indigenous people. I learned some key Otomi phrases:
Tonda Pa (Buenas Tardes / Good day)
Tzengua (Hasta Luego / Goodbye)
Mago (Ya me voy / I'm leaving)
The lunch was officially Mexican: we ate chicken with mole (delicious) with rice and beans...and it would not have been complete without an after-lunch drink of tequila! (I had mine with Squirt, a grapefruit flavored soda..commonly served on ice with lime and salt...known as a Paloma).
On our way back, we drove through downtown Toluca and then stopped in La Marquesa, a fun area of rows and rows of little restaurants serving local delicacies of ant eggs and trout..all along the highway. I am told that this is a very popular stop on the weekends. It is very colorful with bright pink and yellow tablecloths and signs in bold green and blue and purple.
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| Local delegation members and Rotarians |
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| A Paloma makes the event truly Mexicana! |
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| town center of little pueblo |
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| Myself with Rotarian Maricarmen in downtown Toluca |
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| Restaurant in La Marquesa |
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| La Marquesa |
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