Help a Mexican community - buy a bag or two!

I just read the following on Tulum Living’s blog and I had to share …

The project is that of Ariane Dutzi. Ariane lives here in the Yucatan and has started a line, Dutzi Designs Inc., to help the communities of the Yucatan. As a former fashion editor from New York and Paris, she moved to Mexico where she is making an impact in the beautiful community that she is now a part of.

When the Swine Flu scare erupted in Mexico last April it created a mass exodus of tourists in the Yucatan and the communities of the area really suffered. As the “infodemic” spun out of control, a whole bunch of totally healthy people sat in the deserted towns of the Yucatan and then found themselves without people to sell their handiwork to. Ariane has since developed the Dutzi Design Rescue Bag. Complete with a label befitting of the project, a small outlined face of a pig, these bags are as eco-friendly green as they are well made and beautiful.

The whole project really is something special. As a way of helping the Mayan community that lives in the areas around Valladolid, about 70 women as well as some men make each and every bag. The project is not only a means for so many women to help provide for their families, but also helps preserve the beautiful culture of the indigenous Maya. With all of the proceeds from the sales of the bag going directly into the project, this community of women continues to be able to help sustain themselves.

For more details: www.TulumLiving.com or www.DutziDesign.com

Enjoy the Adventure!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My book: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – One Stop Real Estate, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

A swim - me, my iguana and my dog

This morning I wanted to take a swim. I noticed one of our now medium sized green iguanas (we call him Pepe) was eating some grass by the pool but felt if I was cautious he could enjoy his breakfast and I could enjoy my swim.

So there we were all relaxed – him chomping and me swimming ... however our dog (we call her Mika) was also in the yard. Du Dum Du Dum goes the music (if there had been some)….

I saw Mika headed in Pepe’s direction. He stood still as he was well camouflaged in the grass and sure enough she walked right past him – for a second - and then she smelled him.

Well everything happened pretty fast after that as she ran and he ran and the next thing I know I have an iguana flying at me – Pepe grazed my shoulder or was it my hair as he hit the pool.

Needless to say I did a little scream and was out of there! First I needed to catch the dog and put her in the house; then to allow Pepe to finish his swim and climb out of the pool.

Just one of the adventures of living in Mexico!

Enjoy the Adventure!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick

Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My book: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – One Stop Real Estate, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Day 2 in Mexico - 9/11

In memory of … Sept 11, 2001

(An excerpt from my book)

As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, our family spent our first night after crossing the border to live in Mexico in Hermosillo. The next morning we came down to breakfast in our hotel and saw everyone crowded around a TV; the words Nuevo York were pasted on the screen along with pictures that showed what looked like a large building with a plane hitting it? Shock registered as we managed to piece together what little we could of what had happened in New York; the date was now September 11, 2001.

It was not easy to understand what was going on as the TV channel was in Spanish and no one had much knowledge of English and our Spanish was very basic. We realized we needed to know more of what had happened. We also got the news that the borders in and out of Mexico were now closed for an indefinite amount of time. We had just crossed the border the day before, what if we had not? Now we could not leave Mexico even if we wanted to, not that we had any intention of going back or giving up our dream, but when the border closes behind you and you are two countries away from home and you have no option to go back, you must go forward – that is a very different feeling.

The world had changed overnight; yet somehow I felt safe here, in Mexico. We traveled 2 1/2 hours to a little coastal town called San Carlos that day; thinking maybe someone there could tell us more. We actually spent 2 nights in San Carlos learning more details of what had happened in New York and what it meant to us and the world, as well as sending e-mails to let family and friends to let them know we were fine. To our surprise many people spoke English in this quiet little town; we learned at certain times of year it is actually full of Americans and Canadians.

Everyone we met, from this point on, no matter which was their home country was very concerned for the US and her people. Would there be more attacks? How would the US respond? Would it affect other countries? How could this be happening to the US anyway? We all shared whatever latest news we had. People everywhere showed how much they cared and everyone was very upset. The Mexican people in particular were so supportive and caring that all the towns we went to were canceling their own Independence Day celebrations in respect to the US.

Now, it was not long before we started getting low on cash and an interesting little thing resulted from the attack on the US that directly affected us as travelers; no one would now cash our US Traveler’s Checks as they apparently considered the fate of the USA and the value of its currency uncertain. How would you feel at this point? We certainly felt concern. Thank goodness for bank machines and Canadian bank accounts! Fortunately, the uncertainty that the Mexican banks were feeling was cleared up in relatively short order. However, we knew life would never quite be the same for any of us.

From the Canadian, living in Mexico and feeling her connection to the US.

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My book: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – One Stop Real Estate, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Our Moving to Mexico Anniversary

Eight years ago today my husband and I crossed the border into Mexico with our two kids in our Toyota 4 Runner. We didn’t even know all the beautiful Mexican adventure that awaited us.

(This was then picture taken in Guanajuato. Mexico)

We left Canada on August 28, 2001. After a wonderful, leisurely trip along the Oregon coast, and an exploration of Hollywood and Disneyland and Universal Studios and Arizona and its wonderful desert museum we would cross the border into Mexico at Nogales on September 10, 2001.

We spent our first night in Hermosillo, in the Northwest of Mexico, in the state of Sonora. It was a place where no one seemed to speak English. First oh no what have we done moment? No way. We knew what we wanted.

The next day we traveled 2 1/2 hours to a little coastal town called San Carlos. In San Carlos we got our first taste of the warm, Mexican ocean. We drove the truck out on the sand of a huge beach and immediately went out to play in the turquoise blue water!

The rest – as they say - is history!
We love you Mexico!

(this now picture was taken last year at our daughter's graduation in Cancun, Mexico)

Enjoy the Adventure! Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick

Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My book: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – One Stop Real Estate, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Mexico - Schools back!

Well actually the kids have been back in school for two weeks now. I’ve just been too busy resting to write about it. Let’s see what does going back to school in Mexico involve?

Well first we need to go to the school about three weeks before it starts to get the list of school items needed. Who wants to take the whole summer for holidays anyway?

We need to buy the uniforms from the school and they have the school text books required available at the school for about a week. If you miss this opportunity you need to go find the books on your own – not fun! So remember not to stay on holidays too long.

They also offer packages for the general school supplies needed (papers, notebooks and pens etc) but I find it cheaper and fairly easy to shop for things individually there. I mean it only takes visiting five or six stores.

The parents also need to supply the school with their year’s supply of photocopy paper and masking tape. I always thought that they should use it to decorate the kids instead – but they seem to deem sending home notices as more important. Go figure.

We also need to get pictures taken at the local photo shop (in uniform) as they are used as ID at the school but for those you are in and out in about 15 minutes with your pictures in hand.

Oh and don’t forget to wrap all the text books with clear plastic and identify your child’s name and grade. Thank goodness my son is old enough to do his own books. He doesn’t want to of course but I make him.

Once school is in, they start at 7:00 so we are getting up before it is even light out! It does mean I get to watch the sunrise through the palm trees though.

Yep, school is back can you tell I love it? Ah, it’s not so bad. The fun is when I get to add in American Football practice.

Enjoy the Adventure! Suzanne


Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My book: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/
Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – One Stop Real Estate, Playa del Carmen, Mexico