Post Cards, Post Cards!!

When having a lot of free time, creativity and inspiration often knock at my door. After spending some time organizing my photos in order to create more videos, I discovered that some were good enough to be transformed into post cards.

However, the whole post card thing started when I joined a web site called postcrossing.com. This great site helps you connect with people from all the corners of the world by sending and receiving personalized post cards. The beauty of it has to do with the multicultural interaction and the excitement of using the regular mail.

I loved postcrossing since the minute I joined – thanks to my friend Ale Ruiz -, but the only problem I faced was the fact that it is not easy to find nice post cards from Michoacan. There are some available at a few bookstores and at the Candy Market in downtown Morelia, but the photos are old, and there is a small variety.

So, after my failed post card search, I unlocked the memories about Photoshop handling, selected some nice looking photographs and started designing my own. I was so pleased with the result that I wanted to share my experience with all. Could I maybe start my own business?

I WANT TO RETIRE IN PATZCUARO!

A couple of weeks ago I was having lunch with my mom and one of her friends, an American lady named Jackie who has been living in Mexico for five years. After chatting with her for a while I was surprised to hear me express a phrase I never thought I would actually say: I would love to retire in Patzcuaro!

  

Now, I must confess that even though I consider Patzcuaro to be a beautiful and interesting place to visit, I always thought that it was a little boring to live in. Yes, after almost 30 years of my life I openly admit that I’m a “city girl”. But, don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of facts about Patzcuaro that make it a wonderful place to inhabit.

Patzcuaro is a small city (looks more like a town, actually) with an estimate population of 90,000 people. It is located by the famous lake that carries the same name, “Patzcuaro”. Its beauty and uniqueness made it one of the eight “Magic Towns” of the State of Michoacan.

This Spanish-colonial city is famous for its characteristic streets with red and white painted houses. It is also internationally known for the celebrations of the Day of the Dead which take place there and in the surroundings every year in November.

So, other than being a great place for tourists who like cultural destinies, it is a functional and cosmopolitan city which population is compounded by people with different nationalities and, as I discovered while talking to Jackie, it can be everything but boring.

She was telling me all about her busy days in retirement, how she meets with her book discussion club, her language classes, her yoga classes, and even her weekly meetings with a hiking club. She also told me about parties frequently organized for English speaking people who want to meet with Spanish speakers in order to practice languages. Overall, all her activities sounded awesome!

To sum up, the authentic style of this Mexican city, its traditions and its increasing number of retired people, makes Patzcuaro more and more interesting every year.

If you wish to learn more about Patzcuaro go to: http://www.visitmexico.com/en/magicaltowns/pacific-region/patzcuaro and http://www.patzcuaro.com/.

Photos by: Lilirog

MULTICONTINENTAL APARTMENT

Its been a very long time since I update this blog (sorry about that), but I've been wanting to write this piece since the first days I arrived in Orlando. The positive part about taking so long, is that I have more to say more about the topic.


Nobody said it was going to be easy, I was sure it was going to be interesting, but I never imagined it was going to be one of the most amazing experiences of my life that would leave me with great memories and the feeling of having a family outside my country.


The place was The Commons, apt. 1433, third floor, good view and great location. A two bedroom apartment for 4 people (just the right amount if you are living there, if you ask me).


So we were four girls from different parts of the world, truly from the four different corners of the world: Anastasia from Germany, Chantelle from Southafrica, Natsuki from Japan and me from Mexico.

one of the first pics we took together

We are so different and yet it was amazing how we got along right away. I remember my friends telling me everytime that, whenever they were in ous apartment, they could really feel the good vibes around the place.


I miss so much living with them: Natsuki's singing and her effort for learning Spanish (mostly the bad words); the long chats with Chantelle about my sentimental "problems"; Anastasia's potatos, her wine, her energy to party all night long and how she used to play songs over and over again... I miss them so much...

our last pic together

I am convinced that we will meet again someday. I've decided that I will do everything I can to visit them in their own countries. Any donations?

From Q1 to WDW

Almost three months have passed since the day I went to Mexico City to get my Q1 type Visa, but still I would like to tell you about this incredible experience.

It was the end of March when I met my arrivals at the Starbucks close to the American Embassy. I remember it was very early, and I was really cold and tyred, and I was the last one to arrive.

The whole process took around 3 hours, but it was the perfect time to get to know each other better (and I must confess that from that day I knew that we would get along really well, I liked them from the beggining).

Something I remember very well is that after the appointment I got for the first time this strange feeling of being on my own from that day (it also had to do with the fact that I was walking around Mexico City and taking the subway by myself for the first time- meaning no one was waiting for me or picking me up until my bus trip to Morelia-).

After 10 days I finally got my passport back and the rest was easy (plane ticket, insurance, etc.). Time just flew after that.

Now I have been living in Orlando for 2 months and I feel that a lot has happened since that day in the embassy (everything is going so fast). And that sensation of freedom still stays on, and I'm loving it.

I'll update soon, I promise.

Cheers.