December 4, 2015 · 7:00 am

Generosity

stretched-mind

Since the last negative response of the community members of La Yacata, the mesa directiva (community board) has been taking a hiatus from all work projects. We continue to register owners and issue new property certificates and answer questions when folks show up at our doors, but any and all community planning has been put on hold.

It’s time to get back on that pony, though.

Those of you who have been following our little revolution in La Yacata now that our current situation is bleak. Residents and would-be residents have lost hope. La Yacata has once again been abandoned. Construction and dreams have been deferred–until such time as there is electricity. So, it’s time to figure out just how electricity can be obtained.

Recently, I have been investigating solar power options for our home. It hasn’t been easy. I know so little about the process that I’ve had to flounder about a bit in my search for information. Well, I finally found someone willing to take the time to answer my questions and analyze our particular situation. A big hooray for Frank at Frank O’Grady Solar for that!

Based on the information that I have gleaned, it is our goal to have a basic solar powered setup in our home before the end of 2016. With a functioning setup, we would be able to educate the current residents about their options with this type of electricity.

The issue that remains is the cost of a system, $5,000 USD and up, depending on the quality and capacity of the setup. As you know, nearly all of our community members are campesinos (farmers) and with the cost of living as it is, are barely making enough to survive day to day. Many of our older community members have already transferred ownership of their properties in La Yacata to their children and grandchildren, in the hopes that their investment will pay off, not in their lifetime, but in their children’s lifetimes. Really, it’s a sad commentary about the speed of progress in our area.

It is my intent, therefore, to set up a fund for the community that would enable residents to install a solar powered system and live more comfortably in La Yacata now, not at some distant future date. The fund would be available to community members already living in La Yacata first since their need is more pressing, but then would be opened to those who agree to take up residence. The recipients would be able to arrange a flexible and extended payback schedule so that other community members would be able to make use of the funds.

Oh, don’t worry about those less than savory neighbors. I’ve become quite an expert during my time as treasurer for La Yacata on the use of the pagare (promissory notes)and the Ministerio Publico just in case one of our screened and approved beneficiaries decide they don’t need to repay so that others can benefit.

Here’s where you can help. When making out your Christmas list this year, why not add La Yacata? When figuring out your charity donations for the end of the year tax credit, why not consider La Yacata?

But, you might ask yourself (or me) why should I donate?

There really isn’t any reason why you should. After all, it’s a dog eat dog world out there and it’s important to look out for your own, not some strangers thousands of miles away. However, if you do decide to donate, even a little bit, the residents of La Yacata that this program would benefit, including my family, would be ever so appreciative.

Donate–

for personal reasons–

**in memory of my mother-in-law who died before her dream of electricity was realized

**so that my son doesn’t need to light a candle to continue his studies

**to eliminate the trip to town my father-in-law makes on his bicycle to charge his phone

**to make up for those care packages you never did around to mailing

**because you know me personally and are convinced of my integrity and determination and furthermore know I would never ask if I could do it myself

Donate–

for public reasons–

**to help create an environmentally-friendly self-sustainable community

**to make a political statement

**to reduce the high incidence of night-time theft in La Yacata

**for the families that continue to pay rent, year after year, instead of investing in the future

**just because it’s a good thing to do

So now that I’ve given you a few reasons to donate, here’s how it works.

I’ve set up a fundraising account at Generosity by Indiegogo. If you haven’t heard of Generosity, it’s a fundraising community for personal and social causes. You’ll be able to see other worthy causes at this site as well, in case you feel like giving even more this holiday season.

Update:  After a year of inactivity, I have deleted the fundraiser.  

Please share this information as far and as wide as possible.  Locally we are at a standstill.  Perhaps globally we can advance.
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November 27, 2015 · 7:00 am

Learning Gratitude

gratitude

Immigration and decidedly one-sided historical manipulation aside, Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. To me, it was about grandma’s lumpy potatoes and my cousins swinging from the tire swing in the gigantic oak tree in the back. It was a time for my family to gather together in one place, under one roof, if just for the day. It was about taking time for gratitude in our oh-so busy lives.

illegal immigrants.jpg

Well, the Pilgrims never made it to Mexico having pretty much died out the first year in the New World. And since they didn’t, Thanksgiving isn’t a holiday here. My first Thanksgiving here was rough. I cried. The second wasn’t much better. I missed having that day set aside for family. And although Mexico has several family orientated holidays (Children’s Day, Mother’s Day, Navidad) it just hasn’t been the same.

This will be my 9th Thanksgiving here in Mexico. I’ve tried to recreate the holiday in my new country on several occasions. Overall they have been dismal failures. Frozen turkey is over $500 pesos and completely out of our budget. We tried raising our own one year (See Mr. and Mrs. Turkey) but that didn’t work out very well either. Roast chicken and mashed potatoes were the best I could provide–with the ever-present risk of the gas running out mid-chicken. Pumpkin pie filling was hard to come by. Growing our own pumpkins would have worked out ok, but the pumpkins that grow here aren’t those orange ones I was used to. Oh, the list goes on and on.

This year I’m not even going to try to recreate Thanksgiving. I have to work anyway. But the part of the holiday that I can maintain is taking the time to express my gratitude to whoever or whatever may be for my life in Mexico.

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I am thankful that for 6 years, my husband was able to be the primary caregiver for our son. I often worked during the day and my son went to school in the afternoon, so he and dad took care of the house and animals. (See Why we chose to send our son to elementary school) We all enjoyed our days. Unfortunately, secondary school has put a wrench into our easy schedule, but I am grateful for the time we had and hope that we can finagle the schedule to our liking again in the near future.

gratitude-work

I am thankful for the numerous business ventures we have had that failed. I know that sounds crazy, but our family quest for gainful employment has encompassed nearly 9 years so far. We finally have something (or rather some things) that more or less works, but in the event of yet another failure, well, no worries. We’ll find something else.

happy-mesquite

I am thankful for the opportunity to build our home. (See Building a dream–Constructing a Life) It has been frustrating at times mostly because the progress is SOOOO slow, but like Thoreau wrote, I feel that “There is some of the same fitness in a man’s building his own house that there is in a bird’s building its own nest.“

opportunityI am thankful for the hardship of living in Mexico. Things that I wouldn’t even bat an eyelash at in my own community require mental and physical exertion here, more than I ever dreamed of. It’s not just the blatantly difficult things in my life, like doing laundry in the arroyo (See After Ecstasy, the Laundry), or eeking out an existence by sharecropping. It’s the superficially simple things that really get me, like going to a doctor for a check-up (See Seguro Popular–a model of inefficiency), buying tortillas, ordering meat at the carniceria, taking the bus…the list goes on and on. These hardships have honed and shaped me into the Super Woman I am now. I have confidence that I never knew I possessed as I sashay about town on my moto now. I am Woman–hear me roar! Si se puede! That is, on my good days. (See A Night At the Movies) Other days I can just manage to pull on my big girl panties and get’r done.

moment

I am thankful for the AHA! moments Mexico has given me.  The sound of the wings of a thousand birds flying in formation, the slow waddle of the dung beetle with its ball of poo, the jeweled hummingbird feeding from the wild klip dagga flower, the clouds of butterflies…it’s like being on the nature channel.  I would never have had these experiences in any other place.

everyone-is-my-teacherI am thankful for the lessons I have learned along the way and those that I have yet to learn. I have learned that I can not impose my will on others (See You can Lead a Horse to Water…). I have learned that all things must die (See When someone dies) but that remembrance allows for a life beyond death (See El Dia de Los Muertos). I’ve learned that it’s ok to fail. (See Failing at Your Own Business) but it’s never ok to give up. I’ve learned about my own emotions from our animals (See Running the Emotional Gamut) and rather unpleasant truths about people (See Hate Thy Neighbor). Oh, I can’t even imagine what more life has in store for me!

which-is-yes

And lastly, I am thankful for having the opportunity to share our adventures and disasters with you, Reader, so that I will not be one of those who “lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them” when all is said and done.

Amen

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November 13, 2015 · 7:00 am

There is still no electricity in La Yacata

There is still no electricity in La Yacata

The electric post

This is the electric post that convinced us to buy in La Yacata instead of someplace else. It stands smack dab in front of the house and has provided not one bit of electricity to our house in the 10 years we have lived here.

I have been down and out lately about the distance we still must cross for electricity in La Yacata. I’ve pretty much given up hope of Moroleon completing the 2 kilometers of posts and wires that would illuminate our streets and our home. Yes, you read that correctly. TWO kilometers separates us from the last viable electric post. It’s just not profitable enough for Moroleon to care that residents in La Yacata have no electricity. (See The Birth of the Revolution)

With the advent of adolescence and the plethora of electronic devices available, my son has also expressed his frustration with the lack of connectivity and recharging options. It goes without saying that no electricity means no home internet either.

My husband seems the only one untroubled by our lack. He uses the truck radio when he wants music and that’s pretty much all he wants. As a result, he’s been less than enthusiastic about my ideas.

the boy who harnessed the wind

My brother sent me The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope (P.S.)some time ago, as inspiration I expect. In it, a 14-year-old boy designed and built a windmill that positively changed the quality of life for his entire village. My husband and the plomero (plumber) up the hill have been promising me a windmill for nearly 10 years now. Every time I bring up other options, my husband counters with the statement that he’s going to make that windmill any day now.

Until that windmill gets built, I’ve been trying to do alternative research on my own. Every prepper website has directions for a DIY solar generator set-up. Well, I’ve come to the sad conclusion that I just can’t do it myself. One issue is my lack of electrical know-how. Of course, there is the plomero (plumber) up the hill who was also a US licensed electrician before deportation. However, he’s not all that reliable these days. His wife left him a few months ago and he’s been on a drinking binge ever since.

Solar water heaters are readily available in our area, but just won't work for us.

Solar water heaters are readily available in our area but just won’t work for us.

Even if we could catch the plomero between binges, there is the lack of materials available in our area. Solar water heaters are readily available–but nothing in the way of solar generators. We do not want a solar water heater because it’s just not feasible for our home setup. In order to have a solar water heater, we would need to elevate the tinacos (water storage containers) at least a floor. However, the local water truck refuses to fill tinacos (water storage containers) that are above the second floor. They say it’s “policy” although I suspect more laziness since the trucks are new and the water shoots out super powered and the pipes would reach…but I’m not in charge of policy. So our tinacos are on the roof of the first floor, which is technically the second floor. And even if we put the tinacos on the roof of the second floor, I would still count it as being on the second floor and not on the non-existing third floor but the water truck dudes disagree. So until such time as policy changes, we use a gas boiler to heat our shower water. Our stove is also gas, so we can cook just dandy without electricity as well.

water delivery

The truck pulls in front of our house and we run a house from the truck to the aljibe and tinacos.

Lacking local solar generator parts options, I tried my hand online. Amazon and Ebay offer kits that we could possibly afford if we sold Myrtle (the vocho) and saved another 6 months, not including shipping. Yet again, there are issues. I will not order from Ebay again and Amazon does not accept Paypal payments.

I even tried contacting a few people that might be “in the know” about such things, but I have yet to hear back from any of them.

This is what I think we need.

This is what I think we need.

What I think we’d be good with is this setup, Go Power! Solar Extreme Complete Solar and Inverter System with 480 Watts of Solar. However, being a newbie means–well that I don’t know if this would be adequate or not.

So for the present, the dream of electricity is just that, a dream. We’ve lived nearly 10 years without it, and realistically in the grand scheme of human history, electricity has only been available to the masses for the blink of an eye, so do we really need it?

Well, yes and no I suppose.

If we had electricity we could recharge our phones, Kindle, portable DVD players and laptops at home. Right now we haul the rechargeables to the school where I work and charge there. We also have the option of plugging the devices into the lighter in the truck or Myrtle, but we have found that overuse of this option is hard on the vehicle batteries.

If we had electricity we could use the blender–but we use the blender now with the AC/DC inverter and the truck battery.

We could turn the lights on and cook now since it gets dark at such an indecent hour with daylight savings time and all. Now we use candles.

The Kindle is an older version that doesn’t have a backlight like this one Kindle–it’d be nice to not read by candlelight and just flick on the bedside lamp.

drumiI

Drumil, the foot-powered clothes washer by

If we had electricity we could use a washer for our dirty clothes. Right now we head to the arroyo (stream) and wash there. Although we may not need electricity for a washer. Yirego is advertising pre-sale for their foot-powered washing machine. Of course, at $239 USD it’s still out of our financial grasp, but perhaps the price will come down in time.

It’s doubtful that even if we had electricity we would use it for a fridge. We’ve become so accustomed to buying fresh meat and produce, in daily portion sizes, that we have very little left over at the end of the day. Anything that won’t be good for the next day, we share out with our chickens, cats, and dog.

We also aren’t much bothered by not having a television. There’s never anything good on anyway. We do like to watch movies but are just fine with our little portable (and rechargeable) DVD player. Unfortunately, our DVD player battery will not charge anymore. Finding parts (in this case a replacement battery) is a nightmare here and buying online with shipping is iffy at best. We recently purchased another DVD player and it’s fine for now, but eventually, the battery will wear out as well. The same issue crops up with my laptop. My battery doesn’t hold a charge. I use it only at my place of work. My son’s laptop is new, so charging and taking it home works just fine, although there is no internet at home. Of course, transporting it might not be an option during the rainy season.

So I suppose I should be more lackadaisical like my husband. Living without electricity is entirely possible, we’ve been doing it for quite some time now. And why should I expect the luxury of electricity and all that it entails when 1 in 7 worldwide lives without access to electricity? For now, it remains a wish, hope, a goal or something along those lines.

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