I am really glad we decided to settle in Mazatlán. I love living by the ocean. I love the weather most of the time. But really it is all about the people. I just love the people here.
The Mexican population is just so nice! No one is ever impatient with my Spanish, I truly think they like to help, they are that nice. How can that be? Everyone smiles and greets each other. People want to chat. People inquire about our dogs and sometimes ask if their kids can pet them. Workers putting up the colored lights for Carnaval smile shyly. A store owner greets me and congratulates me on not buying cigarettes from him any more. Albañils who have worked in our house wave enthusiastically when they see me. It is like living in a small town here in Centro, but better. A small town but with big city interests. It’s a city that loves music, and babies, and culture, and the beach and cold beer.
The gringo population here in Centro feels the same. Friendly, interesting, interested, warm. A joke here is how hard it can be sometimes to keep your calendar clear! There is always something going on in town, and before or after it is a nice excuse to meet for a walk or a beer or a sunset. Paul and I are kind of in the middle, we like to go and do but we are also homebodies… but any evening a walk to the plaza or the malecon will find us visiting with friends, smiling, and laughing. There is an active bi-cultural art community and lots of good works with the orphanages or the local schools to get involved with if you’re so inclined.
Right now there is a crisis as a young British man who has been living here and studying Spanish is in the hospital in serious condition from a 7 story fall. His O- blood type is not common in Mexico, and he needs multiple surgeries so there has been a call out for blood donors in the gringo community. Lots of people have donated, and I believe the rules have been stretched to allow donations by those who are over-60 retirees. The family has set up a Facebook page with frequently updated information here if you are a Facebook user. I just love how everyone has pitched in to get the word out about the need to donate. It was announced at some of the bars and restaurants and there were two announcements at the baseball game last night.
Right now I am taking a deep breath… it has been a bit of a social whirl for the last few weeks. But the city is getting geared up for a party, Carnaval, coming February 11 to 16.
Chrissy
January 5, 2010Keith is O positive, I wish we had the resources to ship him down there for a few days.
Nancy
January 5, 2010Chrissy, the need is for O- blood, but the sentiment is appreciated!
Chrissy
January 5, 2010O+ is a universal donor. They can tranfuse for any blood type. But they (the Doctors) might have reason to keep with just O- which is very rare indeed.
Zoe
January 5, 2010I was told that 0 neg is the universal donor, however they can’t RECEIVE anything but that type. If it was 0 pos, there would be no problem right now.
Chrissy
January 5, 2010here is the information on O type transfusion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_type
Zoe
January 6, 2010Wikipedia underlines what Nancy pointed out. A person with O negative blood can ONLY receive O negative blood, however their blood can be used by anyone else. Seems strange, doesn’t it?
Les in Texas
January 7, 2010Nancy, you’re ahead of the curve…NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristof this morning notes that Mexico ranks higher than the U.S. in self-reported contentment.
“Perhaps one reason is a cultural emphasis on family and friends, on social capital over financial capital.” My 2010 New Year’s resolution…Mazatlan or Bust.
eddieMex
January 8, 2010You have a great website here. I’ve visited Mazatlán several times in my lifetime and it quickly turned into one of my top 5 Mexico destinations. This is the 1st time I visited your site, but I will be a frequent visitor from now on.
kathleen
January 8, 2010nancy…thanks so much for having dennis and me over (the couple from toronto) with sharon to meet you both. we loved getting to know you and paul a little and it felt really special as i kind of felt already that we had started to get to know you both a little as we’d been reading your blog for so long. isn’t internet great! (sometimes!) As you say, times have really changed…my parents who died in the eighties/ nineties, really wouldn’t believe where we are now. who could believe that you could make a connection from toronto to mazatlan…and then actually go and see the person!. thank you so very much and also for recommending glenn and sharon’s place…you were right about that…they were (are) wonderful people and i do hope that we will stay in touch with them and you if possible. best wishes from toronto and a happy new year from here. all the best…for a wonderful 2010.
Nancy
January 11, 2010Whoops, forgot to get back to the last few commenters, sorry.
Les, I had read Kristof and was so interested to learn of Costa Rica’s disbanding the army and emphasis on education. Brilliant! And I agree with him on why Mexico has such a high contentment rating. Hope to meet you soon!
Eddie, Thanks for coming by… and commenting!
Kathleen, It was a pleasure to meet you both, too! We were wondering where you headed after Mazatlan? I’m so glad you enjoyed Maz, please come back soon!
To everyone interested in the British student’s status, here is an update:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/6953689/Urgent-Facebook-blood-appeal-saves-British-students-life-after-Mexico-fall.html