Suzi, a huge fan of Mexico and Central America, recently visited our team in Guadalajara, Mexico and was kind enough to send along a post, enjoy!

Hola from Mexico.

I’m currently in Guadalajara, the hub of our Mexico programme. I love Mexico so much, I could quite happily stay here for a few months. It’s great getting back into the language, the food and catching up with all our Mexico staff, many of whom have visited us in the UK. However, I´ve also ended up speaking some French this visit, as one of the Spanish teachers here is currently giving Marco the Mexico director and some of our other staff French lessons four times a week at 8am, they must be keen! We have several French and Swiss volunteers here at the moment, so it is useful for the staff to expand their language skills.

I’m here doing some staff training and taking the chance to visit some of our Mexico placements and meet some of the volunteers. On Monday I went along with Daniel to take a new volunteer to the Animal Care project. I couldn’t believe how many different types of animals they care for, they have raccoons, warthogs, eagles, snakes, iguanas, owls, parrots, spiders and the cutest tiny deer, that hops around the site. It’s awful that so many of the animals are bought as pets when they are tiny and cute, then are abandoned once they grow bigger. The volunteers are certainly kept busy helping look after them all.

Yesterday I also went to visit our Arts and Crafts project which is currently focusing on working with ceramics. The volunteers have a monthly schedule which takes them through all stages of production from learning how to make simple tiles to hand painting designs on the finished tiles, basins or signs.
We also called in at one of our Care placements, a centre for children whose parents are in prison. The centre is run just like an orphanage and is home to all ages of children from babies to teenagers. The kids were incredibly friendly with the toddlers instantly wanting to be picked up and I had fun with a group of girls who must have been about ten, who wanted to see my blue eyes, then thought they were only blue as I wear contact lenses - the idea of wearing clear contact lenses so I can see, seemed to be a new one!

I´m leaving Mexico this afternoon, to fly on to Costa Rica. So whilst I’m sad to leave the team here and miss the legendary salsa night that staff and volunteers go to each Thursday, I’m looking forward to meeting Luis our Costa Rica director and experiencing some Pura Vida in Costa Rica - will let you know what it’s like!

Suzi