Friday, July 25, 2008

La Feria and Luna Blue Buffet Nights

As I have probably mentioned, before, I don’t go out much. Not being a drinker and leaning towards the shy side (believe it or not), I prefer to stay home with my angel and our offspring or go somewhere as a family unit. Last weekend, we decided to go to the annual Gran Feria (the fair). Of course, I forgot the camera. In any event, it was surprisingly big and full of things to do. A stage, in the center of the fairground, hosted a variety of acts which included bands, merengue dancers (girls in g-strings always interest me, no matter why style of dance it may be), and comedians. There was also the requisite Yucatecan dance troupe, which I believe passes for Quintana Roo culture. We played games of chance and the kids rode a merry-go-round, mini roller coaster and some other rides. I joined Aaron in the bumper cars, which were pretty hairy due to to noticeable lack of seatbelts. We chowed down on some tacos and fresh chorros.

We liked the fair, so much, that we plan a return trip, this weekend. Churros, g-strings and bumper cars. Can life get any better?

Well, yes it can. Last night, I did go out. My dear friends, Tony and Cheri, host a series of Jimmy Buffet nights at their hotel’s bar. The hotel being the Luna Blue.

Now, I am not a huge Jimmy Buffet fan, by any means. In fact, I prefer the sounds of dental instruments to Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw. However, I am a huge fan of T&C. Last night, there were some special people in town, and we decided to get together for some conversation and cheeseburgers (Tony’s cheeseburgers rock!). The thing is that I have met all of these people on the net, before I met them in person. Living in Playa and frequenting Playa forums, I have “met” many people in cyberspace. Some, I get to meet in person. While some are completely different than they present themselves on-line, others are exactly as advertised. The group I spent time with, last night, falls into the latter category. Genuinely nice and interesting, Melliedee, Red, Ginger and John, along with T&C, make for wonderful company. I could have spent hours more, chatting. Instead, I had to go tuck the kids in and get some sleep, myself. It has been a busy week.

If you get a chance, I highly recommend Jimmy Buffet Night. Nice, relaxed and the perfect way to spend a night in Playa. If you don’t like Jimmy, bring you IPOD. No one will judge you. Much. Wink

Edit: We went back to the fair with some friends. Here are some photos.



Posted by PlayadelSoul at 14:30:59 | Permalink | Comments (3)

Friday, July 11, 2008

Life in an AI, Not as a Guest

I have been spending quite a bit of time, recently, in one of the area’s biggest hotel complexes. We currently have a contract with the hotel and it sends us about 120 students, per month, to study English. There are a couple of other large hotels that do the same but this specific one is the most serious about making sure its employees can communicate at, at least, a basic level of English. It is, also, one of the few hotels willing to pay for its employees to learn. In an area where most hotels pay about the same and offer the same benefits, this extra benefit is seen as a draw to many of its employees.

They have now offered us space, in the hotel, to offer classes to those employees that find it difficult to come to Playa to study. Some live in towns like Tulum, Carrillo Puerto and Coba, while others work split shifts and cannot come in the hours we offer classes. That is the reason I have been spending time in the hotel.



The hotel complex (5 hotels, with another being built) employs over 3000 people. 2400 of them live in the “poblado”, which is a large housing complex for the employees. Within the poblado, there is a large dining area, a mini-grocery store (with discounted prices), basketball courts, a soccer field and, soon, an internet cafe and game room. Depending on the employee’s position in the hotel, the apartments hold from 1 to 8 people. Managers are afforded small houses, while garderners will share with 7 of their co-workers. Housing and meals are considered as part of the benefit package, and most employees earn between 2500 and 8000 pesos a month. Receptionists, guest service workers and others, with a higher level of English, earn more.

I have been told that the turnover rate is around 400 employees a month, which keeps the HR department at full speed. Frequent recruiting trips are made to villages, towns and cities, including as far away as Chiapas. Transportation, for those who do not live on-site, runs on a regular schedule to Playa, Tulum and Carrillo Puerto. Some wake up a 4AM and return to their house at 10PM. 10 hour days, split shifts and 6 day work weeks are the norm.

Yet, with all this, we have people lining up to take advantage of the courses offered by the hotel, through us. Almost all of the employees I talk to tell me the same thing. They want to learn English because they know it is their key to a better future. I am continuously amazed at the extent some people will go to better the lives of their family. I also have become more aware of just how much I used to take for granted.  The attitude exhibited by these workers is exactly the attitude that is going to lift Mexico into an economic force to be reckoned with.  All that is missing is the abandoning of some traditional thought processes that lead to corruption and too big a gap between have’s and have not’s.  I have met a lot of people that will soon “have” and it makes me happy that I can get paid for something that is going to help in that respect. 

In any event, I just wanted to offer a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes of an AI.

Posted by PlayadelSoul at 19:26:55 | Permalink | Comments (7)

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Graduation Day

Yesterday, our oldest son, Aaron, graduated from Kindergarten. I was reminded again about how blessed I am.

Pre-ceremony, on the red carpet. Aaron is wearing a Filipina by Roger de Merida and white slacks from the WalMart collection. Maestra Lidia Puc (the Mexican Joan Rivers) commented that he was the best dressed male, of the night.



Benjamin’s class did an “adios” song for the graduates. He still has another year in Kindertown. (Benji is far left, with his brother’s finger pointing at him).


Receiving his diploma from some local educational dignitary, whose name escapes me.


Striking a pose with the paper.

As you can see, the camera decided to take us back to its date of origin, which reminded me it is time to get a new camera.

Brother Benjamin singing the blues, as he will be “solito” in the school, next year. Aaron is moving to Monteverde, the Catholic school.


Aaron’s class did a song and dance routine. Look at the Riverdance-style body language.

Proud mom

Posted by PlayadelSoul at 23:51:41 | Permalink | Comments (4)