Tag Archives: Mexico

Tuition Forgiveness for Palapa School Students

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The Palapa School class photo, Todos Santos, BCS, MexicoEspañol abajo

It would be an understatement to say that COVID-19 has created hardships for our local community. Many people from all over the world are rising to the occasion to help provide support to Todos Santos, this small town they love to visit year after year. The Palapa’s spirit of generosity has driven the Board of Directors to rise to this occasion by providing much needed support to the Palapa families.

The Palapa Society is pleased to share with you that they are forgiving all tuition payments for the Palapa School. The board came to this decision after grasping the reality that 1,500 families are receiving help with food, diapers, baby formula, and medical needs. Now parents of Palapa students do not have to make a choice between paying bills or paying for their child’s education. The Board of Directors has waived all student tuitions from August through December 2020. This means that The Palapa Society of Todos Santos A.C. will be paying 100% of tuition costs for every student in The Palapa School.

A Message from the Parents Group: Response to Tuition Forgiveness

“Through this channel, we want to express our deep appreciation for the unconditional and widespread support to all the parents of The Palapa School. Concerning the cancellation of tuition from August to December 2020. Once again, The Palapa Society is demonstrating the desire to support young people from Todos Santos to receive a quality education.”

“For our part, we want to express our gratitude for this generous gesture, while at the same time committing ourselves to support activities for the school. The Palapa Society, once again confirms that they desire future well-being for our sons and daughters, likewise, we commit ourselves in the same way to take advantage of all the benefits they provide us. In times like these, it is pleasant to receive encouraging news that we will soon emerge stronger from this contingency.”

“In these difficult times, you are one more support to get ahead of this contingency. This is also one more valuable lesson for our children, and one more motivation for everyone to participate and contribute our action in support of others. Many thanks!”

Mission Statement

The Palapa Society of Todos Santos, A.C. exists to make a positive difference in people’s lives through inspirational quality education and timely support through community service and programs.

Vision

It is the vision of The Palapa Society of Todos Santos, A.C. to be a sustainable, accessible community focused organization in which quality educational programs empower choice filled lives and create positive transformational change.

For more information or to donate, visit: https://palapasociety.org/

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Condonación de colegiaturas para estudiantes de La Escuela de La Palapa

Sería una atenuación decir que COVID-19 ha creado dificultades para nuestra comunidad local. Muchas personas de todo el mundo están aprovechando la ocasión para ayudar a brindar apoyo a Todos Santos, este pequeño pueblo que les encanta visitar año tras año. El espíritu de generosidad de La Palapa ha llevado a nuestra Junta Directiva a elevarse a la altura de la ocasión brindando el apoyo que tanto necesitan nuestras familias de La Palapa.

Nos complace compartir con ustedes que estamos condonando todos los pagos de colegiatura de La Escuela Palapa. Tomamos está decisión después de ver la realidad de que 1,500 familias están recibiendo ayuda con alimentos, pañales, fórmula para bebés y necesidades médicas. Ahora los padres de nuestros estudiantes no tienen que elegir entre pagar facturas o pagar por la educación de sus hijos. Nuestra Junta Directiva ha renunciado a todas las colegiaturas estudiantiles desde agosto hasta diciembre de 2020. Esto significa que nuestra organización pagará el 100% de los costos de las colegiaturas por cada estudiante en La Escuela Palapa.

Un mensaje de nuestro grupo de padres: respuesta al perdón de matrícula

“Por este conducto, queremos expresar nuestro profundo agradecimiento por el apoyo incondicional y generalizado a todos los padres de Familia de la Escueka de la Palapa. Referente a la condonación de colegiaturas a partir del mes de agosto y hasta diciembre del 2020, demostrando una vez más los deseos de apoyar a jóvenes Todosanteños para que reciban una educación de calidad.”

 “De nuestra parte, deseamos manifestar nuestra gratitud por este generoso gesto, al mismo tiempo que nos comprometemos, en la medida de nuestras posibilidades, con las actividades de apoyo para la escuela. La Sociedad de la Palapa, una vez más nos confirma que desean el bienestar a futuro para nuestros hijos e hijas, así mismo, nos comprometemos de la misma manera a aprovechar todos los beneficios que nos brindan En tiempos cómo los que vivimos es agradable recibir noticias alentadoras de que pronto saldremos fortalecidos de esta contingencia.”

“En estos tiempos difíciles, ustedes son un apoyo más para salir delante de esta contingencia. Esto también es una enseñanza más para nuestros hijos, y una motivación más para todos de participar y aportar nuestra acción en apoyo a los demás, ¡Muchas gracias!”

Declaración de la Misión

La Sociedad de la Palapa de Todos Santos, A.C. existe para marcar una diferencia positiva en la vida de las personas a través de una educación de calidad inspiradora y un apoyo oportuno con programas y servicios comunitarios.

Visión

La Visión de la Sociedad de la Palapa de Todos Santos, A.C. es ser una organización sostenible, accesible, y centrada en la comunidad en la que los programas educativos de calidad empoderen vidas que están llenas de opciones y creen un cambio transformador positivo.

Para mejor informes: https://palapasociety.org/?lang=es

Pro Paramedicos

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On March 31, the same day BCS registered its first COVID-19 deaths, a group of volunteers comprised of marine biologists and medical personnel began a project they call “Pro Paramedicos.”

The handwriting was on the wall, the crisis was coming and our First Responders were nowhere near being ready. “These Paramedics, young people with big hearts and excellent training, many of whom are volunteers, have little or no equipment,” said Dr. Xchel Palafox, one of the founders of the project.

That same day in March they began to distribute Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Paramedics in the La Paz Fire Department and Proteccion Civil La Paz. The effort expanded to cover more than 120 Paramedics in 9 different teams.

“The farthest to the north is Las Pocitas,” explained Pablo Ahuja, cofounder of Pro Paramedicos, “They cover 100 kilometers of highway, from marker 50 to marker 150, from Puerto Chale on the Pacific to San Evaristo on the Sea of Cortez. Small towns like Conquista Agraria, El Cien, and Dolores are part of their range. “

Before being supplied by “Pro Paramedicos” this team had no protection against the virus but now they are equipped with Faceshields, Full Body Suits, N95 masks and surgical gloves as well as surgical masks to put on every patient they treat, anyone of whom could be CV19 positive.

“To the south we supply the Bomberos and Paramedicos of Pescadero. This team is led by Comandante Griselda Sotelo, the first female Comandante Firefighter in Mexico. Her adult son Fernando is also in the unit. We stay in constant contact and visit them every few weeks to resupply their PPE,” said Ahuja.

The rest of the teams that are supplied with donations used to purchase PPE include Proteccion Civil in Los Barriles, Grupo Sierra in La Ventana/El Sargento, Los Planes, Todos Santos Bomberos and Grupo Calafia based in Camino Real.

“Calafia is the largest and most active unit and they have transported more Covid-19 cases than the other units. They have 27 Paramedics and five rigs that seem to be constantly on the move,” said Ahuja, “What´s even more amazing is that they are an all-volunteer team.”

While Covid-19 cases increase every day and the death toll mounts in the state we have seen more than 100 hospital personnel become infected and some have even died from the virus. The most recent being a Doctor from the ER at the ISSTE Hospital who died earlier this week.

A testament to the effectiveness of “Pro Paramedicos” and their PPE campaign is that not a single paramedic in the Municipality of La Paz has become infected by the virus despite their ever-increasing caseload in the last three months.

“We know Covid-19 is not going away, that the numbers keep growing and that the virus forced the Government to reverse the reopening as far as access to beaches and the Malecon. We pledge to keep seeking donations and keep buying PPE even though every day the prices go up and the PPE becomes harder to find,” said Ahuja. “On behalf of the Paramedics and their families I would like to thank all the donors.”

You can participate in this lifesaving project by calling Pablo at 612 154 9859 or by making a donation through PayPal to an account set up by Dr. Xchel Palafox https://www.paypal.me/xchelapp.

A Conversation with Irving de La Rosa, Architect

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Casa Dara, Irving de La Rosa, Todos Santos, Baja, Mexico

Casa Dara, Todos Santos

Why did you choose to be an architect?

When I was a child, my parents took my brother and me on many beautiful trips during the summer holidays, we visited several cities in the United States. I remember spending many hours on the road in a van. When I was thirteen, we went to Los Angeles and visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and saw an exhibit of the celebrated architect Frank Gehry. It was the first time that I felt a space–the high ceilings, the light, the materials–that enveloped me in a magic called architecture.

Many years later when I work in the design or construction process of a project, I feel that magic in my stomach, like when I was a child.

Cuando era niño, en las vacaciones de verano mis padres nos llevaron a hacer viajes muy bonitos a ni hermano y a mí, conocí varias ciudades de USA, recuerdo que pasábamos muchas horas en carretera en una furgoneta. A la edad de trece años en LA, visitamos un museo del célebre arquitecto Frank Gehry. Fue la primera vez sentí un espacio, los techos altos, la luz, los materiales me envolvieron en una magia llamada arquitectura.

Muchos años después cuando trabajo en el proceso de diseño o constructivo de un proyecto siento esa magia en el estómago, como cuando era niño.

Where did you study?

I studied architecture in two beautiful places: in Mexico City (UNAM) and Barcelona, Spain (UPC). I consider these two cities my home, the first was the capital of the great Tenochtitlan at the time of the Aztec empire and the second is a city that was born in the midst of modern Europe. I learned a great deal in these schools of architecture, from my friends, from all the people with whom I have worked, and above all have been able to visit places, buildings, and cities that have inspired me.

Estudie en dos ciudades muy bonitas, en la ciudad de México (UNAM) y Barcelona, España (UPC). A estas dos ciudades las considero mi casa, la primera fue la capital de la gran Tenochtitlan en la época del imperio Azteca y la segunda es una ciudad que nació en medio de la modernidad europea. Aprendí mucho de toda la gente que conocí en las escuelas de arquitectura, de mis amigos, de toda la gente con quien he trabajado y sobre todo haber podido visitar lugares, edificios o ciudades que me han inspirado mucho.

Casa Dara, Irving de La Rosa, Todos Santos, Baja, Mexico

Casa Dara, Todos Santos

What is your design philosophy?

To me, the important thing is that the people who will live in the spaces that I design are happy. As they look out their window, they see something beautiful: the ocean, the mountains, a tree, a bougainvillea. And that the spaces are bright, warm, and pleasant. If I could talk briefly about my philosophy that I believe is the most important thing in life, it is the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of a person–his connection with his environment, with nature. What I try to do in my spaces is create an equilibrium, a harmony in the person’s habitat.

Lo importante para mí es que la gente que vive en los espacios que diseño, sea feliz. Que en tu ventana veas algo bonito; el mar, la montaña, un árbol, una buganvilia. Que los espacios sean luminosos, cálidos y agradables.

Si pudiera hablar de una filosofía, creo que para mí lo más importante en la vida; es la salud física, emocional y espiritual de una persona, su conexión con su entorno, con la naturaleza. Lo que intento hacer en mis espacios, es que haya un equilibrio, una armonía en el hábitat de las personas.

What is your creative process when presented with a potential project?

Each project for me is an adventure or rather a trip, the important thing is to understand my clients, to know what they want, their wishes and dreams, and then together we begin the journey called architecture.

Cada proyecto para mi es una aventura o mejor dicho un viaje, lo importante es trabajar y entender a mis clientes, saber que quieren, que desean y después juntos comenzar el viaje llamado arquitectura.

Do you work on both residential or public projects or both?

Right now, I am concentrating on residential projects, but ten years ago when I lived in Barcelona I worked on many public projects, especially landscape and buildings. Design is a matter of scale, one day you are designing the detail of a kitchen drawer and another day you are working on a large city project.

Ahora mismo trabajo proyectos residenciales, pero diez años antes cuando vivía en Barcelona trabaje muchos proyectos públicos, sobre todo landscape y edificios. El diseño es una cuestión de escala, un día estas diseñando el detalle de un cajón de cocina y otro día estas proyectando una parte de la ciudad.

What brought you to Baja California Sur?

Every novel has characters and places. There is a town, a city, the person who cuts hair, the one who makes bread, the one who builds houses. When I first came to Baja, I fell in love with the nature, the people, the food, and the light. Baja California Sur is a fantastic place to share stories, our histories, to meet new people, and together write the great novel of life.

Toda novela tiene personajes y lugares. Hay un pueblo, una ciudad, la persona que corta el pelo, el que hace pan, el que hace casas. Cuando conocí por primera vez la Baja quedé enamorado de la naturaleza, de la gente, de la comida, de la luz del sol. La Baja es un lugar fantástico para contar historias, nuestras historias, para conocerlos a ustedes y juntos escribir la gran novela de la vida.

Irving de la Rosa

Email: irving_dra@hotmail.com, www.draaw.org

 

This is What Community Looks Like

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Journal del Pacifico Spring 2020 cover by Kate TurningThe communities of Todos Santos and Pescadero have been working through these trying times, finding ways to adapt to the many changes, figuring out business options, and reaching out to help those in need. These individuals are neither heroes nor saints but are the backbone for real community that we love.

Many local restaurants have found creative ways to stay open by offering takeout and delivery options.

Chill N Grill has curbside pickup for their full menu and pizza, Monday – Friday, 4 – 8 pm, and Taco Tuesday again! Call to order, 6121450014.

Chez Laura and Poke Loco have teamed up to offer daily specials Wednesday – Saturday. You can also order Chez Laura’s delicious bread!

Gallo Azul has pizza and beer to go and offers home delivery, Tuesday – Sunday, 2:30 – 8 pm. Call to order, 6121588457.

Shut Up Frank’s has their full menu and beer available for takeout and delivery, Wednesday – Sunday, 12 – 8 pm. Call to order, 6121450707.

Todos Santos Brewing is providing people with that valuable substance – beer. You can refill your growlers Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 12 – 2 pm. Checkout their Facebook page for brew master, Ted Mitchell, performing his original acoustic tunes for our listening pleasure.

Palmar in Pescadero has their full menu available for takeout, Monday – Saturday, 12 – 7 pm. Order in advance via Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp.

Area grocery and specialty stores have stepped up to the “new norm” by asking customers to wear masks and limiting the number of people in the store at one time.

Pura Vida Health Food and Deli is open Monday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm. You can shop at the store or place your order for pickup. They offer personal delivery to Pescadero on Thursdays and Las Tunas on Fridays. They are also taking orders for Costco purchases.

Que Rico has recently changed ownership but continues stock the same great local products. They are open Tuesday – Thursday, 11 am – 5 pm. They also have cloth face masks for sale made by Manos Magicas sewing team.

You can order from Mini Super Munchies online, by WhatsApp or Messenger, Monday – Friday, 12 – 4 pm and pickup at their location.

Todos Santos Private Transportation and Todos Santos Eco Adventures have been working with ACTS to distribute food to area families in need. And Mario Surf School has also been helping the group distributing pet food to families in need.

Todos Santos Private Transportation also is offering shopping service to La Paz or Cabo.

Farmacia San Benito and St. Jude’s pharmacy are open regular business hours and stocking hand sanitizer, alcohol, vitamins, and all your needs. Farmacia San Benito can special order medications as well.

St. Jude’s Medical Center is open and seeing patients.

Cuatro Vientos recently offered 5 Days of Fitness Zoom classes as a fundraiser for ACTS.

Cate Thomassen, shardArtist, donated an original mosaic table for a fundraiser raffle for the Biblioteca Elena Poniatowska. Tori Sepulveda was the proud winner.

You can still learn or improve your Spanish from home. Hablando Mexicano is offering online Spanish classes.

Mail Boxes Todos Santos continues to provide their full mail, shipping, and receiving services.

Todos Insurance would like you to know that COVID19 is covered for new and existing clients. Check out their international insurance. Contact Jack Schaub at jack@shoreline.com.mx

How you can help?

The Palapa Society of Todos Santos A.C.‘s students are finishing the school year at home and are receiving help online, via telephone, and WhatsApp.

It is also the time of year when parents and students are working on their applications for the 2020/2021 school year. Although all Palapa students receive tuition help, this is a hard time for parents to pay their portion. Your generous donation can help keep local/ students in school. To make a donation, visit: https://palapasociety.org/donate/

ACTS, Asociacíon de Colonos de Todos Santos A.C., is taking donations to help feed local families in need. You can visit their website to get the link to make a PayPal donation at: www.actsbaja.org  The Palapa Society of Todos Santos is helping with their donations. To donate via PayPal: use the email: tickets@palapasociety.org, Enter your donation amount. Be sure to note FOOD BANK in the memo.

The Pescadero Food Bank has increased their outreach to 200 bags on a biweekly basis. Their goal is to continue to feed more families, including helping those from Grupo Madre Teresa, Pescadero rancheros, and Padrino Children’s Foundation. You can make a
donation via Paypal: paypal.me/pescaderofoodbank

There is also a group distributing pet food to families in need. You can donate via PayPal: coast-paradise@shaw.ca, or through www.raincoastdogrescue.com and click on donate. Be sure to fill in the note section that it is for Todos Santos for this option! Donations via this method are tax deductible in the US.

We at Journal del Pacifico are posting updates on changes, and keeping you informed on when and how things will be reopening. Follow us right here, on Facebook, and remember, you can read all our issues online!

Stay safe!