Ajijic, Mexico Adventure Begins

I’m here at the Guadalajara airport. A plane full of people and I await the portable steps to disembark. It won’t be long. I see several workers bringing the stairway across the tarmac.

Destination: Ajijic on Lake Chapala

Now unexpectedly my first adventure begins.

I gaze down the steep and rickety stairs. “Oh well, one foot at a time,” I say to myself. It’s going to be slow, but that’s the way it’s gotten to be these days. 

The people behind me will have to be patient – not that anyone is complaining. I’m grateful.

And then surprise.

Out of nowhere, an attendant motions me towards a wheelchair. I demur thinking not me. Am I really looking that old? But with gestures, the man insists. “Senor, por favor.”

I take a seat. Quickly, we make it towards Customs. He ushers me from counter to counter. When you’re in a wheel chair, there’s no zig-zagging in lines. 

 A wheelchair person goes to the head of the line. What can be an arduous process is complete in record time.  Senior privilege. 

I get up to thank the attendant and be on my way, but he jesters - No No, Senor.  I’m captive to his hospitality. It’s onward to baggage claim and then towards a taxi...right to the curb.

Overlooking the Plaza in the center of Ajijic

Of course, there are friendly and caring people everywhere, but I’m especially thankful for this hospitality tonight. 

 I can’t help but wonder if his kindness might be an omen of good things to come.

The next morning I’m eager to re-acquaint myself with Ajijic.

I was here last year for 3 months teaching Adult ESL English and now I’m back for 6 more months. 

I love teaching and feel like I’m able to give back a little especially with all the rancor Mexican people have endured from our American politicians.

My Ajijic home is a two room apartment. It’s like Peace Corps living all over again. It’s a family run hotel about two block away from the main Plaza. It’s called Hotel Italo. 

Some would say it’s rustic and it does show vintage age, but my two rooms are spacious and have everything I’ll need. There’s even a wall of windows flooding my space with light...wonderful.

Outside is a patio. It’s like an extra room. Butterflies and humming birds skip from flower to flower sipping nectar. 

I’m delighted. 

 A row of pigeons stand guard on the walls of the neighboring church.

Look closely on the left ,
behind the turret is the hotel where I live

San Andres Church is rooted in the Spanish conquest of indigenous people around 1530.  Soon afterwards, the Catholic missionaries followed and began converting.    

Because Ajijic was a fishing village, they named the new  Church after Andrew, one of the disciples who Jesus called fisher of men. 

Hotel Italo was squeezed in a plot of land next to the Church around 1975.  

I have a charming view of the bell tower about 50 feet away from my patio. 

Imagine the surprise that awaits me each morning as bells announce early mass and the start of the day.

DONG! DONG! DONG! Dingaling dingaling dingaling! 

So since it’s easy to get up early in Ajijic (Does anyone have a choice?), let’s get ready and greet our day. 

 

Typical street scene

Walk down the cobble stone streets with me. 

Happy colors every where

Notice the small homes painted in ever so bright colors. 

Taking up a 4x8 foot wall space,
this Lizard looks friendly

Street art is carefully painted onto empty wall spaces. What do you think of this colorful lizard?

Often metal gates, like large garage doors, hide beautiful garden spaces punctuated with quaint casitas inside. Mexican people love their gardens.

Lush gardens

People say that the weather here is nearly perfect. 

Looking across Lake Chapala

Average day time temperature ranges from mid 70s to mid 80s year round.  Rarely does it get into the 90s or fall below 70. And when it rains, it’s most often at night. 

At 5,000 feet surrounded by mountains and nestled in a valley with a 14 mile long Lake Chapala, it seems nearly perfect. 

Locals make a joke asking "so where's that perfect place?"  

I like taking long walks and have a goal of strolling all the streets of Ajijic during my sojourn here. I’m, doing about 3 miles a day – not bad for an older guy!

While wandering to the end of the road,
I discovered this sight

Along the way, I take picture and imagine how I might turn the images into watercolors.

As I pass people, I'm greeted with an “Hola or Buenas Dias.”  People are genuinely friendly.

I meet these women - sisters and mother, I believe. 
Weeks later I meet the older woman again.
She insists on a lengthy conversation holding my hand the entire time.
I don't understand the Spanish but I do feel the human warmth. 
She will be 100 years in January.

Often, people pause and say, “Como esta?” asking, “How are you?” It’s like a mini- conversation making strangers feel connected and welcomed.  

I love it.

It reminds me of Satchmo Arstrong’s beloved song, What a Wonderful World. 

Take a listen to this version sung by young and old from around the world.  

Bookmark it for restoring hope and goodwill whenever you feel the need.   

It's great to be here.  My life in Ajijic is beginning again.

Announcing - Leadership for Social Change

Ideas start in the mind. Along the way, many get forgotten or rejected.  But some ideas remain... growing stronger over the years until they are realized.

For me, this one started in 2011. 

I'm at the Peace Corps office in Kiev saying my goodbyes. After two years of serving in Konotop, Ukraine, I'm flying back to America tomorrow.

“Jud, we're hoping that you'll record your 21 tips talk before leaving,” says Iryna, the PC training director.

My talk of practical ideas for community integration had been well received by Peace Corps Trainees. Iryna wants to use it in future trainings. Of course, I'm flattered and soon find myself sitting in front of the camera for my first ever video – 21 Tips for Community Integration.

I don't know it at the time but a new idea is forming.

Flash forward and I'm back in the Peace Corps.  This time I'm in Macedonia. Here I'm serving as an organizational development specialist helping young community leaders with management and leadership issues.

I learn a lot. I develop short in-office trainings, bi-weekly emails with “Leadership Tips”, and spend lots of hours coaching.

I don't know it at the time, but I'm organizing a body of content.

Moving into present time, I'm back in America again and missing my relationships with community leaders. I'm wondering how I can keep relationships and make new ones.

That's when the idea for a YouTube Channel crystallizes. 

 On YouTube, I can open a space for sharing and encourage community leaders in their work for positive social change.

I think to myself, “I can do this.”

But soon I discover that I can't do it alone. While I have inspiration and content, I don't have knowledge of how to make and post videos.

My son, Matthew, starts my learning process. He helps me map out a plan and shares some links for more learning. And just as importantly, his support motivates me.

Nesko and Ratomir, colleagues from Macedonia, help me solve technical problems. Other, like Sally, Bob, Fran and Barb, are a constant sources of support. When I'm about to give up, I'll talk with one of them.

Once again, I learn that ideas don't easily become reality. This one takes six years and six months.

Yet here I am on July 4^th announcing a new YouTube Channel.

 Leadership for Social Change. 

It's a place where community leaders can discover new ideas and adapt them into their own leadership.

I'm hoping that it will reach community leaders both in America and developing countries.

Maybe Peace Corps Volunteers and others who work with community leaders can pass-it-on.  

I won't be monetizing this project.  It's about helping others. 

So if you can, why not help me pass-it-on.    

Here's a couple of ideas to get you started.

1.  Subscribe yourself.  Leadership for Social Change. When a channel has more subscribers, it shows up more frequently on searches. 

2.  Post these links in your Social Media and tell people about Leadership for Social Change.  

By passing-it-on, you open possibilities for reaching leaders who might benefit a lot.  It's a "three degree of separation" thing.  

     Blog  

http://juddolphin.blogspot.com 

  

     YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5BcjFBQROBx7G5ONjQTbaw  

Thank you so much.  

Like I say in one of the videos, “We're in this life together. And we are leaders who are working for a better world...one community at a time..”