Letter from the Editor - March 2009
It’s March 2009 and we have reached another milestone: Our 60th edition and the end of our 10th season publishing in paradise. Looking back at issue number 1, October 1999, eight black and white pages of bond paper—we are tempted to notice only the differences. Issue 60 is almost 60 full-color, glossy pages—
seemingly a different publication all together. But surprisingly they are very similar, with many of the same writers, photographers and advertisers, and many of the same themes: Mexico’s fascinating history, culture, art, and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo’s many charms. With so much change around, it is heartening to see so many things are exactly the same: the natural beauty, the vibrant community, the fabulous food … and ADIP still right here trying to cram it all in, in too little time, in too few pages. Some things never change.
We chase many elusive things in life, usually some sort of self-imposed ideal—our own definition of paradise, and most of us feel like we never get there. Perhaps you spend so much time focusing on where you want to be, you don’t notice when you have already arrived. But I suspect it is in places like Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo—where the ocean breeze tantalizes, the ruffling of the palm trees lull and the horizon stretching off across the big blue ocean inspires—that we can pause long enough to put things in perspective. And sometimes that’s as close as you can get, and sometimes that’s more than enough.
Have a great summer and keep checking in with our website over the next few months. We will have lots of new additions to adip digital, as there’s always more to say.
Until next time,
Catherine Krantz
info@adip.info
Sierra May Bishop
John Glaab
Michel Janicot
Ed Kunze
Epitacio
Lorenzo Marbut
Lisa Martin
Linda Neil
Hans Nystrom
Matthieu Pichenot
Ian Sheppard
Lisa Sheppard
Nancy Seeley
Zihuatanejo, Gro. Mexico, Tel. [01152] (755) 544-8023
space is limited, deadline for materials and payments is the 1st of the month previous info@adip.info
Check out our web page for more info: www.adip.info
info@adip.info FOR GUIDELINES
Which do you prefer?
What big ideas and hard work can do when a community comes together.
14 years ago Marina Sanchez Hernandez started offering classes to indigenous children under a tree in their impoverished hillside community in Zihuatanejo, because they were too poor to even attend public school. Now The Netzahualcoyotl Multilingual Primary School and Kokoyotzin Kindergarten for Indigenous and Other Children educates almost 500 children in several native languages, from pre-school to high school and has already sent its first graduates on to college. The Netza project is unabashedly bold in its goals to eradicate poverty in their community through education and has brought together diverse groups of parents, tourists and community volunteers to build a school all can be proud of. http://www.netzaproject.org
By Lisa Martin Photos by Abby Ross
Netza school scholarship recipients and committee
There’s been lots of wonderful new developments in the Zihua community with the long-term work of The Netza Project surrounding education for the region’s migrant, street, indigenous and other children, the empowerment of women through literacy and new employment options, and sustainable community development. The parents and teachers of The Netzahualcoyotl (Netza) School for Indigenous Children, now 14 years old, hosted a native food and cultural celebration, a Convivio, for long-time donors, friends, and volunteer teachers on January 30, 2009. Netza School Founder and Director Marina Sanchez Hernandez gave a short talk and shared photographs of the unique dream and history of the school, while over 30 guests enjoyed the company of teachers, parents and children to celebrate the school’s progress from a cluster of shacks, to a well-maintained facility that’s making a lasting difference to advance literacy and cultural understanding, and end poverty in thousands of lives.
Netza Project Founder, Lisa Martin, with a few of her kids
Netza student with book
