Greetings 4,608 El Sayulero Readers, Welcome to the weekend! Hopefully you've had a lovely summer week, wherever you are hanging your hat these days. In Sayulita we've had days with plenty of sun and heat, and very little rain.
Today's El Sayulero tells us about some great events to pencil into your calendar for next weekend, and introduces us to "La Sayulera" Alejandra Flores Barba, who moved to Sayulita from her hometown of Guadalajara.
My summer loves this week? Pozole from Cenaduria Lupita; a great new taco joint a block from my house; good times with friends.
Happy Reading!
xo, Andrea Villarrubia
¡Bienvenido al fin de semana! Ojalla que hayas tenido un bonito semana, en cualquier lugar que está colgando de su sombrero estos días. En Sayulita hemos tenido días con mucho sol y calor, y muy poca lluvia.
El Sayulero de hoy nos habla de algunos buenos eventos a poner en su calendario para el próximo fin de semana, y nos introduce a "La Sayulera" Alejandra Flores Barba, que se movio a Sayulita de Guadalajara.
¿Qué me encanta de verano esta semana? Pozole de Cenaduria Lupita; tacos tan ricos un bloque de mi casa; buenos tiempos con mis amigos.
¡Disfrutas El Sayulero!
xo, Andrea Villarrubia
Andrea Villarrubia lives in Sayulita with her husband Gabbi, son Maximo, and sweet pup Dulce. They ownSayulita Dream Weddings as well as a Property /Rental Management Business.
| | Community Ocean Cleaning Party
August 15
 Next Saturday morning, volunteer divers, snorklers, and others, are invited to help clean Sayulita's main beach, including the shoreline under the water. Luis Fernando Garcia Paris (Polo for short) is organizing the massive clean-up.
Polo manages Villas Sayulita and owns Odyssea Diving, which offers dive courses and excursions. For him, it's all about making Sayulita cleaner, healthier, and safer. Polo explained that a beach town dependent on tourism must protect its main asset.
When the rains come, garbage in all forms washes down the river to the ocean including plastic containers and bottles, construction debris, the carcasses of dead animals and vehicle tires. Garbage is also left behind by those who litter. Trash along the beach and in the water not only looks awful, but also has a negative impact on the local ecology, polluting the water where fish and other creatures live. Also, debris is dangerous to surfers, fishermen, and swimmers, especially broken glass and larger items like BBQs and fans.
"It's important that the ocean be clean," Polo said. "We live here and we work with the ocean and if it's dirty, people won't come back." Every year he does his own clean up and said it's not unusual to pick up 20 to 40 tires, just from around the trailer park beach. "Our mission is to keep our environment clean," said Ana Maria Vega, who is helping Polo with the clean up. "We want people to understand that our lifestyle generates pollution."
 On Aug. 15 volunteers will meet at Break Fast Café at 8 am. Divers will remove garbage from under the water and along the shoreline. Polo has 10 wet suits, and will lend gear to divers who volunteer, or they can use their own. But you don't have to be a diver to participate, snorklers and those who wish to walk the beach and collect garbage are also welcome.
The day will be rewarding and fun. Many local businesses are supporting the event: Cesar Placencia's and El Tigre's fish boats will ferry divers and collect garbage, and Aqua la Fuente is supplying drinking water. Several restaurant owners, including Rene Gomez at Break Fast café, Miguel Muro from Casa del Chile Relleno, and Jan Muro from El Bicho, are catering the event. There are also prizes, including free accommodation at Venado Azul Hostel, Petit Hotel Hafa and Villas Sayulita. Carlos Gonzalez is giving away t-shirts and Ulysses Rafael Consuegra from Ojo de Venado is donating jewelry.
Polo asks volunteers to register in advance by emailingodysseadiving@gmail.com or calling at 329.291.3065 or 322.152.5818.
Ven a ayudar limpiar el mar
el 15 de agusto!
 El proximo sabado por la mañana, voluntarios -buceadores, snorkelers, y otros - están invitados a ayudar limpiar la playa principal de Sayulita, incluyendo por la costa bajo el agua. Luis Fernando Garcia Paris (apodo Polo) está organizando la limpieza masiva. Polo administra Villas Sayulita y es dueño de Odyssea Diving, el cual ofrece curso de buceo y excursiones. Para él, todo tiene que ver con hacer a Sayulita mas limpio, sano, y seguro. Polo explicó que un pueblo de playa dependiente del turismo tiene que proteger su activo capital.
Cuando vienen las lluvias, basura en todas las formas baja del rio hasta el mar, incluyendo contenedores de plastico y botellas, escombro de construcción, los cadaveres de animales muertos y llantas de vehiculos. Basura tambien acumula por los que la tiran. La basura por la playa y en el agua no solo se ve horrible, sino tambien tiene un impacto negativo en la ecologia local, contaminando el agua donde viven los peces y otros animales. Tambien, el escombro es peligroso para los surfistas, pescadores, y nadadores, sobre todo lo que es el vidrio roto o cosas mas grandes como asadoras o ventiladores.
"Es importante que el mar esté limpio," dijo Polo. "Nosotros vivimos aqui y trabajamos con el mar, y si está sucio, los turistas no regresarán." Cada año él hace su propia limpieza and dijo que es comun recoger entre 20 y 40 llantas, allá cerca de la playa del trailer park. "Nuestra misión es mantener limpio a nuestro ambiente," dijo Ana Maria Vega, quien está ayudando a Polo con la limpieza. "Queremos que entienda la gente que nuestro estilo de vida genera la contaminación."
 A este fin el 15 de agusto voluntarios se reunirán a las ocho a.m. en el Break Fast Café. Buceadores recogerán basura de debajo del agua y por la costa. Polo tiene 10 wet suit, y prestará equipo a los buceadores que quieren ofrecer su ayuda, o puede usar sus propios equipos. Pero no tienes que ser un buceador para participar, tambien los que hacen snorkel y personas que quieren caminar por la playa y recoger basura son bienvenidos.
El día será gratificante y divertido. Muchos negocios locales están apoyando el evento: Cesar Placencia y El Tigre prestarán las lanchas para transportar los buceadores y colectar basura; Agua La Fuente regalará agua para beber. Varios dueños de restaurantes, incluyendo René Gomez del Break Fast Café, Miguel Muro de Casa del Chile Relleno, y Jan Muro de El Bicho, proveerán comida para el evento. También habrá premios, incluyendo hospedaje gratis en el hostal Venado Azul, Petit Hotel Hafa, y Villas Sayulita. Carlos Gonzalez estará regalando playeras y Ulysses Rafael Consuegra de Ojo de Venado donará joyería.
Polo pide que los voluntarios se registren antes del evento al mandar un correo a odysseadiving@gmail.com o llamando a 329.291.3065 o 322.152.5818
Article by Julia Caranci. Julia Caranci has been a journalist and freelance writer for more than ten years, but recently gave up her job as a newspaper editor in British Columbia to live in Sayulita full-time
| | Sayulita Writers Workshops Justin Henderson is bringing "The Sayulita Writers Workshops" to Sayulita. These workshops will offer aspiring and professional writers and writing teachers an opportunity to experience Mexico in a relaxed, welcoming setting: a small, colorful, and lively beachfront town with an eclectic population mix of Mexicans and expat Americans and Europeans.
Learn more about the workshops, speakers, and upcoming schedules at their new SayulitaLife.com webpage.
Advertise in El Sayulero | | Sayulita Schools Uniform Exchange
On Saturday August 15th, 2009, between 11am- 2pm, the Public School Uniform Exchange will be held at the Cultural Center located on the corner of Calle Manuel Navarrete and Calle Gaviotas in the downtown area of Sayulita. The event is organized to help parents of both primary and secondary school students save money on costly new uniforms. With public schools starting on August 24th this is a great opportunity for the community of Sayulita.
Parents are encouraged to bring in their children's uniforms from last season or any uniform that is in good condition and exchange or trade them with other parents. For example, if your student was a first level student at the Secondary, they will be advancing a level as well as changing uniform color. In this case it will be from a rose color to blue. This also holds true with children of the primary who have outgrown their uniforms.
Secondary Public school teacher Patricia Duarte originated this idea after discussing the prices of uniforms with her husband Michael. After speaking with members of the community and receiving positive feedback, the event idea was proposed to the Cultural Center Coordinator Miriam Rojas Castro who approved the project and will also help promote it. She simply asks that no money be exchanged as part of the Cultural Center's policy. Any questions, please contact Miriam791@yahoo.com.mx
Intercambio de uniformes
El sábado 15 de agosto de 2009, entre las 11am y las 2pm, se llevara a cabo un intercambio de uniformes en la Casa de la Cultura, ubicada en la esquina de Manuel Navarrete y Calle Gaviotas en el centro de Sayulita. El evento es organizado para ayudar a los padres de los estudiantes de primaria y secundaria a ahorrar en el costo de los uniformes. Con las Escuelas Publicas comenzando las clases el 24 de agosto esta es una gran oportunidad para la comunidad de Sayulita.
Los padres son animados a traer los uniformes de sus hijos del ciclo escolar pasado que todavía están en buenas condiciones e intercambiarlos con otros padres. Por ejemplo, si su estudiante estudio el primer grado de secundaria, va a pasar al segundo grado y debe cambiar el color de su uniforme. En este caso seria de rosa a azul. Esto también pasa con los alumnos de la primaria que han crecido y sus uniformes ya no les sirven.
La idea fue propuesta por la maestra de la Secundaria Patricia Duarte, después de hablar de los precios de los uniformes con su esposo Michael. Después de hablar con miembros de la comunidad y obteniendo siempre comentarios positivos, el evento se llevo al coordinador de la Casa de la Cultura, Miriam Rojas Castro, quien aprovo el proyecto y quien tambien lo va a promover. Ella no quiere que este evento se comercialize, como politica de la Casa de la Cultura. Cualquier duda o comentario favor de dirigirlo a miriam197@hotmail.com
Article by Michael Rooney. Michael lives with his wife Patrica full time in Sayulita where he also owns a courier servicehelping locals/visitors deliveries to/from Sayulita. | |
1. Name of Interviewee: Alejandra Flores Barba.
6. Business History? In order to help my mom pay for my High School, I began working at a shoe store located in the Shoe Gallery Mall which ironically only sold shoes. I started as a greeter and was ultimately promoted to District Manager in charge of 3 stores. After awhile I began teaching Kindergarten in Guadalajara and worked there for two years, eventually working with my own class. After visiting Sayulita a few times I fell in love with the atmosphere and decided to start working at a restaurant called La Hosteria de Tony, in order to save enough money to move there. Once in Sayulita I worked at the former Italian restaurant Leonardo's just across from the plaza. I felt that I had saved enough to live on, but I just wanted to work. After Leonardo's, I was offered a job by Abel Avalos at his Real Estate Company as a secretary because his current one was leaving for Canada. During my time at Avalos I also began working for Mark and Dora at Sayulita Fish Taco in the evenings. After some traveling in both central and South America, I came back to Sayulita and began working at Sayulita Fish Taco again as well as the Rosemary boutique.
9. While travelling, do you have any stories you could share? One day while a friend and I were hiking on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, we came across what appeared to be a friendly monkey. The closer it came it beared it's teeth, scaring me so much that I threw my juice at my friend. When it dropped to the ground the monkey simply grabbed it and scurried up a palm tree. The funny thing is that we hiked about 9 kilometers to the beach and the monkey followed us the whole way. After Costa Rica I decided to visit Buenos Aires, Argentina, where my friends lived. I found a job as a waitress at an all night club working the graveyard shift. I did this for three months and at a few points the temperature was so cold that I almost cried. You see summer in Sayulita is winter in Argentina. I actually had to wear three to four layers of clothes just to go outside. 
12. What are your future plans? I am currently studying Scuba and recreational diving at ITMAR University in La Cruz. It is an in depth 2 year program which covers everything to become a certified instructor in many areas. It is not you average PADI course. After I complete that I intend on working in a dive shop in the local area for on the job experience, and after, using both my education and experience, to open a Recreational Dive Shop, hopefully here in beautiful Sayulita. 