"Life's a Beach"

One of the advantages of having our children in both of the Waldorf Schools in Playa del Carmen is that we get to participate in two different festival schedules. El Papalote held their Posada for the preschool earlier this week and, last night, Ak Lu'um celebrated the Winter Solstice with a spiral garden and candle lighting ceremony. ...

Christmas for Mexicans, in traditional homes and rural areas, is a religious holiday. For better or worse, families in Playa del Carmen, Mexican or otherwise, seem to have adopted a decidedly “Americanized” version of this holiday. This year, more than ever, the stores are jam packed full of fake Christmas trees, ornaments, tiny ...

The second installment in the short series of articles I am writing for the popular regional website www.PlayaMayaNews.com has just been posted. "I Thought YOU Were Driving!" - How a nice suburban family ended up in Playa del Carmen, Mexico accounts our experiences moving and adjusting to a new way of life in a strange new world. Part 2 ...

Every November, closely following Dia de los Muertos, the students of El Papalote School participate in a traditional celebration of San Martin. This festival, also known as Martinmas, recognizes Martin, originally a soldier in Roman army in the 4th century. The legends tells that one freezing winter night ...

I'm not big on Halloween. There. I've said it. I wish I was like all my pals in Playa who plan and prepare their costumes 364 days a year in anticipation of October 31st. I love looking at all the pictures from the parties and marvel at the creativity of the costumes and make-up effects. I am envious of the imagination necessary to concoct ...

Pinche Gringo's Sports Bar provided the perfect venue for the Fall fundraiser for Ak Lu'um International School. Given the time of year and the incliment weather, we had no way of anticipating what a huge turn-out we would have for this event! Every seat in the house was filled with standing room only! We actually SOLD OUT all of our ...

Come one! Come all!!Jimmy Brown has kindly offered to allow us, the members of the Ak Lu’um Community, to hold a fundraiser at “The Pinche Gringo Sports Bar” on Friday October 24, 2008. I am hoping that you will all come on down for a night of music and fun to support this wonderful young school. Local musicians will be sharing ...

Life in a tropical climate comes with a host of challenges. The scorching sun, the heat, the unrelenting humidity all take some getting used to. (We’re not even going to begin the BUG discussion) After four years, our blood has certainly thinned sufficiently and we have acclimated to the weather of our region. There are certain ...

Ak Lu'um's new jungle campus is nearly ready and on Monday August 18th they are opening their doors to the community. If you have been investigating the options for your children's education here in Playa del Carmen, Ak Lu'um should be on your short list. Fundacion Ak Lu'um A.C. is Playa del Carmen's only non-profit ...

Over the past four years, I have seen the concept of recycling evolve from a "silly notion" promoted only by a bunch of "gringos" to a full on Cultural Revolution. Rarely a day goes by that I don't receive an email from someone, Ex-pat or Mexican National, reminding me about a recycling drive or a newly ...