Expat Living

Buddhist Group

This weekend, Friday through Sunday, January 15-17, senior dharma teacher DaeJa Napier will conduct a non-residential retreat on “Equanimity: Guardian of the Heart.” For information on late registration, visit heartofawareness.org.

The Monday Dharma Movie Matinee on January 18 is “The Dhamma Brothers,” a documentary about a prison meditation program at Donaldson Correction Facility in Alabama. Donations collected at the movie matinee are being used toward the cost of a sound system.

The regular Wednesday sit/dharma talk is on Wednesday, January 20. Following the meditation period, Dan Schaller will present teachings on “The Three Gems of Buddhism: The Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.”   The sangha is at Guadalupe Victoria 101, suites A-B in Ajijic. 

The Heart of Awareness is a non-sectarian community grounded in the teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition. For more information, visit heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert at (376)766-6069.

Open Circle 

David Truly gives a talk on “The Future of Senior Living in Mexico” at the Open Circe meeting on Sunday, January 17, 10:30 a.m.

As the world population continues to age, so will the demand for quality, affordable senior housing and care. In many parts of the developed world, the cost for independent living, assisted living and memory care has increased dramatically, threatening the financial resources of seniors and their families. This lecture focuses on recent trends in senior housing and care around the world and offers insights into this growing industry in Mexico and the Lake Chapala area.

David Truly has a PhD in Geography and has studied retirement migration to Mexico since 1997. Formerly a professor at Central Connecticut State University, he teaches at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara and has conducted numerous studies on senior housing and health care throughout Mexico. He is currently working on a series of articles and a website on senior living in Mexico. 

Open Circle meets in the rear garden of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS) complex, located at the corner of 16 de Septiembre and Ramon Corona in Ajijic. Attendees arrive at 10 a.m. for complimentary finger foods, beverages and social time. The program begins promptly at 10:30 a.m. and concludes at 11:30 a.m.

LCS Learning Seminar

LCS members are invited to attend the Tuesday, January 19, noon learning seminar featuring a Ted lecture by MIT tech professor Sherry Turkle on “Technology: Bringing Us Closer Together? Or Causing Us to Drift Apart?”  Gary Thompson is the moderator.

Turkle had been a big promoter of what our new technology can do to better our world, until she noticed how “absent” from each other we are becoming. She argues social media gives us the illusion of companionship without the demands of intimacy. We confuse online postings with authentic communication. So turn off your cell phones and listen to her tell us we need to reshape the internet and how we use it.

Shriners Dine Out

Alma and Cesar of Los Telares Restaurant will host the next Dine with the Shrine fundraiser on Wednesday, January 20.  

Diners can enjoy lunch or dinner from noon to 8 p.m. Entrees include a choice of sea bass in lemon sauce served with mixed vegetables, or chicken Parmesan served with fettuccini. The cost of 140 pesos per meal is donated to the Lake Chapala Shrine Club to benefit their activities helping with transportation of area children to Shrine burn centers in Mexico City and the United States. 

The cost of the meal does not include tips, salads, desserts or drinks. For reservations call 766-0428. 

Bus trip

LCS’ next bus trip to the Galerias Mall in Guadalajara is set for Thursday, January 21.  

This large covered mall features anchor stores such as Best Buy, Sears and Liverpool, as well as dozens of smaller specialist outlets, boutiques and restaurants.  Participants on the trip will find well-known names such as H&M, C&A, Gap, Body Works, Radio Shack, Apple Store, PF Chang’s, Cheesecake Factory, Outback Steakhouse, Applebee’s, Chili’s and more.  Shoppers can also visit nearby Costco, Sam’s Club, and Super Mega. 

Cost of the trip is 300 pesos for LCS members and 350 pesos for non-members. Tickets maybe purchased at the LCS office. The bus will leave by the La Floresta sculpture at 9:30 a.m. 

Cats ‘n’ dogs

This month’s cat and dog food drive will be on Thursday, January 21, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Lakeside Friends of Animals Shelter pet food store. 

At the time of purchase inform the store clerk that the cat/dog food is being donated to your favorite animal rescue organization and the store will hold your donated purchase for pickup.  

After you have made a purchase, you will need to contact the rescue group you have designated. Let them know there is a paid food purchase made by you waiting to be picked up at the store. 

Volunteers from Anita’s Animals are present at each of the monthly drives to assist and answer questions.  

You can also make a pet food donation anytime to your favorite animal shelter if you are unable to come to the pet food drive on this particular Thursday. 

The shelters have been at capacity for several months now and appreciate the community’s support in feeding their puppies and dogs. 

Spiritual philosophy

Swami Sridhara Maharaja, a Yogi and life-long Krishna devotee from Bharampuram India, will visit Chapala and lecture on ancient India’s Bhagavad Gita, on Friday, January 22 at Prolongation La Christiania 40, Chapala (on the same street as the old train station).

The swami comes in a long line of Krishna devotees starting over 500 years ago and is a disciple of renowned Guru Srila Bhakti Vibhava Puri maharaja, who visited and lectured in this region in 2004. Although he is extremely scholarly, his talks are lighthearted.

The program starts at 4 p.m. and includes a lecture, Kirtana (chanting) and a free feast of spiritual food called prasadam, prepared by Peter and Georgina, formerly of the Secret Garden. As usual, the best things in life are free and all are welcome.

Call 765-4412 for more information.

Adopt-a-cat

Lakeside Friends of Cats will sponsor an adopt-a-cat day on Saturday, January 23 at their Cat Shelter and Pet Store at Hidalgo 212 in Riberas del Pilar. To view their cats and kittens looking for a good home go to Facebook/Lakeside-Friends-of-the-Animals.

Kindred Quilters show

The lakeside Kindred Quilters Fiber Artists’ Third Annual Quilt and Fiber Art Show is set for Saturday, January 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Paseo de Las Canoas 29 in La Floresta. 

The handmade works on display and for sale range from traditional, modern and art quilts, clothing, accessories and fabrics.

Robbie Burns 

Don’t miss the Robbie Burns Supper, a fundraiser featuring Scottish dancing, tartans and bagpipes, on Monday, January 25 in the patio area of the Hotel Real de Chapala. The event benefits the Niños Incapacitados charity.

Contact Anne Flaningam at (376) 766-1609 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for tickets at 375 pesos. Tickets can also be ordered from programaninos.com. 

La Ola

La Bodega Restaurant is hosting a fundraiser on Wednesday, January 27. 

The evening will include heartwarming performances by the young ladies who live at La Ola Casa Hogar Girls Shelter. They will present songs, dance routines and a bell chorus. 

All proceeds from this evening of dining and dancing go to the shelter. 

Tickets are 250 pesos per person, and available at La Bodega Restaurant, 16 de Septiembre 124, Ajijic, or by calling 331-336-9340.

Hospitality school 

Now’s a good time to take a look at one of Lakeside’s most important educational jewels, Jaltepec Centro Educativo, at an open house set for Thursday, January 28.  

This is a great opportunity for those interested in learning more about this all-female hotel/hospitality technical university. The presentation will start at 11 a.m. and cover the school’s history, academic and scholarship programs. A tour of the facilities will be followed by lunch, which will provide an idea of the high standards of education the students receive. 

Reservations are a must as seating is limited to 60. Call Linda Buckthorp 766-1631 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information or to make a reservation.

Golf tournament

The Lake Chapala Shrine Club sponsors a golf tournament at the Atlas Country Club on Friday, January 29. 

The go go/scramble format will be limited to a field of 72 golfers (men and women), playing in twosomes. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and play starts at 9:30 a.m.

The fee of 1,600 pesos (1,400 for Atlas members) includes a continental breakfast, green fees, a golf cart for two persons and the awards banquet following the tournament. Caddies are not included.

The banquet will feature a gourmet Mexican buffet. Prizes will be handed out for the top three twosomes and the O’Yes holes, as well as special prizes for holes-in-one on designated holes. The banquet is open to family and friends for 250 pesos.

Registration forms are available at the Atlas Country Club tournament office, the Chapala Country Club pro shop, or by contacting Denny Strole at (376)766-0485 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

All proceeds raised from the tournament will be donated to the Lake Chapala Shrine Club’s Transportation Fund. 

Mardi Gras!

The Lake Chapala Society presents a Fiesta Carnival Masquerade Party Saturday, January 30, 3-7 p.m. on the LCS grounds. 

This festival serves as LCS’s major fundraiser for all of its community education programs.  These include the Children’s Art Program, Spanish Classes, Career Day and other programs.  

Special food will be provided by Gossips Kitchen, and music will courtesy of Dirty Black Beans, a well-known Guadalajara rock ‘n roll and blues band. There will also be a special performance by Caballo Pasion Ecuestre, with modern Charro gymnastics and dancers. 

A prize will be awarded for the best costume and a silent auction offers a golfing weekend at the Grand Hotel Barra de Navidad (worth approximately 12,000 pesos), among other items. 

Tickets for this worthy fundraiser event are 399.99 pesos and may be bought at LCS or Diane Pearl. Early purchase is appreciated. 

Four-legged friends

Lakeside Spay and Neuter Center A.C. (The Ranch) is sponsoring a dog adoption day, Saturday, January 9, from 10:30 to 2 p.m. in front of Zeta Gas, across the street from El Torito market. To see the photos of dogs on offer go to lakesidespayandneutercenter.com/ranchdogs.