Dear Sir,

On Sunday, February 22, my wife and I left our home in Ajijic around 10 a.m., heading for Barra de Navidad on the Pacific coast. What should have been an uneventful four-hour road trip turned into an ordeal that stretched past midnight — but also became a powerful reminder of the kindness of the Mexican people.

Dear Sir,

The following is the text of a letter that I wrote to James Burns, the executive director of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS), and to other members of the LCS administration, following my termination as a volunteer teacher at the Wilkes Education Center. The center is run under the auspices of LCS. 

Dear Sir,

It is the beginning of a New Year, and with it comes the opportunity to help even more children. We at Niños Incapacitados do not take this responsibility lightly. Everything we accomplish is possible because of the steadfast support of our community. Our end-of-year campaign was especially successful, and we are deeply grateful.

Dear Sir,

I greatly appreciated Dale Palfrey’s recent column, Ciclovia Conflicts. I am a frequent guest here in Ajijic. When I come to stay with my sister-in-law, I always bring my folding bike. I walk it over the cobblestone streets and hop on the bike path heading either east or west. For me, as a cyclist, the Ciclovia is a real benefit, creating opportunities for exercising and exploration.

Dear Sir,

Mama Cleo’s Boys Home currently operates entirely off-grid.  The home relies on an aging solar power system, and there is often insufficient available power, especially on cloudy days.  The current batteries used for power storage are also old, and some are leaking.   Therefore, many activities of daily living are often interrupted.  

Dear Sir,

Based on the chatter on local chat groups, there is much confusion about the payment of the aguinaldo (end-of-year bonus).  I think your recent article about the history is very interesting, but it adds to the confusion.  (Some people think giving the employee a gift is adequate, which, obviously, it is not.)  Unfortunately, your article repeated a common misconception about how to calculate the aguinaldo.   Aguinaldo is not 15 times the daily salary.