Today an article I wrote was published by the online news service, “Yucatan Expat Life”. I am posting it here for readers who don’t have access to the Merida facebook feed, and for those who do not have a FB account. Here’s the link:
The Centro was designed to for peaceful living, cantinas and all
Published by Changes in our Lives
I am originally from Canada but have lived in Mexico since 1976. My husband is from Merida, Yucatan and we raised our family here. We both worked for many years at Tecnologia Turistica Total (TTT), the tourism, language and multimedia college we founded for local and international students. Now retired, we enjoy spending time with family and friends, My other interests include reading, painting, cooking and travel.
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CHANGES IN OUR LIVES 
Hello Joanna, how can i get in touch with you. Can I have your email or cel phone number? Thank you very much.
Lorenna
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Thanks for getting in touch
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Great article, Joanna. It’s always a pleasure to read you.
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Thanks Jim
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As always, well-said.
Our little villages by the sea are going through similar conflicts. The history here is not quite as cyclical as Merida’s. This is a place that has always lived off of the pesos in tourists’ pockets. But tourists are not required for loud music. There are several venues in town that cater to local special events. And all are accompanied by loud music late in the night. All of that was here before the tourists.
To attract young Mexican tourists and residents, a number of bars in town cater to young people with the current rage in popular Mexican music. Loud. Late into the night.
When I sleep with my bedroom doors open, I can hear music from just under a mile away. I have simply become accustomed to it, and fall asleep.
A recent event is more problematic. A young Mexican couple moved into the house across the street from me. Every morning the wife turns on her music well past the volume where the notes slip from clarity into distortion. That will go on for three or four hours. Because the option of talking with her does not exist (nor will I explain further), I have learned to accomodate. If I am writing, I put on my earbuds and try to ignore the bass vibrations in the table.
I moved to Mexico because my life in Oregon was too comfortable and predictable. I wanted to live somewhere that would present me with enough challenges that I would not be certain how I was going to get through the day. Mexico has kept its end of that bargain.
I suspect we northerners too often ask the wrong questions. The question concerniung noise is not what compromise can we meet (though the Oregon lawyer in me says otherwise), but how can I enjoy living here as much as that young wife does across the street? Of course, I will still need my earbuds to enjoy my portion of that life.
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Thank you for your comment Steve. I can imagine that in your area the challenges are similar with regards to noise… not enough sleep, annoyance at having someone else’s taste in music forced upon you… When others disrespect us by not considering our “rights”, it is hard to accept. But as you point out, perhaps sometimes we are not looking at the “inconvenience” as an “opportunity”… In the case of your neighbour, I am quite sure she is not aware her music is bothersome. Maybe you could go see her withone of your favourite CDs in hand. “I have heard a lot of your music; I thought maybe you’d like to listen to some of mine? I hope you enjoy it.” But when it comes to the bars, it is investor’s profit and the beer companies’ greed that spurs the volume control to rise. All this, along with a “me vale …” attitude that has become so pervasive nowadays. As a society, we need to chill out… but that’s another topic, isn’t it? Steve, I hope you’ll come our way for a visit this year… we have much to talk about!
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