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Direct hit
Buying Local makes a BIG impact
There are now lots of ways to donate your time or your money or both to various causes. While I was a school teacher I donated both; but now, as an expat, it’s a little more complicated.
I donate my time to my child’s school, for example. I buy handmade trinkets from street vendors I perhaps don’t need in order to support their way of life. There are endless projects in my little puebla that I can donate my time to and even learn to build something in exchange. Nearby, there is a place called Pina Palmera where people often go to complete service learning projects.. the list is endless.
At the moment, however, because we are building a natural fibers style house in Mexico, I have so little time. It is crazy how much time I have spent in the car driving around looking for screws and bolts, and other supplies. We have been on the look out for a new wood supplier. The first one was a bit scheisty and we have been searching for more supplies for two months. We are not alone in this fact, either.
You see, everything is very word-of-mouth in Mexico. In another article I talked about how your friendly neighborhood taxi driver is also your realtor. It’s not like you drive to a giant hardware store and and buy it right out the back. Wood has to be purchased months in advance so it can dry slowly until it is needed- at your…