– by Rick Hepting and 2 anonymous reporters

On March 5, 2009, at the International Friendship Club (IFC) there was a presentation by the Puerto Vallarta local Immigration Delegate, Lic. Alejandro Sandoval Hernandez and his assistants, with explanations by Kelly Trainor, the US Consular Agent, regarding enforcement of regulations concerning expat participation in volunteer work in Puerto Vallarta and in Mexico, generally.

The Mexican Immigration Department is concerned that American and Canadian visitors and tourists are taking jobs from Mexican workers by pretending to “volunteer” at local charities, businesses or events.

IN SUMMARY:

• If you are a short-term visitor with an FMT tourist visa and do a small amount of charitable work here during your vacation, you are fine and there is no problem. You need do nothing extra.
• If you do regularly voluntary non-lucrative work for one or more charities (say once a week or more) it would be advisable for you to get a notation in your FM2 or FM3 to let immigration know of your activities.
• If the purpose of the volunteer effort is to raise money for any purpose, whatsoever, a visa endorsement is mandatory.

To obtain this visa endorsement, a passport and FM2 or FM3 must be presented to the Immigration Office with a letter request (in Spanish), together with a conformation letter of need (in Spanish) from the non-profit organization (Samples of these letters are available at the IFC).

Each request is judged on its merits and the proper endorsement will be issued by Immigration within 10 days after being submitted to the Immigration office. If the volunteer work would/could displace a Mexican worker from employment the Immigration officer will decide if the requested endorsement for volunteer work is appropriate.

Volunteering for income producing activities (such as acting in a theater company) without authorization may result in a significant monetary fine and possibly jeopardize one’s tourist privileges in Mexico. If volunteering, a person should keep a copy of his endorsed FM2 or FM3 with him/her at all times while performing that service.

This recent “crackdown” on volunteerism began because there are “too many tourists, visitors, non-working residents, etc” working illegally in bars, restaurants, real estate, theaters, etc. and Immigration wants to control these illegal activities. These violators are its main focus. At the same time, however, many volunteers, donating their time for good causes, can be caught in the crossfire. Remuneration of any type (food, discounts, event admissions) are counted in the same manner as cash payment.

ALSO:

People that volunteer their time as members of the boards of Condominium Associations (or any type of “board”), should also get a letter from the administrator of the condominium stating their roles and the fact that there is no remuneration. They should take this letter, along with their own letter (as explained previously) to the Immigration Office.

If a request is made for a visa amendment for volunteer work in the next four or five weeks (during March, 2009), Lic.(licenciado) Alejandro Sandoval has stated that it should not be necessary to stand in line with everybody else at Immigration.

There WILL be a form letter available so only your name and the charity’s name and your activity will need to be inserted (From now on, all charities should be registered with Immigration, which will facilitate this process).

These are not new regulations according to the officials. They have been on the books for a long time. Immigration is being more aggressive about enforcement because of perceived and real abuses.

This article is a compilation of the reporting of two members of the VallaraScene Forum who attended this meeting at the IFC on March 5, 2009.

Where to begin?…

– By Rick Hepting
March 2, 2009

For background, I run a forum in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and the most popular posts lately have been in reference to fears of the “dangers” of traveling and living in Mexico.

I live in Puerto Vallarta permanently and have for three years. Before that I visited Vallarta many times and was a bit of of a snow bird, coming and going with the seasons. I have traveled in many parts of Mexico, as well as South East Asia, the US and Europe.

I’m not a normal tourist by any measure, and I frequent many parts of this town that most tourists would never consider visiting and, certainly, no tourist guide would ever recommend. I live in a barrio, of sorts, far from the gringo enclaves and condo developments. And I don’t blend: I’m an old gringo with red hair, blue eyes and freckles.

The American and Canadian media have been painting Mexico with a broad brush of danger and fear: Heads rolling into nightclubs, police being gunned down in their driveways, tourists being knifed in their condos, etc. Mexico is now being compared to Middle East war zones by US Pentagon spokesmen.

Supposedly, 6000 people have been killed in the “drug war” here last year (2008). I say “supposedly” because this figure discounts the people normally killed in those cosmopolitan areas and supposes that the cause and motives are the same in all of these deaths. It’s a lot of deaths.

• I have had a friend here mugged at 3 am when he was walking home drunk from a night of partying. He was beaten and kicked when he didn’t let go of his camera bag.
• I know of another person who challenged a burglar in his condo (there because the balcony door had been left open), and he was killed when the burglar picked up a kitchen knife to try to get away.
• There is a report of a gay man who was given a “date rape” drug in a strip bar and then robbed and beaten. Details are sketchy on this instance, but you get the picture.
• A transsexual was killed a year ago when she had an argument with a trick over payment (or so the street story goes…).
• A young man was killed almost 2 years ago when he withdrew thousands of dollars from a bank and fought to keep it as he was being robbed.

These are all real stories and all horrible and all things that could happen anywhere. I know. I have lived in places, like Oakland, California, where life was described by everyone as a “war zone.”

To some, this statement of perspective and universality is a deflection from the “dangers of Mexico” that are now being portrayed nightly on all major US and Canadian media outlets.

To others, this is the reality of anyone who has any life experience in any place in the world. I don’t believe that I left any major “crime” involving tourists out here in the last several years.

So why this media blitz about the “dangers” of Mexico? And, more importantly, why is any of this “sky is falling” propaganda rubbing off on Puerto Vallarta, which is definitely outside of any drug cartel battle grounds?

I don’t have a clue. The cynic in me says that it’s just a marketing ploy by the “buy at home” tourist industries of the North, but can big business really be that cold as to slander a whole nation to get a few more tourists to spend their extra $$ locally? I don’t think so, but I’m not one of those trying to get that tourist $$.

Should tourists be warned of the dangers here? Of course, but, then, they are already warned by any travel guide or travel agent in the world that they would talk to. The warnings are standard for any country:

• Don’t display ostentatious wealth inappropriately
• Don’t engage in illegal activity
• Keep aware of your surroundings.

Many people on vacation try to make over the locaton of that vacation to fit an idealized version of their homes, often forgetting that their homes are no where near any imagined ideal. This tendency is the concept behind the walled, AI (All Inclusive) compounds being constructed in Nuevo Vallarta, it is the concept behind the tacky, white bread, Taco Bells of life.

Mexico isn’t Taco Bell.

One last comment about the “Mexican Cartel Drug War.”
The question no one asks is what, exactly, are the “cartels” fighting over? It would seem that they are fighting over access to the huge drug market in the US. I’ve heard no other reasons.

If so, does that mean that the actual sale and distribution of drugs in the US is so easy and so readily accessible that outsiders are fighting each other simply to reach it? If so, the problem, as well as the solution, would seem to be in the US, not in Mexico.

by Tracy Parks, Go There

Tons of new stuff popping up on the Southside, especially in the gay market.

Two nights ago, Picnic restaurant owner Luis held a fiesta to celebrate Revolucion Day and their anniversary. Great crowd for 2 for 1 margaritas and a special menu of delicious Mexican food. Huge hit!

Last night, I went (albeit late but had stopped by earlier in the day to take pics) to the opening of Casanovas, a new show bar and discoteque on Constitucion and Cardenas. Nice crowd at 2am, creative shows, costumes. Drag, gogos, etc. Excellent sound and light system made the crowd really want to dance. They got this place together FAST. A few weeks ago, they hadn’t done much…the result is great! Check it out in my blog .

Chuy, who owns the taco stand (and has or 20 years!) in front of Los Amigos, on the street…. where the new Industry was slated to open Nov. 28 says it won’t happen…. maybe not at all.

There is a ton of competition right now and more bars/clubs opening daily. Bars with simple, clear concepts and good prices are busy. Same for restaurants. High end stuff, not doing as well. Maryanne, from Apaches, summed it up well, “When new biz owners come to town and ask my advice I say, “keep it small, keep it simple”. Seems to work well for her and partner Endra and biz partner Andre. They are jammed, not just for happy hour, but nearly every hour until 2am. Great spot. Classic Vallarta. Same goes for Fridas…. the most consistently busy bar in town right now, often to capacity on the slowest of nights due to their fair prices, friendly staff, and great jukebox.

A downtown gay bar will open this Friday, Sin Fronteras (No Borders). It will be a cowboy bar. I’ll give you the exact location soon. It’s in the new construction at the south end of Centro. I like the concept and sexy owner, Miguel, used to be a waiter at Green Chairs and has tons of energy. I met him last night and turns out, he’s my neighbor too.

Divas recently held a slave auction to help with the ongoing fund raising for Gib’s treatments. Top bid went to handsome David, waiter at Fridas. The community continues to pour out our support for Gib. You’ll see donation jars at many of the bars.

The line ups have already started for Cafe Bohemia. Owner Sol and Chris are up 20% already over last season for November. GREAT JOB!! A great example of the small, simple concept.

Speaking of Sol, look for him to join forces with the newly re-opened Palm (hey, check out their nearly nightly line up of 8 strippers!) to launch a new cabaret show. This should be exciting for those fans who miss seeing Sol’s performances (outside of the nightly ones he does at his cafe …hehe). Recently he was spotted trying to send a shot to actress Helen Miram, dining at his restaurant. She declined. Ask Sol to do his imitation of her asking for her “privacy.” He also danced with “Ellen Degeneres” who turned out to be my friend from Chicago, Julie. They do resemble each other and Julie played along well, doing her best job to fool the crowd. Must have worked, it hit the PV Mirror the next week.

Rumor is Kim Kuzma is doing impromptu appearances at Garbos, wowing the crowds with Bob on piano. You never know when she’s in town. Too bad she isn’t here permanently. I think she should do early evenings at the Palm. 8 to 10…? Or have her as a regular at Garbos… I’d sure pay a 50 peso cover to see her!

The recent private anniversary party at Anthropology was a huge hit. NICE JOB Jose and Roger! Thanks for a fun night! Several hot strippers from all over were brought in for this event.

The amazing traditional, folkloric dancers are in the southside Park Lazaro Cardenas on Fridays at 7:30 pm (except this Friday, they are traveling). If you haven’t seen them, it’s one of the best things I’ve ever seen in Mexico, let alone Vallarta. Don’t miss it. FREE! Costumes will blow you away. Super talented, this troupe finished its version of “Bolero” on Friday night to a standing ovation, packed crowd in the new amphitheater.

The crowds are rolling in for the Fever Parties. Latin Fever and Vallarta Fever are both happening over the US Thanksgiving Weekend but many of them are already here. Should be fun!

Chuy, waiter at Apaches bar and the most entertaining character on Olas Altas (and one of the sweetest), will celebrate his birthday with a big party this Monday, Nov 24, at the Palm. Don’t miss it.

For Photos and more…

Original Article

by Garett Rogers
It appears that Google has been working hard on a new human translation service that will hopefully make it easy for people to request translations of a document from a human. The new service, called Google Translation Center (the link still doesn’t work), appears to be volunteer based, but it would make sense for it to evolve into a service that could make translators money. Talk about avoiding the question:

Are Google Translation Center’s translators paid or are they volunteers?
We provide Google Translation Center tools to all translators.

Currently, the service has been released under Google’s Trusted Tester program that lets friends and family members of Google Employees take new services for a test drive before public release. Usually things like this FAQ and Learn More page are secure behind the trusted tester system, but for this service they are still accidentally public.

It makes sense to publish some documents in multiple languages — but what if you don’t speak anything but English? Upload your document to this new service, choose a language, select a translator, and wait. If the translator you selected accepts your request, your document is on the road to being available in the language you specified.

If you are a person who knows more than one language, Google Translate Center makes it easy for you to find documents that you can help translate. Google gives the translator the tools he/she needs to make a high quality translation.

It will be interesting to see if this type of application will gather any kind of momentum. I would think that it may have some difficult gaining momentum because of the limited number of people that will likely make use of the system, and also the small number of translators willing to offer their time free-of-charge. What do you think?

Garett Rogers is employed as a programmer for iQmetrix, which specializes in retail management software for the cellular and electronics industry.

Children of the Dump was formed in 1998 (at that time called Feed the Children Vallarta) with the mission to help the poor children living in and around the city dump in Puerto Vallarta; specifically to help them GET AN EDUCATION. Our goal was to get them to school, keep them in school and help them learn so that they would have an opportunity for a better job and a better life.

Initially we were concerned with helping the children living in the dump go to school with clothing, a shower and supplies. Then we were concerned with helping the children in the school with their concentration and learning so we decided to give them a healthy breakfast as they entered the school. Next was after school training in Math, Computers and English for those who showed interest and promise. Finally we became involved in operating day care centers for the children of working mothers.

MORE INFORMATION:

• WEBSITE: School of Champions or http://childrenofthedump.org/
• TEL: 52 044 (322) 158-8815
• EMAIL: arthurefumerton@yahoo.com
• DONATE with PAYPAL

VIDEO: This video was shot and produced by Fox of Café Roma, Puerto Vallarta, June 5, 2008.
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