Amanda Zummach
Cozumel, México is full of very proud, hard-working individuals. They love their culture and their history, but are also very inquisitive people. They are commonly well versed in the world’s geography, constantly asking where you are from. When you answer with Canada, you are welcomed with a warm smile and sometimes a comment about how beautiful a country you live in. This land is full of culture much deeper than the trinkets tourists buy. There are sayings and phrases in their native tongue, unknown to us outsiders. There are foods and colours we don’t see back home. Houses are painted beautiful oranges, purples, and turquoises. Not everything is entirely unfamiliar though. Upon visiting a Mega, a local super market similar to a Canadian Zehrs, you will see mothers shopping for diapers, fathers shopping for vegetables, and teenagers standing behind the checkout counter. If you pay close enough attention, you will see elderly persons bagging the groceries. Their society wants to give these citizens responsibilities they can manage, to give them power over their own life and within the community. Another popular job for the elderly is to be a crossing guard for an elementary or high school, ensuring the safety of the next generation.
Amanda Zummach
with as I was constantly able to learn by and from them. They shared with me that, when they traveled and lived in Europe years ago, they never bought anything; the memories they have of their travels are captured in photographs and the stories they shared. Therefore, as an amateur photographer, I sincerely regret not taking more pictures of the people I met and the differences I encountered. To be honest, in those very moments I was far too busy enjoying myself to remember to capture them forever. Although, that is a lesson some people may relate to, and I sincerely believe that travel is the expense that can make you richer.
iewed as a gem boarding in the Caribbean Ocean, the island of Cozumel, México is México’s largest island. In what is known to the locals as “high season”, cruise ships the size of high-rise buildings turned on their side pull into dock almost every day of the week, spewing with ?\?\? ? ??? H ?[? \?H ? HXZ[? ? ?\?[Y ?] ?? ?[? ?\?]\?[? ?[?H ?]?[ ?]H [?H ?\?] ?] H ]H??[Y[ Y^X?? ? ?XYX???? H ??Y[? ????H\???[ ? [??? ??[? X?\? ?X] ?]?\?][??[? H^Y\??H ?\?\?\? ?Y]?Y\?H?[?\?X? ??X?[\?[?][?????????]X?[?H[???[?\?N?H?[ \?[^ \?Y[??H???[Y[Y^X??? \?[??^H ?]?[ ?H ?[? ?H??[ ?\?]\?[?[?X\??Y ]] ?\??\? [?? ?X?]?\?Hp?^X?[?[?\?XYH?? Z\??[ ?[????[?? \ ??\??[?? ??\ ? ?\?X][????X??[?[? ?? ?]HX?\??\?X?Y XH ? ?[??Y?H?]? \ ?]HYX[Z?H ]?? [??]?\?Y^KH ??[]?H?Y[??H\ H?[\\?H[??\?^K] H[???\?Y?[Y[??H??Y[? ?H ?\?]YH??[?[??] ?? ?[??? \??????]?HHp?^X?[??[??]???H?\??? ??Y[?H[ ?x?&\? ?]?[ ?\? ?? ?? ?]?\?[?H? H\?[? \??][ ?^H ?\?X[ ?[??\?\?HHY]HX[? ??]?Y[??\?[??[?YH???[?H YX\??H]?[?Y[??\?[? ?]?\??X?[??K[???\]Y\? ?]?\? ?Z[?[??[??\??YK??H [?Y][??X??] HY??\?[??\??] ?Y[? H ????[? ?Y\??[X]\?[???[H???&\? ?X[ H ?\?Z\??Y \?X]?[??H^H ?]?[ ? ?\?H ?\?H?\??Y?H H?X? ]H ?^YY[? H?X]]Y?[?YH?Hp?^X?[???\H ??\?H ?\?HX\??[Z[ H??Y[? ???[?]?Y X[ ?\?H\?\?X[[?? ?][ [Z[?[H ???[? H?\?H ?[ \?\?X?Y ???\\???XZ?[?????[?\?[?[??\? ^H ?\?HH?\??[?? ? ?]?[?????\ H?N?[X[?H?[[XX????\ B?T??S?PQ?V?S?H ?TSP?T? ? L?????T??S?PQ?V?S?H ?TSP?T? ? L????