Q: What has 48,000 words, 256 pages and about 250 pictures?
A: My book!
After more than 1,000 hours of writing, editing, reediting, and coordinating, I have a story to tell about my time in Zihuatanejo. (Should you care in the slightest, the blue/green at the bottom of this cover will be blue when you get your copy.)
How to purchase the book: Many of you reading this Blog deserve a free copy for all your help. But I don’t know where draw the line. So I created the “Gringo Rule”. If you are approximately a gringo you are a potential buyer. By the way, if your picture ever appeared on the Blog, there is a 79.6% chance your picture is in the book somewhere. Even if you didn’t have your picture in the Blog, there is still an 19.3% chance if you are reading this your picture will be in the book.
And now the all important part. If you wish to purchase the book send $20 US by check, money order or, if you trust me and the post office, cash to:
Bill Bradley
3650 Morning Star Drive
#2402
Las Cruces, NM 88011
Please indicate if you would like the book inscribed (but see Financial and Inscription Caveat below).
Orders received by February 15 will be processed before I leave for Mexico on February 18. Orders received after that date will be processed beginning March 3. If you are currently in Mexico I will have copies with me. I will be a regular evening visitor to La Gula Restaurant, Salvador’s and El Perla Negra. From February 22-March 1 I will be a regular day visitor at Madera Beach, at my “office” under the palm trees near the old MJ & Richie.
Financial and Inscription Caveat: Mailing these books is an expensive proposition. Once I write my name or a short message in the book, I can no longer send the book by book rates. I am going to ask that if you decide to order only one book and want it inscribed, please send an extra $5 to cover the additional postage. This applies only to single book orders that have been inscribed. Multiple orders, no matter how many, are covered by a different rate and no additional postage fee is required and I will be happy to sign away!
Special Note: This book is self published. That means, in terms of my wallet, I paid for it. Should I ever recoup my investment (investment, hmmm?) ALL profits will go to Niños Adelante, a non-profit children’s program that helps poor kids pay for grades 7-12 and sometimes on to college. It is currently helping about 220 youngsters.
Marketing Note: I am told by others, far wiser than me, that I have to have a marketing plan to entice buyers. Okay, if you are Blog Reader, here is my Blog Marketing Plan: Buy 5 copies of the book and get a sixth one free. There, now I hope my marketing advisers are happy!
Book excerpt: If you would like to get a little hint of what is in the book, go to the bottom of this post for most of the paragraphs from my Foreword.
School Supply Update and Kudos. Regular readers of this Blog know my teaching days are over. This is also my last year of volunteering in any way except to provide annual scholarship donations to Bernabe, Lizbeth, Jose Angel, and Karen while they continue their schooling. My future volunteering activities will be closer to home.
However this year I did ask for assistance in buying school supplies for 4 schools. I am planning a more detailed thank you posting in March to more appropriately thank this year’s donors. It will be a special post in their honor. For now, let me list the names of some absolutely fabulous adults, children and a dog:
Thank you Anonymous Accountant
Thank you V (Victoria Johnson) and children Grace, Allison and Henry
Thank you Jeanne Hartley
Thank you Bill and Mary Ratter
Thank you Joy Hawkins
Thank you Barge Girlfriend Sally Lewis
And a second thank you to Rocco and his parents
Update on Karen: As followers of this Blog know, I have been sponsoring Karen from her days as a waitress at La Casa Café to her journey now at the Business School at the University of Guadalajara. After three semesters completed she is a straight “A” student and has totally justified my faith in her. And she doesn’t take easy classes. She resumes classes this week, starting her fourth semester. Here is a list of her classes:
Financial Administration
Labor Law
Applied Statistics
Public Economy and Finance
System Operations
English
Excerpt from Foreword of Journey to Zihuatanejo: From Visitor to Volunteer:
This is my first and likely only book. I struggled with where to
begin, what to write about, and most importantly, what to say
that would be of interest to others.
The book eventually fell into three parts. The first two and one-half
chapters are about the town of Zihuatanejo (Zihua), Mexico.
There is a local upscale, slick monthly magazine published in
Zihuatanejo called “Another Day in Paradise”. For me, that was a
great descriptor. The moment I stepped off the airplane on my first
trip I knew I had found Paradise. I still feel that way.
So the early chapters are about how I saw (and continue to see)
Zihua through my eyes as a visitor. I was a happy vacationer, pure
and simple. For those who are considering a visit to Zihuatanejo,
or even those who are regular visitors and want a perspective from
a six-time visitor, you may find these early chapters helpful and
hopefully interesting.
During my fourth visit to Zihua something changed. I was
introduced to a teacher from a poor school who invited me to
teach some Basic English to a couple of classes. I made nine very
unorganized visits to the school over a three week period. I had
fun. The children loved me. I was hooked.
On my fifth visit I came not as a visitor or vacationer, but as a
volunteer. I stayed five and one-half months. I would come again
on my sixth visit for six months. For these lengthy stays I was well organized
and prepared to teach English and more.
The middle chapters of this book are about working with the
poorest of the children on the outskirts of town. For readers interested
in volunteerism or even looking for a way to combine travel
with volunteerism, you may find these chapters both interesting
and helpful.
I taught English at two very poor schools on the edge of the
jungle. I would also go on to tutor teachers and students using
Rosetta Stone, teach life skills, set up a school store, establish
lunch and reading programs, sponsor three children as they proceed
through grades 7-12, sponsor a college student and much,
much more.
The final two chapters are about volunteerism and Heroes and
SuperHeroes. What started in year four as a whim and with no
initial plan evolved into something incredible in many ways.
What started out as a “Me” journey became a “We” journey.
Almost all of the success stories in this book are the result of over
100 people from all over the United States, Canada and Europe
volunteering to help in whatever way they could. Some gave time.
Others gave money. Many donated books, clothes, uniforms, and
school supplies. People began to “Pay it forward”. People I never
met stepped up and did something that added to the wonderfulness
of this process. The final chapter is a tribute to these Heroes
and SuperHeroes.
And now I hope you find this book both interesting and enjoyable.
If by chance you put the book down and say to yourself heck,
anyone could have done that! Well you are absolutely right. All it
takes is some determination and lots of love.
