México Today Ambassador {A Dream Come True}

I haven´t been this excited about sharing news in a while.  And that´s a huge statement considering the last two and a half years since Roxana and I launched SpanglishBaby have been blessed with partnerships, opportunities and a community that went beyond our expectations.

A month ago I received a phone call that I know will be life-changing:  I was invited to be one of 24 Ambassadors for the México Today Program–a public and private initiative which is officially launching this week in Oaxaca, México.

I´m sure I should have been a bit more professional, but there´s no way to make a squeal sound pro.  I know, it just came out solito and there was no way to hide my excitement.  Immediately and without hesitation I said “¡Claro que sí! ¿A donde firmo?”

What I have signed up for is to be one of 8 Community Managers which will work with a group of 16 Contributors, all México enthusiasts, to share the positive stories from our México lindo y querido.

Yes, there´s no denying that México is hurting right now with so much violence and atrocities that are happening in some areas, but there is so much more light to counteract that darkness and we need to collectively focus on that to start the healing.

For those that don´t know, I am not Mexican (born in Houston, raised in El Salvador), but please don´t tell my Soul that.

I was living a very comfy and fun life in South Beach, FL working for Univision and mingling with the estrellas.  After my first work-related trip to Mexico City, back in 1998, I immediately felt I belonged in that magical, crazy, chaotic, full of contradictions, reality-slaps-you-in-the-face city.  A year later, I had packed my bags and moved there all by myself. At 29.  With 25 million people surrounding me, no GPS to guide me through its crazy streets and Periférico and only a beeper and a laptop to keep me in touch. Yes, a beeper…remember those?

During the six years I lived in México (one of them in Playa del Carmen) I grew, fell, hit rock bottom, found my spiritual self, grew and fell some more and then found my husband.  Call it Eat, Pray, Love all in one country.

I also got to travel to many regions, cities, beaches, archeological sites and was fascinated by them all.  Places like Chiapas, Veracruz, Querétaro, San Miguel de Allende, Tepoztlán, Acapulco, Veracruz, Tamaulipas, Mérida, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Tijuana, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Puerto Escondido, Mazunte, Huatulco, Cuernavaca, León, and my favorite places of all–Oaxaca city and the Riviera Maya.

Ten years ago, a good friend from my days in México gave me this painting with her depiction of Monte Albán, Oaxaca´s most important archaeological site. She knew it was my place. Months ago I hung it on the wall in front of my desk. It brought Oaxaca back to me. "Monte Albán," by Vivian Pfeffer

Going back to the  first México Today phone call, my squeal converted into a scream when they told me I had to travel to the kick-off event in Oaxaca as one of my duties as an Ambassador. Are you kidding me? I´ve been there five times, but haven´t been back in 8 years and have been itching and threatening to go soon.

So, here I am sharing this story with you just hours away from jumping on a plane that will take me to Oaxaca to officially become an enthusiastic voice for México.

Among other topics, I plan on sharing all the amazing experiences that can be had as a family in México.  Our next door neighbor, and the cradle of heritage for most of us in this country, is an infinite source of language and culture for our kids. No better way to infuse in them a passion for who they are than to immerse them in this ancient, rich and cosmopolitan nation.  I hope my and my family´s experiences will enrich your ideas and motivate you to explore and share.

I invite you to Like the Mexico Today community on Facebook and follow along on Twitter to get to know the 24 Ambassadors and read beautiful México stories.  Among the Ambassadors you will find some longtime SpanglishBaby friends:  The Other Side of the Tortilla, Mamá Latina Tips and A Canuck in Cancún.

Marca País – Imagen de México, is a joint public and private sector initiative designed to help promote Mexico as a global business partner and an unrivaled tourist destination. This program is designed to shine a light on the Mexico that its people experience every day.

Disclosure:  I am being compensated for my work in creating and managing content as a Community Manager for the México Today Program.  I am also being invited to an all-expenses paid trip to Oaxaca as part of my role.  All stories, opinions and passion for all things México shared here are completely my own.