Experience Díaz Ordaz!

by Samantha Wattson - Volunteer, Program Manager

It’s fascinating how such little words like ‘’new’’ and ‘’first’’ can create and amplify the sentiments of a group.  With much enthusiasm, Emily and I kicked off our FIRST tour to our NEW town, Díaz Ordaz this past Thursday.  I am not sure if it was our own anticipation for this new adventure that was contagious, or if the words ‘’new’’ and ‘’first’’ alone were enough to infect the group, but there was definitely an air of excitement within the group that came from being the first to experience it. 

The town of Díaz Ordaz is centered around a plaza, and surrounding this tranquil plaza is a church, a market, a municipal building and a small taquería (a restaurant serving tacos), which also happened to be the first stop on our Thursday tour.  Ernestina, the owner of the taquería, started her business about six months ago. She spent the first part of our visit going over her business: she`s open 7 days a week, every afternoon; Saturdays are her busiest day; her largest expense is meat; and her rent is 400 pesos/month. She also filled us in on how she makes her tacos, which I’ve now added to my top three list. After discussing the down and dirty business costs and logistic, she began to tell us of her aspirations and the goals she has for this project. She plans to spend her first loan on meat, but over the next year her goal is to be open during the mornings as well and sell licuados (fresh fruit shakes) so that she can get more business and use her rented space during the day as well.

Sometimes, it is easy to forget how much a single peso is worth and that buying fruit to make licuados for a business could actually be impossible without someone lending you money.  This is about the time, I get all warm and tingly inside and think, Wow, this is the purpose of micro-lending! My thoughts were promptly interrupted by the smell of Ernestina cooking tasajo (thinly sliced beef), and as the delicious smell took over the room, so began our FIRST-hand look into the lives of 6 women in Díaz Ordaz and the hopes they have for their first loan, as well as a tasty culinary experience.