CVIS needs your help
A special school needs your help in finding students for this coming school year. Many people that visit, know and love Sayulita, don’t know that it has a beautiful little school right on Ave Revolución as you drive into the town, just a few blocks from world class beaches and world class surfing in Sayulita .
The vision, as taken from the School’s website, shows much more than just teaching children in bi-lingual format how to read, write, and spell but to engage children in the arts and to promote an ecologically conscious way of life.
Sound ambitious? Well, it’s not, and I can verify as I have two sons that attend the school and I can see the impact the school’s philosophy has on their every day life. Instead of me teaching them about how to save energy, or better ways to grow plants, or what types of food scraps make the best compost, they’re teaching me. It’s quite remarkable when a child of 6 years walks by a piece of plastic on the ground, picks it up, and makes sure it goes into the recyclable bin placed in strategic locations around the town.
Sayulita School smiles
Mexico has been ravaged in the news lately by a wave of negative publicity. To combat this flood of traditional media, those of us that know, live and love Mexico are starting to send word back from south of the border that masked gunmen do not lurk beyond the hedge rows of every town and that the Puerto Vallarta area in particular is safe. I feel more safe and secure with my family in Mexico than I have anywhere else in the world.
The benefits of living in Sayulita speak for themselves, but I thought I would lay them out clearly as a list of top 10 reasons to send your child to school in Sayulita.
Top 10 Reasons to move to Sayulita, Mexico.
1. Colegio Costa Verde Internaciónal: Today’s world is becoming more global. The exposure to other cultures and fluency in a second language is a gift in shaping the lives of our children. Furthermore, the competitiveness to get into universities in the US and Canada today is becoming so fierce, the simple fact that your child spent a few years in Mexico, or knows two languages, could easily differentiate them from other candidates. It is never too early to think about the importance of giving your child an edge in the interview room for college. I can’t speak highly enough about this school, but don’t take my word for it, come experience for yourself or call for more information. Below are the details.
Av. Revolucion #3Z
Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico
email: info@colegiocostaverde.com
phone: in MEX (01-329) 291-3355 (or -3222)
from USA 011-52-329-291-3355 (or -3222)
2. Surfing: Why bother with a gym for getting your daily work-out. The Pacific Ocean is a great resource for Stand-Up Paddle boarding and within 20 minutes of Sayulita there are a dozen world class surf breaks for all levels. The easiest to enjoy is either the right break or the left break located right in front of Sayulita beach, about a 3 minute walk from Colegio Costa Verde. When the swell comes in, it’s time to drop the kids off at school and enjoy clean, glassy waves in tropical water. I have to pinch myself each time I am out in the ocean with friends while watching the sunrise over the lush, tropical mountains.
7 year old son surfing Punta Mita
3. Sayulita: There is a reason that the laid back charm of the rural fishing/surfing community of Sayulita is a top Mexican destination for travelers and tourists alike. It’s a great place to visit, and an even better place to live!
4. The facts about Mexican Violence: Many visitors, and even people amongst my own family ask me on a weekly basis, “Isn’t Mexico dangerous? Do you feel safe?”. The answer is yes, I feel perfectly safe. The local police force in Sayulita is on 24-hour patrol of the town and surrounding area; these tourist police (policia turistica) keep our streets and beaches safe at night and enforce laws regarding drug possession and other crimes. While there are areas near the border of the US that are undoubtedly dangerous, those areas are several days drive away from Puerto Vallarta/Sayulita. Based on indicators which measure violent deaths per 100,000 people, Mexico is one of the safest countries in Latin America with an average of 13.3 deaths per 100,000, while Argentina has 16.8, Brazil at 36.7, Venezuela at 44.9 per 100,000 inhabitants. US cities like New Orleans have 50, Detroit 35, and LA 17 per 100,000 inhabitants, much higher than those of Mexico. In the last 4 years, 24,000 people in Mexico have had deaths related to organized crime and drug trafficing, that is 6,000 per year. In the US, 6,000 Veterans commit suicide annually. This is a sad but shockingly overlooked statistic.
5. Puerto Vallarta Airport: The town of Sayulita is situated 45 minutes from the major International airport of Puerto Vallarta. Depending on where you need to fly, you can be there within a few hours. Thanks to the tourist specials to Puerto Vallarta, the prices are cheap to fly. Residents can be at business meetings or taking care of business up north very easily. I have taken the bus to the airport a half dozen times from Sayulita. It’s an easy and amusing experience that costs $2USD and is only 10 minutes longer than if by car.
6. The Weather: The Puerto Vallarta/Sayulita weather must be some of the most perfect weather in the world, or at least I haven’t experienced any better. With between 280-310 sunny days annually, the average yearly temperature ranges between 73F and 81F. With 9mph wind and 88% humidity, I can’t remember the last time I had to wear a pair of long pants. Hurricanes? Puerto Vallarta is virtually immune from hurricanes, the Bay of Banderas acts as a natural barrier, dragging the storms out to sea. What does this translate to? Happy Towns People!
6. The Food: There are entire websites dedicated to the gastronomical genius of the region, and the ingredients are mostly locally grown and always fresh. There is a great local farmers market every Friday that features locally and organically grown fruits and vegetables, great home made salsas and lunch items, locally grown coffee, and juices. If it’s fresh and organic and grown in the region, you’ll find representation. Some of my favorite places to eat still remain the street vendors selling ceviche and tacos.
Tacos on the Street
7. Cost of living: This could actually be higher on the list, especially if you are an entrepreneur/solopreneur, business owner, telecommuter or someone that can work from home. If you’re not, why not start that dream life project now? I came from an island where it costs $200USD for 4 bags of groceries, I can now get those 4 bags for $75. A dinner out for a family of 4 used to cost between $120-$200, in Sayulita it costs $30. A day of fishing would typically cost $1200USD back home, in Sayulita it costs $170USD.
8. The People: The people of Sayulita and particularly the parents, families, and teachers of Colegio Costa Verde are some of the most friendly I’ve come across. It usually takes between 3 or 4 days to get over the difference of what a rural Mexican town looks like compared to North American towns and cities. Once you’ve become accustomed to your new surroundings, the memory of traffic jams and stressful schedules will soon be replaced by smiles and easy nature of the local people from Sayulita.
9. Spanish: Arguably this should be higher up on the list of importance as well, but Costa Verde of Sayulita has its own Spanish courses for visitors or residents ranging from beginner to advanced levels. A large part of the learning adventure will be participating in cultural activities provided by CVIS like dance lessons, nature walks, cooking classes, history and field trips. In Mexico, Spanish will become an essential part of your every day life, something that you will keep with you for the rest of your life.
10. Quality of Life: I overheard someone that is currently living in Sayulita for 6 months speaking and comparing their life back home in the Pacific North-West. When asked about how their life at home, they explained that their days were so over-scheduled with activities and sports, the children returned home close to 9pm. Then the family had to wolf down a meal in order to start homework, their average day ended close to 10:30pm. When asked how Sayulita has changed their lives, the response? “I actually have time to talk to my family members. We share leisurely meals together and we laugh a lot.” The biggest change in my life is losing the addiction and need for Television (average hours children spend at school – 900, average hours in front of the TV – 1500!). I can’t relate how much eliminating this simple activity has improved my life, allowed me to play games with my children, watch sunsets, or find more time to read a book.
If this sounds appealing to you, it should. The number of people that talk about sighing in relief when they get off the plane and walk on the tarmac of the Puerto Vallarta airport is enough to know that these sentiments are not held by myself alone.
The call to action? Please send your email inquiries to info@colegiocostaverde.com, or check out their Facebook page for more information.
Disclosure: My two children attend Colegio Costa Verde. I see enormous potential for this school. I hear the children laughing in the multi-cultural school yard and I am actively recruiting for more students. If you don’t feel the above fits your needs, please pass this on to anyone you know that is ready to make a lifestyle change. Many Thanks.