Location, location, location...

Location matters. It makes sense for AidCom to have offices across the globe in order to be able to provide a reliable, round-the-clock alert service. It also means no night shifts for employees, which I think we are all very grateful for! Simply put, it’s very practical. However, these past couple of weeks I have gained a whole new appreciation for why we are spread all over the world.

Stormy weather in Xalapa

Being based in Xalapa brings us closer to what is going on in Mexico, as well as the rest of the Americas. We all of course monitor worldwide news as part of the job, no matter our location, but being here really augments my awareness and understanding of what is going on in this region. Not only do I now pay extra attention to Spanish and Portuguese sources, but I also hear about and to some extent experience much more firsthand.

Just these past couple of weeks, there has been a serious earthquake in Guerrero, a large strike in several Mexican states, and a tropical storm in Veracruz. All of these events have had a significant impact on both residents and any potential travellers in the area. The earthquake on the morning of August 21st, which measured 6.2 on the Ritcher scale, caused injuries and damages near the former tourist paradise of Acapulco – an area that continues to suffer the effects of Mexico’s violent drug war as well. Aftershocks continue to take place, with a 4.4 magnitude quake hitting the same area a few days later.

The ongoing teachers' strike has also caused disruptions in the country. In addition to leaving over two million children out of school after the summer holiday, there have been large demonstrations across Mexico City. At one point, the protesters (who are unhappy about a proposed government reform) even blocked access to the main international airport. Not the best day to be travelling, in other words.

And while the strike continues, in eastern Mexico the spotlight has been on the weather. Although our office is based in the capital of Veracruz, we didn’t really notice much of the recent tropical storm apart from a fair amount of rain (but that’s not exactly unusual considering the weather we’ve had these past few weeks). However, Fernand, as the storm was known, certainly wreaked havoc along the coast of the state, causing severe flooding and landslides that killed a total of thirteen people. It feels very poignant to send out an alert about such an incident while sitting at my desk a mere hour or two away. And as the rain of the weakened storm pours down outside my window, I am very much aware of the destruction and grief it has caused earlier in the day.

To sum up, location matters and AidCom’s global office is just one of the many aspects of the Dream Year that make this job so unique and fascinating.