In this episode of the Recipe to the Road podcast I had the pleasure of chatting to Sandra and Eddie. Sandra is from France and Eddie is from Mexico and they run a hotel in Puerto Escondido, Mexico called Hotel Real Juquilita (Insta: @realjuquilita). 

We discuss how Sandra and Eddie ended up in Puerto Escondido, how they met, Sandras homelessness non-profit and some of the lessons they have learned from their travels. 

Eddie and Sandra's background and travel experiences

Eddie is from Torreón, Mexico, but grew up in the United States until he was 13. He studied in Mexico City and later moved to Puerto Escondido, where he met Sandra. Sandra was born in France to parents from Egypt and Morocco. She grew up in Paris but frequently visited her parents' home countries. Before moving to Puerto Escondido, they travelled to the US, France, Portugal, Amsterdam, and Indonesia.

Travelling and cultural understanding 

Sandra discusses her background in travelling to different countries, including Egypt and Morocco, and how it inspired her to continue travelling. She also talks about the importance of understanding different cultures and how it can change one's perception of everyday life. Eddie mentions how meeting people from different cultures, particularly Sandra, has helped him see things in a different way and become more supportive of issues like poverty.

Setting up a humanitarian association 

Sandra talks about setting up a humanitarian association in Paris with friends to fundraise and provide food for those in need. The organisation is called Yes, We Care and Sandra was just 21 when she set it up. 

How Sandra and Eddie met

Sandra and Eddie share how Hotel Real Juquilita was a part of their story long before they owned it. Sandra stayed there for a few months when she first arrived in Puerto Escondido. She made friends with someone there who introduced her to Eddie. 

Cultural differences in helping the homeless

Sandra discusses her experiences with helping the homeless in Paris and how it can be difficult to understand their reality. She also talks about the prevalence of homelessness in big cities like Mexico City and Guadalajara, but notes that it is less common in tourist areas like Puerto Escondido.

Eddie mentions the cultural differences in helping the homeless, citing Indonesia as an example where people are willing to offer their homes to those in need. He also notes the impact of religion on this behaviour. He mentions that people are not as charitable in Mexico and sometimes he feels like people like to pretend homeless people are not there. 

However in natural disasters or in smaller towns people are more open to help. 

Mexico city earthquake of 2017. 

The Mexican earthquake of 2017 brought the people of Mexico together, with everyone helping each other out in the aftermath. People saved a lot of lives, and many others went out of their way to help those affected by the earthquake. The earthquake united the Mexican nation, Eddie believes, with people from other states sending medication and other supplies to Mexico City.

Next week’s episode 

This is part 1 of a 2 part episode. Next week we will focus on the business side of running a hotel.

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