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25 expat voices: Molly Fisher

In their own words

By Inside México Original Print Publication: March, 2009

For the "25 Mexicans You Should Know" edition of Inside México (November 2007) our editorial team sat in a room for hours, proposing and debating names of candidates, eventually whittling the list to a mix of well and less-well-known figures, each illuminating some aspect of this country.

For "25 Expats," we decided to do something different. We put the word out. We invited you, our readers, to tell us who to highlight. E-mailed nominations poured in from around the country, and several of you even called. 

This inaugural group of 2009 finalists is a diverse bunch in terms of where they are from, where they live and what they do. You've helped us round up the expat equivalent of the "butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker." In this case, however, it is the activist, the developer and the expat filmmaker...and the dog rescuer, the theater founder, the birder, and the book store owner. The list goes on.

The common thread running through each selection is the effort these people make to build community between expats and Mexicans.  We think that by doing so, they are helping to expand the definition of Mexico. That is what immigrants do. 

Expat: Molly Fisher

Organization: PEACE (Protection Education Animals Culture and Environment)

Website: peacemexico.org

Molly Fisher.

Related Multimedia

Ana Prado

We asked our 25 featured expats if they have a specific Mexico “moment” or memory—something that always makes them think, “Yep, this is home,” or “That’s what I love about this place.” View Slideshow >>

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Originally from: I was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana. I stayed in Indiana for college and then moved to Denver, Colorado for two years before moving to Mexico.

Lives in: I live in Bucerias, Nayarit with my husband, five dogs, two cats, and four horses. Those are the permanent ones: on any given day we may have up to double that with foster animals! We met and married on Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, where we both lived before moving here.

Living in Mexico: I have lived in Mexico for nine and a half years now. I lived on Isla Mujeres for three years and then moved to the Puerto Vallarta area after getting married. We have been in Nayarit for six and a half years.

Why did you move to Mexico?

I taught for two years in a high school in Colorado [with many students from Mexico]. I decided that if I were to continue I'd better learn not only Spanish, but about their culture so that I could better help them.

So, I moved to Mexico. I got involved in community work with the Red Cross and co-founded a nonprofit organization, Amigos de los Animales (islaanimals.org), to combat the overpopulation of dogs and cats.

I never returned to the job that pushed me to move to Mexico!

Tell us about your involvement in PEACE. What is the organization's philosophy?

I am the founder and Executive Director of PEACE. We work with communities to provide holistic education combined with community action programs that enable people to improve their quality of life and their financial stability.

There are five main programs: Casa Comunidad, Ayuda a los Animales, Manos Unidas por la Mujer, Art and Philanthropy, and Community Pride. These programs operate throughout the Bahia de Banderas Municipio. The main focus is education: we believe this is how people and communities open doors for themselves.  While we understand the importance of one child receiving a scholarship or one cat or dog being adopted, we know that real change can only take place when we positively change systems. We are building models to implement in other areas or share with other organizations.

We want communities where development is occurring to directly reap the benefits. It is important for community members to realize the value of the culture, beauty, and natural resources that surround them, and to uphold it in the midst of development.

PEACE is so important to me because I am able to do truly positive work with amazing people.

What other organizations, activities, hobbies are you involved in here?

I like to run, do yoga, ride our horses, hike, and swim. I also love to go salsa dancing and hang out with my amazing friends. 

Do you have a specific Mexico "moment" that makes you think, "That's what I love about this place"?

The little things. The man walking around town selling fresh cheese, the beautiful flowers being sold on the corner, the tiendas in every neighborhood, the children that play hide-and-go-seek, the animals that are so grateful. I could go on and on!

What are both the best and the hardest things about being an expat in Mexico?

I love learning. Living in another country allows you to learn so many new things on a daily basis. Then of course there is the natural beauty, food, music, traditions, etc...

The hardest part about living here is missing my wonderful family and friends who do not live here and do not visit enough!

 

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