Our Office

By Lucyanna Burke, Summer 2014 intern from Harvard University

Everyday at 5 o’clock 80s pop begins to blare in our office from the karaoke bar beneath us. Occasionally we are fortunate enough to work until six before the music interrupts us and forces us to make the choice between shouting in order to be heard or giving in and abandoning our work to the lure of happy hour below.

Our office, which was inaugurated only two weeks ago today, sits in the center of downtown Bucerias (such as it is) and at the center of our small universe while we work as interns for Human Connections. The office is on the third floor on the corner between a bar and a doctor’s office (both of which we have made use of). The winding stairs open into our incredible office. High dark ceilings and ocean breezes keep the rooms cool even during the heat of the early afternoon. And if the heat becomes too much anyway, the interns (and sometimes Elly too I would imagine) can climb the next flight up to our roof, a sort of open widow’s watch which boasts not only a view of all of Bucerias and the ocean half a block away but a palapa roof with a hammock. Not a few times have I taken advantage of the wonderful tradition of siesta – which I will be implementing in my life at home as well – and slipped up to the hammock for a nap, or just to appreciate the beauty of our location.

During the day the office buzzes with activity; we come and go as our work and wants call for. At any given moment there will be interns working with clients in their homes (and sometimes even getting cooking lessons LINK TO PHOTOS OF DOÑA ALEJANDRA VISIT) while others hold English roundtables open to the community and others apply what they’ve learned in marketing classes to try to improve the sales of a small business in Bucerias. Within a ten minute walk of the office is everything we need: restaurants, shops, our hotel, and, of course the beach. But that doesn’t mean we always stay in this small section of Bucerias. The Bay offers chances to explore and have adventures that are worth a trip. For longer trips the public transportation around the Bay of Banderas, is very good, very convenient, and costs less than a metro ride in the US.