Security

I have been working in Merida for the last couple of days with a University that I am very fond of.   Yesterday was a series of discussions about how to make the place more visible internationally and today was a board meeting of the International Board of Advisors.   Over the past several years this university has taken some very measured but ambitious steps to raise its prominence as a center of excellence.

Today the Advisory Board spent several hours looking at what had been accomplished since the last board meeting and looking forward to what could happen next.  This is a university which lives its values but it is not intimidated about searching for the truth.   They are doing some major expansions in both an incubation center and in building new labs to work on the areas where they have strength.   They have decided to focus on project in health and issues relating to sustainable energy.

After the meeting we went out to a nice lunch.  Next to the University is a resort development that took a long time to take off but seems to be starting to grow.  It is very exclusive.  As we approached the security gate there were cameras all around.   The car ahead of us was stopped and the driver presented an ID which was noted and then handed back.   Mind you that a common topic in many parts of Mexico is security - even in places like the Yucatan.   Well, when we got to the gate our driver - which was one of the participants in the board - offered a secure ID - her Costco Card - the guard dutifully wrote down the number of the card and handed it back.   Wonderful!