We would like to begin this February newsletter by expressing our sincere gratitude to everyone who supported and attended the MEL 30th Anniversary Gala. Your presence and generosity made this celebration truly meaningful.

February is a month dedicated to love and friendship, and it feels like the perfect moment to honor the incredible community that MEL has become—one that we have built together over the past 30 years with commitment, generosity, and a shared love for learning.

Remember you  can always call the library at 999-924-8401 or send an email to info@meridaenglishlibrary.com for information.  Visit our library website, Facebook page or Instagram profile for all of the weekly, monthly and upcoming events and never forget that libraries do change lives by offering communities a place to learn, create and belong.

MEL runs on the donations and services of kind-hearted people.  Do you have books or puzzles to donate?  Please click here to read our donation policies.

For one vibrant long weekend, the streets of Mérida come alive with creativity as the MEL Artist Studio Tour celebrates its 13th anniversary. This much-anticipated event features 41 studios and more than 60 talented local and international artists working across a wide range of media, including painting, murals, ceramics, weaving, paper making, photography, linocut, and fused glass.

To give visitors plenty of time to explore studios throughout the city’s diverse neighborhoods, the 2026 tour offers expanded hours over three days. While many studios remain in Centro, the tour continues to grow — this year welcoming new studio locations in Miguel Alemán and Itzimná.

Tickets include a detailed map highlighting every studio location. We recommend purchasing tickets early and visiting the participant’s page on the MEL website to preview participating artists and plan your route. Whether you focus on a specific neighborhood or follow a favorite art form, you’re free to explore at your own pace.

Tickets are $500 and they’re now available  online in the MEL shop, at the library, at SOHO Galleries, or at Centro Cultural Hartii.

Click here to learn more about the Artist Studio Tour and explore this year’s exceptional lineup of artists.

Join Us for February’s House & Garden Tours!

We invite you to explore the charm and beauty of Mérida with our House & Garden Tours, happening every Wednesday morning.  We will enjoy a special Neighborhood Tour on February 11, as we’ll gather at the Centro Cultural La Ibérica (Calle 37 x Calle 34 in García Ginerés) for a tour of nearby homes.  Wednesday February 25 includes two tours - a neighborhood tour of the La Ermita neighborhood in the morning (meeting at 9:30 AM in La Ermita Park Calle 66 x Calle 77), and later we will host the popular Evening Tour. Experience the magic of Mérida’s homes under the glow of night lights! We’ll meet again at La Ermita Park at 5:30 PM to begin this unforgettable journey.

On February 18, the tour meet at MEL.  Doors open at 9:00 AM and the program starts at 9:30.

Please visit our website for more information, and plan to join us!

Tours in February often sell out so reserve your spots in advance! Tickets are on sale now at MEL or online in the MEL Shop.  Tickets cost $400 for MEL members and $500 for non-members.

MEL members who intend to attend several tours have the option to purchase a discounted six-session pass for $2000.  These passes can be shared with one other person, and are transferable but not refundable.  Buy them online in the MEL Shop.

The Mérida English Library is delighted to invite you to another special Wine Tasting evening on Thursday, February 19 from 7:00 - 9:00 PM, set in a beautifully restored colonial home that seamlessly blends historic charm with contemporary design.  This exceptional residence features cool tropical breezes, striking modern details, and a stunning pool, creating an atmosphere that is both relaxed and refined.  

Guests will enjoy a thoughtfully curated menu of Northern African cuisine, rich in flavor and tradition, paired with complimentary wines selected to enhance the evening.  The setting, in a home that is new to Wine Tasting events, the food, and the company promise a memorable night in support of our Library.

Tickets for MEL Members are now  on sale online in the MEL Shop.  During this presale-period, library members may purchase two tickets at MX$700 each per Family or Individual membership number.  Please visit our website for information about our ticket sales policies.

Tickets go on sale without restriction both online and in person at MEL at 9:00 AM on Monday February 9.  Tickets for non-members are MX$800 each.  Please note that tickets are NOT AVAILABLE at the door of the event, so make sure to buy yours in advance.

The Mérida Chili Cook-Off returns on March 7, 2026, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM for an afternoon of bold flavors, friendly competition, and great vibes. Sample homemade chilis, enjoy food, music, drinks, and community fun at Casa de Amistad in Itzimná—all while supporting a good cause.

Tickets are $400 MXN in advance and $500 MXN at the door, and children under 12 enter free. Come hungry and help us crown the best chili in town!

Join us on February 18 at 11:00 AM for a reading of “Living Beyond Limits: How to Have It All” with contributing author MiShawn Williams. Her story is ultimately about how having our "All” is deeply personal. It’s the life we imagine when we let go of limiting beliefs and an either/or approach to life. It’s about knowing what you want and believing that it’s possible. Read more on the MEL Blog.

Our popular lecture series continues with a variety of interesting and informative talks on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM, continuing through February. Our first MEL Talk of the month, presented by Bob Temple, drew a full audience, and we invite you not to miss the upcoming talks scheduled for the rest of the month.

February 11: Navigating Healthcare in Yucatán — A clear, step-by-step roadmap for navigating doctors, hospitals, and private insurance in Mérida. Learn how to choose the right providers, understand networks, deductibles, and coinsurance, and know what to do in a real emergency—before you’re in one.

Patricia “Pati” Sales is the founder of HealthItinerary.mx, a bilingual medical-concierge service that guides expats through every stage of care.  With over a decade of experience in health navigation and licensed insurance advising, she also runs ExpatInsurance.mx, helping foreigners select and use private insurance wisely and confidently.

February 18: The Limbic Art - Practice:  Mapping Transcultural Journey Through Emotion and Abstract Expressionism — What happens when art begins not with theory or form, but with feeling? In this intimate, visually rich talk, multidisciplinary artist and educator Raúl Gasque explores what he calls Limbic Art — a practice that emerges from the emotional brain, guided by intuition, memory, and sensation. Drawing from his work in performance, abstract expressionism, photography, and text, Raúl maps his journey across continents, disciplines, and inner states — revealing how art can function as both a personal healing tool and a universal language.

With a career that spans more than 20 years in Asia, Latin America, and Europe, Raúl has led workshops and talks in institutions ranging from the National Institute of Arts in Mexico to National Chengchi University in Taiwan. His work engages themes of storytelling, psychology, and identity through a nontraditional lens.

February 25: How Do You Listen? Notes from a Composer’s Journey — What happens when music doesn’t follow the rules we expect? When rhythm, melody, and harmony seem to disappear — what are we actually hearing?

Composer and retired music professor Robert Constable invites the audience into a conversation about listening itself. Drawing from his decades of experience composing avant-garde music and teaching music theory, Robert reflects on the listener’s role in shaping musical meaning. Along the way, he shares personal insights from a lifetime of curiosity.

This talk combines short listening examples, storytelling, and open discussion to help listeners explore the unexpected beauty — and often misunderstood logic — of modern experimental music.

Read more about these talks on our website.

Come stroll around Santa Ana, the Soho of Mérida, with us!  Tours run every other Thursday through March including February 19.  We meet at the fountain in the Santa Ana Park (Calle 60 x 45) at 10 AM for a short talk, then visit several galleries and workshops in the barrio.

Registration is limited to 12 participants per tour, and costs $200 for MEL members and $300 for non-members.  Buy your tickets at MEL or online in the MEL Shop.  

Children’s Storytime in February is full of love, imagination, and fun! This month, our young readers will enjoy It’s Valentine’s Day on February 14, followed by a Valentine’s card-making activity, and I Am a Cat on February 28, when children will delight in a playful cat puppet activity. After each reading, our friends from Sensoria will lead physical activities and dynamic games designed especially for children. Children’s Storytime is open to all kids and is completely free — families are warmly invited to join us and celebrate reading, movement, and creativity together.

Ready to write? The popular Poetry Writing Workshop with Olya continues! This fun and informal workshop of imaginative prompts and collaborative discovery will help spark your creative genius. Just bring your pen, paper, and love of words! All collections will receive feedback from the instructor at the end of the workshop. The next session is on February 12 at 9:30 AM, ending at 11:30 AM. Click here to read more.

Whether you’re a bingo regular or it’s your first time, we promise a warm, friendly atmosphere.  Come connect, play, eat, and enjoy an evening filled with laughter, prizes, and good company.

Saturday, February 28
⏰ Doors open at 6:45 PM — We start at 7:00 PM
Buy your bingo cards in advance online in the MEL Shop

Tai Chi classes for February are SOLD OUT.  Join Mónica González starting on March 5 to explore Master Chungliang movements, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 – 10:30 AM.  Classes are $100 per session with discounts for purchases of seven sessions or more.  Visit the MEL Shop to reserve your spots. 

Richard Poe is a classically trained, fourth generation Pilates teacher. All student levels will feel comfortable in attending.  Students should only bring a mat; a Pilates–specific mat is preferred but not required.

Join Richie at MEL on Fridays 10:45 am – 11:40 am in our air-conditioned classroom.  Register online in the MEL Shop for a single session for $200 or take advantage of a special $700 monthly fee.

Yoga4Snowbirds

Instructor Alma Duran continues with her popular Yoga4Snowbirds, specially designed sessions that will help you unlock the key to feeling joyful, healthy and energetic - without risky or pretzel-like postures. Each class is different and offers a full-body, safe, mindful, breath-oriented sequence that includes powerfully grounding and strengthening, meditation in motion, breathwork and other complementary somatic explorations. Classes begin at 9:30 AM on the MEL patio.  Visit our website for more information.

We meet at MEL on Monday evenings to practice English and Spanish during Conversaciones con Amigos. This is a language exchange program.

We open the doors at 6:45 pm. We start the practice at 7 with a suggested topic, though you can talk about anything you wish as long as you avoid controversial topics. We finish at 9:00 pm. This program is designed for adults only and is free for MEL members, $20 for non-members.

The Mérida Writers Group meets in our classroom every-other-week, including February 11 and February 25.  This is an opportunity for writers of all levels and genres to share their work.  Join them starting at 11:00 AM.

Our Fiction & Friends book club meets on February 26 starting at 10:00 AM.  The selection for this month isTime Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov. You can read a synopsis here, and please visit our website for more information or to join.

The Climate Solutions Group will meet on Saturday February 21 at 11:30 AM in our classroom. In this group, we learn, grow, and build a community of people concerned about preparing for climate change. These meetings are open to the public – we look forward to seeing you there!

There’s a place for you to be part of the students who are already learning this fascinating language! You can still join the groups on Wednesdays and Fridays: Level 1 Beginners at 4 pm, Level 2 Basic Intermediate at 5:00 pm, and Level 3 Intermedio at 6:00 pm. 

We meet in the air conditioned classroom of the Mérida English Library. Register now online or in person and live the experience with teacher Alfonso, language instructor. Learn more about our classes here.

Since 2012, hats and toys made by a group of crafters have been distributed weekly to children in the cancer unit of O’Horán Hospital. Besides a gorro (brimless hat), each child gets a toy and activity book, crayons or colored pencils.

 If you can knit, crochet, or sew, please join us in the classroom at MEL on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 9:30 - 12:30, through March. We have patterns and some materials to share, but please bring your own equipment and supplies if you have them. 

Questions?  Please send an email to Marie Barchus, Marianne Kehoe, or Irma O'Meara.

AA holds their regular weekly sessions in English at MEL every Thursday starting at 7:00 PM.  Visit our website for more information. 

📚 Carrie thanks & new book list

The LCC thanks Laura Gardner, Ann and Callen O’Leary, Evelyn Jackson, Karime Minaya, Maureen Kehoe, Brendan Kehoe, Karen Perman, and Carrie Sypherd for receiving books to carry to MEL in January. Most of the following newly purchased books are already in our system, ready for your pleasure:

• The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
• A Flower Traveled in My Blood by Haley Gilliland
• FDR by Jean Edward Smith
• The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
• Black Cherry Blues by James Lee Burke
• And So I Roar by Abi Daré
• Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs
• King Sorrow by Joe Hill
• Seascraper by Benjamin Wood
• Spy School by Stuart Gibbs
• What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
• The Missing Pages by Alyson Richman
• The Burning Grounds by Abir Mukherjee 
• The Gato Taco by Didi Dragon
• The Fourth Turning Is Here by Neil Howe
• These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean
• The Sisters by Jonas Khemiri
• The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits
• Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
• Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon
• Clown Town by Mick Herron
• Where Is the Green Sheep by Judy Horacek
• Fancy Nancy: Tea for Two by Jane O'Connor
• Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola
• If I Built a House by Chris van Dusen
• Wind Watchers by Micha Archer
• Bark, George by Jules Feiffer
• The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
• Georgie and the Treasure Map by James Horwitz
• History Matters by David McCullough
• Somebody is Walking on Your Grave by Mariana Enriquez
• Blackouts by Justin Torres
• Nash Falls by Davide Baldacci
• Drop Shot by Harlan Coben
• Terrier by Tamora Pierce
• The Black Wolf by Louise Penny
• Exit Strategy by Lee Child
• The South by Tash Aw

  If you or a guest will be coming to Merida from the U.S. and can help by bringing books, contact Marianne Kehoe with your mailing address, travel dates, and how many books you can carry. She’ll do the rest.  

Clarissa Ramos - Cynthua Barasz - Conley Heaberlin - Baylee Brun - Patrick Holmes - Isaac Holmes - Janelle Masden - Sophia Pou - Robin Morris - Leonard Gertz - Mónica Allen - Ronald Seaman - Alvah Hanrahan - Ana Christina Selva - Jim and Margaret - Lewie Connor - Denise Sucher - Brent Hammon - Andrew Middleton- Stephen Boyd - María del Mar Patrón - Martin Gladstone - Mary Hoggerty - Raymond Samera - Todd Squitieri - Rita Whitehouse - Tom and Betty Barton - Rebecca Paul - George McClellan - Michael Graham - Linda Williams - Connie Elkins - Jonathan Harrington - Berny Etienne - Jackie Sandlom - Barb Wiseman - Phoebe Waller - Sharp - Ellie Schneid - Marie Routhledge - Christina Vega- Westholff - Birch Coffey - Kristi Wiragg - Maura Medina - Betty Ann Thomson.

Download it now here 

Get your tickets here: https://www.educateyucatan.org/en/eventosderecaudaci%C3%B3n