Mario Velasquez, Mexico's Ambas sador to Belize
"This initiative appeared at the moment by the governor of Quintana Roo. He invited me for the opening of this planetarium. It's the first one in Chetumal. The best we can do is to bring students; it's an award for them. It going to be marvelous. When I was a child I would have like this opportunity. When you see the planetarium for the first time - it's incredible to see the universe, to see it very close. To see the planets with a telescope its marvelous. They will have special glasses to seeing the universe during the day. The Mexican transportation will be here, the autobus have air condition, bathroom and of course teachers will be with the children, they won't be alone. The parents can be assure that their children will be in very good hands because we will have nurses on the autobus if whatever happen. Sometimes when you travel you get dizzy; we will have everything for that. In Mexico they will go to the museum of the Maya culture and they will have meals. The chamber of Commerce in Chetumal will take care of them. They are preparing special Mexican meals for the children. Everybody in Chetumal is waiting in open arms to receive the Belizean children and we are encouraging the schools to send us their information as soon as possible because we will be closed."
The trip will be held on Thursday December 15th. ADO buses from Mexico will be transporting the students to and from Chetumal. The Embassy is still receiving applications. All schools in Belize are encouraged to nominate their best students born between 1998 and 2001 in order to participate in the selection process. Schools can contact the Mexican Embassy at 223-1408, 223-0193 or 223-0194.
Mexican Immigration in Chetumal has announced that it will facilitate the crossing of the Belizean students across the Mexican border - and they won't even have to pay the 10 dollar mordida!
CH7

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