Hola! My name is Jaime, and I’m Lupita’s founder. The journey to Lupita is closely related to my experiences over the last ten years. The following post briefly explains this venture. Let’s begin!
After working hard on my first job as an engineer in Spain, I was feeling a bit empty and needed something more fulfilling and adventurous as a life journey. Therefore, I travelled out of Europe for the first time. My destination was Chiapas, a Mexican state rich in indigenous culture and famous due to the “Zapatista revolution” that occurred in 1994.
That is how I became a human right watcher for the Zapatista communities. Previously, in Spain, I took a course to learn about the history, the current political and human rights situation, the non-intervention policies and appropriate behaviours.
“I wanted to know about alternative ways of living, and thought these communities were the best place in the world to learn more about it.”
Chiapas has been the most extraordinary, mind-opening experience in my whole life. It completely changed my way of seeing the world we live in, and I wouldn’t be writing this if I hadn’t had the chance to meet these cultures. All my experiences there well deserve another post… All in all, after one year as a human right watcher, I ended up understanding that the most interesting aspect of these people wasn’t their political journey but their “cosmology“, their unique appreciation of time and space.
I believe the fact of the “Zapatistas” starting a revolution was the consequence of something much much bigger. These people own a real treasure greater than anything material. They have extraordinary wisdom that the western world seems to have forgotten, and a self-dignity almost impossible to find in our home countries…
Something “clicked” in my mind during my human right watcher experience. After working one more year as an engineer (this time in Mexico City), I wanted to come back to Chiapas and keep learning. Consequently, I decided to change my career and dedicate myself to the adventure travel industry. This was a great way of somehow keeping in touch with these realities and, at the same time, having the chance to show the rest of the world those wonders and ways of thinking.
Beginnings in the tourism industry were a bit tough. Being a foreigner in Mexico with no experience didn’t make things easy. Nevertheless, after a few months, I found Dragoman, a British company that runs amazing overland tours all around the globe. After a long training process, I finally had the awesome chance of becoming a Tour Leader and Driver! Then, while leading tours around the Americas and Asia for four years, I acquired numerous skills that have been very useful to create Lupita. I’ll always remember those times as one of my best life experiences. The friends I made and epic journeys I experienced are something truly out of this world; Thank-you so much Dragoman!
The idea of creating something unique for Mesoamerica began developing four years ago. Finally, in 2018, I started working full-time on developing Lupita’s project. Since then, it is been a long process until achieving results. But, with great help from family and friends, Lupita slowly began operations in 2022.
As I explained, it’s been more than a decade since the first time I visited Mexico… and many things have happened. While writing this first post for Lupita’s Blog, I’m already thinking about the next one… I believe it must explain the main reason for Lupita to be born: Inside our possibilities, we want to show the world the extraordinary cultures and nature of Mexico, Guatemala and Belize! To be continued…
Keep us in the loop Jaime. Melbourne and Maria
Thanks, Melbourne and Maria! It would be a pleasure to welcome you. For sure, I’ll keep you in the loop! I’ll also contact you if able to visit Indonesia! Just had a look at your tours on https://www.melbournethephotographer.com/ they look awesome! 😉
Jaime, that ist awesome! Good luck and best support and great travels!! See you for sure 🙂
Thanks, Franciska! You are always welcome! If you loved Perú you will enjoy Mexico, Guatemala and Belize a lot! Hope to see you very soon!