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MALAYSIAN DIPLOMATS: OUR STORIES

were received by lovely Mexican girls in beautiful traditional costumes. T e
Mariachi band welcomed us and sang their songs. We were also entertained
by elegant Mexican dancers in bright and colourful costumes.

At the farm, we were given a demonstration on how to plant and harvest
the trunk which is later crushed at the factory to produce the juice to make
tequila. We were then given the opportunity to harvest the agave and later
taken on a tour of the tequila factory.

On this particular trip, we were accompanied by a group of of cers from the
Ministry of Tourism. We got along very well and promised to keep in touch.
A month later, I invited them for lunch at the Residence. I felt honoured
when the whole division, including the director, came for the lunch.

T e University of Ixtlahuaca
A few weeks after my arrival, Dr. Margarito, the Director of the University
of Ixtlahuaca, made a courtesy call on me. He wanted to have a collaboration
between the university and the Embassy. He shared with me about
the university’s ongoing Exchange Student programme with Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia and the fact that the university is the state’s dancing
competition champion. I told him that I would like to form a dance group
comprising Mexican students to perform the Malaysian dance at diplomatic
events in Mexico City, and that the Embassy’s home-based staf can teach the
students. Dr. Margarito agreed immediately. A week later, the students were
taught the zapin numbers and joget wau bule. Amazingly, they picked up the
dance very fast and within a month, the group was already performing for
the Embassy.

From then on, the Embassy engaged them to perform at all its functions,
including four consecutive National Day receptions. T e dancers love to do
so because they receive exposure to perform for the diplomatic community in
Mexico City. T ey were also invited to perform at the Senate, the Congress,
and events organised by the Mayor of Mexico City, among others. We
received a lot of praise and were envied by the other Embassies. I was really
thankful to Dr. Margarito for his generosity and support in promoting the
Malaysian culture in Mexico, which has helped Malaysia and the Malaysian
Embassy to be held in high esteem. Since we were not able to get the

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