This One is Personal
Mass tourism protests in Mexico City, a century-old swim ban lifted in Paris, a cold snap and growing climate vulnerability across Latin America, and microplastics reach human reproductive health
Hey there! Thanks for coming back after a short break.
I took some time off to work through a big decision. See, about a year ago, I promised myself that I would give journalism a real shot. That meant not just dreaming about it or thinking of it as a side project, but going all in. So I did what felt bold at the time: I applied to go back to school. Already in my thirties and already holding a graduate degree, it didn’t feel like the “smartest” choice. But it felt like the right thing to explore. I told myself that the worst-case scenario was getting a no. The best scenario? I’d get a glimpse of a new version of life.
And then, I got in. Not just once, but four times. Every program I applied to said yes. This was exciting but also terrifying. It meant that the decision was no longer hypothetical. It was real. I had a choice to make: should I stay, or should I go?
That question came with more weight than I expected. It wasn’t just about switching geography or careers. It was about what I wanted my life to look and feel like. It was about leaving behind a stable path I’ve spent years building. It was about money, and time, and friendships, and a sense of belonging. Could I confidently walk away from the career I’ve built? Could I afford to hit pause on an income, and potentially take loans, to chase something I believe in, but can’t yet define what it would ultimately look like? What about the people I’d be leaving behind and a version of my life that is meaningful to me?
In the end, I chose not to go. At least, not now. It just wasn’t the right time financially. If I had forced it, I wouldn’t have been able to do it under the terms I would’ve wanted. And that matters too. Still, I don’t regret applying. I don’t regret trying. Giving myself the option made all the difference. It brought me clarity in more ways than I thought it would. Now, I know that this is still something I want in some shape or form, and I’ve left the door open to revisit it.
In the meantime, I’ve also re-grounded myself in that the choice between staying and going isn’t binary. Staying doesn’t have to mean standing still. I’m working on making space for the things I care about, recalibrating how I spend my time, and carving out more room for living life a bit more fully, under what that means to me, truthfully. And this space is part of that. Writing makes me feel more like myself. And while it may not be at a newsroom, this is still a place where I get to do what I love. So I’m committing to that.
Thanks for sticking around and for reading. It means more than you know.
With that, let’s dive into what might not have made the headlines this week:
Protests over mass tourism in Mexico City
A protest that began peacefully on Friday, July 4, in Mexico City turned violent as demonstrators voiced their frustrations over the city’s rapid gentrification and the surge in mass tourism. The march, which started calmly in neighborhoods popular with tourists like Condesa and Roma, escalated when a small group began smashing storefronts, looting high-end businesses, and harassing foreigners.
Protesters are demanding tighter housing regulations and local legislation to control tourism levels. Frustration has been building since 2020 when digital nomads from abroad began flocking to the city in large numbers. Many came seeking to escape pandemic restrictions in their own countries or take advantage of lower rents. Since then, living costs have soared, and residents have increasingly found themselves priced out of their neighborhoods.
Mexico City’s protests echo growing discontent in other major cities facing the pressures of mass tourism, like Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, and Rome.
Interested in more? NYT - As a tourist influx makes prices soar, hundreds protest in Mexico City
Paris reopens the Seine to swimmers for the first time in 100 years
On Saturday morning, Parisians swam in the River Seine for the first time in a century. The reopening marks the fulfillment of a long-standing promise to clean up the iconic river, which had been closed to swimmers since 1923 due to pollution.
There are now three designated areas for public swimming: near the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, and in eastern Paris. Each is equipped with lifeguards, changing rooms, and beach-style setups. Open to the public through August, the areas are free to access and available to swimmers aged 10 or 14 and up, depending on location.
The idea dates back to 1988, when then-mayor Jacques Chirac pledged to make the river swimmable again. After decades of cleanup efforts and over €1.4 billion invested ahead of the 2024 Olympics, the city delivered. Last summer, the organizers were still racing to meet water quality standards, blaming unseasonal rainfall for failed tests. To reassure the public, Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Olympic officials even swam in the Seine themselves.
Interested in more? Le Monde - Seine reopens to Paris swimmers after century-long ban
Deadly cold snap affects Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay
A polar air mass sweeping in from Antarctica has brought record-low temperatures to parts of South America, leaving at least 15 people dead and prompting emergency measures across Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. All three countries reported unusually cold conditions, with governments activating shelter plans and restricting energy usage.
In Argentina, nine homeless people have died this winter. Buenos Aires hit -1.9ºC on July 2, its lowest since 1991, while power outages affected thousands. The government temporarily cut gas supplies to industries and gas stations to prioritize households. Miramar, a coastal city, even recorded snow for the first time in 34 years.
Uruguay declared a “red alert” after six cold-related deaths. The warning allowed authorities to forcibly relocate people to shelters. Montevideo saw its lowest maximum temperature in more than five decades. In Chile, temperatures dipped as low as -9.3ºC in the city of Chillán, with snow falling in parts of the Atacama Desert for the first time in ten years.
Interested in more? The Guardian - Temperatures plunge in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay
Eight Latin American countries are among the most climate-vulnerable
A new index measuring climate vulnerability across 188 countries places eight Latin American and Caribbean nations among the most at-risk, with limited resources to adapt. The list includes Venezuela, Haiti, Belize, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Bolivia, which together are home to over 100 million people.
Developed by Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness and Center on Global Energy Policy, the index combines exposure to climate risks with financial and governance capacity. For countries like Venezuela and Haiti, it’s a double burden. They face rising seas and stronger storms, on top of economic collapse or debt crises.
The findings also highlight the stark global imbalance in responsibility and impact. Many of these countries have contributed little to historic greenhouse gas emissions, yet are bearing the climate consequences. As storms, droughts, and heatwaves intensify, recovery becomes harder, and adaptation even more costly.
Interested in more? El País - Venezuela and Haiti, the countries most vulnerable to climate change and with the fewest resources to adapt
Scientists detect microplastics in human reproductive fluids
Spanish researchers have found microplastics in human reproductive fluids. The study, conducted by the University of Murcia, analyzed fluids from 22 male donors and 29 women undergoing fertility treatment. Microplastics were present in 69% of the female samples and 55% of the male samples. While concentrations were low, their presence raises concerns about the long-term impact of microplastics on reproductive health.
Researchers identified nine types of plastic, including polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polytetrafluoroethylene. One theory is that hormonal treatments during IVF may increase vascularization, making it easier for particles circulating in the bloodstream to reach reproductive fluids.
These plastics can enter the body through air, water, food, or even skin. Once inside, they travel via the bloodstream. The findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that plastic pollution may have implications far beyond environmental health, and into the realm of fertility and human biology.
Interested in more? El País - Scientists find microplastics in semen and ovaries
That’s all for this week. If any of these stories stuck with you, feel free to share them with someone.
As always, I’d love to hear from you: thoughts, tips, or just something that caught your attention this week. Thanks for reading, take care, and I’ll see you next Sunday.
Any views expressed in this space are solely my own and do not reflect those of my current or former employers, or any institution I’ve been affiliated with.