You had me at Hola!

Leigh's memoir from the heart

Maleny author and journalist Leigh Robshaw lived in South America and Mexico for more than three years in the 1990s and has written a memoir about her experiences, which is due for publication this Thursday, August 15.

In the book, ‘You Had Me at Hola, In search of love and truth in South America’, Leigh details her experiences living with a Peruvian artisan and selling jewellery in streets and squares spanning Peru to Mexico.

Despite negative stereotypes about Latin Americans proliferating in the US, Leigh says they are some of the friendliest and most hospitable people on the planet and are not to be feared.

“Every time I hear President Trump make demeaning, inaccurate comments about Mexicans and other Latin American cultures, my blood boils,” she said.

“Calling them dirty is just plain wrong. I lived with some of the poorest Mexicans and not only did they take great pride in their homes, their children were clean and well cared for.

“They welcomed me into their lives and shared what little they had with me and I found the same hospitality from Argentina to Brazil and throughout Central America.

While parts of South and Central America can be dangerous, with drug cartels and gang violence prevalent in some countries, she says it shouldn’t be seen as a destination for travellers to avoid.

“Machu Picchu, Iguazu Falls, the Amazon, the Galapagos Islands, Carnival in Brazil, the Mayan and Aztec pyramids – there are so many iconic places and events to experience in Latin America and it would be a shame for people to strike it off their bucket lists due to the bad press coming out of the States,” Ms Robshaw said.

“I travelled very rough, sometimes sleeping on beaches and mixing with unscrupulous people. I had a couple of close calls but that was my own stupid fault for venturing into dangerous territory. Fortunately, I came out unscathed with lifelong memories.

“I really hope my book gives people some insight into the true nature of the place and its wonderful people, and encourages anyone with a love of exotic, exciting places to plan their own adventure to Latin America. Lord knows, they could do with the tourism dollars,” she said.

‘You Had Me at Hola, In search of love and truth in South America’ is available from Thursday at Rosetta Books in Maleny or from www.leighrobshaw.net.