Mexican fairy tale trip to Britain
Source: Agencies |
April 23, 2011, Saturday
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Print Edition
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A FAIRY tale has come true for a poor Mexican teenager who spent 16 days on a hunger strike hoping to wrangle an invitation to Britain's royal wedding. Touched by her attempt, a good Samaritan put up the airfare to London, where she hopes to at least watch the festivities from outside Westminster Abbey.
Estibalis Chavez, a 19-year-old studying for her high-school equivalency degree, drew public attention in February when she camped in a tent outside the British Embassy in Mexico City for more than two weeks.
She hoped her perseverance would get her invited to the gala wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Chavez wasn't daunted by her lack of money or social connections.
"I saw this as making someone's dream come true," she said. "I didn't think it was impossible."
In a country with many more pressing problems - poverty, crime, drug violence - many people laughed at Chavez's hunger strike, calling her the "crazy lady of the embassy." But a man who happened to walk by her lonely protest camp came forward to lend her US$1,250 for a flight to London.
"It moved me to see that no one understood her very well ... I think she is right to fight for what she wants," said Octavio Fitch Lazo, a member of an association that is lobbying Mexico's congress to adopt silver coinage.
While it's doubtful Chavez will be able to get inside Westminster Abbey, Fitch picked the teen up from her home in the slums north of the city and took her to the airport for her flight to Europe.
Chavez's mother died giving birth to her, and all the teenager knew about her mother was how much she loved Princess Diana, Prince William's mother. Since she was a little girl, Chavez read as many books about the royal family as she could. Her books, drawings and paintings of princes and princesses decorate the family's small house.
Estibalis Chavez, a 19-year-old studying for her high-school equivalency degree, drew public attention in February when she camped in a tent outside the British Embassy in Mexico City for more than two weeks.
She hoped her perseverance would get her invited to the gala wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Chavez wasn't daunted by her lack of money or social connections.
"I saw this as making someone's dream come true," she said. "I didn't think it was impossible."
In a country with many more pressing problems - poverty, crime, drug violence - many people laughed at Chavez's hunger strike, calling her the "crazy lady of the embassy." But a man who happened to walk by her lonely protest camp came forward to lend her US$1,250 for a flight to London.
"It moved me to see that no one understood her very well ... I think she is right to fight for what she wants," said Octavio Fitch Lazo, a member of an association that is lobbying Mexico's congress to adopt silver coinage.
While it's doubtful Chavez will be able to get inside Westminster Abbey, Fitch picked the teen up from her home in the slums north of the city and took her to the airport for her flight to Europe.
Chavez's mother died giving birth to her, and all the teenager knew about her mother was how much she loved Princess Diana, Prince William's mother. Since she was a little girl, Chavez read as many books about the royal family as she could. Her books, drawings and paintings of princes and princesses decorate the family's small house.
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