La Ventana
By Sebastian Sawhney
Photo: Bajio Sunglasses
Explaining my friendship Alejandro Hernandez is such a uniquely "Fish for Change" phenomenon that I have a hard time
explaining it to people not involved in the organization.
I met Alejandro in Guanaja in June of 2019. I had just finished an extremely stressful Junior year of high school and he had turned 20. Almost 2 years later in May of 2021, we then proceeded to spend time in my home, New York, and after an extremely long and isolating pandemic, I was finally able to visit his home of Campeche, Mexico, another location where Fish for Change hosts programs.
In my opinion, the magic of Fish for Change is utilizing fly-fishing as a means to form meaningful relationships that make the world a better place by showing you experiences outside of your everyday life.
When I had the opportunity to go to Campeche, I was welcomed not as a tourist or even a guest, but like a member of Alejandro's family. I met many of Alejandro's friends, ate dinner every night at some of his favorite restaurants, and met his entire extended family.
During my trip, I asked Alejandro if he would ever run for mayor of Campeche, because it seemed like every five feet we would run into a family member or someone who he treated like family.
One of the most impactful moments of my trip was a dinner we had with one of his childhood friends. We were having a great time talking half in Spanish and half in English, joking about marvel superhero movies and tinder while enjoying pulpo frito (fried octopus).
explaining it to people not involved in the organization.
I met Alejandro in Guanaja in June of 2019. I had just finished an extremely stressful Junior year of high school and he had turned 20. Almost 2 years later in May of 2021, we then proceeded to spend time in my home, New York, and after an extremely long and isolating pandemic, I was finally able to visit his home of Campeche, Mexico, another location where Fish for Change hosts programs.
In my opinion, the magic of Fish for Change is utilizing fly-fishing as a means to form meaningful relationships that make the world a better place by showing you experiences outside of your everyday life.
When I had the opportunity to go to Campeche, I was welcomed not as a tourist or even a guest, but like a member of Alejandro's family. I met many of Alejandro's friends, ate dinner every night at some of his favorite restaurants, and met his entire extended family.
During my trip, I asked Alejandro if he would ever run for mayor of Campeche, because it seemed like every five feet we would run into a family member or someone who he treated like family.
One of the most impactful moments of my trip was a dinner we had with one of his childhood friends. We were having a great time talking half in Spanish and half in English, joking about marvel superhero movies and tinder while enjoying pulpo frito (fried octopus).
Top and bottom left: Landmark's of Campeche. Photos: Bajio Sunglasses. Right: Plan outstretched over the ocean. Photo: Mason McPherson
"When you're in a smaller community like Campeche you're forced to consider everyone's situation because you see them so often, and more than that, you likely see them as family one of your own.
I started to notice that Alejandro kept referring to his friend as if he were his cousin. I was confused and thought it was simply my poor translation skills, but after the dinner, I asked Alejandro about it. He told me that his friend's father had died at a young age and that soon after he took him in as a family member of his own.
Campeche is the kind of place where an obvious tourist can ask for directions in muddled Spanglish and no one seems to be even slightly inconvenienced by his stupid questions. I remember buying ice cream one night and being a peso short, as I rummaged around in my wallet, the vendor insisted I just take it. Alejandro's hometown contrasts greatly with the impersonality of my hometown, New York City, where the odds of running into someone you know are as tronomically low on any given day. In New York, you walk through the city with purpose. You avoid the homeless and mentally ill and make sure to never make eye contact with them.
Campeche is the kind of place where an obvious tourist can ask for directions in muddled Spanglish and no one seems to be even slightly inconvenienced by his stupid questions. I remember buying ice cream one night and being a peso short, as I rummaged around in my wallet, the vendor insisted I just take it. Alejandro's hometown contrasts greatly with the impersonality of my hometown, New York City, where the odds of running into someone you know are as tronomically low on any given day. In New York, you walk through the city with purpose. You avoid the homeless and mentally ill and make sure to never make eye contact with them.
When I had the opportunity to show Alejandro around New York City, we encountered a man begging, and instinctively I kept walking past him, but Alejandro stopped and started asking questions. My "New York" train of thought was that he was
simply naive and didn't understand the ways of the city, but my time in Campeche reframed that.
When you're in a smaller community like Campeche you're forced to consider everyone's situation because you see them so often, and more than that, you likely see them as family-one of your own.
In the "every man for themselves" mentality of New York City, you are never confronted with this reality since you see different people every day and it's very easy not to care.
Alejandro has taught me how enriching it is to one's life to treat people like family who may not be directly related by blood or that you have had years-long relationships with.
I consider myself a somewhat private person. In the past, I would never consider myself the kind of person to invite people to stay in my home and live with my family, especially those I had only spent a week's time with in person. However, Alejandro's hospitality allowed me to experience amazing wild-life, gastronomy, history, and culture in another place
now near and dear to both our hearts.
Right now I am experiencing my first semester of "real college" and it feels like I'm meeting a new person every five seconds. My experience with Alejandro has taught me the value in treating somebody like family even if I don't really know them that well. I don't know when my and Alejandro's next adventure is but I do know he will remain an extremely close friend. At the core of Fish for Change is the idea that when you get welcomed into someone's home and get to experience things that both of you love and care about, you form an almost unbreakable bond.
simply naive and didn't understand the ways of the city, but my time in Campeche reframed that.
When you're in a smaller community like Campeche you're forced to consider everyone's situation because you see them so often, and more than that, you likely see them as family-one of your own.
In the "every man for themselves" mentality of New York City, you are never confronted with this reality since you see different people every day and it's very easy not to care.
Alejandro has taught me how enriching it is to one's life to treat people like family who may not be directly related by blood or that you have had years-long relationships with.
I consider myself a somewhat private person. In the past, I would never consider myself the kind of person to invite people to stay in my home and live with my family, especially those I had only spent a week's time with in person. However, Alejandro's hospitality allowed me to experience amazing wild-life, gastronomy, history, and culture in another place
now near and dear to both our hearts.
Right now I am experiencing my first semester of "real college" and it feels like I'm meeting a new person every five seconds. My experience with Alejandro has taught me the value in treating somebody like family even if I don't really know them that well. I don't know when my and Alejandro's next adventure is but I do know he will remain an extremely close friend. At the core of Fish for Change is the idea that when you get welcomed into someone's home and get to experience things that both of you love and care about, you form an almost unbreakable bond.
Sebastian Sawhney, 19, New York. Sebastian is a student
Georgetown University studying government. Sebastian taught himself Saltwater Fly Fishing on family vacation in the keys and on his home waters of the Long Island sound.
Georgetown University studying government. Sebastian taught himself Saltwater Fly Fishing on family vacation in the keys and on his home waters of the Long Island sound.