#mexico study abroad

[wheremangosgrow]

I guess I don't have to speak Spanish anymore.

Today I woke up super early at 4:00 after only four and a half hours of sleep. I got all my stuff together and ate breakfast. There wasn't a tearful goodbye or anything. I think I was too tired to be emotional, but I was sad to say bye to my mama.

I took a taxi to the airport with a friend. Then I did all the airport stuff like check-in, check luggage, go through immigration, go through customs, have them check carry-on bags, and wait. Everything went quickly. There was just a lot of little things.

The first flight went fine. I just relaxed and listened to music. I was so tired, but didn't really ever fall asleep.

Everything went smoothly at the Houston airport. I thought going through customs would be difficult, but it wasn't at all. They didn't even check the bags of people who declared special things like food. We did have to go through security and everything again, but it wasn't a big deal.

Most of the people were on the same flight back to Louisville and they went straight to their next flight, but I waited around with a couple of girls who also had a later flight. We were really hungry so we stopped at this little diner place for a really early lunch. It was only like 10:30. I didn't want to pay for a big meal, so I just got fries and a peanut butter milkshake. It was great. They also brought us water for the shakes. It was weird to get free water from the tap at a restaurant. We were also excited to have separate checks and pay with our credit cards.

Every time we talked to one of the people at the airport, I wanted to speak to them in Spanish. I'm so used to having to speak Spanish to everyone I don't know. So it was really not saying "gracias" or "me gustaria papas fritas."

Then we just sat around for a couple of hours. The girls I was with left for their flight about forty-fives minutes before me. My plane left around 2:15. That flight also went fine. It was a little rainy and windy at times. I was kind of out of it on that flight and slept for most of it.

I was super excited when we got below the clouds and got to see Kentucky for the first time in three months. I love seeing how the landscape looks like a big patchwork quilt.

My mom, dad, brother, and his girlfriend met me at the airport. We all went out to eat at Chili's for dinner. It was really nice to see them all again.

Kentucky isn't as cold as I thought it would be, but I think it might get colder later this week.

Everything seems the same here. I'm happy to be home and see friends and family. Right now I just don't know what to do with myself. I just can't believe study abroad is over. That really just happened? 

[wheremangosgrow]

Mi mensaje final de Mexico.

Since I have to wake up at 3:45 in the morning, I'm not going to get on my computer in the morning. Yes, I'm waking up like four and a half hours from now. I spent my last night in Mexico at my mama's daughters house. They had some little Catholic ceremony. I don't really know what it was for. Then I talked to my mama's granddaughters and their friends for a while. She added me on Facebook and I finally got to go to their house. Now I wish I had spent more time with them, but I can always talk to them on Facebook.

My mama went out with one of her friends. So now it's just me at the house. She's going to wake up early in the morning to say goodbye. I'm really not looking forward to saying goodbye to her. If I cried when I said goodbye to anyone here, it would be her.

I'm excited to be going home, but I'm so sad to leave Mexico. This has been such a wonderful experience, and I'm so grateful to have had this opportunity. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

You have been amazing, Mexico. I can't wait to come and see you again someday. Nos vemos. Te quiero mucho!

[wheremangosgrow]

Girl: Es diciembre, verdad?

Julia: No, es agosto. Obivio.

I love the sarcasm of an eight year old.

[wheremangosgrow]

Las cosas que voy a extrañar.

Things that I'm going to miss about Mexico:

Sunshine all the time.

Having three meals made for me everyday.

The magic cheese.

Being able to order drinks and go to clubs.

Having my own bathroom.

Only having class four days a week.

The beach being a thirty minute bus ride away.

Maya culture.

Getting to practice my Spanish.

Everything being cheaper than it is in the U.S.

Flowering trees in November and December.

My long walks to and from school.

My mama and her granddaughters.

The limonada.

The smell of the stands selling oranges in el Centro.

The kids from the community center.

Eating fresh fruit everyday.

The mountains and jungle of Chiapas.

Kissing people on the cheek.

Swimming in cenotes.

Using pesos.

The pineapple juice.

My mama saying "la piña para la niña" every time I drink the pineapple juice.

The friendly people.

That's all I can think of for now. I might add more later.

[wheremangosgrow]

Estoy lista para ir a casa, pero estoy triste por dejar.

Yesterday I walked around el Centro with one of my friends to do some last minute shopping. We went in those souvenir shops and got a few things for gifts. Then I went back home to get ready for our party.

We had a party at the Centre House for all of the students, mamas, professors, and a couple other people that work with the program. All the mamas brought food and it was really fun. We just hung out and talked. It was really sad to say goodbye to the Annais, who is 25 and her job is to help us and the professors. I love her and she is so funny. A couple of our professors even seemed sad to say bye to us.

After the party some of us went to an art exhibit nearby and looked around. One of the girl's service site was with an artist who had a piece at the exhibit.

Then I went home with one of my friends to go watch a movie. There were six of us girls and we watched Ten Things I Hate About You. It was fun hanging out with them. I'm going to miss hanging out with a couple of the girls, but I'm sure we'll have little reunions back at Centre.

Today I went to Progreso with some friends. We just sunbathed on the beach for a couple of hours. It was very relaxing. Then we left and all came back home.

Now most people are packing or spending some time with their mamas. We have to leave really early tomorrow for our flight. The taxi is coming to pick me up at 4:30. So I'm not going to be out late doing anything tonight.

Yesterday was the first day that I was really sad to leave Merida. It's weird because this has been my life for the past three months and now I'll never get to come back and do some of these things. I've been having all of those moments where it's like this is my last time walking home from school, my last time in el Centro, my last time at the Centre House, and my last time eating lunch with my mama. I'm still excited to go home, but now I'm sad to leave Mexico. I would love to come back to Merida someday, but I'll never get to have this experience again with going to school here and living in a homestay. I know I missed out on a few things here, but I still really loved my experience.

[wheremangosgrow]

Me gusta caminar por las calles en la noche.

Random things that have happened in the past couple of days:

When we turned in our papers to our Ecology professor, Eduardo said, "Papers, nom, nom, nom." It was the funniest and most random thing ever.

Eduardo was talking about the scientific name for flamingos, and the beginning of it looked kind of like "phoenix" and he was also talking about how they molt their feathers. So I said, "It's like a phoenix. They burst into flames and then are reborn from the ashes."

Last night when we were walking home from the club a car drove by us and some guys yelled out, "Yo, yo, yo." I laughed because that was one thing we had never heard before, usually it's just whistling.

Later on, some guys pulled up next to us and asked if we needed a ride home. We declined the offer, obviously, and they drove on.

Throughout our walk, a police car drove by us like 3 times. After those guys talked to us, the police car followed them for a while.

Then when we were close to my house, the police car was sitting in the street and the police officer started talking to us. He asked us questions about if we knew the guys and where we were going. He was really nice and overly concerned. He kept telling us that we shouldn't walk around at night, but we were really close to my house.

On our last day of class, Celeste and I were walking home and she was really hoping to see this iguana, Iggy, that lives under some stairs at one house that we always walk by. At first she was upset because she thought you past, so I asked her if she wanted to go back and she said no. Then we realized that we hadn't passed it and we were about to walk by it. Then we see Iggy right in the middle of the street and she got really excited. He scurried under the stairs so we went to try to look for him. We couldn't see him, but she was really happy. I asked her, "Why did the iguana cross the road?" She said, "To come see me!!"

I also saw the random American again that hangs out at some tiny restaurant close to my house, and he recognized me. We talked for a bit. He said that he was going to Houston in a week to bring chickens back because he fights chickens. I didn't know how to react to him telling me that.

[wheremangosgrow]

Yo quiero este muchacho muy guapo.

I went out to eat tonight with a bunch of my friends. When I was about to leave my house, I went to talk to my mama and one of her friends. They were like "Ohhh, muy guapa" and then her friend told me I was showing a lot of leg. Haha it was pretty funny.

At the restaurant I had a big margarita and fajitas which were both really good. The waiter even brought out a bunch of sombreros that we all wore and took pictures.

We went to some random bar to have drinks. I didn't want anything. It was outside and we were all so cold.

Then we went to the club, Tequila. I don't really know why, but none of us were really having fun. I had like one drink that was not strong at all, and we were all kind of tired. We were about to leave when this super cute guy came up and started talking to me and his friend was talking to my friend. He was so cute and spoke really good English. His name is Sam. He said he was from Mexico City and had been living in Merida for a year. We didn't get to talk much, but he asked if we wanted to hang out tomorrow night. I was hesitant because I wanted to, but I don't know if we'll have time to do anything tomorrow night. Now I kind of regret not getting any contact information, but oh well. If someone wants to go to Tequila tomorrow night, I would totally go with them just in case I saw this guy again. He was so cute and sweet. And I got to kiss him on the cheek twice.

[wheremangosgrow]

He cambiado mucho?

Studying abroad is supposed to be a life-changing experience, so now that it's almost over I have to figured what has changed.

I feel inspired and, more importantly, motivated. I think an accumulation of meeting interesting people, going to cool places, learning about a different culture, and spending time with the other students has all really inspired me. Everything has been such a wonderful experience and I feel inspired in so many different ways. There are so many different things I want to do when I get home. I want to read books, study things I'm intrigued by, make new art, get involved in clubs, and volunteer in the community. I have a lot of new ideas and I just feel so motivated to do all kinds of things. I think this is part of why I'm so excited to go home. I'm just ready to do all kinds of new things!

I have a better understanding of Mexicans. My perspective on immigration issues and Mexico's relation to the U.S. has definitely changed. I never really had strong opinions on the issue until coming here. I'm really excited to go home and share ideas on immigration and also clearing up some stereotypes that Americans have.

I have a better idea of what I want to do for a career. My ecology class has really reaffirmed that the environment is what I'm passionate about. So I'm pretty sure I want to minor in environmental studies as long as I can fit it into my schedule. I've really enjoyed learning about transition towns, and I would really like to do more with sustainable development. I have really enjoyed living in a foreign country and would definitely enjoy living abroad in the future.

I don't know if I've changed much personality-wise, but I know I have different ideas. I guess I'll see when I get home.