Living in Mexico over the summer was an experience I'll never forget! I've been back for a little over 5 months now and I love reminiscing on the experiences I had in Guanajuato, in the cities and the ranchos!
The friendships I made in Mexico are still strong! My #byumexlit2015 group of friends has gotten together for Mexican tacos several times in Provo, gives saludos to each other on campus and takes secret snapshots of each other, and keeps our hilarious group texts alive!
Hannah and I had a TESOL class together last semester on ESL course and lesson planning. It was good to draw from our experiences teaching English at the secundaria in Mexico. More than that, I just loved seeing her during class and frequently in between to go salsa dancing, eat, plan double dates and just enjoy each other because our time in Mexico brought us together in an unbreakable way! (Last night, I got a picture message from her from the BYU Jerusalem Center!)
I keep in touch with the friends I made over the phone and through social media, especially friends I made at the YSA Conference in Guadalajara towards the end of our stay! That was a memorable experience, for sure! My friends in Santa Rosa are very special to me as well, and I enjoy keeping in contact with them! (WhatsApp is a must for messaging if you have friends in Mexico!) I have also been in touch from some of the maestros at the school who cared for us so much.
When I got home, I couldn't help but stand there gaping at the perfectly white, flushing toilets, ice machines, hot showers, and good, old American food that surrounded me! Living in another country, especially in a rural community, has brought me much appreciation for the comforts I enjoy that I wouldn't have otherwise. Just yesterday I had to think twice as I casually started using the garden hose to clean off my shoes as I remembered Martina in the ranchos rushing to save the water that came in through the pipes only once every 14 days! And it's amazing to compare the resources at the public schools and universities my family and friends have enjoyed compared to the limited ones I worked with there, including funding and technology.
I don't know whether my trip to Mexico was a unique, cultural adventure or whether it will be the start of many in my lifetime. I do already know that because of the connections I made with this program through BYU, I became aware of and was accepted into another internship with the LDS Self-Reliance Services in the Dominican Republic! I will be receiving training in Salt Lake City and flying out to the DR with a companion next week!
The Rural Mexico Literacy internship has led to opportunities and blessings that I never would have imagined! I am so grateful for the blessings it has introduced into my life! I don't regret for one minute taking that flyer for the cheapest program at the BYU study abroad fair!
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