I am going to start with some of the negative things so I can end on a positive note. :] I have complained a lot about the food this semester, and recently I have been realizing why. My host mom uses hot dogs in almost everything (I do not like hot dogs) and we have left-overs allllll the time (I do not like leftovers) in part because her job as a real estate agent means that she has to travel a lot and she is gone for days at a time. Because she is not there to prepare food everyday we eat the same thing for many days in a row. My friend Steven mentioned that his host mom (Ana Maria) was wondering if I had had any problems with my food situation because apparently my host mom is known for making sub par food that many host students have problems with. The interesting and sad part is that Ana Maria mentioned that these problems started when my host mom's husband died a few years ago and she had to start working. Hanging out at my friends' host houses I have realized that they all have different relationships with their host families than I do. In my case, my host mom is often removed from my life and all of my experiences down here. There is a certain connection with my host family (my host brothers are usually always just hanging out with their girlfriends) that I have lacked. That being said, I have always had food provided for me, my sheets get changed, and there is a tv that I can usually watch. So I have not been neglected by any means, there just isn't that connection I hoped for.
Another thing that has made this semester very difficult at times has been our interactions with the staff of our school down here. We have really enjoyed most of our professors, and I am even going to miss a few of them, but our experiences with the administration at the school has been very rocky and stressful at times. Because we did not bring a professor from college with us like most other schools do, we have to be able to communicate for ourselves. For the first 2 months of the semester we felt like we were not listened to, and a couple of instances brought us to the breaking point. After we were able to express all of our concerns and issues to the president of the school, things got better at the school and so the last month has been much more enjoyable for us. Lesson learned: communication is key.
Besides all of the amazing experiences and things I have seen, there are a few key positives that I will take away from this trip. First, I have always had the idea of studying abroad in the back of my mind, but I have always wondered if I would actually be able to follow through with it. Thinking about that now is a great feeling because now I have done it. Part of the reason I was unsure if I could actually do it is because my whole life I have lived inside my comfort zone. Even at college I only live 35 min from my house so I am able to drive to my comfortable home whenever I want. In Mexico you can't do that. I think this will help me because I often don't do things because they look like they will be too uncomfortable. Although the food and interactions down here have not always been so good, they have helped stretch me, which is something I needed.
I have made some incredible friends down here from Gettysburg college and I am very sad that our homes that we are returning to are thousands of miles apart. I have also realized that I had many stereotypes about Mexicans and their way of life that were false. For example Mexico is far more modern and technologically advanced than I thought, and the people down here are for the most part very nice and welcoming. I have enjoyed seeing what it is really like in Mexico and I wish that everyone could see how different Mexico is than we think.
At this point my Spanish is not where I thought it would be, which is a slight disappointment. However I have already been thinking about ways that I can improve and practice my Spanish when I get back home. I am excited to see where my Spanish takes me and who I come into contact with because of it. I am excited to be able to have my cell phone back when I return. I am excited to have my car back and to be able to eat whatever I want when I want it. I am excited to see my friends and family, and I am excited to return to Fox for the spring semester. I am also looking forward to showing off my tan.
Alright well thanks for reading and I will not be rereading this so I am sorry for any typos or bad grammar that you may have found. If you have any questions about my experience down here feel free to ask. Oh and all of my pictures from this semester are up on Facebook so if you haven't already seen them feel free to browse them.
I will see everyone after I get back on the 17th of December.
Tyler
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