As I am slightly late in posting my pre-departure post, unfortunately, I will have to write this from the hindsight perspective. Thankfully, they say hindsight is 20/20, so hopefully it will still be useful.

Prior to departing for Querétaro I had little to go on as far as what to expect culturally. I’ve had many friends who are from Mexico and I am slightly familiar with their culture, but the majority of my understanding comes from the American stereotypical perspective, which generally designates itself as superior to all other countries. Because of that, I can’t help but expect to witness an increase in poverty. Also, I’ve heard many stories about how violent and politically unstable Mexico is, so I also expect to see people being more careful and reserved.

As for my personal feelings prior to departure, although I am excited to have the opportunity to travel and expect to have a great time, I also am leaving home for an extended period of time, and ultimately may not return when I’m done traveling. For this reason, I am incredibly sad to be leaving. It is hard to leave my friends and family behind for this trip. But, I have faith in my ability to cope, so I am not worried that this will disrupt my trip at all.