This first full week in Mexico has been one of the most interesting experiences of my life, and I still have four more weeks to go. It is somehow both exhilarating and exhausting at the same time to be here; so much concentration goes into everything I do, and I feel as though my brain is overloaded with new information at all times. My Spanish language skills have served me better than I would have expected, and with the constant need to speak and understand the language I already feel like my Spanish conversational abilities have improved drastically. At the same time, however, I feel completely lost and confused in many situations, and mildly tedious events back home such as getting a little bit lost or having to go to the doctor are terrifying here when I feel so out of place and can’t understand what people are saying to me.
On my first day with my host family, my señora took me to mass at her church or cathedral. I’ve never been to any sort of mass even in English, so it was an entirely new cultural experience for a variety of reasons. It was very interesting to observe a religion that I have never taken part in, in addition to being surrounded by a completely different language and many people speaking that language. The churches here are all magnificently gigantic and gorgeous, and the internal architecture is simply amazing. I was too stunned to remember to take pictures once we had entered the building, but I plan to take some next time if it seems appropriate. I really enjoyed this experience, and plan to return with my señora again before I return to the U.S.
Jardín Zenea is one of my favorite places here where I can just sit and relax. It’s really close to my house, and it’s a lovely city block of park. My favorite aesthetic piece is the gazebo, but it is also an amazing place in so far as absorbing the culture. In the evening, there is often live music playing, and the area around the gazebo is sometimes set up for casual dancing. It’s a very interesting place to just sit and watch people; I gain a lot of experience listening to Spanish, and I can observe interactions between the locals. It’s also just a very useful place to be in; across the street on one side is Del Sol, a market which has pretty much everything I could need from shampoo and snacks to new clothes. My bank is on another side so I can withdraw pesos free of charge, and many independent vendors set up shop in the park throughout the day.
On Saturday we took an excursion as part of the program to a city called Bernal, one of the “Pueblos Mágicos” or main tourist attractions of Mexico. The most striking feature of the city is the Peña de Bernal, the second-largest (and fourth-tallest) monolith in the world. We hiked up partway, which was an fantastic experience with a fantastic view. The town very much has a tourist culture, as most central streets are lined with various stores selling souvenirs and other handmade products. Incidentally, the area is known for its textiles, so I bought a tablecloth for my apartment. They are also known for their exceptional gorditas, small pockets made of masa and stuffed with your choice of filling – and there are a lot of choices.
I am really enjoying my time here, and I look forward to all the new experiences that are waiting for me!