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!

The first moments of my arrival in Querétaro before leaving the airport are very much a blur, and they went by far too fast for me to even consider taking pictures or making any really substantial observations. Between getting off the plane and going through customs and immigration, it was all very hectic and went by quickly, in addition to being very hazy in my memories even just a few hours later. I had a hard time getting myself to speak in Spanish to the airport workers, and I kept freezing up rather than actually talking to them. I couldn’t understand most of the instructions that they gave me for having my bags checked and who to go to, and I definitely felt very bewildered for the remainder of my time in the airport. The workers there at least seemed to be used to this, and were for the most part patient as they ushered me around the room.

a bird’s-eye view

The most immediate behavior that I was faced with following immigration and customs at the airport was the taxi driving and traffic in downtown Querétaro. I don’t believe I have ever been as terrified in a car as I was today in that taxi. Not only are the streets extremely narrow with a lane of parked cars on one side and buildings on the other, but the drivers drive very fast and there are hardly any traffic signs and no traffic signals in that part of the city. Our taxi driver spoke calmly to us about the city and our trip while veering around corners and cars. The view from right behind the driver in the taxi van was especially frightening because it looked like we were going to hit every single thing in the field of view. I found it very interesting how he could be so casual and nonchalant while driving in such an erratic environment.

driving through the narrow streets and parked cars

Since my arrival earlier today, I have seen much worse traffic and driving situations around the city, so clearly my initial terror was just naive. Additionally, I am warming up to speaking Spanish to the people who live here, and I can only hope it will get better. I am really enjoying the aesthetics of the architecture, the old streets, and the unique way that this part of the city is set up.

buildings and streets

Going through customs/immigration was so different! I had never done it before but it wasn’t as stressful as I thought it would be.  We filled out some papers and pushed this “magical” button to find out if our bags would be searched or not. What came next was what surprised me. Behind the tinted glass doors were twenty or so people crowded up right near the door awaiting the arrivals from Houston. It was just a bit overwhelming to me because there were so many people. After the long flights and lack of sleep, the bright lights and the many people staring at us five Americans was just crazy.

The taxi ride was good. It was funny because I assumed all Mexicans would enjoy football (soccer) but my taxi drive said he didn’t. I guess my assumption was wrong.

He drove so fast and confidently! We came within centimeters of parked cars as we navigated the tight streets of downtown Queretaro.

Our hotel is great! So nice and clean. Most people are very friendly and helpful The waiters are so patient while we try to figure out the menus and how to order our food.

I am very nervous for my trip to Queretaro Mexico. I am bummed to be missing out on a whole month and a half of time with my family and friends. I am most nervous about not communicating well because I am not perfect at Spanish.

However, I am also so excited! I can’t wait to try new foods and experience new and different things.

I think that my host culture will be very inviting and welcoming but they might do certain things differently. I definitely understand that I have to take time to adjust to the different way they may do things.

I know that soccer is big in Mexico, so I guess that I think there will be a lot of soccer fans. 

I also think that the food will be a lot like the Mexican food we have in the US.

One last pre-conceived notion I have is that there will be a lot less diversity than we have in the states. I think that there will be people mainly of Mexican heritage. I anticipate that this will lead to me having feelings of being the odd one out when in public.

I will be arriving in Querétaro, Mexico on Thursday the 25^th. I am very excited for my first study abroad experience; I am most excited for the opportunity to immerse myself in the culture and the language, and I plan on exploring the city as much as possible. I want to do things I wouldn’t normally do, like attending community events and seeking out social interactions. This will be my only time studying internationally, and I fully intend to make the most of the trip and learn as much as possible. I am a little nervous that my Spanish language skills will not be sufficient at first, and I am also very anxious about meeting my host family for the first time. I am worried that I will not be able to communicate with them well enough when I am meeting them and becoming acclimated to the new environment. However, I look forward to improving my Spanish, and I know that forcing myself to speak as much as possible in appropriate situations will help me to reach that goal.

Right now, I am most excited for the moment when I first get off the plane and can begin listening and reading the language. I am also very excited for initially leaving the airport and getting to see the city; I plan on seeing as much as possible in the first few days that I am there, before I meet my host family and classes start. From the picture my host family sent me, I am particularly interested in the architecture, especially the churches. Based on what I’ve heard from past participants, I’m a little worried about my attire, based on reports of extra male attention. I want to dress appropriately for the culture but I also want to be comfortable in the heat. Overall, I plan on taking a lot of pictures so that I can keep and share memories from this trip.

Hi, my name is Audrey Jones and I am studying abroad in Querétaro, Mexico as part of the five week ESOL program. I am going to be taking two 300 level Spanish language classes and an ESOL class while I am there. I am hoping to improve my Spanish language skills and learn about the culture there. I am an Education major and I am planning on getting my ESOL/Bilingual endorsement, so this trip will contribute to my program requirements. I am also getting my minor in Spanish, so I will be gaining credit toward that as well. Additionally, I will be continuing to take Spanish electives taught in Spanish once I return to Western Oregon University, so I hope that I will not lose much of the language skills I will hopefully acquire while in Mexico. Essentially, this program is very helpful for my professional and educational goals, and studying abroad anywhere has always been a personal dream for me.