It has been a little over a month since I’ve returned to the U.S., and I must admit I miss Mexico City a lot. I was really living my best life there enjoying delicious food, meeting so many amazing people, and exploring new parts of the city everyday. Just like I expected, I miss the friends I made in Mexico so very much. I miss spending evenings playing music or watching movies with them. Thankfully, we all still keep in touch.
Jose, one of my favorite people from UP, was a super cool dude. We still keep in contact through memes.
When I arrived home, I gifted all the souvenirs I bought to my family. My mother deeply appreciates the rosary I bought from the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, my sister really enjoys her new colorful wallet from the streets of Coyoacán, and my dad uses his “Viva México” mug from Chapultepec all the time. I wish I could have brought home more relics, especially clothing and artwork, but my carry-on luggage was already heavy from all the snacks I just had to bring back.
Going through U.S. Customs was a long and tiring process, but it was interesting.
It took me a couple of weeks to re-adjust back to my lifestyle previous to Mexico. Similarly to my experience arriving in Mexico, my stomach was not used to the way food was prepared, so that took time to readjust. I had a lot of time to visit downtown Chicago, and walking the streets of Chicago definitely reminded me a lot about the busy, fast-paced nature of Mexico City.
Fall quarter at Northwestern starts tomorrow, and I’m excited to get back into the swing of the academic school year. I’m looking forward to continue sharing my summer learning abroad experience with others and applying what I learned on the program to my classes!