My trip in Mexico City began with a car ride with the other “chicos” to our host mom’s house. I think we did our first bit of bonding during that ride as we all thought that at any moment we would hit or get hit by another car. Little did we know that the streets in Mexico City were just very busy and that drivers had a style to their driving. Our van driver just had this speedy style. On this first day, we were also given a tour of the surrounding area and Universidad Panamericana (UP) by our host mom, Amalia. I really enjoyed walking through the university for the first time. It felt very safe as I saw there were many guards posted along the entrances.
Our first trip was to Teotihuacan. Wow, what a site! We had our history and culture professor, Hortensia, take us through the site as a guide. We also had the chance to climb to the top the pyramids and see the sun through little obsidian stones. Unfortunately, we forgot to bring a Northwestern flag with us like the group the year before.
Northwestern students on top of the Pyramid of the Sun
So far, my favorite part about the trip has been all the amazing people I have met. We were introduced to “cuates” who are local Mexicans studying at UP. The cuates are a diverse group that range in majors, but appear to be each other’s best friends. I have noticed that Mexicans are respectful to anyone, where they are strangers or not, and greet each other on every occasion. My host mom Amalia is one of the kindest people I have ever met and I am glad that she is hosting us.
What am I most excited for? Learning salsa through our weekly salsa lesson.