The first couple of weeks in Mexico were a whirlwind. It started off a bit rocky at the airport because as usual I overpacked for this trip and had to manage rolling two large suitcases and a mini suitcase around the Mexican airport. After overcoming this hassle and finally arriving to my host home, I felt more at ease. There are 4 people in my home. My host mother Aida, my host dad, Robert, and their two children Nicole and Priscilla. Everyone in the house welcomed me and my roommate with open arms. I was still a bit scared of the language barrier that I would have to face and expressed to my host family that I spoke very little Spanish (I was also nervous because the kids mainly spoke to us in Spanish). Thankfully, my host family was very understanding and was patient with me when communicating.
Classes began the day after arriving in Mexico. On the first day, we meet a few students who were serving as our “guides”. They gave us a tour of the University and made sure to emphasize that they were there to help us whenever we needed it. I have classes Monday through Thursday and have field trips associated with my history class on Fridays. There are two, 2 hour classes each day. The professors, except for my Spanish professor, usually vary day by day as well as the subject that is taught. Classes are very interesting because they are taught by individuals who are professionals within their field. Therefore, I am able to get a comprehensive background and a thorough lesson on the topic. I am excited to dive deeper in my classes and take more field trips around the city!
![](https://sites.northwestern.edu/ipd-mexico/files/2018/08/IMG_1826-1d9szt4-e1533144139284-225x300.jpg)