EXPECTATIONS: I have many large and small expectations for my time in Mérida, Mexico. I expect that it will be difficult to immediately adjust, but I know that I will after a few days. There is no doubt in my mind that it will be an awkward situation when I first arrive in the city, but I hope I will be well enough prepared to not make any major mistakes. I expect to learn a lot about the Mexican culture and be able to compare that to my own. I hear that you can never truly appreciate your own culture until you are placed outside of it for an extended period of time. I also expect to become very close to the group I am traveling with and make incredible memories with them. Even after only two Tuesday meetings, I’m starting to feel comfortable with a few of the students, and we all can’t wait to be together in Mérida.

STEREOTYPES: Even though I have traveled to different places in Mexico about four times, I think there are a few general stereotypes that I hold that are pretty common for many other Americans. The first stereotype that I have is that they are lazy, meaning they have no sense of urgency when completing a task or arriving somewhere on time. Another stereotype that I have is that they all drink a lot of tequila and eat tacos and burritos. One last stereotype that I have is that most men are very argumentative and do most of the work for providing for their families. I know it sounds like these are somewhat negative stereotypes, but I hope to learn the true personalities of Mexican people during winter quarter.

Merida has opened my eyes to a different type of culture that I did not know existed in Mexico. One of the most interesting things that I learned this quarter was the obvious sense of pride that the people of the Yucatan have for their region. Everything from the food to the clothing has its own style that matches the general feel of the Yucatan. Before we arrived I was worried about not being accepted well by the locals, but my fears were forgotten as I realized that everyone is persistently happy and willing to help us with anything. It was definitely a pleasant surprise.

The amount that my Spanish has improved over the past eight weeks is above and beyond any expectation or goal that I could have set. The work was difficult at times, but I honestly believe that it was worth it. I’m more confident when I speak and more relaxed during classes. I can only hope that I will continue to work on my Spanish when I return to Athens. The other expectation that I made was to gain a new group of friends, which was also successfully completed. I could not imagine going through this experience with any other group of students, and I know that we will all remain close for many years to come.