My expectations for the Merida, Mexico trip for this coming winter quarter are fantastic! I expect to meet head-on an entirely new culture and embrace it. I hope to create a strong, lasting bond with my host family as well as the members on this trip. Also, I would love to do well in my classes and come home much more fluent in Spanish than I am when I leave the states.
My stereotypes about the people living in Mexico are that they are much more friendly and personable than people that live in the U.S. I have heard some of the men can be too personable and should be careful around them though. From pop culture, I have the ideas they drink a lot more than we do too.
My expectations for the Merida, Mexico trip have been met! I am so happy with the improvement of my spanish. I feel like I still have a ways to go, but after spending quality time with my wonderful, loving host family, eating amazing Mexican food and enjoying time walking around the city and other beautiful Mexico cities, I know I will return.
My stereotypes were not completely off the mark, however the Mexican lifestyle is much different than I expected it to be. Everyone is really friendly and always willing to help out. We did prove the men are a little too friendly as they whistled to us every morning and afternoon. Still, their lifestyle is much more relaxed than ours and includes much more family time.