Stereotypes: 

A few stereotypes that I have about Mexico and Mexican culture are first, that much of Mexico is rather lawless, that many people get away with more misdemeanor type crimes involving alcohol, drugs, robbery, etc. Also, it seems that lately there have been many greater crime issues especially that of murder and drug trafficking in the northern border towns of Mexico. Another stereotype I have is that Mexico is a very machismo society. Meaning that it is very aggressively male dominated. I also have the idea that Mexico has more racial inequality due to the less defined lines of European, Indigenous, or African descent. Along with with that I think that Mexico also has fewer institutions dealing with these things and that Mexico, has the backwards motto of guilty until proven innocent. Other than that, I feel that many Mexicans resent Americans for their government as well as overall arrogance and see college aged Americans as arrogant, careless, rich, wild, party animals like seen in many movies and also popularized by media and songs in the US. 

Expectations:

My expectations for this study abroad experience in Merida are all encompassing and limitless. I expect to have a new and wonderful experience as soon as I set foot on the ground at Cancun. I hope to be immersed into a whole new culture at that point, and then even more so when I escape the touristy area when I arrive in Merida. All the while, enjoying the long bus ride with classmates and seeing the foreign flora and fauna. I then expect to meet my host family, do some exploring of the city and settle in after an exciting first day. From then on I plan to exert myself in class as much as possible learning everything I can while I am in this wonderful school setting and completely throw myself into the culture of Merida. I expect my host family to get along marvelously and together we can learn very much from one another and they can help me to understand the culture, language, and traditions of the Yucatan. I can not fully say what all of my expectations are because I just expect to have the best time of my college career and experience something completely new, foreign, and different to me.  My main expectation is for this to be a life changing experience for me.