Stereotypes:

I think that my own stereotypes about Merida and Mexico are influenced by my previous experience abroad. I assume that Mexicans are generally going to eat a lot of rice and beans while they eat a spicy lunch, the biggest meal of the day, with the family during the siesta around noon. Life will be more layed back in Mexico, children with less parental supervision, teenagers out until six in the morning, drunk driving pactically legal. I believe that most Mexicans will be surprised I speak a little Spanish, and have genuine interest in me thereafter. Most likely they will be willing to talk about everything and anything, including things we consider taboo in the U.S. Of course there will be some more dangers in Mexico. Whether it is people trying to trick me or assault me, there will be some desperately poor people who want my money. In a country such as Mexico, it is bound to happen, especially to a gringo. Music and dance will be everywhere, and nobody in our program will be able to hold a candle to even the worst Mexican dancers. The indigenous people will most likely be in the lowest class, and their culture is probably fading more and more everyday. I'm sure there are many other stereotypes that I have, but these are what come to mind first.

Expectations:

The main thing I expect to get out of our trip to Merida is the acquistion of Spanish. I think that three months of being immersed in the language is really going to improve my Spanish, and I expect to be semi-fluent by the end. Besides the language, I expect to learn a lot from both my classes and the experience of living abroad. Everytime I live abroad I find myself to be a little more hardened to life. Seeing extreme poverty up close makes it impossible to deny some of the saddest aspects of life. In Merida I believe that that poverty will be entwined with the wealth, with a huge economic gap between the two. Relating to the people of the lower class is going to be important, because not only am I wealthy in my own right, I will be living with the upper class of Merida at the same time. In my previous experience, that lower class sometimes has more to offer than any other, and getting to know people in it can be some of the most profound experiences of a study abroad.  I also expect to make a lot of new friends whether they are part of our program, part of my host family, or some Mexicans I get the chance to know. I also expect to eat a ton of great food, listen to great music, learn to dance a little, and get a tan.