Ground Rules

Before we left from Kentucky we received a sheet from our study abroad advisor with tips for our travels. It said things like...

a. Keep your passport somewhere safe and keep a copy on you at all times.
b. If you get sick report it to your travel abroad advisor.
c. Don't drink the water.

These were certainly helpful tips, but I wish I had received a sheet of groundrules for Mexico that went something like this....

No matter where you go always bring with you...
....sunscreen
....a hat
....sunglasses
....dramamine
....a few pesos for the baños 
....water*
....*Never pass up an opportunity to buy a bottle of water

Always expect
....things to take twice as long as what you first anticipate
....that the seat belts will not work

Never bring
....any expectations of control

The control over my life and my day-to-day activities that I am accustomed to, have made my time here more difficult. Like most Americans I value my privacy.
I also am more accustomed to the individualistic culture of the US. Here, the culture is more group-oriented. People will try to make sure you have access to a group. They will arrange and plan things so that you always are part of a group. They are just trying to be helpful. I am losing my mind because I want some autonomy and peace. I'm not used to making group decisions on everything. This is a serious brain-stretch.

Initially we were assigned individual language exchange partners. Almost immediately however, we began meeting daily in a group adding two other domestic students to our intercambio group besides Mayte and Enrique. This has been very beneficial to our spanish acquisition. (Mayte (left), Reina and David.)

I never know where I'm going to end up, or with whom. A few days ago David and I went to tour a permaculture site and ended up standing in the back of a pick-up truck with ten other people as it traversed a winding dirt road up a mountain. Last week we ended up playing chutes and ladders with 2 other American students in front of a crowd of 40 Mexican students. This was a favor that was 'asked'of us. It was to serve as a 'didactic' for students training to be teachers. At least 1/4th of the crowd was recording it with their phones or ipads.

I never know exactly what's going on. After meeting with our program director 4 times, I've finally given up on trying to determine exactly when my last day of classes will be. 

I never know what is appropriate. Apparently our professor bringing tequila to class to share with us is appropriate, but it's rude to tell someone you don't want to do something that they're inviting you to. It's more polite to just say yes and then make up an excuse later. It's also the little things. Looking at your watch when talking with someone signals that you don't think the conversation is worth your time. They will quickly offer you an out, which ruins the flow of a conversation if you're actually enjoying it and just wanted to know what time it was.