Adventure becomes reality

I was thinking the other day about how my blog is pretty much just me telling stories about the things that happen to me here in Mexico. However, I'd like to start to dig beneath the surface a bit so that I can shed some light on the truth about Mexico and it's people so that the rest of the world (mainly, the US) can put aside its prejudices and see this country for what it really is...a beautiful place full of beautiful people.

When I decided to study here, I didn't really know what to expect. I kept my mind open and decided that I wasn't going to assume all Mexicans are construction workers or work on a farm. Although Mexico is a third-world country, it has its riches and beauty just like any other place. I'm thankful to be experiencing that.

I knew studying here was a part of God's plan for me, but I didn't know how big of a part. In the first of the five weeks that I was here, I decided that the country and its people had given so much to me that I wanted to come here to live and give something back. I didn't know what that something was (I still don't know exactly, to be honest), but I knew it was what God wanted. And I was going to follow His instruction, no matter the cost.

I quickly fell in love with this city, with its perfect temperatures all year round, palm trees, sun, mountains, volcanoes, cathedrals built in the 15th and 16th centuries, streets of brick, little family-owned stores, fresh and cheap fruits and vegetables, tacos, cemitas, etc. But what I fell in love with the most was its people. One of the first things I noticed about Mexicans is that they NEVER get in a hurry. Sometimes when you are at the store and are late for something, it's pretty annoying. But when you're just walking down the street, you can see that they walk a little slower, they stop and look in the stores or buy an ice cream, and enjoy the time they spend with their family and friends. One day, I noticed all of us that went there to study were walking about ten times faster than everyone else. At first I was like, why is everyone so slow? But then I realized...I have no where to go, but I'm still walking somewhere as if my life depended on it. I think Americans are so used to being in a hurry that when they aren't in a hurry, they feel like they need to be in one. Mexico has shown me to stop a while, be still, and enjoy the beautiful world around me.

They've also taught me how to just laugh things off. Mexicans are loud and happy. And probably the most-used phrase here is "no pasa nada," which means "no big deal," or "don't worry about it." Sometimes I see small things that happen as a crisis, but when I look around me and see that I have it better than most people, I'm able to be thankful and say "no pasa nada."

I have also come to realize that Mexicans are the most generous people you'll ever meet. They are full of love and are ready to give you the shirt off their back. A lot of the holidays here include making a bunch of food and opening up your house to everyone so they can come eat. Generosity really isn't measured by the amount you give, but by the proportion of what you give to what you have. Mexicans will literally go broke, break their backs, or go hungry to help out a friend in need. They remind me a lot of the woman who gave her two coins to the church. Although to the rich it looked like nothing, to her, it was everything. What she gave meant much more than their bags of gold. I think this is probably the reason Mexicans are such a happy people.

This is just a small bit of what I've learned here. I hope to continue to share my experiences and give you guys a little taste of what I'm living...the adventure that became my reality.