This study abroad experience has changed how I view tourism both in and out of Mexico. With this in mind, this experience felt a bit different for me from other students since I am in my country I didn’t really get the full experience of being a tourist in an unknown place. However, my family is not from Yucatan or Yaxunah so I felt more in the place of the tourist in that sense. The study abroad has allowed me to look deeper into the history of colonialism and its impact on racism within Mexico, a topic that I’ve been trying to learn more about as I get more in touch with my culture. This trip has pushed me to learn more about myself and my roots. Through the Mexican-American immigrant experience, indigenous roots aren’t always discussed or given importance. My efforts to learn more about my history while in the US have only really brought me to Chicana theorists and their work, which talks about Spain’s colonization of us, however, it often fails to talk about the direct present-day repercussions of our colonization. Particularly I feel Chicano theory fails to prioritize indigenous historical figures and there is often an exclusion of indigenous groups from Chicano activism— at least in my experience. Becoming more familiar with these race politics in Mexico is something I will not only never forget but also something I will center on as I go on discovering more about my cultural identity.
