I have always been surrounded by Mexican culture, cuisine, Spanish language, music, people, etc…especially because I am a first-generation Mexican-American. I go to Mexico about two times a year, which has allowed me to feel closer to myself, my identity, and where my family comes from. The reality of it all is that I am American. I do not live the life my parents used to live or the life my grandparents and other relatives still live. I visit Acapulco and feel like a tourist because life in Mexico is so different from my life in the United States. I often think about how my life would have been if my parents hadn’t crossed the border to give my siblings and I the chance of an education and an easier life then they had in Mexico. After the trip, I feel like I have seen the reality of most people’s lives, especially after visiting museums, meeting the locals, having class discussions, etc. Ive heard the reality of the life of my parents while living in Mexico, but living here for a month and learning the history of people living in Mérida, especially indigenous Mexicans in Yucatán, opened my eyes. Specifically, all of the struggles they had to endure through racism, prejudice, colorism (which is a huge issue in mexico), etc. I learned a lot about myself, and how lucky I am to be Mexican, but it also made me realize I am still American, and that my life IS different from that of people who live there. It made me realize how lucky I am to have experienced all the luxuries my parents were able to give me that I wouldn’t have if we were still in Mexico. It made me grateful to be Mexican and learn more about the country I come from, and it also made me aware of all the things I have. I will never forget the excursions, the people I have met along the way, and the stories of locals from Mérida. This trip has truly changed me, and I will never be able to forget it, especially since this trip is something my parents would not have been able to have at my age, it is something truly special I am able to share with them.