After study abroad, I think I will be more cognizant of myself as a traveler in general. I plan to travel more in the future and I think a lot of the discussions we had showed me thoughtful perspectives on tourism. I think being in a country where I genuinely felt like I didn’t know how to speak the language was very humbling, and gives me perspectives on the struggles immigrants face trying to integrate into America. I work as a pharmacy technician and a lot of the customers only speak Spanish, so I am excited to use my new learned Spanish to make them feel more comfortable. I feel like I have gotten a lot more comfortable/ confident with my ability to speak since being in Merida.
I am very grateful for my position in America and the amount of privilege I have to be a second generation immigrant and raised in the US. I think of how my mom came to America in before high school and how crazy of a shift that was for her. I can only imagine how hard It is to integrate into a completely new country, and learn English, while trying navigate your early years in high school. Coming to Merida really allowed me to get a taste of what it is like to feel very confused all the time, and not be able to communicate with people, and feel stupid… a lot. It is truly such a struggle and I have a lot of respect for those that had to adapt to extreme changes and new environments.
I think Yaxunah is something I never wanna forget. It was a sneak peak into a lifestyle that I have never truly experienced and It was eye opening. I think living with our host family taught me a new way of life, and there are plenty of ways to live and be content.
