Before we get ahead of ourselves

Warning warning!!! I know in travel blogs, some of the best parts are when we get to see the pictures right? All those foods and colours that are so different than what you see back home. Oftentimes thats what draws me to a blog atleast. But I’m going to say this now: the pictures are on their way but today the post is going to be TEXT HEAVY. I’m sorry. 

To make things easier for you, I will give you a wonderful picture of what I see every time I walk into the library at my school. The first time I saw it, I was with my orientation group and nobody understood why I couldn’t stop laughing. This is what being on tumblr has done to me. Here it is:

So now that you’ve been warned can we, for a minute, pretend that I am still back home preparing to leave for this trip to Mexico? Like, pretend I’m not here in Mexico already. Imagine me in a trendy Vancouver coffee shop, thinking about my upcoming trip for one year to a foreign town. Got that? Okay,

So, I have some questions that I’ve been thinking about in said coffee shop that I am going to try to keep in mind during the year abroad.

First, why am I here? (hehe, I mean, why am I going to Mexico)

1) Well, technically I wanted to do Indigenous studies abroad but wasn’t super duper attracted to Australia or New Zealand. No offense I swear! It just seemed kinda similar to Canada in a lot of ways….mostly the whole english-speaking part. Anyways, things like the Zapatista movement were indicators that there are some badass Indigenous peeps in Mexico sooooo here I am.  No courses offered for this kind of stuff at the University here in Queretaro, but I’m pursuing that learning on my own.

2)I’m going to Mexico because I’ve never been anywhere in Latin America. It’s a part of the world I know little about.  That was why when I was choosing places to go on exchange, it was here or Turkey (both for the same reasons). I want to learn more about the people who make up like a large portion of the world population, and Mexico seems like a great jumping off point.

3) I want to see a more diverse Mexico than what we know from the media; I know there must be more to this than virgin beaches, sombreros and corrupt government/police. Other than these things though, Mexico was a pretty blank slate for me.

4) And finally…a new language!!!! A new language means being able to communicate with more people. Always a plus for me. A big plus. This fits in with my life goals of knowing how to fluently SPEAK 4 languages. Which is apparantly like no big deal in Europe.

Okay next. This is a special experience right? It’s pretty unique! So how am I going to make the best of it? How do I want to challenge myself and make the best of my time here?

First of all: SAKI, GO OUT! BE SOCIAL. Because let’s be honest here, I give off weird first impressions. I am no good at meeting people, so I tend to want to stay home in the safety of my home and afterwards wonder why I don’t go out to much. Hm.

I’m going to make mistakes. Not like #YOLO lets get pitch black drunk with tequila  on the streets of Mexico and then take a random cab home alone, like no. But like, sometimes I am paralyzed by all these options, and the need to make the BEST decision cuz shit Saki, you’re only going to be living in Mexico like this once. So just do it. Just try it. Just go! Don’t sit around mulling over whether this trip with school to Oaxaca is worth it…just try it. It might be shitty but you tried right? Just go go go. This is like anti-saki right here. I am like a sit, deliberate, go with the optimal choice kind of person.

Second: Dude. DUDE!!!!! Don’t overthink this stuff okay? Yes, it’s important to push yourself to grow, and learn as a person but seriously…you know what you need most. Try to find the balance between what feels good to you, and leaning into that discomfort. This goes for more than social situations, this means spending time just sitting and attempting to talk with your host family, and more and more and more. Balance I guess. Does this paragraph even make sense? whatevaaaaaaa

Essentially Saki, find that balance between pushing yourself, trying lots of things, being brave and also being okay with whatever happens and whatever you choose to do.

Coming up next on the bloggity blog: my weekend trip to Huasteca (where we stayed in some semi-hippie hostel teepee thing; lots of pics included!), and an introduction to my host family, and yes…what we’ve all been waiting for…A FOOD POST BIATCH! Saki out.