First Impressions of Mexico

“I can’t believe I get to live here” – is all I’ve been thinking as we’ve been exploring the cities and sights around us here in Mexico this week. But even walking outside of our gates to our house, the poverty is undeniably evident here, and one begins to wonder if Mexicans have the same thought when they walk out their door in the morning. Honestly – doubtful. Considering I live in Canada, have free health care, and my house is a lot bigger than those here, and I don’t skip out the door blown away by the beauty of the trees and the birds that day.  I guess what I’m trying to say is: Mexico is a beautiful place, and I hate to think that some of the people here haven’t even been to see the gorgeous beach a couple miles from their house because they have to work every day. At first, this thought made me sad. I thought everyone here must be very stressed out all the time, trying to make ends meet, working day in and day out. But then I started looking at people’s faces as I walked down the street. Almost every person you come across, no matter how young or old, will offer you a smile.

Walking into a store, the storekeeper always says “hola!” and the overall atmosphere is so much more welcoming than I am used to. It’s hard to wrap your head around people being so much more welcoming, happy and friendly in a place where the social and economical issues alone are unfathomably worse than at home in Canada – where people are not per so unfriendly, but if you walked down the street smiling and saying hello to everyone… some people would enjoy it, while others might think you just escaped from the looney bin. I can’t wait to start actually working with the people here, and learning more and more about them and their ways of life. I still can’t believe I get to live here!

~ Alex, a School of Leadership student just beginning her first semester in Mexico.