Ally's Exchange Journey: August 2014

When they told me it was going to be a bumpy ride I could have never imagined what it was truly like, and I'm just getting started. Since I have started my exchange I have experienced emotional and physical highs and lows.
When I arrived at the airport I was honestly in denial that all of this was happening. Some of my friends came to see me off, my family of course, and two amazing Rotarians I had met on this journey. It was very difficult for me to leave, but it was even more difficult for me to read all my letters on the plane. My plane ride to Houston was basically all me crying wondering what have I gotten myself into and how could I have left the most caring family and friends for a year. To me that was my first slap in the face of reality and good thing it hit me when it did because when I arrived to Mexico I had a very large welcoming committee of new faces and it was important that i was happy. Which I was, I was so happy and so in shock of where I actually was it was a great night.
Once I arrived I had one week of summer before school started. My one week of summer was spent preparing for school, practicing my Spanish, trying new and weird foods, and exploring a little downtown with my host sisters. My first day of school was probably the most terrifying experience of my life. Not to mention how lost I was. When I got to the school I first walked into the middle school INSTEAD of the high school so they directed me to the high school. Next I walked upstairs to find my Principal standing there speaking rapid fast Spanish to me and a few students. I of course was so shocked I forgot every word I ever knew in Spanish and mumbled like an idiot. That was followed by waiting for 20 minutes in the principals office for my teacher (who spoke no English) to walk me to the class. During this time people were staring, pointing, and saying a million different words I did not know. First class it takes about 15 minutes for one girl to break from the crowd of people staring at the "Gringa" (or white girl) sitting alone, to come sit by me. She asked me my name and I told her and I said I was an exchange student. Fast forward a few days and I have an amazing group of close friends that I would never trade. They are truly amazing and are good at English which at first was good then I realized that I would never learn Spanish if they kept speaking to me in English so I asked them plus my whole class and other people to speak Spanish to me so I can learn. So far that has lead to multiple awkward moments but I have just learned to laugh at myself because the other person is usually either laughing or just as awkward as I am. So far in school whenever someone new talks to me, they have the same remark "Everyone is staring at you" which I didn't really notice until everyone started bringing it up. One day I had a group of people I had never met scream my name to go talk to them which I did until the bell rang, then they proceeded to chant my name and walk me to the class... VERY loudly. It is weird to get so much attention, but I really LOVE it. Being the "talk of the school" or the "celebrity" has been a blast and quite the experience.
Outside of school, I have been keeping my taste buds busy with all this incredibly good new food, but also realizing, here their American food is no where hear as good as our American food. Especially McDonald's, that is a mistake I will only make once. I have attended two Rotary parties since I have gotten here and have met some other exchange students too. Including one who goes to my school, Johanna. The craziest thing I have eaten here is Chicheron. It is Fried Pig Skin. I ate in in a taco but I had no clue what it was the person just said it was pig. Once I knew what it was I was quite sick to my stomach but it was pretty good. This experience is truly amazing and though I get homesick a lot more than I thought I would, I would not trade this experience. I can already tell this year is going to be full of so many new things and great friends to share it all with.

Leaving my home in Oregon for a year.