January came and went slowly and quietly, almost without being noticed. How can a month in another country go by without something to say? I guess this is when you know your host country is now your home. You have gotten used to everything and may have found yourself in a rut. You understand the language so when people talk it's not as tiring to listen or difficult to respond. You start to use less of your home language and might actually make a comment to your mom in skype in Spanish and she may start laughing at you. The somewhat bumpy roads and crazy driving don't face you anymore, and you begin to think how foreign everything back home will feel when you go back.
January has touched far into my intellectual side. I seem to always be in some deep thought. This is the affect of having 2 weeks alone. My first week in January I did not have school and I was packing to switch families. At this time in my exchange I was having trouble coping that switching families meant I was halfway through this book of my exchange and I still didn't feel like I had control. I made a promise to myself; I would stop surfing between friends groups in school and stick more with one group to have the best friends effect I wanted, I cut myself off from English use unless I was skyping, I was going to see the best of every situation. The second week of January I had school and then all of the other exchange students left on a trip but I did not go so I stayed home, meanwhile school was on break so I really had nothing to do. This nothing to do was in a way quite relaxing but my host parents found it quite stressful. About 5 days into the break I got sick (dizziness, nausea, fever, etc.) and that lasted until yesterday. While I was sick I basically was on bed rest and it was just me. This was the longest week and a half of my exchange. I was always thinking, "what college will I go to", "will I study abroad in college", "how will I graduate on time", "when am I going to book my ticket to come home from exchange", "I should work out for softball", "maybe I should cut my hair", "maybe I should google my symptoms", "oh no that says I could have malaria", "I should go to the doctor", "oh good it's not malaria", "ugh strep throat is the worst", "if I go home in June I can't do the graduation here or have my actual birthday here", the thoughts went on and on. After getting sick my host dad insisted we get out of the house so we went to his Mom's house. Today we will go to a super bowl party.
I am very happy to have said goodbye to January. I am hoping that February proves itself to be more eventful, and maybe I will decide if I am coming home in June or July.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Christmas Vacation
Okay so I realize that it has been an insane amount of time since I updated this blog so I am going to do a few different posts this week so that we get all caught up!
With that being said let's get started! When I last left you I had gotten through Thanksgiving but had not yet arrived to Christmas time yet. Obviously a lot has happened since then.
The most exciting thing that has happened was when I got to go to the central zone of Mexico during Christmas break with my host family. We went for over two weeks and traveled to 5 states, Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Puebla, Leon, Aguascalientes, plus the federal district, Mexico City. While on this trip we met my first host mom's side of the family and they were all incredibly nice. Leon is known for having shoes and clothes at very very good prices because there are many factories there, so we got to do some shopping and we got really good deals. We also went to Teotihuacan which is the tallest pyramid in Mexico. It was so much work to climb it but it was a really cool experience to have.
Mexico City was very beautiful although it is a bit dangerous and scary. We went to very many cool places in Mexico City! We went to "Bellas Artes" which is a theater that is very very beautiful. We also went to the "Torre Latino" (Latin Tower) which is their equivalent of the Empire State Building and we got to go to the top and it was really pretty to see how the city looked like it could go on forever.
On Christmas Eve we had our Christmas dinner and there was so much food and it was so delicious! On Christmas we didn't wake up until about 12:30 in the afternoon and the day was basically board games and eating leftovers but it was very fun too. Also on Christmas I got to Skype my whole family, (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents everyone) all together. It was a very emotional moment for me but it was so amazing that I got to see all of them on Christmas and that was honestly the highlight of my Christmas.
So that's all for now! Look forward to another one coming VERY soon!
Besos y Abrazos,
Ally
With that being said let's get started! When I last left you I had gotten through Thanksgiving but had not yet arrived to Christmas time yet. Obviously a lot has happened since then.
The most exciting thing that has happened was when I got to go to the central zone of Mexico during Christmas break with my host family. We went for over two weeks and traveled to 5 states, Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Puebla, Leon, Aguascalientes, plus the federal district, Mexico City. While on this trip we met my first host mom's side of the family and they were all incredibly nice. Leon is known for having shoes and clothes at very very good prices because there are many factories there, so we got to do some shopping and we got really good deals. We also went to Teotihuacan which is the tallest pyramid in Mexico. It was so much work to climb it but it was a really cool experience to have.
Mexico City was very beautiful although it is a bit dangerous and scary. We went to very many cool places in Mexico City! We went to "Bellas Artes" which is a theater that is very very beautiful. We also went to the "Torre Latino" (Latin Tower) which is their equivalent of the Empire State Building and we got to go to the top and it was really pretty to see how the city looked like it could go on forever.
On Christmas Eve we had our Christmas dinner and there was so much food and it was so delicious! On Christmas we didn't wake up until about 12:30 in the afternoon and the day was basically board games and eating leftovers but it was very fun too. Also on Christmas I got to Skype my whole family, (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents everyone) all together. It was a very emotional moment for me but it was so amazing that I got to see all of them on Christmas and that was honestly the highlight of my Christmas.
So that's all for now! Look forward to another one coming VERY soon!
Besos y Abrazos,
Ally
Monday, December 8, 2014
Thanksgiving?!
That's right, I have survived my first large holiday with out my family! It was a sad and homesick experience but through it I learned how much I am truly thankful for my wonderful family who is amazing and i miss so much. That being said I am so thankful for this opportunity rotary has given me. I am thankful for my friends here in Mexico as well as my friends in the USA and all over the world. I am thankful for how blessed I am in my life. I am thankful for spanish-english dictionaries, and google translate. I am thankful for all the wonderful experiences, people, and food my year abroad has brought me so far.
Well a few busy weeks have past since I last written and while I am sure a lot has happened, it is all becoming so normal that I am never so sure what to write about.
For one thing, I started a video blog on youtube, you can check out my channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmSCSf681e13fTjetu_6qsQ Basically in my video blog I talk more in depth and more frequently of my experiences here.
For the most part I have been going about my days, with everything in kind of it's own little unofficial schedule.
I am in a weird stage of learning Spanish. It's weird because some days I feel like I am just about to reach fluency and other days I feel like I will never be fluent. Also, I have begun to accidentally respond in Spanish when talking in English ahaha, or some things I will begin to think in Spanish. Obviously I'm not going around thinking about the Pythagorean theorem, or why the earth is the way it is, in Spanish. No, but little things, like oh I'm hungry, or I miss my friends, or I wish I could do something this weekend. But, little things, lead to bigger things and that is what I look forward to.
For thanksgiving I made a little thanksgiving meal for my host family and the two other exchange students in my rotary club. I made ham, mashed potatoes, apple pie, vegetables and..... (Churros) haha. It was really yummy :)
I am looking forward to having a "food party" in January and hosting that party with my friend, Johanna, from Finland. She will make some Finnish food and I will make as complete of a thanksgiving meal as I can, given that they do not have all of the same things here so some things I can not make here.
I guess that's all for now :)
Besos y Abrazos,
Allison
Well a few busy weeks have past since I last written and while I am sure a lot has happened, it is all becoming so normal that I am never so sure what to write about.
For one thing, I started a video blog on youtube, you can check out my channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmSCSf681e13fTjetu_6qsQ Basically in my video blog I talk more in depth and more frequently of my experiences here.
For the most part I have been going about my days, with everything in kind of it's own little unofficial schedule.
I am in a weird stage of learning Spanish. It's weird because some days I feel like I am just about to reach fluency and other days I feel like I will never be fluent. Also, I have begun to accidentally respond in Spanish when talking in English ahaha, or some things I will begin to think in Spanish. Obviously I'm not going around thinking about the Pythagorean theorem, or why the earth is the way it is, in Spanish. No, but little things, like oh I'm hungry, or I miss my friends, or I wish I could do something this weekend. But, little things, lead to bigger things and that is what I look forward to.
For thanksgiving I made a little thanksgiving meal for my host family and the two other exchange students in my rotary club. I made ham, mashed potatoes, apple pie, vegetables and..... (Churros) haha. It was really yummy :)
I am looking forward to having a "food party" in January and hosting that party with my friend, Johanna, from Finland. She will make some Finnish food and I will make as complete of a thanksgiving meal as I can, given that they do not have all of the same things here so some things I can not make here.
I guess that's all for now :)
Besos y Abrazos,
Allison
Saturday, November 22, 2014
3rd Month
It's crazy to think that the third month of your exchange is one fourth of the way through. It doesn't seem like it has been so long to be honest. Well, I mean in ways it does like when I look back to when I got here I think to myself "that was so incredibly long ago" but then I get into reality and I feel like it hasn't been so long.
My past month has been an ordinary month. Which I assume that's good because it means I have began to settle in. I go to school, then either go to practice for Miss JeanPi or go home and do my tiny bit of homework, then lay on my bed waiting until I fall asleep. Sometimes I get these huge rushes of homesickness but I have amazing friends in USA and Here that make it so much better (also tacos and chocolate help) On weekends lately it has been go to the supermarket and come home and watch a movie and that is it. But the weekend before Halloween I went to a costume party and danced my little heart out with some of the best friends I could have every asked for, It is crazy how different parties are here than in USA and I definitely prefer the parties here they are so much more upbeat and entertaining.
It is weird for me because when I first got here I didn't really realize many differences but the longer I am here the more differences I find. The more obvious ones like how here you greet people with a hug and a kiss on the cheek which I love more than I can explain, and in USA you just say hello. To the more "interesting" ones like the fact that here in mexico instead of poor people sitting under bridges they walk up and down the streets and knock on your car windows for money. Although there are many cultural differences here, you find that people are still people, they eat, cry, sleep, get angry. And through it all I can say over all Mexicans are some of the most caring people I met it makes it to where I am not afraid to cry because I am so homesick in the middle of school because everyone is there to be my shoulder to cry on.
I understand the USA and Mexico don't have the best relationship. It's just something about being neighbors. I know I don't always get along with my neighbors in Dallas haha. Because of all the stereotypes I had heard about mexico before I came I was a bit nervous to say the least. But the stereotypes really mean nothing I love it here, the way of life, the food, the personalities, and the way that everyone is so accepting. I believe also that I have broken many American stereotypes for the people here. I had a friend here tell me that she thought every person from the USA was very selfish, conceited, and unfriendly, after she began to tell me how surprised she was that I was so nice, and friendly, and really cared about other people.
MISS JEAN PIAGET HAS PASSED!
I guess this really just means I have watched another chapter of my exchange close right before my eyes. Yes, it's true, that last Thursday was the big day, the competition, the performance, the day I, along with 14 other girls, would dance and model in front of a crowd and on live TV. You could bet your butt I was nervous. I have to say that I honestly believe that this will be one of the best memories I will have here and I am beyond happy I decided to do it. I met 14 amazing girls and became very great friends with them. They helped me to learn Spanish and made sure I always knew what was going on. I couldn't be more thankful for Mafer Torres, my best friend here, I am beyond blessed that Miss JeanPi had made us best friends because without here I really don't think it would have been possible for me to finish the whole thing, and she always believes in me.
My past month has been an ordinary month. Which I assume that's good because it means I have began to settle in. I go to school, then either go to practice for Miss JeanPi or go home and do my tiny bit of homework, then lay on my bed waiting until I fall asleep. Sometimes I get these huge rushes of homesickness but I have amazing friends in USA and Here that make it so much better (also tacos and chocolate help) On weekends lately it has been go to the supermarket and come home and watch a movie and that is it. But the weekend before Halloween I went to a costume party and danced my little heart out with some of the best friends I could have every asked for, It is crazy how different parties are here than in USA and I definitely prefer the parties here they are so much more upbeat and entertaining.
It is weird for me because when I first got here I didn't really realize many differences but the longer I am here the more differences I find. The more obvious ones like how here you greet people with a hug and a kiss on the cheek which I love more than I can explain, and in USA you just say hello. To the more "interesting" ones like the fact that here in mexico instead of poor people sitting under bridges they walk up and down the streets and knock on your car windows for money. Although there are many cultural differences here, you find that people are still people, they eat, cry, sleep, get angry. And through it all I can say over all Mexicans are some of the most caring people I met it makes it to where I am not afraid to cry because I am so homesick in the middle of school because everyone is there to be my shoulder to cry on.
I understand the USA and Mexico don't have the best relationship. It's just something about being neighbors. I know I don't always get along with my neighbors in Dallas haha. Because of all the stereotypes I had heard about mexico before I came I was a bit nervous to say the least. But the stereotypes really mean nothing I love it here, the way of life, the food, the personalities, and the way that everyone is so accepting. I believe also that I have broken many American stereotypes for the people here. I had a friend here tell me that she thought every person from the USA was very selfish, conceited, and unfriendly, after she began to tell me how surprised she was that I was so nice, and friendly, and really cared about other people.
MISS JEAN PIAGET HAS PASSED!
I guess this really just means I have watched another chapter of my exchange close right before my eyes. Yes, it's true, that last Thursday was the big day, the competition, the performance, the day I, along with 14 other girls, would dance and model in front of a crowd and on live TV. You could bet your butt I was nervous. I have to say that I honestly believe that this will be one of the best memories I will have here and I am beyond happy I decided to do it. I met 14 amazing girls and became very great friends with them. They helped me to learn Spanish and made sure I always knew what was going on. I couldn't be more thankful for Mafer Torres, my best friend here, I am beyond blessed that Miss JeanPi had made us best friends because without here I really don't think it would have been possible for me to finish the whole thing, and she always believes in me.
The reveal of our photo shoot pictures
Our dance we worked 2 months on together. Special thanks to Rodrigo our choreographer.
Some of my lovely friends and I after the event
During the modeling part
Also a holiday has passed. The first of November was "Dia De Muertos" It was very interesting to get to see this holiday in person.
I guess I should explain the makeup. We are supposed to be "Catrines and Catrinas" "Dia de Muertos" means day of the dead. This day is when they celebrate their loved ones who have died. The catrines and catrinas are supposed to be people who are dead. They are traditionally not allowed to speak. Also on this day they put altars in their houses and put photos of their loved ones who have died along with things they liked and food they liked. I put my friend in our altar.
For now that is it. I will really try to update more often if I can :)
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Cancun!
First of all I want to apologize for how long it has been. My life has had many complications these past few weeks.
Cancun is perfect and beautiful in every way. I wish I could have stayed longer but no amount of time would have been enough. Cancun is a paradise like no other and better than I could have ever imagined. To make Cancun even better I spent it with 71 of the worlds best exchange students from around the world. It was such a wonderful and beautiful place to meet all the other students in my district. I now have 71 new friends from multiple different countries although over half of our students are from Brasil and Germany. In our district there are 5 other students from the USA and they are pretty darn great!
Cancun is perfect and beautiful in every way. I wish I could have stayed longer but no amount of time would have been enough. Cancun is a paradise like no other and better than I could have ever imagined. To make Cancun even better I spent it with 71 of the worlds best exchange students from around the world. It was such a wonderful and beautiful place to meet all the other students in my district. I now have 71 new friends from multiple different countries although over half of our students are from Brasil and Germany. In our district there are 5 other students from the USA and they are pretty darn great!
I think my favorite part about Cancun other than the people was getting to swim in the warm water of the Caribbean. It was the first time I have ever seen it let alone swim in it and I did it without knowing haha. When someone told me it was the Caribbean I was so excited I just started jumping and hugging them.
Other than Cancun with school, friends, and after school activities I have found myself quite the busy little girl although I like to think you are never busy enough until you can't possibly fit any more into your schedule. I have recently been talked into something called Miss JeanPi. Miss JeanPi, for the majority of you who do not know, is like Miss America but for my school, and it's a really big deal. When I signed up for this, I was so beyond terrified. It was so out of my comfort zone to be the center of attention and to speak in front of a crowd, PLUS IT WAS IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE! However, Miss JeanPi has turned out to be one of the best experiences here and it's just getting started. I am so happy that with this exchange I keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone. It is allowing me to do some many things I would never have had the courage to do in the USA. I have found that here I have been able to come completely out of my shell. After all, I do have to make mistakes and get laughed at daily because of the "learning a new language" thing. In the beginning I was thinking of Miss JeanPi as alternative Prom for me this year.... WELL I was wrong. This year Miss JeanPi is a serious show. We are dancing, talking, and in character the WHOLE time. This is incredibly difficult and stressful for the girls who speak fluent Spanish so imagine how I feel. Although it has been a struggle it is building such character in me and making me all around more outgoing and okay with myself. One thing I love about Miss JeanPi is getting to parade around a big stage with some girls I have become very close with while eveyone is cheering for us and supporting us while we get to wear various extravagant costumes and dresses. It is a day for us to be on top of the world and I am so very excited for it.
I am so grateful for my amazing friends here. They have supported me through every up and down I have had here and every situation where I don't know what to say they help me through it. I am honestly thankful for every single friend I have met here because there are just so many of them and they are so patient with me and even when they laugh at my Spanish I know that they really want to help me learn. one thing that makes my friends here so amazing is that they want to help me to have the best exchange experience possible. They are always inviting me to go with them to try new foods, and see new places in the city, and even though I have only been able to go with my friends once they still continue to ask me to go with them.
I am also so grateful for my rotary clubs here and in the USA. They have been wonderful and so supportive to me. Always asking me how I am doing and I can tell they are truly concerned. I have truly been blessed with such an amazing and supportive group of clubs who always are there for me. Also for the AMAZING FOREVER friends I have met who are other exchange students and who are dealing with all of this at the same time as me.
I could never be more thankful to The Rotary Club Of Salem for sponsoring my exchange, and to the Dallas Rotary Club for treating me as one of their own, also to the Rotary Club Villahermosa Olmeca for taking me in for this amazing year. I am eternally grateful for this experience that is so wonderful.
USA students in Rotary District 4195
Johanna, a girl from Finland, and I in Cancun
The most adorable little animal everrrr
Representing USA at the beach in Cancun
WHITE SAND
I really love Cancun
The wind did not cooperate so well...
Darn Wind
Barbara, from Brasil, and Toko, from Japan as we head of the the beach in Cancun
Small cup of coffee or is Ina, from Germany, a GIANT?
Being a tourist
Palapa getting prepared for the Mexican Fiesta
We may be sideways but we are still pretty cool like this
Ugh Cancun could you be more beautiful???
Rotarians can be silly too
My new found Finnish friends
Other than Cancun with school, friends, and after school activities I have found myself quite the busy little girl although I like to think you are never busy enough until you can't possibly fit any more into your schedule. I have recently been talked into something called Miss JeanPi. Miss JeanPi, for the majority of you who do not know, is like Miss America but for my school, and it's a really big deal. When I signed up for this, I was so beyond terrified. It was so out of my comfort zone to be the center of attention and to speak in front of a crowd, PLUS IT WAS IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE! However, Miss JeanPi has turned out to be one of the best experiences here and it's just getting started. I am so happy that with this exchange I keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone. It is allowing me to do some many things I would never have had the courage to do in the USA. I have found that here I have been able to come completely out of my shell. After all, I do have to make mistakes and get laughed at daily because of the "learning a new language" thing. In the beginning I was thinking of Miss JeanPi as alternative Prom for me this year.... WELL I was wrong. This year Miss JeanPi is a serious show. We are dancing, talking, and in character the WHOLE time. This is incredibly difficult and stressful for the girls who speak fluent Spanish so imagine how I feel. Although it has been a struggle it is building such character in me and making me all around more outgoing and okay with myself. One thing I love about Miss JeanPi is getting to parade around a big stage with some girls I have become very close with while eveyone is cheering for us and supporting us while we get to wear various extravagant costumes and dresses. It is a day for us to be on top of the world and I am so very excited for it.
A view looking down from the second story of my school out to part of where we get to enjoy our breaks
Some of my friends participating in Miss JeanPi after our first time speaking in front of our school
As we were going shopping for one of our dresses
Practicing our dance for Miss JeanPi
I am so grateful for my amazing friends here. They have supported me through every up and down I have had here and every situation where I don't know what to say they help me through it. I am honestly thankful for every single friend I have met here because there are just so many of them and they are so patient with me and even when they laugh at my Spanish I know that they really want to help me learn. one thing that makes my friends here so amazing is that they want to help me to have the best exchange experience possible. They are always inviting me to go with them to try new foods, and see new places in the city, and even though I have only been able to go with my friends once they still continue to ask me to go with them.
Me, my friend from Finland, and our friend "learning" in class
So happy that I have such a good friend who is also an exchange student and is in my school
Nicolas and Victor!
My group of 3rd semester is by far the craziest
Charitoooooo
friends of History of Art for 3rd semester
friends o history of art for 5th Semester
WE. ARE. CUTE.
We make good masks in History of Art
I am also so grateful for my rotary clubs here and in the USA. They have been wonderful and so supportive to me. Always asking me how I am doing and I can tell they are truly concerned. I have truly been blessed with such an amazing and supportive group of clubs who always are there for me. Also for the AMAZING FOREVER friends I have met who are other exchange students and who are dealing with all of this at the same time as me.
One of the rotarians gave the other exchange students and I the opportunity to go to a party at his house on the gulf
The other exchange students and I enjoying the gulf
Some of the exchange students after falling of "the banana" which is a large floaty that holds I believe 6 or 7 people and you are pulled behind a boat. It is so fun!
The walk for peace we got to do with Rotaract
Exchange students hold my heart
I love when I get time with my exchange friends (Bowling)
fyi: Bowling is so fancy here
Rotary meetings!!!
I could never be more thankful to The Rotary Club Of Salem for sponsoring my exchange, and to the Dallas Rotary Club for treating me as one of their own, also to the Rotary Club Villahermosa Olmeca for taking me in for this amazing year. I am eternally grateful for this experience that is so wonderful.
Miscellaneous photos :)
Villahermosa is sooooo pretty
Host dad is BRAVE
Me and Claudia enjoy to take selfies with ancient artifacts
monkeys are cute
My favorite Italian girl! TACOS ARE SO GOOD
More tacos. sorry not sorry. they are heaven
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