This is a guest blog post from our student social media ambassador, Diana, an Auggie currently studying abroad on the semester program, Social Work in a Latin American Context.
It is hard to believe that we have been in the beautiful country of Mexico for a little over a week now. It feels much longer and I owe it to the new experiences that have been brought to us. One of the biggest highlights for me has been getting to know other students from across the US at Casa Augsburg. Along with the staff and our IRA, Diana, have played a huge role in making sure that we were all comfortable in our transition to living in Mexico for the semester. They have all been so kind and welcoming. As we’ve settled in, we have had the chance to explore our neighborhood and surrounding towns. One thing that I think we all can agree on is how the food is a big part of understanding the culture. Trying different traditional foods, apart from my mothers cooking, has been an experience that I have enjoyed.
Alongside adapting to living in a tropical climate, we have had the time to explore Cuernavaca, Morelos and Mexico City. While visiting different towns and places, my favorite has been our trip to Amatlan. We stayed for 4 days with host families, immersing ourselves in their local culture. Living in someone else’s home, helping prepare meals, and experiencing a part of their daily routine has helped us become more aware of the place in which we stood. Additionally, we have started our classes and have the privilege to hear and speak to guest speakers. Everyone is taking Spanish and a majority of us are taking social work classes. As a group, we have been learning about social work in a latin social context.
Beyond our classes, we had the opportunity to meet with IHouse students; who are Mexican students who are studying English. It created a good space for our language exchange. It has been fun getting to know them a little bit and learning from each other. One of our highlights has been going to a waterpark for a day. Every day has been so much fun and I am excited to see how our next couple of months are going to be.
