I made it back from Mexico safe and sound! I swear, things happen on those kinds of trips that you’d never expect/imagine. Although everyone came back in one piece, I had several sick students at different points, and even spent the night in the hospital with one who had an asthma/panic attack. But, overall, the trip was actually more enjoyable than I expected it to be (seeing as it was the first time away from Rob for an extended period of time).
Here are some of the unexpected things and other surprises from the trip:
1. The tour director dropping my camera at the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico after taking a group picture, and completely breaking it
2. A waitress dropping an entire tray of soft drinks onto one of my students at a restaurant
3. Sleeping on planks (they were mattresses, but they felt like planks of wood) for 8 nights
4. Visiting the family that I lived with when in college in Guanajuato, and then leaving the house without my bag - they left the house at the same time, and the bag was locked in their house - the tour bus was leaving in 20 minutes, and it took just about that long for the neighbor and I to wake up their teenage son in order for him to let me in to get my bag. WHEW!
5. Having my students love Guanajuato so much that they didn’t want to leave!
6. Watching my students actually speak Spanish, and ENJOY it!
7. Walking through Guadalajara’s historic center, where the Gay Pride parade and festivities were going on, and also where the protest against the festivities was taking place
8. Watching the sunset on the Pacific Ocean with several of the students
9. Spending the night in the hospital with a student in Puerto Vallarta, being worried about the sick student, and not knowing if I’d be able to make the plane flight home the next morning (thankfully it all worked out)
10. Getting all of the “thank-yous” and hugs from students at the airport when we made it back to Detroit.
