Hermosillo Hospitality

One of the most striking things to me so far has been the hospitality this city has given me. From the beginning, the University´s Education Exchange program has demonstrated a extemely warm welcome. From picking me up from the airport to having a place to live until I find my own place (up to a month!), they have made the transition easy.
Next, I encountered the helpfulness of the locals. As we learn our way around the city, people are always willing to give us directions or help us get to our next spot. (I was initially worried about asking for help as that meant I didn´t know my way around and would feel vulnerable. However, in requesting their help, I have always felt safe and in truth, am probably more safe for asking.)
Then, there is Hermosillo´s hospitality at the University. Every professor, when I have approached them about extra help or to explain the concerns I have with my comprehension, has made me feel at ease with their understanding and willingness to work with me. Furthermore, the students have also demonstrated kindness and helpfulness, be it rides home, copying lecture notes, brining previous course material to catch me up to speed, etc.
The students once again demostrated this past Thursday. When my classmates in Mexican Lit. III found out it was my birthday via Veronique, they all gave me their congratulations. After class, I was talking with two of them while waiting for Veronique. They lameneted the fact that they didn´t bring me a cake. So instead, they suggested going out for dinner to celebrate. So six of them, along with my house mates, and the professor ended up having dinner and drinks at a great local restaurant. One of them, Marta, gave me two books (which is a great gift as it is practical for class, appropriate for my enjoyment of reading, and extra special in the fact that most of our school reading is photocopies of books). They were all students I didn´t know very well and aren´t the ones I have connected with in class. However, despite that, they took me out to dinner and celebrated with me. What a beautiful gift!
As I have reflected on the town´s generousity and hospitality, I have been reminded of how I fail often in this area. Sure, some of you might disagree. However, that´s because you are friends and family and I tend to do a slightly better job because of our relationship. Even so, I have often still respond or act out of self interests or selfishness. With stangers or even people I know, but am not close friends with, I am much worse. I often ignore them or keep the interactions at arm´s length, protecting myself. Here, I am a stranger and yet I have been treated with open arms. I am humbled both as an individual, but also as a representive of the US. They surely have given me a lesson in hospitality. I hope some of it rubs off on me.

I´ve arrived!

Apropriate view, don´t you think?

Hi all...I´ve arrived (on Sunday the 5th). The last week was a rollarcoaster. I really enjoyed being in WY with my family, but since I had no more details to wrap up, I also had a lot of time to worry about the huge adventure I´ve undertaken. So needless to say, I was quite anxious. The day of the flight I was calm in the morning and calm until I got to Phoenix. Then I had to leave security, go to another terminal, get a ticket since it was another airline, and go back through security, and try to grab a bite to eat, all in an hour and a half. Thankfully, the flight was slightly delayed! I arrived in Hermosillo, only to find that my luggage didn’t come. Juan, a university staff who was picking me up, thankfully was still waiting for me an hour after I went to report the lost luggage. After we went to Walmart (who know!) to buy some basic supplies like a toothbrush, I was dropped off to a big, nice, but empty house and had 5 hours to kill by myself. Again, just felt fearful and lonely, but went and bought a phone card and ate dinner. Yesterday, Monday, I met Andrés who is another student who is staying at the house. He waited and accompanied me during the day as we took a tour of the University, went and bought myself a cell phone. So it was nice to have someone to be there, who at least is in a similar situation and doesn't know anyone, but also knows the culture and language better than I when I have a question about how things work. Today is another day of finding things to do. The university said to wait on looking for housing until the other students come, so we have a day of no activities planned. Gives me time to blog! Sorry about all the details!

I definitely might have overpacked. Three suitcases and a bike!