Karen and I at Naranjero's Baseball game with Beto, the Coyote, mascot
Karen, Andres, and I
Michelle’s Visitor
This past week, I had the opportunity to come to Hermosillo and visit Michelle. “Who am I?” You must be thinking. I am a friend of Michelle’s from Denver. I first got to know Michelle when I moved to Denver just over four years ago. Anyway, I am a middle school math teacher who had a week off and was excited to use my Spanish and get a chance to see Michelle in Mexico. I studied Spanish in college as well as spent a semester in Honduras, so coming to Mexico was something that immediately excited me and what better excuse than to come and visit a friend!
So, why am I writing on her blog? Well, we thought it would be interesting for me to write in her blog as a foreigner’s perspective on a foreigner’s life in foreign country! So, I am going to try and give you some insights and share things that I have appreciated seeing and learning that Michelle might not think of. It has been extremely fun to see her life here and meet the people she comes in contact with every day, so with that, there are three things that I have to share with you.
- Michelle knows a lot of people here in Hermosillo! Every where we went I was introduced to somebody new. It was crazy to me how many people she knows from class, church, her family, and just random friends! She is well connected! She had people she would just run into, call, or send text messages to. What was even more impressive to me was that most of the people she interacts with are Mexican, not other people from the U.S. She is embracing the culture, people, and way of life here in Mexico. She hasn’t been afraid to make friends, fit in, and be part of life here. It has been so fun to me to come to a country and meet locals and be a part of their everyday life; going to classes, parties, eating dinner, getting rides, and having conversations.
- Michelle SIEMPRE esta usando su español. Michelle is always using her Spanish! This became apparent when all of her friends would give her a hard time about talking in English with me this week. Seriously, all of her friends asked her if she was going to speak English with me! I realized that I should be extremely thankful that she was willing to take a break from Spanish despite the fact that I was able to speak and understand Spanish. Apparently it is common knowledge here that Michelle won’t speak, write, or listen to things in English, even with other people from the United States! It’s her rule! She is here to learn, study, and practice Spanish, and that is what she is doing, hard core! Very Impressive! (Although she did admit that it was nice to have a break from Spanish this week and not have to think about every word she said.)
- I have been blown away by Michelle’s courage and confidence. After seeing Michelle’s life here and talking with her about many things, I was constantly blown away by what she is doing. I have thought to myself over and over, wow! Some of the things I had heard about and read on her blog, but they struck me strongly while here. Here are some of those wow moments..
- She came and is here by herself, not knowing anyone! Everyone she knows she has met in the last three months.
- Michelle had to find a place to live all by herself! Yes, look in the newspaper, make phone calls, visit houses, meet strangers, all in Spanish! I speak Spanish and this freaks me out!
- Michelle doesn’t have a network of people who speak English. In fact she doesn’t even know or want to know if people speak English. She is disciplined enough to not use English even when should could!
- Things are different and can be uncomfortable and it doesn’t phase her.
- Michelle is confident. She doesn’t let the fact that she is a gringa in Mexico change who she is or what she does. Yet, people are comfortable with her, accepting, and welcoming
Although, I miss Michelle in Denver, it is great and amazing to see what she is doing here in Mexico. I don't feel as if she is so far away now that I know what an amazing new world she is a part of.
