I have completed the first week in Mexico City ! Everything so for has exceeded my expectations. Upon the first day landing, we were so excited to explore the city and try authentic Mexican food. Our Airbnb is located in a great spot surrounded by restaurants, stores, and super close to La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM). We ate great food and and had impactful moments connecting with the new culture and language. It was a great start to kick off a really fun rest of the week.

The following days we had the chance to explore the great city. We went to the Centro histórico and visited the plaza in Zócalo. Considering that Mexico City is around 1,500 km², these two paces only made a small dent into all of the exploring we plan to do. Throughout the city we encountered many landmarks, cultural events, and such welcoming, understanding locals. Moreover, we had a chance to visit UNAM and see the vibrant campus. I am so thankful and excited to be working with such inviting, kind colleagues at UNAM. I feel very confident and excited to run my experiment within their lab spaces.

The last few days have been the most impactful for my Spanish-speaking abilities. I do have my Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish, but I have never traveled to a Spanish-speaking country. So this experience has allowed my Spanish to improve ten-folds. It’s so interesting comparing the dialects Spanish that I am familiar with and creating new connections and building my knowledge of Spanish. Although I don’t want to think about the ending of this experience, I know I will be leaving with bounds of wisdom.

In closing, I am super excited to see what’s to come.

Eslayamos ! (Our wonderful affirmation/cheer we created)