The last week of school was bittersweet because graduation was quickly arriving on Friday! To be honest, with the Intensive Spanish Program, I hit a brick wall by week eight and my brain couldn't process any more new information. Graduation was held on Friday after school. There was a group of approximately 30 graduating with me from Santa Cruz, California. They recognized each name at a time, and since I was the only independent in the room, I was getting nervous that they would forget my diploma. At the end, they had one diploma left. The president of Universidad Internacional said aloud "We have a student who came to the university as an independent and has completed eight weeks of the Intensive Spanish Program". The room got quiet and I heard some people say "whooaa". At that moment, I really felt like I had accomplished something special.
Graduating from UNINTER, Intensive Spanish Program
Without the help and patience of my professors, I wouldn't have progressed as far as I did. It is definitely an intensive program. They encourage you to speak only Spanish around school and in class. And of course I only spoke Spanish with my host family. If I didn't understand something, my professors would explain with other words in Spanish- not English. During the last two months, I went through some battles, hit some brick walls, and got so frustrated I wanted to give up. But I overcame the frustration and realized this was the best experience of my life. 
My favorite Grammar and Idiomatic Expressions professor- Felipe
Conversation teachers- Javi, Noe, Mariel, Graciela, Hatzy, and Alberto
Conversation class with students from around the world
During my time in Mexico, I became accustomed to the ridiculous traffic and driving rules, not flushing any toilet paper, dealing with bugs and spiders, taking a taxi or public bus if I wanted to go anywhere. It's a different world there and was an incredible experience. I gained more independence and was able to experience the Mexican culture because I was not with a group. I knew from day one that I could sink or swim being in a country where I didn't speak a word of the language. I remember when I met my host family and we quickly realized we couldn't communicate with each other except with charades. Within a few weeks, communication was easier even though I kept my dictionary with me wherever I went. They truly became my family and I felt like I was home.
Week nine I had planned to work at "La Casa de Viejos" which is a facility for elderly people who need assisted living. Unfortunately, I became sick the weekend before and decided it would not be a good idea to expose the residents to whatever I had. I spent part of my last week traveling with some of my Mexican friends to the city of Puebla, experiencing Mexican culture in their homes, salsa dancing and of course saying my goodbyes.
Mexico City Mission Trip
I spent the tenth week of this journey in Mexico City with my church family from Drexel. They flew down and I was able to welcome them at the airport in Mexico City. I felt like I was welcoming them into my country. It was a great reunion especially seeing my sister for the first time in almost three months. We lived and worked for a week in Nezahualcóyotl at "Pan de Vida" a foster home for children. We led Bible School for almost 150 kids daily. In the afternoons, we had a sewing class for the women in the community and a medical clinic where people could receive free medical care. We also painted several homes and curbs in the neighborhood. At the end of the week, we had approximately 40 children and adults accept Christ. My experience last year with my first mission opportunity in Mexico was really the start of this whole journey. Now a year later, I was finally able to communicate with the people who had touched my heart so deeply.
It was difficult to arrive completely alone in Mexico and be totally out of my comfort zone, but after living there for almost three months, it was just as difficult to leave.
Week nine I had planned to work at "La Casa de Viejos" which is a facility for elderly people who need assisted living. Unfortunately, I became sick the weekend before and decided it would not be a good idea to expose the residents to whatever I had. I spent part of my last week traveling with some of my Mexican friends to the city of Puebla, experiencing Mexican culture in their homes, salsa dancing and of course saying my goodbyes. Mexico City Mission Trip
I spent the tenth week of this journey in Mexico City with my church family from Drexel. They flew down and I was able to welcome them at the airport in Mexico City. I felt like I was welcoming them into my country. It was a great reunion especially seeing my sister for the first time in almost three months. We lived and worked for a week in Nezahualcóyotl at "Pan de Vida" a foster home for children. We led Bible School for almost 150 kids daily. In the afternoons, we had a sewing class for the women in the community and a medical clinic where people could receive free medical care. We also painted several homes and curbs in the neighborhood. At the end of the week, we had approximately 40 children and adults accept Christ. My experience last year with my first mission opportunity in Mexico was really the start of this whole journey. Now a year later, I was finally able to communicate with the people who had touched my heart so deeply.
It was difficult to arrive completely alone in Mexico and be totally out of my comfort zone, but after living there for almost three months, it was just as difficult to leave.
This was an experience of a lifetime. I continue to study the Spanish language and hope my future will allow me to once again connect with people, either in a Spanish-speaking country or here in the States.
Thank You's
There are many people I want to thank for their love and support this summer. I don't think I could have made it without their daily prayers and constant encouragement. Here is a thanks to all the people who checked to see if I was okay every night, people who lost sleep, people who changed their routines just so they could talk to me, people who emailed, sent letters, bought international phone cards and still had high phone bills, sent texts, had video conference calls with me on Skype, and people who even bought new phones with Skype so they could easily talk with me! And, as incredible as this journey was, I would have to agree with Dorothy, "There's no place like home!"
