Good Morning Mexico!
“How long are you in Mexico?”
Me: I’m not sure, maybe one more month.
“That is fantastic! Isn’t it great here?”
Me: Absolutely, we love it! The weather is amazing, the people are incredibly friendly, and the cost of living is so agreeable. What more could you ask for?
An hour bus ride outside of Mexico City sit the remains of a 2000 year old city, Teotihuacan. Predating the Aztec empire by 1000 years or more, the people of Teotihuacan believed that the universe and man originated from a cave under the city. Temples to various gods were constructed along the 2 mile long Avenue of the Dead, with the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon being the largest.
The process of becoming immersed in another culture and a new language certainly results in learning about the culture and language, as well as increased independence and self confidence. It is nearly impossible to travel intentionally, with its continual stretching of comfort zones, and not grow in some way.
For those open to it, there is something even more valuable: it will challenge unconscious assumptions about your own culture and personal values.
At 6:30 this morning, we were awoken by the sound of gunfire. It sounded as if several rapid-fire weapons were fired in unison, and then continued in bursts over the next hour or so. Over the past few days, we had observed several military vehicles and soldiers patrolling the city, and rumors of an assault by the federal government upon a weakened drug cartel had my half-asleep mind spinning wild images of tourists caught in the crossfire. (more…)
