Week of June 4

There’s a first time for everything. For me it was traveling internationally and being able to take part in an internship. This experience alone was one of the best choices I’ve ever decided to make. I had a tough semester and getting myself together for this trip seemed overwhelming. Week one was the ice breaker. I was getting to know everyone in my travel group and the Human connections staff. I didn’t have too much of an idea of how Mexico was going to be so I kept an open mind. The entire area in Bucerias was beautiful and our hotel had the luxury of being along the beach. The balcony at the hotel had a spectacular view of the entire bay of Puerto Vallarta. One night I was extremely lucky enough to spot a cruise ship sailing across the bay at the night. The entire month was a bonding process for all who came. Weeks one, two, and three were definitely enjoyable and it seemed as if we were a small family in the end. The Human Connections staff were some of nicest people I’ve ever met. Elly, Cascade, Maya and Kenzie were very enthusiastic throughout the whole experience. They informed us about where to eat, where to travel to, how to communicate with the locals and how to be a responsible tourist. The only thing they couldn’t teach us was how to drive in the city. All the motor vehicle laws seemed to be backwards from what I was used to in the United States. For example, if one wanted to make a left turn they would need to be in the right lane way ahead of time. This was extremely confusing but I caught on over time. I am one whole loves food so every where we ate I never had any issues. They kept us fed 75% of the time and finding food was easy.

                I believe the goal that we all had in common was to survive until the end. Not everything was sweet. We hit a couple bumps along the way, but everyone turned out fine. EntreAmigos was the gamechanger of the trip. We went from Airconditioned hotel with a pool and beach nearby to summer camp dorm room. In my opinion, heat and the weak signal of the WiFi was the only issue I had with EA. Some nights were intensely hot but we were lucky enough to have personal fans and outlets in the bunk beds. At night there were a few bugs but never in my bed. One night I seen an Iguana chewing on the sheets of my colleague. EA was an old meat factory that got transformed into a center/daycare and it was open to the public. It was my first time seeing a building that was made of 75% recycled material. The bathrooms had walls of recycled bottles and barrels as urinals which was completely creative. It was convenient for the women with children because it had a built-in daycare and computer lab. It also had a library area, kitchen and sales area. Nicole, Marianna, Sarah and Plantate were amazing individuals. Their classroom settings were professional and informative for me and others. I learned a lot from the leadership program. I realized I was missing confidence behind the scenes. The workshops were held in the freezer room which had A/C which made it a conducive learning environment. Nicole invited us all to her home and we ate dinner on the roof and had a nice view of the sunset. I believe EA was located in San Pancho. A city built in the jungle/rainforest. On one excursion to a hidden beach I remember seeing small crabs running across the street. This was shocking and hilarious. We were warned about the scorpions but I didn’t see any. This experience opened my eyes to what third world countries were like and I had good time. It was sad that it came to an end and to see everyone leaving. I think everyone was ready to go but honestly I’d go back and visit before summer is over. With this experience I feel I gained a lot of insight for my future. I learned how to be a responsible tourists, logistics, confidence and good qualities in becoming a leader. I admit I missed being home in my apartment but I really miss the vibes in Mexico. I will carry this experience with me forever and hope to put all the new knowledge to use in the real world. I also want to be eco-friendly and spread the word to others. I’m glad this trip was a success and I hope to find more opportunities similar to it.