Nooooooooooooooo!

Even after all the ups and downs I have had here in Mexico, that was my overwhelming feeling every time I started thinking about leaving. I love Querétaro, the people, the city, the food, the shopping, the ambiance, the plazas, and the nightlife. I will miss friendly welcoming smiles, and people who open their hearts and homes to us. I will miss the beautiful cobble-stone streets, even if I trip on the sidewalks a lot. I will miss the delicious food, corn tortillas with every meal, two ice cream shops on every block, and bakeries full of warm delicious bread at all hours. I will miss the street carts full of fun trinkets, beautiful clothes, and hand-made artisan crafts. I will miss the anthros with their loud music and videos to match, with lights flashing and people dancing Cumbia in the aisles. I will especially miss el Centro with the wide plazas, gardens and fountains, filled with people all hours of the day and night, talking and playing, watching, dancing and eating; heart and soul of the city. I will even miss the stares, and feeling like I always stand out. The one thing I have decided is that somehow, someday, I am coming back.

Delicious taco.

El Globo- one of my favorite bakeries.

Street carts selling mostly food items.

Artisan crafts and trinkets

Plazas with people and music, dancing and life.

When I look back to what I was expecting coming into the trip, in some ways I was very close. The cobble-stones and a few of the buildings did remind of Europe, especially in the historic district. In other ways though, the city reminded me more of San Francisco with tall narrow houses crammed together and wrought iron bars on all windows.

I also learned that Banda is more popular in Mexico than the stereo typical Mariachi.

I’m glad that the Spanish was not as difficult or scary as I though it would be before I came. It was hard to transfer my Spanish knowledge from the classroom to day-to-day interactions, but I improved little-by-little, and I never felt completely lost or overwhelmed (though I did feel slow sometimes).