Friday the 18th I spent sitting in the backseat of Lily´s red Subaru driving to Libres-- the exact same way I spent my second day here in México. I was weird. I started to think, to pour over all that had happened in the half-year I have lived here. Why the sudden sentimentality? Because, that morning of the 18th I had spent packing all my belongings, preparing to move away from the place I learned to call home. The time had come to change families. These past five months I have grown, suffered, passed good times and gained a new life in my dear Atlixco. Here are some notable things:
With Lily, Antonio, and Emi (and Fer), I have established, and started my life here in México. This family started supporting me from the moment I found out the city I would live in, it was Fernanda herself who sent me a 7 AM text welcoming me to Atlixco. I remember my first phone calls with bad connection and stuttering Spanish. Thanks to the five months here the Spanish has improved, although bad phone connection popped up from time-to-time. They gave me the opportunity to travel quite a bit-- and I hope they equally enjoyed playing the tourist in the different places we visited. I also absolutely loved having a cat as a pet, she has a place in my heart. We had a few rough patches as every family does, but equally as family those small slip-ups were nothing compared to the rest. Quiero decirles gracias por todo. Recuerden que son mi familia, tienen casa conmigo, y los quiero muchísimo. I had come to love our trips to Libres as well. There we spent Christmas, New Years, and several weekend trips. From my first days in August, I was accepted into the extended family- and they have watched me grow just as much as Lily, Antonio, Emi and Fer. Thanks to them for welcoming me into their family, teaching me how to dance like a Mexican and letting me help in the kitchen! My final weekend there was whirlwind-- where we crashed a Quinceñaera with a party of 20 people, and of course went for pulque again. Today marks a week living in my new house! I was welcomed last Monday by: Lupita, Juan Esteban, Geovana, and Juan. Their youngest daughter, Ivana, is currently in Brazil for her exchange. My parents are the owners of an ice factory in Atlixco, and both Geo and Juan went on exchange in their own times. I am still adjusting to the house and the people-- their miniature poodle, Marley, is an angel and reminds me so much of Cocoa. I am really looking forward to getting to know another perspective of México and all the opportunities that come from a new family. School is going well! I now am understanding everything and participate in class more. Giulia, Isadora and I continue making a fun mess of our lives and I love it. Here´s to an amazing second half, Isabel What was left out...
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While my heart will forever belong to the quesadilla....México has some pretty damn good food hiding away, down here in the volcanoes! Here are some of my favorites (so far:) Also enjoy this poem I wrote (it´s mandatory)!!!!
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AuthorHello, I’m Isabel Hogg, a Rotary Foreign Exchange Student for the 2018-2019 school year. Story 18 is a documentation of my year living in Atlixco, Puebla, Mexico.
Youth Exchange “Slang”Outbound: A person departing a country, similar to emigrant
“I am an outbound from District 5970” Inbound: A person coming to a country, similar to immigrant “I am an inbound to District 4185” District: Divisions of countries/states that organizes Rotary clubs across the world Rotex: An Exchange student who has already completed their exchange term RYE: Rotary Youth Exchange Archivos
April 2019
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