Mexico - Americans in Mexico

(Written Saturday the 22nd at 10:45 pm)

Today was rather a full day but most assuredly a good one. We were so thankful for the chance to sleep in as breakfast was not until 10. After very little sleep and much traveling, we all slept very well. After breakfast, we headed in to town for a day of exploring and shopping. It was a lot of fun to see the market with all of the exotic foods and sights and smells. We also got the chance to wander through several gorgeous churhces. Though some of us got a little sunburnt and a little dehydrated, it was a beautiful day to be outside exploring.

We were exceedingly conscious of our Americanness today. Every where we went, we stuck out like a sore thumb. It is such a strange feeling to be the minority. Our hosts here seem so honored to have us. Tonight we received a tour of the local fire station. All of the bomberos (firemen) were standing at attention when we walked in and were still at attention when we left.

The biggest praise for today was the bonding time we had as a team. Though we had a few weeks of training together, a lot of us felt like we were basically traveling to a foreign country with complete strangers. Today was a fabulous opportunity for us to get to know each other better before we have to start working together. It looks like God knew exactly what we needed!

-Emily