Having spent nearly two weeks in Mexico City, a vibrant culture of many layers that I am yet to discover, I have been exposed to many challenges that pushed me to grow as a person.

Firstly, I was faced with a seemingly unavoidable language barrier. Many people do not speak English in Mexico, which initially seemed to be an unsurmountable challenge. However, I found these circumstances to be a great opportunity to recover my Spanish skills I have curated during my two years doing the IB diploma. Two weeks in now, I can confidently say that I can hold most day-to-day conversations in Spanish.

During my first hours in Mexico City, I shared a very meaningful moment with Ricardo, the man who picked me up from the airport. Ricardo did not speak English, and my Spanish was not yet flowing smoothly. Despite that, Ricardo was very patient with me. We had conversations about diverse topics which I think gave me a deeper look into the human essence which transcends language. That moment left me more confident and eased off most of the worries I had coming to a new continent.

During my stay in Mexico City, I will be working with an organization called Rennueva which deals with plastic recycling. Initially, the final objective was not clear enough. However, the team of scholars working with Rennueva and I were very persistent. We asked many questions, researched the topic we will be dealing with and slowly but surely started finding the path. Thanks to our teamwork and collaboration, we have a clearer understanding of our goal and how we will get there.

For my next four weeks in Mexico, I aim to keep improving my Spanish and fully immerse myself in the local culture. I also hope to contribute meaningfully to Rennueva’s mission by bringing energy, curiosity, and teamwork to our project. Most importantly, I want to stay open to new experiences that will continue shaping my personal and professional growth.