Ready, Set, Go!

After a day of meeting up in the gateway airports of Houston and Miami or flying through other cities, we arrived in Yucatán on Sunday night, a little tired, but full of excitement.  CIEE Center Staff and our host families were waiting with smiles to meet us and bring the students to meet their new home stay family, eat a homecooked meal and settle into their own bedroom.  During our orientation on Monday, we learned about the city of Mérida, local norms, the academic program, student life activities and all the ways students will be immersed in the Mexican culture.  Even though classes are online this first week, everyone was excited to meet in groups in the afternoon in parks around the city.  It was time for games ~ in Spanish ¡claro! We have been fortunate to be able to enjoy milder than normal temperatures, but we still brought our hats, our sombrillas (umbrellas) and our sunblock. There was lots of shade and all the parks have overhead structures to shelter us from the light, brief rainfall. The most fun?  For many, it was talking in pairs to the local people using guided questions. Others most enjoyed practicing new phrases with their partners and program leaders. For some, it was getting to know their host moms, dads, brothers sisters, and, importantly, host "mascotas" (pets). But we're just getting started.  Ready, Set? Here we come, Mérida, Yucatán!