Back home..things i'm adjusting to

* I can flush toilet paper now and toilets acutally flush really well

*I can drive here and the driving is way less hectic and people don't honk nearly as much

* I keep trying to speak spanish to people here

*church is in English crazy!

* I don't have to constantly wear my shoes around the house

* no cockroaches

* there's grass here and it's really soft and nice grass

* I can drink water from the tap and fridge and whereever

* there are no people making fresh tortillas

* I don't have memelitas or fresh tacos or any of my favorite mexican food

* I don't walk everywhere like I did in mexico

* there's carpet here!

* I can blow dry and straighten my hair because now I have the tools I need

* The water in the shower works well(in mexico my shower was like a trickel of water)

* I have gluten free bread and I haven't eaten it in soo long that now it makes me kinda sick cause it is so filling

* Stuff costs so much more here

* I can use my card here at stores

* I don't use pesos anymore crazy!

* tv is in english and I have to get used to not watching soap operas

* no one whistles at me here or stares

* people understand everything I say in english

* there's air conditioning here in the cars and houses

* no cobble stone streets or sidewalks

* there aren't fences or walls covering houses or around churches

* no one says buenos dias to me here

* I'm no longer a head teacher which is a crazy adjustment(no more babysitting adults)

* I always have internet and can use my phone like a phone

* I don't see the other teachers daily like I used to and I don't spend hours at the school

* I will be going to a singles ward here again

* I can date!!! I can go on dates and hangout with boys now! In Mexico I couldn't spend time with a boy by myself and I couldn't date at all

* no curfew

Goals

Some thoughts today about goals. With the other teachers in my group today we were talking about goals we made for ourselves individually when we first arrived in Mexico. We talked about how the goals we made for ourselves weren't achieved. But as a whole and individually we have grown in so many ways and have accomplished greater things than the goals we originally set.

I'm soo grateful for this experience I have had. I've never had such a growing experience. I left everything, went somewhere with complete strangers. Now I feel like I gained soo much and am here with family. What a great thing! I knew before I came here that I was supposed to be here and now more than ever I feel like i'm where i'm meant to be.

I will be forever grateful I got to come here, have had the host family I have had, that i've been able to be a head teacher, that I met soo many wonderful lifetime friends, that I have strengthened my testimony and learned soo many great life lessons.

Just some thoughts:) Hope you all have a great day!

Trip with my parents!!

My parents came to visit during spring break! I had tons of fun introducing them to my host family and going to Oaxaca. Our trip was filled with fun! We went to lots of historical places, ate great food, took lots of pictures, swam, walked tons and tons and enjoyed each others company.

There are a lot more pictures but these are just some:)

Trip to Huatulco

I had a wonderful weekend trip with the other ILP teachers to Huatulco. It was all planned very last minute but probably one of my favorite trips. We got to relax on the beach, eat great food, snorkel and really bond as a group. My time here is ending soon but I love it here soo much and the vacations are awesome!!

Goals

All the time I try to make goals but I especially try to make goals while living abroad. Living in Ukraine and Mexico have been the biggest learning and growing experiences. Something that has helped me is making goals and accomplishing them.

Since my time is quickly ending here I want to make more goals. Here are some of my new goals that I hope to accomplish:

1. To try new things. Everyday try something new and go out of my comfort zone. Whether talking with more people in spanish or trying a new food.

2. Live everyday to the fullest. Change up my daily routine. Do something fun everyday, spend time with friends do fun things.

3. Continue to grow spiritually. Read scriptures everyday, continue to have group fhe, try to be even better everyday.

4. Take lots of pictures. Take at least one picture everyday to represent that day.

5. Smile and be happy. Think of great things in everyday and smile and enjoy every moment. Laugh at things that are difficult or annoying.

These are my goals. I want to really try and make them happen. I strongly believe that making goals and accomplishing them makes you and even better person and makes your life experiences that much better!

Things on my mind

1. I need to blog more often. I'm having all these amazing experiences and just forget to write about them. Hopefully I will get into a better habit now that i'm a little bit less busy.

2. I got into two very good colleges but i'm going to have a hard time deciding which one to go to.

3. Speaking Spanish is sometimes more fun than speaking English.

4. I've traveled to lots of wonderful places, learned lots, experienced many things. It's amazing how much you can learn by living in another country and immersing yourself in the culture. Now the difficult thing is deciding what to do next with my life.

5. Living in Mexico is amazing! I love constantly speaking Spanish. I love the warm weather, the freshly made corn tortillas, the kids we teach, the teachers I teach with, etc.

6. The kids here know soo much it's amazing! They sometimes use bigger words than I do.

7. I need to take more pictures here.

8. I will be home in 2 months. My parents visit in 16 days!!

9. Time has flown by soo fast.

Here are some pictures:

The Elementary kids 

My tan lines from my toms

The temple in Oaxaca

Another picture of the temple

A picture of our dance classes

Things that are unique to Mexico!

Here are some fun things about Mexico:

*Fresh squeezed juices everywhere

* I stand out anywhere I go

* My spanish is improving

* Tortillas are a huge staple here

* It's almost always warm and sunny

* My new name is Maria(Mallory is hard to say)

* I can pay for things with coins!

* Soap operas are watched by all

*driving is crazy here

*Running late for things is common here

* People whistle at girls

*I have a wonderful host family

* food has lots of spice

Life in Mexico!

I've been very bad at blogging lately so here's some pictures of what i've been up to:

Daniella, Juan Pablo and Alejandro(my awesome host siblings!)

My jello cake they made me on my birthday!

I got my nails done(although I ruined them after 10 minutes lol)

Here are some pictures from a trip I took to Puebla a few weeks ago:

Me in front of a church 

A double decker bus we rode on!

A view of the city below

More of the city

The teachers and I posing with people that were dressed up for a fundraiser for one of the schools.

Pictures from a cute colorful restaurant we went to:)

In Mexico!!

So i'm here in Mexico!! I arrived 5ish days ago. I love hearing spanish everywhere and the constant warm weather. Yesterday was the first day of teaching and it was great. I only wish I could pronounce the kid's names better. The food is great! People constantly honk or whistle at us American girls. It's something to get used to. I hope to take more pictures so that I have some to post on this.