Hello! My name is Adri Jolie, and I’m a junior studying General Social Sciences and 3 PM,
with a minor in Spanish. I chose this program to understand the Spanish language
and Mexican culture better, as my goal is to one day work with Latina women in providing
necessary reproductive care. More personally, I want to become fluent in Spanish to
communicate with my family, and to better understand my own roots.
It was a rough start to the program—I experienced flight cancellations and delays that
made me arrive a day later than almost everyone else. Luckily, my host family and the
program coordinators were extremely welcoming and made me feel comfortable
immediately upon arrival.
Even with a delayed start, it’s been an amazing first week. I’ve loved seeing the Baroque
architecture in Querétaro that has made the city as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Everywhere I walk, there’s something new that challenges me, or sparks my curiosity. In
the stands on the street, I can walk by vendors and smell oil from the tamales frying, or
alongside a brightly painted wall that’s over three hundred years old.
As a mixed person, I’ve often felt conflicts over my identity, and my place in the world. I
began the program worried that my appearance as a queer woman would be perceived
negatively in the city, and although I do get stares here and there, most people converse
with me as if I were any other student in the city. My Spanish has already gotten so much
better, and everyone I've talked to has been very gracious when I make a mistake. My host
family has been particularly patient with me as I learn grammar, local customs, and slang.
If anyone is debating whether to apply to this program, I would say DO IT. I was worried I
wouldn’t fit in here, but everyone I’ve met has been so kind, and I’ve felt so comfortable in
the city. Even with the missteps and struggles, this has already been an incredible
experience: the start of this program has been exhausting, exciting, and wonderful so far.
Something that’s kept me going through this beginning is a common Mexican phrase you
might have heard before: “¡vale la pena!” or, “it’s worth it.” Well—they’re not wrong.
