bienvenidos!

We made it!! our flight left at 9:50am, and after an hour of passing over brown mountains, we were greeted outside of security by our host families. Here's how it went:

1) we step out of plane into 110 degrees and humid

2) the bathroom has no lights (it's not that they weren't working, they literally didn't exist)

3) the counter has a slit that says "basura" but there is no trash can under the counter lol

4) I lift the handle on my suitcase and it flies off (weird looks from airport staff as i dragged it around)

5) I spoke in spanish—scariest moment ever!

6) we emerge from customs and meet THE NICEST, SWEETEST HOST FAMILIES! 

Luisa and Pamela were there with their mothers and Anna Elena (the head of the program), and Zyanya's mom came alone since Zyanya was finishing a psychology exam for school. We all took a group photo and introduced ourselves with hugs and kisses, which is the norm here and so foreign to us! I gave Anna Elena, who is so amazing, the dream catcher from Misty (our program head), which enamored her, and she gave us some weird candy shaped as a heart with nuts! It's a good thing I waited until we got home to try it, because neither Zyanya nor i could swallow it ahh it was so nice though. 

The car ride was about 20 minutes to pick up Zyanya from the yogurt place where she was hanging out after her exam. Her mom only speaks spanish, and we spoke the whole way. She is so kind, funny, and sincere!! I am so lucky to be staying with them. We talked about the drivers license age, school uniforms, family, weather, Cuernavaca which is where they are from, and all sorts of other things. I met a few of Z's friends, and they seem so nice! 

They live in a townhouse in a small gated community. It is very pretty and quaint, and the buildings are so much more vibrant. Actually, everything is more vibrant! Z's wall has bold stripes of orange, lime green, and brown and her sister's room is red. It's amazing!! Maybe americans are too moody and indecisive to choose a bright color hahaha. 

Zyanya's sister who is 19 has been hanging out with us for a couple of hours. She's so cool and also so genuine. Her english  is almost perfect so she deciphers our spanglish so we can better understand each other and so z doesn't have to use google translate for words she doesn't know! Z just woke up from a nap (thank goodness for someone else who naps) because she stayed up until 3am studying for her final exam. the 21st is her graduation and the next day is prom! which to speak of starts at 9 and people get there at like 9.45! 

anyway, i have to go because haley, laurel, pamela, and luisa are coming soon and i don't want to be rude ! bye!