Bienvenida a Mexico

Made it here safely and without too much trouble. Not much to say right now, I'll try to expand this post by the end of the day tomorrow.

I managed to take these shots on the plane while trying to decide which Sky Mall item I needed most:

-The $30 same day delivery flowers, which include a free vase
-A voice activated R2D2 that can navigate rooms, answer yes or no questions, play tag, dance, and follow people around. My favorite part is that it can make "distinctive happy and sad sounds."
-The world's largest crossword puzzle--7' x 7 with 28,000 clues and 91,000+ squares. Danny, don't be surprised if this ends up being your birthday present.
-A 3rd story fire escape ladder. To, you know, be able to escape my room and hang out with boys my parents wouldn't approve of after curfew.
-The Kiss Each Other Pillow that has this written on it: "Always remember to kiss each other goodnight"
-A Triangle Shade Sail 16'5". For, I don't know, the backyard?

The sunny coast of California (left). The metropolis of Mexico City (right).

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

At 12:55 tomorrow afternoon, a plane will take-off from Los Angeles en-route to Mexico City. Seated in seat 24A, I will be one of the flight's passengers as it lifts off LAX's tarmac. In the minute or so that it takes the plane to become airborne, I will be displaced from the comfort and safety of home and find myself bound toward one of the world's largest cities and an experience of unfamiliarity in a foreign country.

For the next six weeks, I will be traveling between Mexico City, Acapulco, and Oaxaca City under the veil of a Stonehill Media Studies grant that I received earlier this year. This opportunity will allow me to explore Mexico and it's culture as I develop my skills as a photojournalist and improve my Spanish.

My brother arrives in the Federal District (DF...aka Mexico City) tomorrow and we have enrolled in the 6-day Foundry Photojournalism Workshop. He will be in the city with me for two weeks--the absolute most time he could get off work without losing his job. After his departure, I plan to travel to Acapulco to relax for a week and get a taste of the coast. I will then make my way to Oaxaca City for the last three weeks of this journey. I plan to spend the first two of these weeks studying Spanish at the Becari Language School and staying with a local family. My final week in will be spent photographing and documenting Oaxaca's annual festival, Guelageutza. I will be back in the States by July 25th and have a couple weeks at home before returning to Claremont and beginning my work as an OA head leader.

I'll try to keep a regular account of my adventures here and promise to include lots of photos. Enjoy!

Waiting for the Metrolink train in Claremont. My life for the next six weeks.