My Mexico Mission Trip This summer was one of the most interesting summers of my life. My teacher that had taught me English when I first came to America invited me to go with her to this mission trip in Mexico. It was the first time in thirteen years that Vive been in Mexico and everything had changed, my experience was about to start all over again. Since I have never been on an airplane, I have only traveled by car I was confused what to pack in my suitcase. I was so nervous and happy that I bought everything a week before the trip.

Then two days before I started packing my suitcase because I didn’t know what to pack and plus I didn’t want to forget something important. I was testing my teacher to ask what I would be able to take on the plane and how much the suitcase should weigh because ever since the 9/1 1 attack, everything has changed so I didn’t know what I could take and what I couldn’t. Finally the day had come for my group and me to go to M©OIC. We were at the airport after a bouncy bus ride there. When we got there we were unpacking the bus and waiting to get our suitcases.

While I was waiting, people from y group didn’t know me and asked me if I was ready to get on that plane since it was my first time. They told me that it was going to be better than the leaping bus ride there. Finally I got my suitcase and we all started heading to the check in line. As the line was getting closer to the check in desk I was getting more and more nervous. I felt like my stomach was burning and felt that my organs wanted to scream and get back on that bus. But I was a big girl and sucked it up and got in line to get in. We approached the plane and I was getting more anxious and nervous.

I stepped in the allay that leads to the plane seats and sat down next to the window, which I think was a bad idea. Once the plane was full it started to back away from the building and started to go faster and faster and finally the wheels didn’t touch the concrete. I felt as if I was on a roller coaster and wanted to yell, but instead I started to laugh. I felt butterflies in my stomach. After a while in the air my ears started to pop, which got annoying. Then I felt very light headed, and out of nowhere I vomited in a little white sack. Then I completely fainted and didn’t feel anything anymore.

Finally we landed n San Diego, California. We were waiting around a place where our suitcases would come out. There was all different kinds of people waiting for their suitcases to come out. I was waiting for about an hour or so and then finally I saw my bright lime green suitcase. When I got it from the spinning machine, I saw that the front pocket was torn and the zipper had ripped, and I had lost all my toiletry stuff. I went to the customer service desk to see if they would fix my suitcase or at least find my things. But, no they didn’t find anything and they couldn’t fix my suitcase I was really mad.

First time traveling on an airplane and my suitcase gets torn and I lose my things. It was terrible for me. Then finally the bus that was going to take us across the border came. We started packing the bags into the bus. As we were crossing the border I was starting to see things you would see on television. I had seen the little river people would wash their clothes in and wait until it got dark for them to start crossing the border. Then we got to the point where we had to get off the bus for the cops at the border to check us. As I was getting off the bus I saw Mexican police with big guns in their hands.

I said hold to them but they ignored me. I got scared, because I have never seen police with big guns Just standing in the streets. We had to be checked by them like we did when we were at the airport. They were so serious about the Job that I smiled to them and I didn’t get a smile back I was mad. One guy followed us to the bus again and was behind me. I was getting even more scared because he had a gun and I thought I was going to get shot or something. On the road crossing Tijuana and I started tearing up when I saw people laying down in the plan dirt.

Everything was dirt and the houses were efferent compared to back then when I was five years old. I would see little kids outside all dirty and cute and I felt bad. It reminded me of why my mother came to America because she wanted me to have a better future and not suffer like these people. I started to think again about when I was a little girl I would be outside riding horses with my grandpa on our farm and planting vegetables. Now I see farms that are abandoned. It made me cry to think about how everything had changed because of the drug dealers. After a three hour drive and me crying we got to the camp.

It was late at night when we got to the camp. Grabbing our stuff we all had a cabin to sleep in with the orphanage kids. The first night was Just us alone with our group. We girls had to go up the mountain to our hacienda which meaner cabin in Spanish. We were cleaning and preparing everything for the kids the next day. It was six o’clock when we all woke up thinking it was late, but no. We took showers and cleaned, Just when the trumpet played, which meant it was time for breakfast. Hours later the bus of kids was arriving and I was getting really excited to meet them. The kids were really happy to see us as well.

The first day was actually unexpected for me cause I thought that I wouldn’t get along with some kids, but it turned out that I was friends with everyone. We would do activities with all ages of the kids. Tuesdays and Thursdays we would have a water balloon fight or go down a big slide. Afterwards we went to the cabins to get cleanup, and while I was going up the hills I was Jumping on rocks. And all of a sudden I hopped on one rock and then twisted my ankle so badly that I could walk anymore. Then a guy with a golf cart passed by and took me up to my cabin. I was hopping on one leg the rest of the trip.

Then the day had come for them to leave to their homes and the same for us. We were getting ready to pack up our things. We were saying our goodbyes. We were praying for them and hugging each other because we filled the orphans with happiness and love. I got so attached to them, even though they told me not to, but it was hard for me because I am a very sensitive person. The bus came to take them and one kid started to cry again, then we all started also. It was very hard not to cry after all that fun we had with them and the connection we made. With all that I have been through, it still was a great experience going back.

Going back to my none in the Nun De States made me realize that Mexico and changed a lot, since Vive been there. I really didn’t think it was going to be that bad, that we couldn’t be outside and chill. One night all the girls were outside singing and dancing and all of a sudden we heard a gunshot behind the mountains and we stopped. Then we ran inside because we were afraid something bad was happening. Those made me open my eyes that M©OIC was not the same. It was a great experience seeing those kids not having parent’s, but still being happy and taking care of each other from the youngest to the oldest. They were like one big family.

What I learned from this experience of going back to M©OIC is that it’s nothing like the U. S. A where we have everything. Over in M©OIC the kids are happy with Just a wooden toy truck or living in a home that Just has clean water with no big fancy TV’s. They don’t even have shoes, and we complain Just because our shoes have a little hole in them and then we don’t want to use them. They get all excited for having those shoes. Our worn out shoes are like new shoes to them. What I’m trying to say is people should appreciate what they have in life right now. Don’t take everything for granted because not everything is going to stay forever.