Junior year is done…I almost can’t believe that it’s over though – it was definitely the toughest year, physically, mentally, academically, and psychologically, for me, but in the end, everything turned out surprisingly well. Well, ok, first semester SUCKED. hahaha the people on my floor know what a mess I was by the end of it. =) And IAP + the beginning and middle of second semester really sucked as well. But…I don’t know. In May, everything kinda just…came together…I don’t know how to describe it, and I don’t understand how it worked, but it just did. Grades were surprisingly higher than I had expected (I seriously went through BioChem II not really that stressed out since I thought that due to the ridiculously smart chem. Grad students and the ridiculous large standard deviations, I’d get a B regardless of how much or how hard I worked…but I didn’t..:)…), and people were great, as always...i'm gonna miss the seniors a LOT – and....well, let’s just say that I also met some people towards very end of the year who I wish I had met earlier ;)

So I’m officially in Mexico right now…it’s kinda interesting. For those of you who don’t know, I’m spending two months here working at the US-Mexico Foundation for Science in Mexico City.

It’s a nice city – crowded as hell, though! When we were landing, all you could literally see where blocks and blocks of houses and buildings and nothing else. I’ve never seen so many buildings crammed into one square mile, although Taipei might be up in the running for the most crowded city as well.

The people here are all really nice, though, despite the fact that everyone STARES at me because I’m obviously a foreigner. Sometimes, when you’re stuck on the trolleybus in the morning and it’s all crowded and stuff, they get tired of staring at you and they start staring down your shirt instead. Fun stuff. BUT at least I’m actually taller than like half the people here, women AND men! That’s exciting. At first I thought it was only because I wore heels to work and stuff, but then I started just wearing slippers to work and then changing into heels when I got to the office, and the people are still shorter. Wheeee.

Oh, right, the public transportation system here is actually really good! Good as in it’s very useful and can take you literally anywhere (unlike the dear Metrorail in Houston hahhaa). It’s also really really different though, because at least in places like Boston and Houston, they say the names of the stops as they get close to them. Nope, not here. Needless to say, I’ve gotten ridiculously lost several times already, but luckily, again, the people are really nice and they’ve helped me find my way back. So I live on Calle La Quebrada in Colonia Narvarte, and NO ONE knows where the hell La Quebrada is, but everyone knows where Calle La Quemada is…consequently, that’s led to a lot of confusion as well. Actually, TC (another one of the MIT students) arrived in the city yesterday and is staying at my apartment for a day until the rent as his place starts, but his taxi driver took forever to find the place because, naturally, he got La Quemada confused with La Quebrada.

So overall, it’s nice here – I guess it’s always hard to get settled in the first week or so, but hopefully it should all turn out well as more people start arriving. I’m so excited! Leah, Nikki, and Luis all arrive next week, I think, and Reggie will also be here! Hahahha I’m so glad Reggie will be here in the city and not in Monterrey.

I miss people back in the States a LOT though…I didn’t think I’d ever miss the US until I actually came here. But it’s what they say, right? You never know what you have until you don’t have it anymore? I reckon that doesn’t really apply, because I’m going back in August anyways, but still.

It’ll be a long two months, but hopefully it’ll be worth it! I think I’ll be writing something in this dormant blog every week or so, just as a recap.

I always wonder though, how this summer will turn out....can't expect too much, right?….but, we’ll see. It’s two months.