Environmental sponging

Scarlett Gilligan, la Universidad de las Américas Puebla, México

I am penning a new term right now, hear me out.

Being on your year abroad is about learning — obviously — everything you can’t in a classroom. I can say where I have learned the most about myself and about everything is my house. You are going to come across so many different things on your year abroad within an international community and your general environment. Be a sponge. I want you to absorb it. You are going to spend so, so, so much time here, and you don’t want to waste any time constantly asking why things are the way they are — just soak it all in. Not only will this let you adjust a lot smoother, but it also allows you to focus on the things you really need to.

The first time I felt the urge to do this was after being extremely unproductive and unmotivated. My friends and I shook ourselves up and questioned life for a little bit, but eventually, we rallied ourselves to head to a café and work as much as we could. But of course, this is México. God forbid something be that easy. The markets and fairs popped up that day, which usually we love to go and venture around, but this day we knew how much we needed to do. We spent most of our walk stressed, overheated, and overstimulated with the hundreds of people shouting and trying to sell us various types of bread and bowls. Eventually, we just looked at each other, knowing our day had not been quite the anticipated success, and just knew what we had to do. We just had to let what was happening, happen. After we accepted that, despite being too hot, coffee-starved, and ravenous, it was much easier. We were sponges.

Now, this sounds silly — I do know what you’re thinking — but it’s more complex than just accepting when something goes wrong. I have come to Mexico with the mindset of a Brit. Of course, this won’t fit. My fast-paced walking or attempts to make things on time will never work because I am in a new place where really, that is not quite the norm. It is easy to get frustrated, but when you are somewhere that is focused on enjoying life, not focused on efficiency, you have to adapt.

After starting to “sponge” more, I found things much easier. The restaurant where we crave to go is shut, what do we do? We cross the road for tacos. Eating tacos and the road floods with the heavy rain? It’s fine, let’s just get a beer to top it off. Developing this mindset took me longer than I care to admit, and I wish someone had told me sooner that no matter how much you try to make everything go right, there will always be a big detour. Eventually, you always have the best time — which is what matters most.

On top of this, if you choose to house internationally, this will be multiplied. Not only are you having to adjust to the new lifestyle of the country but also to the routines of those that you live with. Sometimes this will be the most convenient thing ever — at 5 p.m. the French will be having their goûter, the English will be having a pre-dinner cuppa, and the Spanish won’t eat until 10 p.m., something that works very well for our kitchen.

These changes will only frustrate you as much as you let them. You only have a precious amount of limited time abroad, so ensure you soak it all in as fast as you can — like the sponge you are.