We may all have heard of the country of Mexico, but do we really know what it is all about? Mexico contains everything from the ancient ruins of Tulum, to the beautiful blue and mesmerizing cenotes of Valladolid, to the pyramids of Chichen Itza, the home of the great El Castillo, to the oldest Catholic church in the Americas in Merida that was built from ancient Mayan stone in 1598! Colleen Greene, a former teacher here at South Shore, shared her wonderful experiences with me and wants to share them with many others.

Mrs. Greene has been going to Mexico for the past 15 years. She started out by going on her spring breaks for about a week and touring Puerto Vallarta.  That first trip ignited a desire to return and experience all that Mexico has to offer.  After that first year, Mrs. Greene and her husband rented a small place in Cancun and have been going back there ever since. This past year, they were gone for a whole two months! While Puerto Vallarta was a beautiful place with great beaches and great tourist attractions, this city was not the culture of Mexico she and her husband wanted to experience. The Greene’s were searching for a more authentic experience and wanted to live a typical life alongside the citizens of Mexico. This included consuming the food, utilizing the beaches, and meeting the families. According to Colleen, food is a big part of Mexican culture. Each day, especially on Saturdays, there is a huge market hosted in the town. There are multiple items on offer at the local market.  Vendors set up booths selling clothing, candy, spices and much more. Food is a number one seller and attracts many consumers. One of Colleen’s favorite dishes is a fish dish that is called ceviche. Attending a mercado on Saturday was a true Mexican cultural experience that she had been searching for. Colleen and Jeff have visited many cities, including Akumal, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Valladolid, Merida, Puerto Vallarta and many more! Colleen enjoys going to Mexico every year and finds their culture so fascinating. “There are wonderful people and the culture is rich and colorful.” 

This year was the greatest experience Mrs. Greene could ever have hoped for. During her trips to Mexico, she realized she wanted to do more and volunteer in a local orphanage or school. This year she was finally able to do so. Over those two months, she spent a couple days a week working in an orphanage teaching classes. Her students ranged from age 3 to 18. Mrs. Greene, as you may know, loves working with children and finds these experiences very enlightening. “It was so rewarding to work with them.”  

Experiencing other cultures first hand adds great value to your life and shows you that the world is a small place after all and your neighbors are like you in more ways than one.