Difference Between Here & There

---

It's already been a month since I've been here and there are so many differences between here and Canada! I've decided to make list of some of the differences; as time goes on I'll add to the list.

School
I have never really been one to like school so much, but ever since I got here I have loved it!! The school that I go to in Guadalajara is more than I could ever imagine. A lot of the school is open, the classrooms actually have a roof and everything but the hallways are open and there's a big open courtyard on the main level and when you go down the stairs a lot is open too. Even though the school covers a lot of ground, there's only about 500 kids in the high school. It was really weird the first while going to school because when I would meet people they would know my name but I had no clue who they were! It just goes to show how close everyone in the school really is. There aren't as many cliques in the school here as there are in Canada, I know that not everyone in the school here gets along, but I haven't noticed super tight cliques which is nice. The classrooms are a zoo, at least my group is. It's extremely awkward being in class and everyone is talking, yelling, playing games, throwing things, all while the teacher is talking and attemptong to teach. I'm not used to kids disrespecting teachers, so at first I was completely shocked at what was going on around me. Now I'm used to it, but I still find it weird. It's funny how even though they don't have respect, they have more of it than anyone I know in my school. What I mean by this is that even though they act like a complete zoo during class, whenever a teacher comes into the classroom everyone stands up until the teacher tells them to sit and then everyone stands up again when the teacher leaves.
School is from 7:55 until 1:45pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, and on Wednesdays and Thursdays school gets out at 2:30pm. Classes start earlier than what I'm used to in Canada but I don't care, I wake up at the same time I usually do so I don't really notice a difference. I have 4 classes every morning, each 45 minutes, and-depending on the day- 2 or 3 classes after lunch; also 45 minutes long. Sometimes after school I go across the street and get fruit from this little stand, it's soooo good! They have small and large, usually the small is plenty enough though. You can choose from various fruits and even cucumber, and you can also put chile, salt and lime on top or just have it plain. (chile, lime, and salt on top is the best!)
My school here also has a uniform, on a regular day its just the uniform top and your choice of jeans-just make sure they don't have any rips in them- on days when you have gym class you have to wear the uniform tops and the uniform sweatpants, which are incredibly comfy! As far as shoes go, you can wear just about any type, just make sure that your toes don't show! Nose piercings are not allowed, so if you have one, take it out! if you don't want to wear non-ripped jeans, or the uniform sweatpants, you can also wear the uniform skirt; which then means you must wear the socks that pull up over your calf and black flats.
I had never been one for wanting to wear a uniform to school, but now that I have to it's actually really nice. Sure beats the heck out of figuring out what to wear everyday! I can easily get ready in 15 minutes 😊

Driving
I'm completely shocked that there aren't more accidents here! The drivers are nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the first time I got into a car and we were driving somewhere, I was a little bit scared for my life...
Now I don't know if it's just because I'm a foreigner and don't know the rules, but since I've been here I haven't seen one speed limit sign. Uhmmm..... please for the love of god get on that.
Another thing I notice while I'm in the car is that when coming to a four-way stop, 1) the stop sign is usually on the other side of the road and 2) people usually slow down/stop in the middle of the intersection to check if someone's coming: this too is a little unsettling. Here it seems that every time of the day is rush hour, and not a day goes by that i don't here some inpatient person honk their horn because traffic isn't moving. As soon as one person honks their horn, about ten others honk their horn, and so on; it's like a domino effect. One thing is definitely for sure, I will never, ever, EVER, drive anywhere in Mexico. Doesn't matter if one day I move here, I will either walk or take the bus, never will I EVER drive on my own.

Guys
The guys here are over the top nice, it's nice to see gentlemen here, whereas in Canada you were lucky if they even held the door open after they walked through. Here, they will go up ahead of you just to open the door for you, if you're carrying something they will offer to carry it for you. Even when you're in class and drop a pen or your notebook falls off your desk one of the guys will get out of their desk, and walk to you desk to pick it up even though you were the closest person to whatever you dropped. When it comes to paying for something such as dinner or the movies, they pay. Don't get me wrong, I've tried to pay, but they refuse and give me my money back. At times it's frustrating because I'm so used to having to pay my own way for everything that to all of a sudden going from that to paying basically nothing is weird. It's kind of funny though, I was talking with Charly-the other exchange girl in my school- and we were talking about how the guys are gentlmen here (most of them anyways) and how that really makes things hard in trying to figure out if he likes you or is just being himself! lol

That's all I can really think of for now. If you have any questions or ideas on what might be different between here and Canada feel free to leave a comment and I'll be sure to answer as soon as I can 😊

Lots of Love;

Samantha

---

Comments

[mom]

fruit!
what kind of fruit can you get outside of the school? Is it exotic stuff or apples and oranges??? I am going to have to try the lime, chili powder thing.....which fruit do you think would be best to try it on, knowing the kind of fruit we usually get here?? keep up the great blogging! xoxo

[mom]

Andares mall etc
would you describe the mall? Are there a lot of convertibles? What about swimming pools?