Blog for December 27, 2010

After a 10 hour layover in the Houston airport, and a two hour plane ride, we finally arrived in Merida (longest day ever!). I was so excited and couldn't wait to begin my two week journey. That night, around midnight, we ate at our first Mexican restaurant. While we are not use to eating that late, Harvey explained that it is common for many locals to eat dinner between nine and twelve p.m.

The next day, our first real day in Merida, we woke up and left for our tour of the city. First we had to stop at the coolest Walmart I have ever seen for some breakfast. Best chocolate chip muffin I've ever eaten. We walked for miles taking pictures of mansions, the market place, and really cool churches. The best part of the walking tour was the tour of the market. It was packed with hundreds of people buying fruits, vegetables, clothes, shoes, movies, and etc. They also had a ton of bootleg (illegal) stuff to buy too, such as movies that are still in the movie theaters, fake coach purses, etc.

After our walking tour, we went to the American Consul here in Merida. At the consul, we met with our representative, Travis. We were able to ask questions regarding safety, immigration, and visas. I was very curious about safety and why there are police with huge guns all over the city, and whether or not it was necessary. Travis indicated that the Yucatan was the safest part of Mexico, but warned us not to go to Cancun or take a plane to Cuba. We found out through our questions that it takes about ten days for a Merida citizen to receive a visa and the time length of the visa ranges. They can get a working visa for 6 months or a visa just for a vacation. Merida citizens can be turned down for a visa, especially if they think they are going to try and stay in the United States.

We asked more questions about the unsafe conditions in Mexico. He mentioned that in the Yucatan, in the old days, people would take someone out back and beat them up. Today they just use more violence by killing them. So the crime has not increased it has just gotten worse in that they will kill instead of just injuring. Also, that it is understood that the Yucatan is a safe haven. A lot of wealthy people live in Merida.

Finally, he talked about how to become an American consul and work for the federal government. After passing a test and an intense interview, he was able to make a list of countries he would like to go to. Once the country has been chosen, he went through a foreign language course to learn the language, in his case, Spanish. He will be in Merida for two years before given a new assignment in a new country.

Lauren Guichard blog post for December 27, 2010