After finishing my time in the southwest, I decided to go to Mexico. I've been staying at an airbnb in Mexico City for several weeks now, and am delighted by the myriad of colorful houses, flowers and greenery, music, delicious food stands, and murals. How have I lived my whole life next door to this country and never once visited before?
I'm staying in the south part of the city. The proprietor of the airbnb, Rosy, and I have been taking long walks around Lake Cumenco in Xochimilco, watching the herons and cranes take flight over the green water, exchanging language (her English is much better than my Spanish), and she's been taking me to her favorite restaurants and parks. I haven't traveled to another country in almost two decades, and I'd forgotten how much it wakes you up and it makes you look at things in a whole new way. As a white American woman who wants to write with diverse characters in my novels, I am being reminded how important it is to be immersed in and spend time with the people and culture of other countries to have even a hope of writing real characters of other ethnicities. This impromptu side trip is turning out to be not only something to treasure, but something from which to grow and learn. Below are a few favorite photos so far.
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