Toluca :: My home in Mexico

Many of you may or may not know that when I was just 15, I spent a year in Toluca, Mexico. It was a year full of excitement and new experiences, and memories that I treasure forever. I learned to dance cumbia, and make pig-head tacos. I even had my first kiss there (sorry Wes!). I washed my clothes by hand, and walked everywhere. I attended a public high school, but rarely attended class (I didn’t know any Spanish when I arrived in Mexico, so I had no clue what was going on in class!). My days were filled with socializing, eating good food, and dancing. I also had some of the most amazing friends. The woman I am with in the first photo in this post is a beautiful and special woman. I was young and vulnerable when I lived in Mexico. She looked out for me on a continual basis. I love her so much! By the end of the year, I had become fluent in Spanish, and I had gained a wealth of priceless experiences. The rest of the people in this post are people I lived with when I was there, and have visited many times throughout the years since. They were sisters and brothers to me, and now they all have their own families. I’m so thankful we got to visit Toluca and all my Mexican family after the Jose Villa workshop. It was a priceless and beautiful time!