Hacienda experience (Nehemie Gauthier, Mexico)

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Nehemie Gauthier

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Hola! <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> The University of Florida <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2023 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Merida, Mexico <i>Program provider:</i> Autonomous University of Yucatan <i>Major/minor:</i> Applied Physiology and Kinesiology <i>Demographics:</i> African American/Black, First-Generation College Student, LGBTQ+ <i>Future career aspirations:</i> I would like to attend a medical school in Florida and match into a competitive residency in anesthesiology. I plan to then become a traveling doctor that goes to third world countries and assist those who cannot afford the proper health care. Becoming an anesthesiologist would be a dream come true for me and it would show those who look like me that it is possible to make it out the low income area we grew up in and fulfill whatever it is we put our minds to. <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> My top 3 goals for my time abroad are to learn Spanish, to gain knowledge of the Mexican culture, and to gain insight into how to effectively communicate with others of different nationalities and how to better understand them.

In these pictures, my group and I visited a Henequen hacienda. A hacienda is a plantation with a dwelling house. My favorite part about going to the hacienda was learning the history of the Henequen fibre. This fibre is used to make rope, hammocks, bags, and even placemats. Within the hacienda, there was a beautiful cenote in which we could swim in. Cenotes are deep water wells and can be found within caves. Also, the cenote reminded me of a spring. The water was beautiful but very cold. In the pictures attached, we decided to take photos of the background show the beauty of the excursion.