Arriving in Mexico

I'm finally here! After so many months of planning, it's somewhat surreal to be here in Oaxaca...

My journey took quite a bit longer than expected, which is crazy because it was already supposed to take me an entire day, with 3 separate flights (Hartford to Atlanta to Mexico City to Oaxaca). My flight from Atlanta left so late that I knew in advance that I was going to miss my flight to Oaxaca, and that I would have to spend the night in Mexico City. It was an unpleasant surprise, because I knew I would have to take all of my luggage with me (and I have quite a bit!). I was trying hard not to be discouraged, telling myself that there must be a silver lining (as cheesy as that is).

Flying into Mexico City at night was an experience I will never forget, and I would have missed it if my flight had arrived earlier. The vastness of the city was breathtaking, I was amazed by the lights that spread without limits in every direction. There was a palpable sense of life and energy... In the daytime the pollution and overcrowdedness are the visible characteristics, and I was happy to have this experience.

I also met a woman from Oaxaca that was in the same situation (Olivia), and we shared a hotel room. It was nice to have a partner in dealing with this travel glitch (and all my bags!), and I also received great advice about Oaxaca and Miahuatlan. Olivia lives in Guadalajara with her husband and 2 young children, but her mom still lives in Oaxaca, and apparently loves to have guests. When we finally arrived in Oaxaca, Olivia and her mother drove me to my hostel, after making me promise that I would call them if I need anything, and giving me an open invite to family dinners on any Sunday. So I made 2 great contacts, and I'm sure I'll be seeing them again.

So that was my arrival to Oaxaca...