Sophomore Ibeth Salome spent about two months of her summer in Mexico visiting family and making memories.

Salome went to many parades, as well as visited many states within Mexico. She said, “I went to Guanajuato to go to San Miguel to see the Church of San Miguel. We went to Leon, Guanajuato to go to the mall and we went to Cristo Rey in Guanajuato, Celaya, Guanajuato.”

Salome’s favorite part of Mexico was celebrating her Quincenera with family. She said, “I got to see all of my family at the party so we got to reunite again. We basically just danced and had fun.”

Mayfield graduate Lizbeth Salome, Salome’s sister, accompanied Salome on the trip, and she thinks that Salome’s Quincenera was a great experience that brought their family together. Lizbeth said, “Even though it was raining, we still managed to all dance together and have a fun time.”

Lizbeth believes Salome enjoys going to Mexico to learn more about her family. Lizbeth said, “She wants to have an open mind about what my parents lived like and not just that but how our uncles and aunts live as well so she can open her mind and grow her mind more as she’s growing to become an adult.”

Salome believes that the people in Mexico are very different compared to people in the United States. She said, “People in Mexico are more respectful than people in the United States, [where] they’re more cold-hearted. The kids in Mexico are different because since their parents can’t afford any phones or electronics they don’t just stay home and play on their phones, they go out with their friends or their cousins and do what kids are supposed to do.”

For Salome, Mexico is her happy place, where she feels at home. She said, “It’s like a whole different world for me. I feel so positive and everybody is so welcoming and so nice.”

Salome would stay inside her grandma’s house, but go out sometimes. “Most of the time we stayed at my grandma’s house with my uncles and cousins, but I would say like the other half we would go out to like the downtown in Lagos.”

Salome has made future plans to visit Mexico again this year. She said, “I liked Mexico so much, so I’m going back during winter break to see my family.”