Reversed Culture Shock
The one thing discussed over and over in our GIEU retreat was how "culture shock" is real. They told us how we would be nervous about seeing different people, and how the norms would be totally different. Just a bunch of things that could make a person feel anxious before they depart for their trip.
The truth is the people there were more shocked to see my group than we were to see them. Of course, there were a lot of things they did there that I was not used to at home. For instances, PDA in Mexico was very common and happened on almost every street corner; unlike the U.S where people do it but not as much. Or the fact that, you can find someone selling something on every street. But for the most part, I adjusted very easily to the culture and how the people of Querétaro acted.
The people of Querétaro, on the other hand, were shocked that black people were freely roaming around their city. And not just for a day, but for a MONTH. Being one of the few black people in this city meant that I was easily recognized. I could not tell you how many times someone came to me saying "I saw you walk past many times" or "You remember me? We took a picture together." And nine times out of ten, I never saw the person (well I did but I don't remember).
We asked multiple people if they had seen black people ever, most people said no. Those who said yes, would tell us "I saw them before, but you're the first black person I have ever talked to." I was surprised by this because I know that there are black Mexicans, so where do they live?
Each day, my friends and I were stalked down to take photos with everyone. When one person saw us finish a picture another group of people would come right up. "Que bonito cabello." They were intrigued by our hair, our skin, and our clothes. Sometimes people asked if we were performers or charging for photos, just because of how many people would actually wait in line to take a picture with us.
Although I enjoyed my five seconds of fame, I just wondered how those same people would feel if they came to America and we did the same thing to them.