Almost in Mexico

I’m a few hours away from flying to Mexico City, my second international trip.

This time instead of going with a friend I am going with my father. I’ve been told by some of my sisters that he is looking forward to me going with him and I can say the feeling is mutual. After taking my father to Las Vegas I know we are going to have fun.

I was told by my dad that he would be staying with my aunt and that I would stay with my cousin, which is fine. I just wonder how I’m going to tour the city and if I am going with my dad or I’ll be going at it alone. I’m sure everything will be worked out.

I look forward to whatever happens, even if that means me going out on my own. That does present me with a kind of a problem I’m ashamed to admit: my Spanish isn’t as it should be. The last time I went out of the country it wasn’t a problem since I was in Tokyo and people helped you as best they could. Now, I’m not saying the people of Mexico City won’t help me, but they will just look at me and assume I can speak the language. I can speak, but it is so remedial. I just feel it is going to be embarrassing for me because I should know more and don’t.

I know my family will help me as much as they can, maybe a little protective. I’m going to be grateful for that since this will be the first time that I meet some of them. I have a feeling I’ll know just enough to get by.

I plan to go to as many museums, parks and monuments I can and hopefully my dad will be with me. I know we are going to Teotihuacan and look at the pyramids there. But the big highlight, well at least for me outside of spending time with family, is going to the World Cup qualifying match at Estadio Azteca. I’m going to be among the up to 105,000 spectators cheering for their nation as they take on El Salvador. A win clinches a berth in the 2010 World Cup with a match to play.

As a journalist, especially one that works in sports, it can’t get any better. I’ve been in stadiums where there are professionals playing for a club. This, however, is for national pride and I can only imagine that I’ll feel the entire nation in there with me.

For now, I’ve taken every precaution in regards staying well and have taken a lot of advice from how to deal with the thin air, pollution and personal safety. Soon enough it will be time to put that in action.