Summary

The author reflects on the meaningful friendships formed during a year abroad in Mexico, particularly during a trip to Veracruz, and shares three personal lessons learned about the value of friendship.

Abstract

Trista Signe Ainsworth recounts her experiences with fellow exchange students in Mexico, emphasizing the diverse forms of friendship she encountered. During a December 1991 trip to Veracruz, she bonded with friends over shared experiences, including challenging bus rides and sunburns. The author highlights the importance of friends as sources of comic relief, support in times of need, and companionship during difficult times. She expresses gratitude for the lessons learned and the kindness received from friends, despite losing touch with them over time.

Opinions

The author values the subtle, life-changing impact that friendships can have, even if they are short-lived.
Friendship can provide laughter and lightness during tough situations, as exemplified by Nathan's teasing and jokes.
Friends are crucial for support during illness or personal crises, as demonstrated by the author's friends rallying around her when she fell sick on a bus.
Shared experiences, such as sunburns, can deepen friendships and create bonds over mutual hardships, as seen with the author and Mandy from Wisconsin.
The author believes that friendships, even those that are not maintained over time, leave a lasting impression and contribute significantly to one's personal growth.

3 Lessons Friendship Has Taught Me: Learning From A Mexican Vacation

Friendship comes in many forms

Photo by the Author: Trista Signe Ainsworth. Decemberi 1991 at Castle San Juan De Alua in Veracruz, Mexico. I am in the top left corner with the daisy earrings.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right-doing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about.” ― Rumi

In life, we form many friendships. Some of these last a lifetime, and others only a short time. All of them lead us to learn lessons along the way.

I had the privilege of getting to know other exchange students during my year abroad in Mexico who changed my life in many subtle ways.

In December of 1991, we took a trip together to Veracruz, Mexico. It is such a lush, tropical, and beautiful state, full of wonder. I feel so grateful I got to explore this area with my friends.

I appreciate and love each one of my friends who touched my heart that trip.

We took many bus rides together, ate way too many room temperature ham and cheese sandwiches, endured sunburns and sunshine. Through it all, we learned about life and each other.

I will share with you three lessons I learned from my friends on this trip.

Photo by the Author: Trista Signe Ainsworth. With my friend Melissa from Canada in Veracruz in 1991.

Friends can be the comic relief

I had a friend from Canada in our group named Nathan. He often teased me and others along the way. At times, I took it personally.

However, looking back, I realize he lightened the mood for all of us when times were difficult. He always shouted funny things out of the bus window and cracked jokes to make us laugh.

I remember when I got a bad sunburn, and my legs ended up having red and white stripes on them from sunscreen. Nathan called me candy cane legs. At first, I was so mad! But then it made me laugh at how funny it really was.

Photo by the Author: Trista Signe Ainsworth. My friends Ira, Nathan, and Marina at the ruins of El Tajin in Veracruz.

Friends come to your rescue

During this trip, on a bus, I got really sick. I was on board when the illness hit me. It was some kind of stomach infection.

I felt so ill, and it turned into an embarrassing emergency, to say the least. The worst place to feel horribly sick is on a moving bus. I will not share the details, but my friends came together to help me through it.

When I was back at my host home recovering, they all came by to bring me medicine, visit with me, and make sure I was okay. It touched my heart knowing they were there for me.

Photo by the author: Trista Signe Ainsworth. My friends Mandy, Ira, and Irina in Coatapec, Veracruz.

Friends hold your heart on a difficult day

On another day during this trip, my friend Mandy from Wisconsin and I both got severely sunburned. We are both very pale, and so we sunburn easily.

We felt such pain that we decided to stay indoors for a day at our host home to hang out, chat and console each other.

Mandy made that day better because we were able to relate to each other through our pain.

It ended up being a fun day, even though we missed out on that day’s outing.

Even though I lost touch with these friends after that year, they live in my heart and my memories. I thank them for the lessons they taught me and the kindness they showed me.

Do you have any friendship appreciation stories or lessons about friendship to share?