It’s the most wonderful time of the year … when students start requesting their independent study contracts so they can spend the holidays in Mexico with their families.
Mrs. Zarco, the Dean of Counseling, says that every year an average of 40-50 students will request independent study contracts because they are leaving for Mexico for winter break.
Many of these students have parents who work in the fields and December is a slow time for work so they return to Mexico to spend the cold month with family. For students to have permission from the school to leave early, counselors need to make sure students are up to date with homework, grades, and attendance. Counselors meet with the student and parents to sign a contract stating that they will complete all work that is given to them for the days they will miss.
“They need it because when they go out for a long period they need it to cover their attendance and grades and if they don’t do the work it’ll count against their attendance and grades,” Zarco said.
A student this year leaving for Mexico this December is Guadalupe Medina. She will leave for Mexico on Dec. 8 and return on Jan. 11.
Traveling to Mexico feels like a really long day. Medina’s family begins their travels with a car ride to the Fresno airport. The flight to Guadalajara lasts about three hours and the car ride to Galeana, Michoacan lasts about another three hours.
“My grandma welcomes us in her house with some breakfast,” Medina said. “She usually cooks menudo with homemade corn tortillas. My uncle is also there waiting for us with carnitas.”
Medina does plenty of things to have fun while in Mexico. She enjoys going out to La Plaza with her friends, going to bailes, and riding around on her quad. One of the traditions her rancho does is La Mojiganga. Guadalupe says for this tradition, people dress up as any evil costume. This year, she is excited to be celebrating her quinceanera.
“I’m excited because it is something I’ve been talking about for a long time,” she said. “Ever since I was small, my parents started feeding into my dreams of having a quinceanera and it’s finally here.”
Another student leaving for Mexico this December is Valeria Medrano. She begins her travels with a 6-hour car drive to the Tijuana airport. From there, she gets on a 3-hour airplane ride to Morelia. From Morelia to her rancho El Salitre is another 45-minute airplane ride.
“We go visit my grandparents,” Medrano said. “We eat whatever they have ready for us. Last year, they had menudo ready for us with tortillas recien hechas.”
When Medrano is in Mexico she and her family stay at her tia’s house. For fun, she likes to go out to bailes. She also enjoys burning fireworks and being out with friends. In her rancho, a tradition they have is they celebrate La Virgencita for three consecutive days From Dec. 10-12.
Many students share similar stories to Medina and Medrano. The memories they make with their families in Mexico are going to last forever.
“The memories we make in Mexico with our family are so important because our family members won’t be around forever,” Medrano said.
Medina added, “I am eager to see my family since we only get to see them once a year.”
