Every year I travel with my family to Mexico, where both of my parents grew up, to visit my grandparents and spend time with them during Christmas. My grandparents live on a small ranch, called Congregación Juárez, in the state of Nuevo León, near the Texas border. It’s not well known like Monterrey and Cerralvo, but it’s just as beautiful and filled with calmness. Con. Juárez shines with color, as its people create beautiful murals and plant vibrant flowers. The air is thick with the distinctive aroma of authentic Mexican food, such as gorditas, sopes, tortas, menudo, and so much more.
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The beauty of living on a small ranch is that everyone knows each other and is comfortable with one another. Every time I visit, there is always a get together where we all hangout and play games. These tend to have a variety of delicious food where we’re able to take time to build on the bonds of trust we hold with each other. Not many city dwellers can relate to this type of closeness within their community.
Another benefit of life on the ranch is the absence of a WiFi signal to stay on your phone. Less media exposure means less distraction, which allows us to improve our people skills and learn how to become more patient with others and ourselves.
We can then think independently and express ourselves in unique ways that do not depend on the opinions of strangers. Our communication with each other improves because of less media exposure. By spending time here, I have discovered that it’s hard to hold a conversation when the other person is staring at their phone.
