Anna Poirot - Agua Prieta, Mexico

Hi All,
My name is Anne Poirot and I am an outbound student for next year. I will be spending my year in Norway, although I don't know when I'm leaving or where exactly I'm going yet. Anyway, I was going to post a few words about the Interact's trip to Agua Prieta, Mexico that we take each year and just returned from. As an outbound student I am required to, but also willingly participate in, all these wonderful opportunities Rotary provides for us.

This past four-day weekend we had off of school, we used three days to travel down to Agua Prieta, Mexico with bundles and bundles of gifts sent down to their Interact Club. We delivered these gifts, with the Agua Prieta Rotary and Interact clubs, to three different orphanages. Handing out the gifts to the kids was, needless to say, a very rewarding experience, and a great opportunity, for those of us who knew some Spanish, to speak a little, and play some new Spanish games with the older kids. After all the kids had gifts from all three orphanages, we drove through some of the poorer areas in Agua Prieta, and handed out gifts to passing children. It was truly life-changing to see living environments like these, and although it was sad, I think we were all warmed by the excitement of the children when they recieved gifts out of the blue. We also got the opportunity to see some of the things Steamboat's Rotary has given to Agua Prieta, such as a water tower to filter water at a school, and heating for a physical therapy center.

This was a large part of our trip, but we also had the opportunity to "interact" with the other Interact kids down in Mexico by such activities as bowling and the fiesta that the Rotary down there put on for us. We ate and danced, learned cultural customs and games, and truly enjoyed our stay, not leaving a second unappreciated. On our way to Mexico, we stopped in the town of Tombstone, Arizona and saw a "Shoot-Out," more or less a comedic interactment of the wild west. On the way back, we stopped in the town of Bisbee, Arizona, a quaint town built on a hillside, which required some really intense power walking up the hills. It was here that we discovered many antique shops, and even met a salesman who grew up in Craig, Colorado! Go figure!

Over all, we all became closer as a group, and made friendships that we will probably never forget. The experience was rewarding, exciting, and extremely fun for all involved, and I hope we continue to have the resources to annually take this trip!