This Global Walk Outside | Day 16: Mexico
There are so many things I love about where I live. One thing is how big the space is on the Ranch. I love going for walks, and taking in the beauty of the mountains around us, and the palm trees that make the desert an oasis. I also love that I can walk out of my room, and start hiking within a couple of minutes.
Sunrise from the back porch.
Sunset from the roof of the house on the upper portion of the property, it is here where God whispered to me, “This place is not a wasteland.” The place, the people, the time here has taught me so much that I would have never learned if I had not come here. No amount of time here is wasted.
Sunset from the back porch.
Three Rancheras walking up the driveway to the upper portion of the Ranch.
The dirt road leading to home.
Sunset view from the hill on the side of the Ranch.
Sunset view and view of the Ranch from the hill on the side of the Ranch.
One of the vast differences between the Ranch and my passport country, which is the United States, is the amount of green present in the outdoors. One thing I always notice when I go home is how green everything is. In the desert, it takes a few big rainstorms to turn the desert green. On the East Coast of the United States, everything is already green.
While there is plenty of outdoor space at the Ranch, I still enjoy going to the city and walking along the boardwalk at the bay to get outside and to watch a sunset. I also love spending time at the beach, which is about 40 minutes away, or going for hikes at different places around the city.
Community. One of the main pillars of the Ranch Way of Life. This particular day, we were celebrating one of our sisters in Christ being baptized at the Ranch.
Another thing I love about the space where I live is the amount of community that is cultivated outdoors. At the Ranch, we use our outdoor spaces to develop relationships with kids, teenagers, and families. Relationships and community are a central part of the culture in Mexico.
A majority of houses here have an outdoor patio area and many people use this space to gather with family, friends, and neighbors. While we have a very large space to do this, we use our outdoor spaces for fostering relationships similarly to how the locals use their outdoor space.
When I first moved onto the Ranch, one of the things I initially did not love about the space was the amount of space that was shared with people. While I had some privacy in my room, I was sharing a bathroom and a kitchen with anyone and everyone who came to the Ranch. Over the past year, I have learned how to embrace sharing common spaces with many people.
Double rainbow after a rainstorm. View from the back porch
Watching an afternoon summer storm from the back porch. It brought some much-needed rain to the desert.
View of the Ranch from the hill at the side of the Ranch.
Sunset where the dirt road meets the paved road, only 4 kilometers from the Ranch.