Another manila envelope from the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program arrived in the mail Friday--this one bulging and torn. I knew it had to mean good news: a match! "Where will I be going?" was the question on my mind as I hurriedly unlocked my front door and carried the envelope into the kitchen to open it with kitchen shears.

On top of the other printed materials was the letter stating that "I'm happy to propose you for a year-long direct exchange of teaching assignments with Ms. Arriola Fernandez de Castro of Mexico throught the Fulbight Teacher Exchange Program during the 2007-2008 academic year."

Mexico! For a few minutes, I felt disappointed. Huh? What was up with that? How could I feel disappointment? After all, Mexico had been my first choice. It's been a dream of mine for many years to live and learn Spanish in Mexico.

As I leafed through the brochures and handbook that came with the letter, I demanded an explanation from myself What I realized then was that I had decided almost as soon as I applied for the Fulbright Exchange that Mexico was a really long shot and that I was unlikely to be able to teach there. I'd read on the Fulbright Web site that Mexico was looking for "Spanish-language and/or ESL teachers from the junior high, senior high, or community college levels." And although I'd taught ESOL [English for Speakers of Other Languages] composition and grammar classes at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) for three years, I've never had any ESL training.

Before listing Mexico as my first choice on my application, I had emailed Ann Koepke, Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program Outreach Specialist, for more information:

I plan to apply to the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program, with Mexico as my preferred country. I'm confused about whether teachers other than language teachers can expect to be placed in Mexico. The web site does say that "Priority will be given to language teachers."

She replied:

The likelihood of a non-language teacher being placed in Mexico is based on the applicant pool from Mexico. I would encourage you to apply and see what the outcome may be.

So, I listed Mexico as my first choice but emotionally kissed it goodbye. I figured it just wasn't going to happen.

I then shifted my focus on my second and third choices--the United Kingdom [Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales, in that order] and Hungary, respectively. I started to imagine what it would be like to live in Europe for a year. Oh, the things I could see and do! I began to imagine traveling around Europe and seeing everything. I imagined my family and friends coming to visit me and how we would travel to the country of their dreams.

So the letter I read yesterday interrupted those imaginings. My fantasies of living in Europe for a year were dashed. I was going to Mexico instead.

But "think about it, darlin'," I exhorted myself. "Why did you list Mexico first in the first place? Surely there was a good reason!"

And then I remembered: I want to experience and learn about a culture very different from my own. I want to learn more Spanish. I want to travel around Mexico and see its sights--cities, mountains, oceans, and ancient ruins--and get to know its people. And I want to be on the same continent as my aging mother so that, if I need to to, I can be with her in five hours instead of thirteen.

And then I started to imagine my family and friends visiting me in Mexico: Oh, the things we can see and do! And I imagined living in a place that will crack open my lifelong habits, expectations, and ideas. Woo-hoo! I'll be seeing life from a new point on Earth, one that calls into question much that I have taken for granted for the past 60 years, a place that will require me to find new words in a different language to express my feelings, thoughts, and desires.

And now I'm excited and happy again to think about living in México for a year. May it come to pass!

By the way, the letter didn't tell me where I'll be teaching! I have to get that information from CNM's Vice President for Academic Affairs, Sally Pearson, on Monday. I'm not sure why I wasn't told directly since I will find out from Sally. Perhaps they don't want candidates to contact each other directly except through the auspices of their respective schools.

My school, Central New Mexico Community College, and my possible exchange partner's school must review and approve the proposed exchange candidate and send off the official paperwork before I'll receive a letter of acceptance to the program.

Wow! The adventure begins. I bookmarked a blog I came across not long ago called "Mexico 501: Learning live in Mexico." Now I'll study it in earnest.