Me Voy! (Me Fui!)

Greetings from Califas!

After 8 years, my time in the Beehive state came to an end.

I just want to be a bit of a numerologist and point out that I first moved to Utah in 2008, I left in 2018, I spent 8 years there total (mission separating), and I left just shy of my 28th birthday. SO MANY 8s!!! 8 is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE NUMBER!

I gradually "broke up" with Provo this summer. Usually the drawn out break-up process can be sticky, and mentally draining, but after having an 8 year relationship with this place—it was just what I needed!

It started with moving out of my townhome in Highland Park and moving to Orem to house and pet sit for a BYU professor and his family. I had the entire home to myself and incorporated my pet duties into my bar prep schedule.

Also thanks to bar prep, I only was able to attend one hour of church most Sundays and had to be *mostly* relieved of my calling in my ward's Relief Society Presidency.

There were less and less visits to campus and even when I did reach campus, I was only within the confines of either the main campus and law library. These last few moments spent on campus were particularly stressful as I felt the full weight of the bar exam on me.

The Friday before the bar exam, I sat in the Rex E. Lee reading room of the law library and heard a voice say, "look at the clouds!" I looked out the window and watched the clouds for a solid 15 min or so as I heard a voice tell me, "your ancestors saw these exact same skies, and as long as they have looked up, I have looked down and blessed them, and the same goes for you." The only music I was listening to up to the bar was the Entre Los Andes playlist on Spotify (a MUST if you haven't ever heard it!) and my Living Legends-Native Section CD. All weekend leading up to the bar I felt the presence of ancient spirits comforting me, and helping me manage the stress of it all.

Most of my free time this summer was spent doing #letsbesupermexican -esque things. Are we surprised? Not really.

The absolute last thing I did on BYU campus was participate in a really great meeting with Latino professors and other BYU allies of the Mexican-American community to prep for some really exciting future opportunities for BYU students to learn about my rich cultural heritage and the struggles of my community. This is all I can reveal on the matter for now, but I am excited for the future of Mexican-American students on campus!

Honestly, I couldn't imagine a more fitting way to end to the BYU chapter of my life.

Relief Society Presidency from Provo YSA 65th! It was never a dull moment with these ladies as major changes were announced to the way Relief Society functions in the church. We joked that we were running a "Not Your Mother's Relief Society." I'm constantly feeling like a guinea pig for the Church's new projects. [I'm looking at you age change and Missionary Leadership Council!]

Immigration Initiative at the Law School with Kimberly from my MPA program

the BYU Community Clinic crew. 

Fourth of July festivities with the family

I reprised my role as Elena of Avalor, but this time for the Taylor Made costume shop on Center street in Provo.

I've been around little Nora several times in real life, but in this moment she was 1,000% convinced that I was Elena of Avalor. She asked me questions about why my crown was different and where my scepter was. I told her my real crown was getting fixed. 

A Sunday evening hike with Jared. It was beautiful (see below)

La Santa Cecilia concert with Katie—she's my go to "super Mexican things" friend in Utah. We ran into Sharona who had been in Living Legends with us in our undergrad years. A fun little reunion at an incredibly fun concert.

Nicole and I catching up with our friend Michael. We introduced him to Fruta Crush, Provo's take on the refresquerias that I grew up with here in LA.

Gah! I miss these two pups and their owners more than I ever thought I could. I found myself feeling like another member of the family. As a parting memento, the family gave me the dog tags with my cell phone number on them, tags the dogs had worn while the family was out of town. I miss being a pet owner, even if it was only for a few months. 

This is the skyscape I mentioned above from my somewhat anxious moment the Friday before the bar exam. It was a spiritual moment, and I felt I had to capture it.

Thus ends the Utah chapter of my life.
An 8 year saga filled with joy, sorrow, but most of all growth.
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& now the adventure continues in California!