Jazmine here, your guide through México. After six hours on a flight from New York City, the ProjectExplorer team steadily descended into the heart of Mexico City.

Flying into México’s capital is nothing short of breathtaking. Rocky mountains abruptly turn into brown valleys where the skeletons of ancient rivers carve the terrain. Then, small towns multiply until the valley floor is flooded with buildings and shacks that thin out only as they climb up the sides of the mountains.

Mexico City is beyond huge - so huge, in fact, that it is classified as a megalopolis. A city develops into a megalopolis by absorbing adjacent towns and smaller cities. Mexico City is growing like an amoeba and has been engulfing nearby populations at a steady rate since the second half of the 20th century. It grew from 3.1 million people in 1950 to 14 million by 1980, and today it has more than a whopping 19 million people. It makes my hometown of New York City look like a suburb.

Mexico City lies in a valley surrounded on three sides by mountains. The valley itself has an average elevation of about 8,000 feet above sea level, and the mountains climb as high as 12,000 feet. The elevation and lack of air circulation within the valley often causes breathing problems for visitors.

After going through a very thorough immigration checkpoint, getting my multi-colored visa stamp, and gathering my bags, I made my way to the exit to find our driver, Hector. The team was met by two smiling gentlemen, one being our travelling educator, Scott, and the other holding a sign that read ‘Production Schedule.’ No doubt this misnomer foreshadows the hilarity and misadventures Team ‘Production Schedule’ - I mean - Team ProjectExplorer.org will embark on in Mexico City, Oaxaca, and Mérida.

Next: The History of Apartheid.

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