A Northumberland Regional High School student is off to Mexico this March as one of 21 young ambassadors from Nova Scotia who will visit the city of Campeche.
Cecilia McInnis will be the only student from Pictou County on the Nova Scotia International Student Leadership delegation to visit Campeche, where she will live with a local family and sample the local culture, including the Spanish language.
“I’m very excited. I think it’s going to be very interesting seeing a new global perspective and a different culture,” said McInnis, who leaves on March 2.
McInnis and her 20 fellow delegates from across the province are currently raising funds and collecting donations for the people of Campeche.
As part of the group's Service Learning project, McInnis will be collecting donations to send to Campeche. She is seeking books, puzzles, games, small toys, school supplies, sports equipment, flashlights, batteries and personal hygiene items like toothbrushes.
The Chignecto-Central Regional School Board and the Nova Scotia International Student Program are covering her trip costs, but McInnis will also be accepting cash donations.
Students will visit areas around Campeche that are underprivileged, and make a decision on what project will need their fundraising donations.
Past projects have included buying equipment for a cancer center in the local children's hospital, building a library, a sports facility and renovating a local orphanage.
McInnis will be approaching local businesses in the upcoming weeks for support.
“People can have a huge global impact despite their age,” said McInnis.
She will be making her impact with the help of her host family, allowing them to practice both Spanish and English skills as well as enjoy a taste of Mexican home life.
From what she knows, her host family is friendly towards Canadians, as are the people of Campeche, who have hosted Nova Scotian exchange students for several years.
During her 10 or so days in the city, McInnis will attend Campeche University and see heritage sites such as the nearby Mayan pyramids, built before Spanish colonialists took control of the region.
Located on the eastern side of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Campeche is a sister city to Halifax in many ways, as it’s a port town that exported products such as gold and tropical hardwoods to Europe.
Today, its rich heritage and historic architecture attracts visitors like McInnis keen to see some more of the world.
“I’m hoping to gain more insight into different countries because I’ve always been interested in helping people and medicine,” said McInnis. “I’ve been considering programs like Vets Without Borders or Doctors Without Borders.”
