El Primer Mes: Viva en México

Being on exchange is a continuous ‘pinch me’ moment; life simply feels like a dream. You are on a journey of understanding a new culture, language, and way of living. A simple task such as shopping can lead to a crazy story you will never forget. It makes you realize what you miss from home but also allows you to discover a new love and appreciation for what’s different from home. Even amid frustration or confusion from a cultural difference or language barrier, it all accumulates in the many lessons you learn and grow from. There have been many highlights to the first month in Mexico, too many that I cannot fit into this piece. I will explain a typical first-month experience from a Kiwi exchange student living in Mexico City.

ORIENTATION

Apart from having an Orientation day at the campus, Tec De Monterrey provides a range of activities to get a feel of your new home in your first week. It also gives a window of opportunity to meet other exchange students. During Orientation week, we got to visit the center (Bellas Artes), Teotihuacan Pyramids and a Cocoa Workshop. The visit to the Pyramids was my favorite as we were able to watch a traditional Aztec ritual dance.

Orientation can feel quite overwhelming. In a way, I felt like I was at a week-long networking event due to learning so many different names and countries of exchange students. It is comforting to know that all 180 students are in the same position as you; therefore, everyone is open to meeting each other and making life-long connections. While learning about Mexico, you also learn about other exchange student’s lives from back home. It is fascinating to see how different lifestyles differ and how we all integrate these habits into our new country. I now have friends from all over the world, including Scandinavia, Israel, Canada, France, Romania, Finland, England, Australia, Colombia, Germany, America and so much more.

I’m not going to lie; it has been amazing to have another New Zealander embark on this crazy journey with me. Her name is Katie, and she also studies at the University of Auckland. Katie is studying Law and Global Studies, majoring in Environment and Sustainability. She will feature many times in my blog as we are joined at the hip; all the other exchange students know we are a package deal! While she and I are extroverted gals who tend to always be with other exchange students, having a comfort person and a home base is excellent. Kiwi banter is incomparable, after all!

LIVING

In terms of the living situation, Tec does not have any on-campus accommodation. However, they provide a website recommending third-party accommodation for exchange students near the University. The campus is located entirely south of the city, which is very far from the main center and typical tourist neighborhoods. Unlike areas near the center, our district provides an authentic Mexican experience. It is not commodified and impacted by tourism; instead, you are living amongst the locals. Katie and I live a 20-minute walk away from campus in a place called La Residencia. Another 8 students are living with us (from Finland, Romania, France, and Mexico), and we also have our host grandma, Dona Maria. She only speaks Spanish,  which is amazing for practice, and she makes banging Mexican dishes. In La Residencia, we are lucky to have a backyard and rooftop to relax during the day, as many other students live in apartments. I love studying or drinking my morning coffee in these areas because there is always sunshine. 

CLASSES

Unlike the University of Auckland, all of our lectures are the size of a tutorial, meaning there are around 20 students in each class. Tec De Monterrey prioritizes student participation and open discussion, a completely different teaching style to lecture theaters at the University of Auckland. The majority of our assignments revolve around presentations rather than essays or exams. Aotearoa and Mexico’s classroom environments are entirely opposite, so adjusting has taken a while. 

Like my classes back at home, I am taking four courses on my semester exchange. Due to Tec not having a school of psychology or criminology, I am taking papers related to my global studies degree. Three of my papers have to do with International Relations, which are called “Conflict and Negotiation,” “Cooperation and Global Governance” and “International Organisations.” However, my favorite class that I am taking this semester is called “Cultural Heritage of Mexico.” So far, we have studied Mesoamericans’ characteristics and the civilizations that existed before the Spaniards arrived. These civilizations include the Aztecs (Mashikans), Olmecs, Teotihuacan, Zipoltecs,  and Mayans. There are many similarities concerning traits within Mesoamerican societies, such as nutrition, technology, religion, systems of writing, and daily life activities.  

My favorite part of the course is learning about these groups’ different cosmological views. Visiting archaeological sites with significant religious meaning to Mesoamericans has also been fascinating. A topic I enjoyed learning in class is about the cenotes, which are these clear blue waterholes. Many Mesoamericans believed cenotes were the access to the afterlife, otherwise known as the underworld. Due to this, people would sacrifice others in the cenotes in hopes that they would enter the underworld. I feel lucky to not only hear about their religious beliefs but also have the opportunity to eventually visit sites, like the cenotes, during my time here. 

EXTRACURRICULAR

Tec De Monterrey offers ‘Life Courses,’ optional and extra-curricular classes. A life course I have been doing twice a week is yoga. Not only is this a fun way to meet new people and reset the body, but it is great exposure to the Spanish language. I can proudly say that I retain a solid idea of what each body part means in Spanish! My fellow New Zealander, Katie, takes Bachata dance classes twice a week. Life courses include many activities, including photography, pilates, tennis, football, martial arts, etc. It provides a time to be active while having a mental break and adds a little spice to your usual University day. 

The University also provides a range of spaces for students to do their own extracurriculars. This includes an indoor gym, tennis court, American football court, dance rooms, meditation rooms, soccer court, and outdoor gym. 

MEXICAN CULTURE

As I lived in Mexico City earlier this year for 2 months, I did not have as strong of a culture shock as last time. However, both trips have reminded me of a prominent characteristic I have not experienced in other countries I have visited. My only way to describe Mexicans is that they love ‘love.’ I’ve never met such a welcoming, nurturing, and accommodating culture. Mexicans do not second-think when it comes to giving and being hospitable. It is hard to be home-sick when surrounded by people who make you feel like your home. Within 5 minutes of speaking to a Mexican, they have already invited you to their place for a meal or offered to take you to a new part of the city. They are just as fascinated and intrigued about your background as you are of theirs. If I were to recommend a place to study on exchange, it would undoubtedly be Mexico City. The colors of the buildings genuinely reflect the nature of their culture, blissful and bright. 

A massive highlight of my exchange so far has been the weekend trips and exploring Mexico City. Something that I will touch on in future blogs! 

¡Hasta pronto chicos!