Alice (Sem 2, 2023)

My Exchange at Tecnológico de Monterrey

As a Global Studies student the option of an exchange was presented and encouraged from the first orientation class of our programme. It made sense that a degree aiming to cultivate global citizenship and perspectives would benefit from lived experience abroad. From the get-go, I was excited about the prospect of exchange, and as I began to really enjoy learning Spanish as a part of my area of study, it was clear I wanted to find an exchange in a Spanish-speaking country. Because of the way my courses worked I elected to do my exchange semester as the last semester of my degree, which was such an exciting way to finish my degree!

I was awarded my first choice exchange destination: Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico. I chose this destination because it offered a great mix of English and Spanish courses, giving me the ability to practice my Spanish without diving into the deep end too much. The preparation for an exchange shouldn’t be underestimated, but it was definitely worth it to get there!

I was extremely nervous jumping on a plane to Mexico by myself, off to Monterrey where I knew no one, in a country everyone tells you to be careful of, without confidence in the language. Despite this everything went very smoothly, my apartments and flatmates were real and not a scam (and actually turned into great friends). My flatmate Ale actually invited my to her hometown the first weekend I arrived! The university campus was absolutely beautiful and had a much stronger campus feeling than the campuses in NZ. There were even deer, peacocks and Mexican ducks wandering the campus!

Orientation was well organised and offered a great place to meet other students. Although I travelled to Mexico alone and was the only kiwi at the university- I was never alone as soon as I entered the country! Mexican people are warm and open, and all the other exchange students were just as keen to make friends as I was!

The classes were a very different style to what I was used to in Auckland. Class sizes were small (~25 students) and strong on presentations, group work, and discussion. It was an interesting flip in learning styles which gave me new energy to put into study after 4 years of the same thing at Auckland. I especially enjoyed my Latin American regional scenario course which stepped me through the history and contemporary challenges facing the region. It felt so much more real to be in the region while a gained these insights! My class in Spanish was also a great challenge as I was placed in a class with only Mexican students and had to think on my feet with my language skills a lot!

As well as the courses Tec offered free extracurricular classes to students. I took part in Yoga classes as well as CrossFit, swimming and using the free gym facilities. There was also cooking classes and Latin dancing classes on offer! The uni also provided free medical services and had lots of fun events happening all the time on campus.

Life in Mexico was amazing. The food was incredible, the people were larger than life, and the culture and history in incredibly rich. I was able to travel around Mexico a lot with my exchange student friends as we were given free weeks for travel during the semester! 

I could not recommend this exchange enough, I wish I could do it all over again!

Q&A

What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?

• Learning about Latin America whilst being in Latin America was invaluable. My teacher was extremely knowledgeable in her field and the other students had really interesting perspectives to share from their own loved experience
• Getting to jumó out of my comfort zone and take a sustainability class entirely in Spanish has improved my listening skills immensely!

Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?

• Eat lots of tacos and street food 
• Use Uber instead of Taxis
• Select that Spanish-speaking class – you will pass!!
• Get out and explore on your weekends as time flies by!

What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?

– Travel! I would recommend a semester 2 exchange as you are there for Independence Day, Día de los Muertos and Christmas!

– Dive in with your language learning! It’s very easy to stick to English speakers in such an international university so it is important to put yourself in situations where you can improve your Spanish!

– Don’t feel pressured to sort your accommodation in advance in Monterrey. It can be easiest to book an Airbnb for the first few weeks and find a place when you get there. That way you avoid scams and put yourself in the best area!

How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?

I was very privileged to receive the PMSLA which funded my flights and covered most of my living costs in Mexico ($8000nzd). It is important to budget for travel expenses as there is a lot of opportunities for travel whilst in Mexico.

In Monterrey rent costs were slightly cheaper than Auckland but not a lot better. I had a cheap place and paid 150nzd per week. Food is cheaper but not magically cheap- you shave about $5 from meals unless you get very cheap street food. This was different in other areas of Mexico as Monterrey has a much higher cost of living.

What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?

Languages don’t come easy!! I think we have a romantic idea in NZ of moving to another country for a few months and coming out fluent. It doesn’t work like that and it takes perseverance and a thick skin. That being said, it’s one of the most fascinating challenges you can embark on, and it opens up a whole new world of perspectives!

Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?

I was able to travel a lot of Mexico during my exchange which was amazing. I left Mexico wanting to go straight back as there is so much to see. I visited Chichén Itza, Frida Kahlo’s house, Rivera, Orozco and Siquero’s murals, beautiful beach town on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, and much more! Mexico is incredibly diverse.

Final Comments

I’m very grateful for my ability to go on this exchange, it has been unforgettable. I encourage anyone thinking about an exchange in Mexico or elsewhere to take the leap- it’s even better than you expect it will be!