Mexico: An underestimated country that enriches, inspires and educates unlike any other Past Review
By Erica H (Theatre, Fordham University) for
Universidad Iberoamericana / IBERO: Mexico City - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Yes! Mexico was amazing, and my experience abroad gave me everything I had hoped to gain from it and so much more. It was such an enriching experience, not only culturally, but in meeting new people from all over the world and finding a part of myself in another setting.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The grading system (as well as the credit system) is different. I found that the classes were challenging and very informative, though with foreigners the teachers tended to be a bit more forgiving with grades and deadlines. Because of the credit differences, it was a bit difficult to ascertain how many credits for my host university I was taking. Apart from that, the spanish education is much more effective at Universidad Iberoamericana and much more rigorous, and all classes took a keen out-of-classroom approach which was very new and interesting. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I did not feel that the program had any weaknesses, other than perhaps a little laxness on the part of the professors towards the students. But especially for foreign students, the program ensured that was a culturally engaging and inspiring program and that we were exposed to all facets of culture as well as educational rigor and support. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
If I could do it again, I would choose to live an apartment with local people/students of my own age. Mexico is a bit traditional in the family sense, so living with a host family was sometimes uncomfortable and I wouldn't see them that often, so it didn't really make a difference for my spanish. |
| * Food: |
The cafeteria at school is cheap and diverse, I'm a vegetarian and could most properly feed myself there. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We took many trips together with the international program, and once I'd made friends, went on a few roadtrips as well, which were some of the most incredible and satisfying parts of my time in Mexico. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
I had one instance with upset stomach, but was immiediately taken care of with the school's free medical service. OTher than that, I was fine and safety is only a matter of knowing where and where not to go, and what and what not to do as in any other city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
Finances
|
* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
|
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | At least 1000 pesos (baseline 700 on food, and 300 on transport and other things, if I went out a lot, it was more) that's about 100 dollars |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I wish I'd known how cheap everything was before I came so I didn't do the host family meals the first month (it was a waste of money) and ideally then I would have also gotten an apartment with some other students because it would have been even cheaper in the end to have my own place to cook and live closer to everyone else, etc. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
|
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | A student who goes to Mexico definitely needs to be open to new cultures, as well as have a good sense of city smarts and spanish. Beyond that, I HIGHLY recommend it! |
