Tec de Monterrey, Mexico

Over the winter break I went to Mexico on a “Regional Economics” Global Shorts Program with UTS partner university Tec de Monterrey… I had the most incredible experience and already can’t wait to go back!

Tec de Monterrey has 31 campuses across Mexico, of which we visited 4, spending a week in Mexico City, Puebla, Queretaro and Guadalajara. The university hosts 4 short exchange programs that run at the same time, across the 4 programs, there were 60 students from more than 15 countries. Being part of a larger group was a great way to make new connections and learn about different cultures, we all stayed at the same accommodation and could hang out in free time and during cultural activities. I was the only UTS student and the only Australian on the trip, while I took pride in representing my country, it would be great to get more Aussies travelling in Mexico and Latin America in general!

The highlights in Mexico City were the Frida Kahlo Museum, the Central Bank of Mexico, the historic downtown area, Trajineras (gondola like boats) and Teotihuacan (Pyramid of the Sun). In 2017, the Mexico City uni campus was severely damaged by the 7.1 magnitude earthquake, Tec de Monterrey has since constructed a breathtaking memorial, and the resilience of the community is admirable.

In Puebla, my favourite activities were visiting a Mezcal factory (distilled alcohol from agave plant), exploring the town of Calpan near the Popocatepetl (Volcano) were we had a cooking class with a local legend and attending a Lucha Libre (wrestling).

Guadalajara was an amazing city; I would recommend for anyone visiting Mexico to go! The highlight for me was spending the day in Tequilla, the town where Tequilla was first made and home to the famous brand Jose Cuervo. We visited an agave farm, explored the town, toured the original Jose Cuervo factory and tasted A LOT of Tequilla.

Querétaro was by far my favourite city, the town had a magical atmosphere, the buildings were so colourful, the streets were busy, the people were lovely, the food and shopping was outstanding!

Overall, spending a week in each city was a great way to learn about the diverse cultures and traditions across Mexico. During each week we typically went to campus 2-3 times for classes, we had 2 days of cultural experiences and always a day or 2 for free time. I learnt a lot about the history of economic development in Mexico and the future for the country. The experience made me aware of many possible post graduate and career opportunities within Latin America that I am excited to explore. If anyone is considering travelling to Mexico or Latin America, don’t let language or security concerns hold you back! I felt safe everywhere and my little to no Spanish wasn’t a problem! I couldn’t recommend this experience more! I’m more than happy to chat with anyone curious about my trip or answer any questions for students interested in the program or studying at Tec de Monterrey.

Alexander Heidi Green
Bachelor of Economics
Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), Mexico
Global Short Programs Travel Scholarship

For more information about the UTS Global Short Program visit: www.uts.edu.au/thinkglobal