Resources Programs Finances Announcements Contact Us

Home

Resources

Stephanie Serchen - Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM),

Campus Mexico City, Mexico

Hey there,

So this is my last entry.  I just returned home to Wisconsin last night and I have to say the feeling I have is strange.  I feel like I never left, but at the same time I know I just lived six months in another country.  I have to say that I miss Mexico and the people dearly!  I made some amazing memories there and I hope to return back very soon. 

The last two weeks, I spent my time just really taking in every last bit of the city.  I ate at all my favorite places like Sushito, Daruma, Cinepolis, La Casa de Pastor, and the taco stands at my favorite locations.  I also visited Perisur a couple more times to see movies or just to look in the stores.  I hung out with friends whom I had made during my six month stay and really had a great time.  My goal was to really just take it all in and make last minute memories. 

Everyday was a countdown to my last and with that were the emotions.  I had a split feeling about leaving.  Part of me knew that I had to go home to see my family and friends that had waited so long to see me, but at the same time I didn’t want to ever leave.  It’s a feeling that I can’t describe and only someone in my position would understand.

I did manage to eat at La Tezca during my last two weeks.  This was a restaurant owned by the third chef in the world, Juan Mari Arzak.  He actually stays at his restaurant in Spain but the chef at this restaurant in Mexico City was personally trained by him.  This restaurant serves Basque cuisine and I have to say it’s delicious.  We ordered the Chef’s menu which was already prepared for us and my favorite part was the dessert.  The atmosphere was elegant and the wait staff was very attentive.  It’s a restaurant I would recommend visiting if you make down to Mexico City. 

While packing all my stuff up to leave, I thought to myself how fast my time here flew by.  I also didn’t remember how much stuff I actually brought with me.  It was so difficult to try and fit it all back into my suitcases.  I had a very tearful goodbye but I will stay in contact and I have pictures to remind me of the great times I had. 

I hope you all got a taste of Mexico through my experiences.  I hope you all get a chance to experience it for yourselves!  

Hello everyone!

Well my time here in Mexico is coming down to an end.  I have about two weeks left to experience all that I can.  One good thing I can say is that I have finally finished my studies!! All my finals I had to study for are finished and I can proudly say I passed them all. 

It was sad to have to say goodbye to all my friends I had made from all over the world.  These were people that helped me have an incredible experience while studying here in Mexico over the past 5 months.  But now, they were people who I will have to stay in contact with by email; people who live continents away.  It’s an odd feeling to become so close with a group of people and then one day just say goodbye knowing that there is a chance I would never see them again. 

I just got back from Morelia a few days ago.  I went with the family that I know for another car race, which the son ended up winning first place in.  We left on a Friday and arrived around 10:00 pm.  We first ate at the San Miguelito Restaurant which was fabulous food, especially the tortilla soup.  Then we stayed our first night at El Torreblanco, which I would not recommend.  We ended up finding another hotel the next morning which was excellent.  We stayed in a gorgeous hotel called Villa San Jose.  We stayed in a suite that overlooked an amazing view of Morelia.  I added a picture in this blog.  The race was on Sunday so we had all of Saturday to explore Morelia.  We took a taxi into downtown and walked around.  We first took a tour of the Catedral de Morelia (Morelia’s Cathedral) which was beautiful during the day and magical at night, when Morelia performs a light show to music on the Cathedral exterior.  It’s a must see in Morelia.  We also took a trolley tour around Morelia where we learned about many churches, monasteries, political buildings, the aqueducts and finally we ended at the Museum of Candy.  Here we learned how the original candy of Morelia was made hundreds of years ago.  We were able to buy some of the candy still being produced today.  I thought it was very interesting since I enjoy sweets so much.  The trolley tour was a great way to see all of Morelia in a short period of time.  Finally, we ended our day in downtown at one of the tables surrounding the streets around the Cathedral.  Once it was nightfall, the light show began and we were able to watch that while having a drink and a bite to eat.  It was a great experience. 

Well I have two weeks left here in Mexico so we’ll see what I’m able to experience before the end.  I already think I’ve experienced so much and I will be so sad to leave!

Hola hola hola!!

So remember I had mentioned that I would have a mountain of work to do before finals?  Well, I still do!  The work is truly never ending.  That is one thing ITESM is good for here.  Because of the work, I have not had much going on.  It has been pretty calm and uninteresting here.  I did manage to go out the other night with some friends, to take a break from it all.  We went to a place called Maskaras.  It is a great little place with karaoke, a bar and good food.  The atmosphere is great as well. 

The other weekend, I went to some car races.  One of the family’s sons races his car every couple weeks.  It is a big deal for him and he gets so close to winning but never does.  Well this weekend, we went to Tulancingo to watch him race and he won! It was so exciting to watch from the beginning to the end.  We all were sitting under this pop-up tent we brought. We had our food and grill to cook out.  It was a little chilly but the race was so intense that we didn’t even notice.  He was racing a Renault Clio and won first place.  He went to the podium and received his plaque.  It was so exciting.

Last weekend, I went to another baptism.  It was not the most fascinating thing but we got to eat a lot which is always good.  They also were playing some good music.  The family and I have been taking dancing classes twice a week and so we went out and danced a few of the dances we learned.  That was a lot of fun. 

It is really embarrassing that I can’t find more to talk about.  These were two weeks of really nothingness.  But I’m in Mexico so nothingness is okay to have here every once in awhile.

Hello, hello!

Can I first start out by saying that Mexico can be so beautiful!  The weather here is amazing.  I was hearing that back home it had just started to warm up.  Well let me tell you that here, it already has.  It is finally the weather to wear skirts and tank-tops.  I bet you are wondering why I can’t wear that all year round.  Well in Mexico City, it doesn’t snow but it gets cold.  And when I first arrived, it got down to 40s and 50s at night.  But now it stays warm all through the night.  It is really great!!

Okay, enough bragging about the weather.  There was an event the other night that none of us in Wisconsin have ever experienced…well at least I haven’t.  The other night I went to bed around 11:00 or so like I did every night.  But around mid-night, I woke up to my whole bed moving from side to side.  I thought I was dreaming at first.  I heard the whole apartment making noises and sirens were going off.  I had never felt anything like it before.  Five minutes later, my roommate comes in to tell me that it was an earthquake!!! Could you imagine what I felt, having never experienced something like this before?  Well, she told me that if it didn’t stop in the next couple minutes, that we would go downstairs and outside.  To tell you the truth, I think I was still half asleep because I didn’t panic or run out of there screaming.  A few minutes later it stopped and nothing had fallen off my shelves or anything like that.  But for a good hour it continued to have little shocks afterward.  The next day at school, of course all the foreigners were talking about it.  They hadn’t experienced something like that either.  I, later, heard that it wasn’t a very big one and that it is a common think in Mexico.  Supposedly, it is worse over in Acapulco on the west coast.  What was even more surprising to me was that that next day, I got an email from my family asking if I was alright and that they had heard about the earthquake from some media.  It was good to know that they were keeping track of what was going on here and didn’t forget about me.  I just have to say that that was an experience in itself.  But so far it has been the only one I have felt since I got here…thank goodness!

I just had my third partials and now getting ready for finals.  It is a bit sad that I have completed so much here already because that means I will be leaving soon.  Well I don’t even want to think about that right now.  I think the professors here truly hold all the major projects and papers until the end of semester.  Well, maybe that is true in most schools. I really don’t understand why they do that.  I just know that I have so much I need to get done in the next couple weeks.  I hope I find time to do it all.  It might be a bit uninteresting for me here for awhile. 

That is all for now.  I’ll write again soon. 

Hola a todos!

I have been having an amazing time.  I am really starting to feel that I fit in here.  I mean, I haven’t gotten the language one hundred percent yet, but I am making friends all over.  To tell you the truth, getting the speaking in Spanish down has been a lot more difficult than I thought.  I can honestly say that I have mastered the listening and understanding.  I think the problem is that so many people here want to practice their English.  When I approach someone and begin speaking in Spanish, they right away tell me that I can just say it in English.  And of course, I speak in English so I can get my point across easier.  The people here are so friendly and really want to make a foreigner feel comfortable, at least the ones I have met. 

Moving on from that topic, the other day I went to church like I usually do.  But today they were speaking about abortion and how strongly they were against it.  They were going to have a march at the Zócalo, where all the political offices are, to protest against a new law they were trying to pass.  The law would implement that abortion would be legal for all of Mexico.  After I heard this speech about it at church, I began to hear a lot more about it all over the place, like classes and with the family I spend most my time with.  I don’t know the percentage of people in the U.S. that is against abortions, but it seemed that whoever I talked to here in Mexico seemed to make it a very big deal.  It was interesting to see how different cultures can have similar views on such a controversial topic.  I have yet to see if the law passes but I’ll let you know when I do. 

The other day, my school had a hamburger festival.  Supposedly, this festival is a huge deal for everyone, including those outside the school.  There were flyers all over the place and friends I have from other schools were even asking me when the festival was.  It lasted for two days.  There were three types of hamburgers and there were a huge hit.  I believe it was put on by some groups from the business department.  They provided raffles, games and music for entertainment.  It is funny how hamburgers can be such a big hit in a place where tacos are the main competitor. 

Well that is really about all the excitement there has been around here in Mexico City.  But I will be sure to write again as soon as something else occurs. 

March 19, 2007

Hola!

So I’m still here trying to do some more exploring; the problem is that the past couple of weeks have been taken over by school.  I finished another week of partials recently and I am so happy those are over.  Now I’m just waiting for Semana Santa (or Spring Break).

I did manage to make it to the Zócalo of Mexico City.  A group of us went for our history class.  There was an art exhibit called, Revelaciones: The Arts of Latin America at the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso.  The art exhibit was great!  It contained pieces from the late 1400s until the mid-1800s.  The exhibition started in Philadelphia, then came here to Mexico City, and later will travel to Los Angeles. 

On the way to this museum, we managed to see a lot of different architecture and other sites.  One major site we saw was the Templo Mayor.  This pyramid is in the middle of excavation and all we could see were the tops of the pyramids.  They haven’t had the money or technology to dig any further.  We also were able to see the building where all the government offices were, a cathedral and many other awesome buildings.  This is how most cities are designed in Mexico.  Most have a zócalo that contains the church and government buildings.  I added a picture of the cathedral so there is an idea of what I was talking about.  We also walked a pedestrian street to get to this museum.  This pedestrian street was full of people, carts and booths.  These people were selling everything and anything.  It was so crowded that we could barely move.  One of my friends stopped to look for a new pair of sunglasses.  There were also things like food (of course), clothes, shoes, movies and music, and beads (there were lots of those).  We took almost an hour and a half just to find the museum.  It was a great experience! 

Talking about great experiences, I have failed to talk to everyone about the transportation here in Mexico City.  I can proudly say I have not had to take a taxi (thank goodness!).  Those taxi drivers definitely interesting.  I usually try to walk.  But to go to places like the Zócalo or Bellas Artes or anywhere with a distance, I take the Metro.  This metro is most interesting.  Just to get on the metro is exciting because I have to go quickly to avoid getting closed in the door.  There are usually so many people on these things and the smells are not the best.  I also see people always trying to sell the usual gum or candy, but there are also people who wear these backpacks that play music and try to sell CD’s.  One event that I have not witnessed yet is the people who will lay glass on the floor of the metro stations and then throw themselves down on it for money.  I’ve heard it’s a horrible image to see.  These people are usually intoxicated or on drugs.  I’m so glad I have not witnessed this!  One more type of transportation would be the buses.  I haven’t ridden on a bus yet but I’ve been in cars driving next to them.  These buses are not afraid to cut people off or nearly run the cars of the road.  There have been stories that on long drives to places like Cuernavaca or Acapulco, buses will race each other and the accidents end up killing people on the bus or other drivers.  Luckily, I have a family who drives me most anywhere. 

February 25, 2007

Hello again!

It’s been a couple more weeks here in Mexico City and I’m still loving it.  There so much this city, and those around it, has to offer.  This is truly the city that never sleeps.  I’ve been trying to get out and see more of Mexico than just the city.  I did manage to go to Cuernavaca this past weekend with some friends.  We stayed at a house and went to the historical center of Cuernavaca.  The picture I used is of the Catedral de Cuernavaca at night.  This area of Cuernavaca might not be where all the clubs are but there is lots to do there during the day as well as at night. The food is also very good.  My friend even got hotcakes with strawberry sauce a sprinkles off a cart in the plaza at 10:00 pm.  Talk about being able to find ANYTHING you could want to eat.  

School at the Tec (as they call it here) has continued to be challenging.  Last week, I got to hear Benjamin Barber speak to many of the Tec students.  He’s a man from New York who is speaking around the world about the globalised world and a need for interdependence vs. independence.  It was very interesting and exciting to see someone from the United States talking in Mexico.  There are many opportunities like that here a the Tec.  They have organized trips to Acapulco as well as other activities for the foreign students to meet new people. 

My Spanish is coming along great.  There is really no way a person could come here and not improve their Spanish.  Even if you take a class in English, there are still opportunities to speak Spanish with the Mexican students in the class.  I absolutely love being able to communicate with the locals and even be able to order my food or ask for help in a store.  It’s really becoming a great experience.

The family I know here has been really great.  The people in Mexico really are warm and welcoming and willing to help even the foreigners.  I’ve been able to really experience life with this family and become like another daughter to them.  I attend church and bible class with them.  Other opportunities have been going to a race track to watch one of the sons race.  Another one has been spending with them birthdays and other events they celebrate.  One of the best has been the opportunity to experience many of the amazing restaurants they have here in the city.  A few I would recommend would be El Taberna de León, San Angel Inn, Hacienda de Los Morelos and Las Mañanitas (in Cuernavaca)!  They are a bit pricey but if you wanted to experience that end of the cuisine, these would be my recommendations.  For not-so-pricey cuisine, I would recommend Sushitto, Sanborns and Charco de las Ranas!  Let me just say that I am in love with the food in this country.

I’m going to add that I have had my share of homesickness since I’ve been here.  But, surprisingly, not a lot.  I will say that it’s a very good thing to make friends and other acquaintences while you are abroad because when you begin to feel that feeling of missing home, they are the ones who can really help you get back on track.  Make a routine with friends!  Twice a week I have lunch with a friend, I am with a family almost everyday for lunch (actually supper for us) and on the weekends I make sure I’m always staying busy by going to see movies, out to eat, or other activities.  I really really love it here and don’t want to think about ever having to go back!

January 27, 2007

Hi everyone!

I have been here in Mexico City for a couple weeks now and I have had a chance to really get to know the culture and people.  I’m living in an apartment with a roommate who is from Tiajuana.  It is owned by a family who lives below and is part of a group who specifically rents out to foreigners.  It is a great place and includes everything a person could want including, wireless, a kitchen, my own bathroom, a living room with TV and DVD, as well as a maid who comes once a week to clean. 

I’ve also had a couple weeks of classes at the Tecnológico de Monterrey-Ciudad de México.  The campus is awesome and the professors are fantastic.  The only problem I’m having is with the course load.  The Tec expects a lot from its students, which is great because the students really learn, but all the work is done in groups with is not something I like or am used to.  I did get to go to Bellas Artes with my Spanish class and that was a really great place for historical buildings.  The picture is of me in front of one of them.

I didn’t choose to stay with a family because I already knew a family down here.  I’m at their house pretty much everyday to eat dinner around 4:00 (they call it lunch here because dinner for them is at 10:00).  I usually go out with them every weekend to church and other activities.  For New Year’s, I was at their house because the Mexican people spend New Year’s with their families.  We ate fondue and stayed up until midnight.  Right before midnight, during the countdown, we did a tradition where the people each take 12 grapes and on every chime of the countdown, the person has to stick a grape in their mouth.  I only got to 5.  Then there was this holiday for the Three Wise Men on January 6th.  This is celebrated with the family as well and we eat dinner together.  We even played the guitar and sang songs together.  After dinner we eat a sweet bread called La Rosca.  Everyone takes and piece and looks inside to see if they got the little toy.  Whoever does is the one chosen to make the tomales on February 2nd.  I’m so happy I didn’t get it.  I don’t know how to make tomales. 

I’ve also had my share of fun with friends going out on the weekends as well.  I’ve been having such a great time.  I’ve been meeting people from Australia, Canada, France, Sweden, China and Mexico, obviously.  I love it here so much.  The family has finally told me they believe I am bilingual.  That was my goal and it looks like I have accomplished it. 

Pre-departure

So the past three months I’ve been working hard at meeting deadlines and funding this study abroad experience.  I began by choosing Mexico City as my destination of choice through the ITESM exchange program at UWM.  In the ITESM exchange program there are many other locations throughout Mexico.  I chose the Mexico City campus because I took a few trips there and really fell in love with the area.  I wanted to study there so that I could really learn the culture and the language that I fell in love with so much. 

Getting started, there was a lot of paperwork to fill out.  The OPP office made it really easy to stay on schedule.  My study abroad advisor gave great advice and was always available to answer any questions I had.  There is a checklist of items with their deadlines that I just easily checked off once each was completed.  The forms were easy and the OPP office can be very flexible if need be.  Within a month I had most the forms completed.  One bit of advice would be to get the travel physical with your doctor done as soon as possible if you plan on having it at Norris.  I missed my deadline for that form because Norris was a bit backed up.  Again, the OPP office was very flexible with that and allowed me some extra time after the deadline.  With the passport, on the other hand, get that taken care of as soon as possible because if you do not have the passport, you do not go.  It’s fairly easy to do but it does have some costs and time to it so the earlier you do it the better.

The orientation that everyone going abroad is required to attend, sounds extremely boring and you might not want to go.  I know I was skeptical about going but when I did, it was worth it.  I learned so many do’s and don’t’s for studying abroad as well as personal stories from advisors and students.  I even learned how to pack for going to another country, which was great advice because when it comes to packing I always overdo it.  It wasn’t just boring information, although there was a bit of that as well but it’s necessary.  I found it very interesting and I learned a lot to make me feel more comfortable going to another country.

I will be leaving December 28th for Mexico City.  I’m both scared and excited.  I will admit that my experience may be different than a lot of other people who study abroad, only because I know a family and I have a boyfriend who lives there.  So I’ll feel safe going there knowing there’s someone to help me.  I’ve never been in the city longer than a month and have only been there a few times.  I’m scared because although I know people there, I will be living on my own in an apartment and going to a school where I know absolutely no one.  It can be hard enough making new friends speaking your own language let alone a language you aren’t as comfortable speaking.  But nonetheless, I think this experiences is going to be awesome.  The people I will meet and the culture I will learn of will stick with me forever.  It is all what I make of it and I plan to make the best of it.