Minor at the BUAP in Mexico
This report will give insights to my experiences before, during and after my minor abroad at the BUAP in Puebla (August to December 2019).
1. Preparation
1.1 Study Abroad Application
In the preparation phase I benefitted from the exchange with third-year students as they shared their experiences from all over the world with me. A first step was deciding which countries and host universities would contribute to my academic and personal endeavours. Furthermore, I familiarized myself with the possible cities and regions. The Student Portal as well as the host universities’ websites offered useful information to narrow down my options. The course lists of the host universities allowed me to take into account whether I could select courses in my area of interest. Before considering a certain university, I always checked the general application requirements (especially regarding the language proficiency) to ensure that I would be eligible as well as the type of exchange since the Multi-Faculty Exchange usually costs more time and money (if a language certificate is required).
1.2 Application to the host university
The host university required the following documents: a B1 language proficiency proof (declaration from Spanish professor suffices), a learning agreement (course selection) signed by the study advisors, a Spanish resume, a motivation letter, a transcript of records (original and Spanish translation), a recommendation letter with Spanish translation and a passport copy. You will already have collected most of these documents as the RUG usually needs them to nominate you at the host university
1.3 Visa
The visa was issued on arrival at the airport for a period of 180 days. As this exceeds the usual tourist visa, the acceptance letter of the BUAP has to be presented in order to receive it. Moreover, your passport must be valid at least 6 more months after the expiration of the visa. Thus, check the expiration date in time as a renewal can take weeks.
1.4 Language
As all classes were taught in Spanish, a B1 Spanish level was obligatory. Apart from engaging in the regular Spanish classes at the Rug, I prepared through tandems and found a tandem partner in Puebla. It is also recommendable to bring a dictionary, as exchange students were allowed to use it for exams. 2. Stay abroad
2.1 Arrival and orientation
I arrived about a week before classes started to get to know the city, my roommates and the campus. Within this week we were also asked to introduce ourselves at the mobility office to complete the course selection. You will usually have to make a new one that might be entirely different from the selection in your first learning agreement. This is due to changes in the courses offered and because only certain combinations will fit your academic schedules. As the new course selection has to be approved by the study advisors before submitting it to the BUAP, it might take a few days so it is recommendable to take care of it in time. Apart from the BUAP mobility office, the BUAP exchange coordinator kept in touch with us during our stay informing us about events and administrative questions. In our first week, the BUAP organized a big welcome event with traditional dances, food and Mariachi, which was a great opportunity to meet fellow exchange students and get to know the university. Some faculties also hosted their own welcome events aiming at a fruitful cultural exchange.
2.2 Your study programme
I am an IRIO student, so I enrolled for courses in the Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Sociales and chose courses of the Relaciones Interacionales program. While I was allowed to pick a variety of courses from different degree programs, my course selection had to be restricted to a single faculty. Since the fifth semester is our minor, it was possible to pick courses in a new field (e.g. biology).
We did not have lectures as such but most seminars were taught in a lecture-style format. Many teachers used slides and sometimes allowed taking pictures in case they did not upload them which was helpful to follow the courses in Spanish. Moreover, students and teachers were very approachable so I did not have to hesitate to talk to them about difficulties. Most courses were graded based on three to four partial exams which made it easier to study as each covered less material than a single final exam would have. Another component were usually graded group presentations and assignments.
I took five International Relations courses. I chose “Relaciones entre EEUU y México” as this topic seemed to have gained relevance under the Trump administration and it was interesting to study it from a rather Mexican perspective as well as to learn about the historical background of the prejudice and tensions between the two nations. “Medio Oriente” was my favourite course because the teacher was
very passionate about the region and had a lot of knowledge to share. “Geopolítica” was rather abstract as it focussed on concepts and theories surrounding especially classical geopolitics.
In “Crisis Humanitaria” we studied various crises of the last decades with the help of a documentary series, presentations and a book by Kapuscinski. Therein, the role of women in crises was emphasized. “América Latina y el Caribe” gave an overview of the history of all Latin-American and Caribbean countries and was tested through Multiple-Choice exams and a short group essay.
2.3 Housing
I already rented a room in May after being fully accepted as I was scared to encounter a similar housing situation as in Groningen. There are several trustworthy housing agencies for international students like Puebla Housing and Sí Señor which offer safe houses and fair prices. I rented a room in Casa Mariachi (Puebla Housing on fb) and was living with a group of 15 internationals about 10 minutes from the campus. Especially for the beginning it was great to live with internationals as everyone wanted to explore the region and socialize. However, it can also be an advantage to live in a shared flat with Mexicans as they can show you around and help you to learn Spanish. In the BUAP Factsheet (ask mobility office to send it to you or check online) you can find a contact of the BUAP for support to find suitable housing. I believe that it is possible to find housing yourself when you arrive early enough but make sure to get informed about the neighbourhoods and current price level first to avoid unnecessary risks.
2.4 Grant and costs (NB: 1€ = ca. 20 pesos, during my stay)
I would estimate that a student pays between 3,000 and 5,000 pesos rent per month. The transport in Puebla is not expensive. During the day buses are the easiest way to move within the city and cost ca. 6-8 pesos. At night, it is safer to take an Uber or Didi which are also affordable. Puebla has delicious and cheap food everywhere on the street. To cook yourself, it is recommendable to buy food at local markets as it will save you some money. The BUAP estimates a cost of 2,500 pesos/month for food. 2.5 Free time/ Student life
The university offers great sports facilities and exchange students can get a free card for the gym and open classes of all kinds of sports. If you want to join a team, look out for the try-outs at the beginning of the semester. There are also various student associations such as AISEC to join. Off campus, Puebla has a lot to offer as well: a beautiful city centre, malls, cinemas, parks, clubs, bars and all kinds of activities. Its proximity to the mountains/volcanoes allows for hiking trips and escapes to the nature. 2.6 Travelling
There are various organizations offering weekend trips to some of the major destinations in Mexico like Guanajuato, Guadalajara or Puerto Escondido. I joined a trip organized by Cholula Capital. However, I mainly travelled by myself to meet new people in hostels and be more flexible. ADO/OCC or Estrella Roja are the major bus companies in Mexico and a very safe and affordable option to travel. During my stay, I visited the states of Mexico City, Tlaxcala, Baja California Sur, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Chiapas, Quintana Roo and Yucatán. In most places, you will find hostels which cost 7-15€/night.
3. Return
3.1 Contact with the host university before, during and after you stay
Emma Pacheco Solórzano was the main contact person and always very approachable, helpful and quick in responding. During the stay, Mrs. Tlaczani from the faculty mobility office supported us with questions about courses etc. as well.
3.2 Your perspective on the culture of your host country
The BUAP is a public university which was an advantage in my opinion because it allowed for a very liberal and open-minded culture on campus and in class. Most teachers and students at the BUAP were equally open and welcoming. There were also many events on campus like conferences, sports events and cultural gatherings.
4. Your advice for future outgoing exchange student
Take Marcela Alvarez’s classes if you are at the Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Sociales. Follow fellow students’ invitations because they will often lead to the most enriching experiences with locals and maybe to a new friendship. Try to force yourself to speak Spanish even to other internationals. Try out the restaurants/street food in the streets outside of the campus because they are “bueno, bonito y barato” as the Poblanos say. And ask Mexican friends about their opinion in any situation of uncertainty and when making travel plans. Locals will always have good advice on where to go, “normal” price levels, and most importantly, on how to stay safe.
