Mobility specification

Country:Mexico

Institution:University of Monterrey

City:San Pedro Garza García

Program:Partner universities

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Arts

Study level abroad:Master

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?no

Does the university offer enough courses in English?it's alright

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?Very interactive teaching, absolutely normal discussion in class, making presentations in class, very open and friendly teachers.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?A large number of student events. Orientation week was on the agenda, but I didn't make it.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories
Special examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)
Support for LGBTQ+ students (e.g., safe spaces, counseling services)

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:18000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?I joined several groups to find accommodation and got a large number of replies to every accommodation enquiry. However, it should be mentioned that I am fluent in Spanish, so that made the search a lot easier. You have to be careful about the distances in Monterrey, it is a huge city and the traffic is very slow, so a longer distance from campus can be a big problem for a student. At the same time, I would be wary of some parts of the city where accommodation is at your own risk. I chose reasonably priced (maybe a bit higher) accommodation two kilometres from the university, so I could walk or use the university bus that went through there (which I never used).

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Price of food in supermarkets. Compared to Europe I expected lower. Frequent travel has also become more expensive, although it could be argued that in other parts of the world it would be even more expensive. The price of airfare to some places was higher, but I guess it was worth it.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?The Oxxo chain of small shops often has discounts on certain food combinations, but these are usually unhealthy bagels and sandwiches. You can save on transport if you dare to take the bus - much cheaper compared to taxis and uber. On the other hand, taking the bus back across town at certain times of the day can be a very surreal experience. Savings can be good on the tariff, with some deals from Telcel offering low-cost mobile data, unlimited internet on specific social networks, plus access to Amazon's streaming service. You can also save well by shopping at traditional restaurants or markets rather than commercial ones, but this can sometimes be at your own risk. I recommend using a banamex card from revolut to withdraw from ATMs, they will probably charge the smallest fees. Sending pesos by revolut to Mexican accounts requires a fee of 15 crowns.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?almost without problems

How does public transport work in the city?I've seen better

And what about transport outside the city?I've seen better

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Connections are best searched on google maps. Even apps like moovit didn't suit me. However, it must be stressed that not always the internet will offer the correct data. Google often gives specific bus arrival times, but these are inaccurate as drivers drive as they please with no particular system in place. I admit that it is convenient to use Uber, but frequent trips to, for example, the city centre or other neighbourhoods can get quite expensive.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?yes

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?neutral

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Museums, barrio antiguo, mountains, Estanzuela

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Cuatrociénegas, Villa de Santiago, mountains in Coahuila

Share your best experience:It's hard to say, but a great experience for me was just a walk among the hills in Coahuila and a trip to the highest mountain in the area, also a stay in Cabaña.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Plane
Bus
Other

Transport means - Other:Fly to the USA, to Texas, then take a bus to Monterrey. Back by bus from Monterrey to Louisiana, then by plane to Florida and from there to Germany.

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?The Monterrey airport is just across the street from the university campus, which is a good place to stay. The Greyhound station, which can be reached from the USA, is also nearby. Both are located in infamous neighborhoods. Locals recommend getting there by uber or your own car. I used the subway and bus, nothing happened, it just took hours.

Can you pay by card?neutral

What not to forget when packing?Sunscreen!!! Especially in summer.

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?Not much time. I want to go back.