Mobility specification

Country:Mexico

Institution:University of Guadalajara

City:Guadalajara

Program:Partner universities

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2021/2022

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Economics and Administration

Study level abroad:Bachelor

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

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?none

Are your credits converted?yes

Can you give an example?It depends on the faculty, FF or FSS recognize 1:1, my ESF, however, according to the coefficient, lowers the credits.

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?Very low level of expertise, it's more of a high school level forum. Also, often very outdated information is presented, about Europe, for example, from about the 1980s.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, e.g. buddy program, lunch together, etc.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?I haven’t noticed

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:20000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?Dorms don't exist, I found accommodation via FB.

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Uber, from a safety point of view, you can't use public transport, bike, anything at certain hours.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?It is necessary to move away from European food, e.g. mozzarella and cheese in general are about 4 times more expensive than here, it is necessary to adapt to the local diet.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?with gestures

How does public transport work in the city?neutral

And what about transport outside the city?neutral

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Google Maps, another app, but I don't remember asking the locals - the stops are not marked except for the metro and busy bus routes... Yeah, and English is hard there, I speak Spanish.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Centre, Zapopan centro, Mercado San Juan de Dios, centre of Tlaquepaque, nature nearby (hike in Bosque de la Primavera for example), Lake Chapala, Teuchitlán.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Oaxaca, Chiapas (especially Palenque, Agua Azul, Yaxchilán, Bonampak, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiflón Falls, Misol Ha), Nayarit coast, CDMX, Holbox, Chichen Itzá.

Share your best experience:Trip to Yaxchilán and Bonampak, archaeological sites in the forests, must take a boat on the river, then the pyramids of Palenque.

💅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

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?Plenty of time to change planes, in Mexico you need to secure a residence permit at the airport, there is a queue.

Can you pay by card?neutral

What not to forget when packing?Plenty of summer clothes, but remember that in winter at night temperatures also drop to 5-10 degrees, during the day in GDL probably always above 30, also take a reducer to the socket.

🥳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?A great experience full of travel, but probably not for everyone, it takes a bit of an adventurous spirit. After all, it's a big step out of your comfort zone compared to the classic Erasmus in Europe.