Exchange Stories | Jeff Gomez – Mexico

Mexico would probably not pop-up in your head as the number one exchange destination.

Yet, Guadalajara Mexico is where I have spent my semester abroad. Upon arrival I was not welcomed by in-desert-sleeping-poncho-wearing-Mexicans, in fact, a vibrant city and a modern university welcomed me. It were the prejudices I had, that caused these pleasant surprises. Living in Guadalajara totally changed my view on Mexico. This country has more to offer than I could ever experience in years, let alone in six months! From white beaches to green jungles, yellow deserts and blue waterfalls, cheap tequila, beautiful women and good music, Mexico pretty much has it all.

And with ‘all’ I mean ‘all’, poverty, theft, murder and corruption are words many associate with Mexico. And yes it is present and you will experience this when visiting Mexico. It is a country in an ongoing war, fighting its own problems and striving for modernization. However, don’t let this discourage you from visiting this country with the friendliest people you will ever experience. I am glad that I got to meet a new generation of academics at Tecnologico de Monterrey (TEC) that will in their turn help this country with those problems and maybe solve them once and for all.