Winter School in Querétaro, Mexico, 2024
At a glance
Where, who, when
- Full name of the host university: Tecnológico de Monterrey, Querétaro Campus
- City, Country: Queretaro, Mexico
- Homepage of the host university:https://tec.mx/es/queretaro
- Start and end of the stay abroad: 17/02/2024 - 03/03/2024
- Author of the field report: Tim Wendt
- Degreeprogramme at FH Aachen: Bachelor (B.Eng.) Mechanical Engineering
- The semester abroad was completed in: End of the 3rd semester
Assessments:
- Quality of the programme content: 1,3
- Study conditions / facilities at the host university: 1.0
- On-site support and assistance: 1.0
- Campus: 1.7
- Transport links to the campus: 1.3
- Food on campus (dining hall (Mensa), etc.): 3.3 (Vegan was very monotonous with only salad)
- Sports facilities: 1.0
- Leisure activities: 1.7
- Bars / discos / nightlife: 1.0
- Quality / cost of living: 1.7/2.0
- Contact with locals: 1.0
Preparations
- Why did you choose Mexico as the country for your semester abroad? Because the Winter School came to me as a complete offer and Mexico sounded like a great country that I had not yet seen.
- When did you start your preparations? I started preparing in December, because that's when I found out that I had moved up. First and foremost, I booked flights and got immunised. Apart from that, I always like to travel spontaneously.
- How does the application process work? I received an email from the DHIK, then filled out the form and at some point received an email that I had been accepted.
- What formalities had to be completed before travelling? Travel cancellation insurance and travel health insurance are required, which I already had. With a German passport you get a 180-day visa on arrival.
- Do I have to pay fees at the host university? I paid a lump sum of €950 to the DHIK, which covered breakfast, lunch and all trips as well as accommodation.
- Did you receive a scholarship to finance your stay abroad? No
- Which way of travelling to the host university is recommended? Early booking of a direct flight (to CDMX) is recommended. As I arrived late, I chose a flight via London and the USA for around €600 return, with hand luggage only. As you could wash your clothes on campus, the hand luggage was more than enough.
On site
- Where is the best place to live and what are the average housing costs? For the winter school we lived on campus, but for a semester abroad I would get a flat in the city as the rooms on campus are quite expensive.
- What is the average cost of living? Food is about the same price as in Germany, but restaurants are slightly cheaper. According to reports, living in the city is particularly cheap (approx. 100-200 €).
- What is cheap/expensive? Living on campus is expensive. Uber is very cheap.
- Climate / situation on site: I would recommend anti-mosquito spray (50 DEET) and short clothing. Sun cream can be bought quite cheaply at the local pharmacy as a no-name product...
About the host university
- Briefly describe the host university! TEC de Monterrey is the largest private university in Mexico and there are several sports grounds on campus.
- How was the overall quality of the courses and lectures? The professors were brought from Germany by the DHIK for the 2-week fast-track courses in the respective modules. Therefore, the courses and lectures were of the same standard as in Germany.
- How are the facilities at the host university? The TEC had quite modern rooms with smartboards/beamers in every room.
- Are there any special features on campus or anything that should be mentioned? The gym opens at 6am and is free to all students; it is located close to the halls of residence.
- How many hours per week did you have on average? 30 (2 lecture blocks of 3 hours each day).
- Did you have personal contact with the professors? Did you also receive help outside the lectures? Yes, due to the small groups it was always possible to talk to the professors and get help.
- Are there special introductory courses for visiting students? Yes, we went on various excursions in Mexico, e.g. to see the pyramids.
- Did you have specific contacts at the foreign university? Yes, there is an International Office which is available around the clock.
- How are the transport links to the campus? It is advisable to take an Uber/DiDi.
- What is the range of sports facilities on campus? Very extensive: American football, tennis, basketball, gym, swimming, bouldering, etc.
- Do I have to pay for the sports programmes? No
- Other: The campus is very clean and offers a good learning atmosphere due to the alcohol ban.
About the courses and lectures attended at VIU
- Course attended: Tribology
Lecturer: Klaus Dürkopp
Keywords for the course description: Friction, lubrication, wear
Course load (credits): 2.5 CTS
Teaching form: Interactive lecture
Form of assessment: Lecture
Is the course recommended? Yes. - Course attended: Modern Coating Technologies
Lecturer: Prof. Reichert
Keywords for the course description: Coatings, processes, material properties
Course load (credits): 2.5 CTS
Teaching form: Interactive lecture
Form of assessment: Written examination
Is the course recommended? Yes.
Leisure activities
- What leisure activities does the study location offer ? The opportunities on campus mentioned above.
- Name a few sights in the local city! Querétaro has very beautiful old churches and a historic city centre as well as a national park.
- Which tourist attractions in the surrounding area should you have visited? Teotihuacán and San Miguel, but this is also visited by the university.
- Are there any restaurants, bars or museums worth mentioning nearby? Not far from the campus there is a beer pong tournament on Tuesday evenings, which is highly recommended. There are also other events organised by the same organisers, such as pub crawls.
- Are there any special things to bear in mind with the local cuisine? You should avoid ice cubes; otherwise it is very greasy, which takes a few days to get used to.
- Are there anyspecial customs/customs among the locals or any taboos ? We went out with a mariachi band through the city a few times; it is also forbidden to drink alcohol in public.
Final considerations - Conclusion
- How would you rate your stay abroad overall? Very good.
- Did you choose the right time for your semester abroad? Yes, it wasn't too warm in February.
- Highlights and low points of your stay? What I liked best were the joint activities with the other students. There was no real low point in the 2 weeks.
- Did you make new friends? Yes, I definitely made new friends. I think the trip as such will remain unforgettable, as there were simply far too many wonderful moments.
- How did you cope with the local language? Despite hardly knowing any Spanish, it was easy to get by. The words: sin (without), con (with), queso (cheese), carne (meat) and hola for hello were enough to order in a restaurant.
- What advice would you give to other students on your degree programme who decide to spend a semester abroad at this foreign university? Definitely to travel through Mexico and visit the Pacific coast.
Fotos von der Winter School
FH Aachen | Andrea Bergk
FH Aachen | Andrea Bergk
FH Aachen | Andrea Bergk
FH Aachen | Andrea Bergk
FH Aachen | Andrea Bergk
