2010-11 Student Photo Essays

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I am a California native, born and raised in Vacaville. I am part Mexican, and my family is spread across the border region in Texas with some also in California. This was a huge factor in my decision to study abroad in Mexico. I had spoken a bit of Spanish beforehand, but the language abilities were not passed down in my family. Apart from the cultural significance I felt just by being there I was also fulfilling a dream that I had wanted to realize from the time I was little.

The international community in the Campus Querétaro del Tecnológico de Monterrey is thriving. It is one of the largest international communities in one of the largest private universities in Mexico—and for that matter, Latin America. Here, one can meet people from every corner of the world all in one rich, spirited and lively place. The campus, international, and Mexican communities really do come together to share stories, knowledge and expertise. This photo was taken during my first semester at internationals orientation.

The actual campus of the Tec de Monterrey in Querétaro is gorgeous. The quad areas show off a facade design settled in marble strewn in the middle of endless green. Study areas often mix with social areas and you can see people studying on the grass, walking, exercising or just lying around enjoying the sun. The pace of life here is slow but steady.

The culture of Querétaro is amazing. Colors, people, music and life at its best mix in the streets at all angles. In the centro (downtown), there is constant rhythm. The local government even has a cultural committee put in place to preserve and highlight the richness of the city. In this photo an eccentric looking frog at an arts and crafts fair takes the stage.

The centro is nearly 500 years old and it shows, but in a good way. The city historical and cultural society keeps up the colonial architecture and makes sure it stays brilliant. The city itself has been home to countless major events in Mexican history, like the signing of the Mexican Constitution and the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, and the city center has a collection of historic sites. Four hundred-plus year-old churches, government buildings and plazas sit next to taco stands and restaurants. The city itself is now a World Cultural Heritage site. Constantly packed with people during the day, the centro is also quite the sight at night.

Mexico is beautiful. It is a land of contrasts on every level. The valley that surrounds the municipality of Querétaro is one of the most fertile in the country and the economy here is booming. The sprawl, it seems, is endless.

You will find beauty wherever you go in Mexico. This photo was taken in El Valle de Hidalgo on one of the many trips that the International Office puts on every year. The awesomeness of the environment is one thing that makes Mexico unique. Beaches are the main tourist attractions, but the historic sites, especially Teotihuácan, the ancient pyramid city a bus ride south of Querétaro, Palenque (another site of ancient, this time Mayan ruins) and El Zocalo (downtown) in Mexico City are more than worth the trip. Traveling is easy, cost-efficient and safe, as there are three major bus lines that run throughout the country regularly.

I can't forget to mention that the nightlife, as it is throughout Mexico, is without a doubt incredible in Querétaro. There are countless nightclubs, bars and dancehalls throughout the city and, as is safe to say about Mexican culture in general, everyone is welcome. I have often walked into strangers' Quinceañeras, cumpleaños, and other fiestas and started making new acquaintances. The atmosphere is always very open and welcoming.

Beaches, beaches, beaches. I love Mexican beaches. The temperature is nearly always hot or warm and the water always falls within the tropical range. There is nothing like a palm tree and a hammock on a clear summer day.

Wherever you go and whoever you meet while you are abroad, be open-minded. I had no idea before I left who my friends would be or that I would meet some of the best friends of my life in Mexico. The environment makes it easy to share experiences. You will have a life-long connection and a new beginning, especially if you stay for a year. Just do it!

I am writing this photo essay about 5 months after my year-long stay in Mexico ended. I never came home during that period, so it was a shock to return. With this experience under my belt and having developed beyond measure personally, intellectually and in all other ways that you could possibly imagine, I feel confident in moving forward. This was the opportunity of a lifetime. I cannot thank the people I met, the professors I had or the country of Mexico enough for being so kind and generous with all of their support and care. I am currently planning another trip back. Who knows where this next adventure will take me...