GUIDELINES FOR WRITING THE EXPERIENCE REPORT
Please write this report in English
The student report will be published on the:

Study Abroad website (under “Experiences” from partner universities)

TSH study abroad blackboard page
I am fine with my report being published online: YES
ANR: 241953
Name: Walter Pasquarelli
E-mail: W.M.Pasquarelli@tilburguniversity.edu
Exchange semester: Fall 2015
Academic year: 2015/2016
Host University: Instituto Tecnològico de Monterrey
Country: Mexico
I GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Please, describe:
 The school and its surroundings:
 please describe the city you lived in;
Monterrey is located in the Northern area of Mexico. Among the biggest cities of Mexico,
Monterrey is considered to be the most prosperous and secure one. In fact, community of
San Pedro (located approximately 20 minutes from Monterrey) is said to be the richest district in the whole of Latin America. Being center of corporate Mexico, most big businesses such as
CEMEX are located there and thus provide as well incredible opportunities for business and management students
 where is the university located in the city?
T he university is located in the “distrito TEC”. Distrito Tec is the area surrounding the university and its influecnes can be seen literally everywhere. The university attempts to gentrificate the whole district in order to make it more secure and prosperous. On Sundays and Saturdays the university organizes activities for the local population in order to involve them into the university life and improve their image.
 please describe the campus of your host university
As the TEC puts a particular emphasis on promoting sustainability and environmental friendliness, the campus is designed in the form of a big park. In essence, the campus is filled up with plants, trees and even animals ranging from deers and various birds. In addition to this, the campus itsel f is filled with a variety of student’s organizations promoting their activities.
 what is the best place to go to eat/drink/dance/do sports/etc.?
The campus of the TEC itself has a Starbucks, various bars and cafés and a gym. The gym is particularly appealing as it is free for everybody. In this sense the university centralizes most o the sports activities. Also, you can find a soccer field, a huge sports hall, swimming hall, and tennis yard within the campus. Most of the nightlife is located in San Pedro (approximately 20 minutes by taxi). In that area most of the nightclubs can be found, and they are all next to

each other. Some parties, in particular the ones organized by student organizations, are also located outside of Monterrey in rented places.
 what are interesting things to see and do in your host city?
As elaborated above Monterrey is a very industrial and especially young city. In particular considering its proximity to the United States it is predictably Americanized. However, surrounding the city are a very beautiful chain of mountains on which it is certainly worth have a look for hiking. Still, if one wants to visit cities with a historical core and experience Mexican history and culture it is arguably more interesting to go to Mexico City, Guanajuato or
Chiapas.
 what was different than in Tilburg?
To be honest, I don’t have an actual figure about the number of undergrads and graduates at the uni. However, I can say with almost certainty that the number of undergraduate students clearly exceeds the number of people pursuing a Master. This is probably because of the educational system in the American continent, where most people start working already after their bachelor degree. Which by the way is much longer than in Europe (approximately 5 years)
II PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Information before you left
 When did you receive the pre-arrival information from the host university?
The university provided us with information throughout the year and in this sense everything was delivered on time and in a very informative way.
 Any difficulties?
One thing that I criticized about the international office was that it took them more than a month to reply whether my medical insurance was appropriate. After various calls and emails,
José, the responsible one for these matters replied around a week before I took my flight.
Visa procedure and arrival
 How long did it take you to arrange your (student) visa (if relevant)?
Not necessary for European students. If you want to go to Mexico for just a semester a student visa will not be necessary. You can enter Mexico and stay for a maximum of 180 days. Even if these days expire you can travel for a day to the United States and come back and your number of days you are allowed to stay in Mexico are 180 again.
 How much did you pay for the visa?
-
 How was your arrival organized?
The international office promised that there were shuttle buses arranged from the university at the airport. Yet, this was not the case and I took a taxi with a couple of students I met by chance.

 Did someone pick you up from the airport/station?
Same as above
 How was the reception at the school?
Generally very efficient. We were asked to bring our passports and university contracts with us. After arriving they provided us with our schedule and all the rest.
 Was the administration and faculty well prepared for your arrival?
Yes.
 What problems, if any did you encounter?
Not applicable
Orientation/Introduction activities
 Was an orientation or introduction activity organized?
An orientation week was organized for incoming students studying at the TEC. These activities ranged from subscribing to various sport clubs, attending conferences and a big welcoming party at the university.
 Did the school’s students participate in the reception of the exchange students?
Mostly the reception of students was done very flexibly. Thus we were supposed to simply go to the registration office at the TEC. Everything else was pretty much left to our own choice.
 Did you have a student mentor/buddy?
No.
Housing
 How was accommodation organized?
Whe going to Monterrey there are basically 4 options:
1. Take the appartments provided by the partner company of the TEC, namely:
TorresTEC and VillasTEC
2. Take the appartments arranged by the university itself: PLEASE NOTE HOWEVER: at these dormitories you are not allowed to either have alcohol or having friends staying over. REALLY NOT recommendable
3. Stay with a guest family
4. Arrange something yourself
 Did you have to book your accommodation in advance or did you have to search for a place to live after you arrived?
I booked my accommodation in advance while still being in the Netherlands. It was easy and without any problems
 What kind of housing does the university provide?
See section above
 What support did you receive from the school in locating housing?
I did not need it as I received information from friends of mine.
 Were you satisfied with your accommodation?
Certainly yes. Many Mexicans and other international students used to live there, and it was avery vibrant community.

 Any special issues or good ideas/useful websites for prospective students? http://rentatec.mx/
This is probably the most useful site in finding places to live. Personally I would highly recommend “TorresTEC” or “VillasTEC”.
Living Costs
 How did you finance your exchange period, apart from the grant you received from
Tilburg University?
I received the Holland Scholarship from Tilburg University amounting to 1250 €. In addition to this my parents helped me out financially.
 What were your living expenses abroad like compared to Tilburg?
In general, there is a very lagre discrepancy between the usual supermarkets where prices are approximately the same as in the Netherlands, and the local markets. The local markets are lower in terms of hygienic level. However prices there are about 1/5 as compared to the local supermarkets such as WalMarts or Soriana. At the local markets you might buy one taco for about 6 MX$ which equals approximately 0.35
€
 What did you spend most of your money on?
Most of my money I spent travelling across Mexico and also with a trip to the United States
(around 2 hours away from Monterrey). Nightlife is also more expensive than one might think.
Especially because besides the prices of the clubs themselves one also has to take into consideration the costs of the taxis.
 What would you advice future students to spend their money on?
Certainly travelling. Mexico is an incredibly rich country in terms of cultural and natural diversity and it is definitely worth taking a look at the whole country.
 Please outline your approximate monthly budget whilst on exchange:

Housing : 250 €

Food : 200€

Transport : 50€

Books : 100€ (Just for once)

Miscellaneous : 150€
Academic Calendar
 Arrival date & introductory week
1 st -4 th of August
 First day of the semester?
10 th of August
 Last day of classes?
No specific date. Usually at the beginning/ middle of december

 Mid-term break?
No mid-term break
 Examination period?
Three examination period called “partials”:
1 st at around September
2 nd at around October/November
3 rd at around November/December
 Any special events?
- Dia de los muertos
- Fiesta de l’independencia
- Peda del grito
- and of course all the kick-off parties etc.
The International Office
 Is there an international office?
Yes, it is located in the CIAP building of the university on the 3 rd floor
 Who is responsible for incoming exchange students?
The International Office. No specific person however.
 Are you satisfied with the information provided to you by the international office?
In general I have to say that it was not much information that I required from them. However, for most I am satisfied.
Exchange promotion
 What kind of activity did you take part in to promote exchange to Tilburg University at your exchange university?
I participated in both the beginning and the end semester on the International symposia where exchange students would introduce themselves and talk about their specific universities and the benefits that we have experienced in studying there.
Social Activities
 Which social activities are organized by the university/students for exchange students?
Most of the student activities are organized by ISE and Integrate. Both of these organizations are there to integrate international students within the community and university life. However,
I personally recommend not to spend too much time with those organizations as in fact you will get to know very little about Mexican culture and life. Rather one might get to know a lot of people from all over the world, which is also incredibly interesting. Nevertheless, as I am also an international student at Tilburg University I preferred to simply spend time with Mexican friends in order to learn about Mexican culture, rather than spending time in an international student organization which in fact I also can in Tilburg as for instance with I*ESN.

 Is there a student organization for international student?
Yes. It is called ISE (International Student Embassy) and it is very much comparable to I*ESN in Tilburg
 Did you have contact with local students?
Mostly. Classes are mixed and in general there will be more Mexican students rather than international ones. For further explanation please see section above.
 Did you have contact with other exchange students?
Across ISE and Integrate I had various opportunities to meet all exchange students going to the TEC. However I preferred to spend time with the locals.
 Did you travel to other places/countries during your exchange?
- Mexico City
- Guanajuato
- Chiapas
- Guadalajara
- Houston, United States
- New York, United States
Culture and Language
 Did you experience culture shock while on exchange?
For me it was not the first time in Latin America. The year before I went to Brazil working in a volunteer project. Thus, the culture shock was fairly limited. In addition to this the TEC tries to keep students mostly in the international bubble, and thus avoiding to be confronted with any issues in Mexican society. MIt was much more difficult to come back to Europe after having spent a semester in Mexico.
 How would you compare your host culture to your own culture?
While people in Mexico are very warm, Europeans tend generally to be colder. However
Europeans tend to be more efficient and quicker in their management of everyday life.
 What did you learn about your own culture while on exchange?
Certainly while being in Mexico I learned to re-appreciate my European values. Mexico is a beautiful country and people are lovely. However one of my main recognition while spending time in Latin America was that many times there seems to be a trade-off between warmth and efficiency.
 What was different about your host culture than you expected?
A big point of disappointment was the fact that I felt a bit trapped in an international bubble while being at the university. My initial intention was to go to Mexico to actually experience
Mexico with all its positive and negative sides. What the university and moreover the student organizations tried to portray to us, was the image of a perfect country in which people at the lower layers of society are considered. Having this image presented was certainly different than expected.

 What did you like and not like about your host culture?
See section above
 Do you feel you learned a lot about your host culture, and if not, what would you like to learn more?
I did learn a lot about how Mexican culture is for the upper layer of society. Important to consider is that most people who attend the TEC have to pay an enormous tuition fee. In addition to this, the TEC has recently reduced its number of scholarships and tuition discounts. This example stresses again the point that what the university aims to present to international students just a small part of the actual Mexican culture. Which on the other hand has to be mentioned as well, they do this because they do not want their students to get in any trouble.
 If you travelled to other cities/countries during your exchange, were they different than your host city/country, and how?
The more one goes to the South of Mexico, the more it emegers to pre-Columbian influence in everyday life. The proximity to the U.S. is a decisive factor shaping the country. Already cities like Mexico city, Puebla or Guanajuato have a strong Hispanic influence in how they are built. Monterrey in contrast is very industrial and americanized.
 Did you have any language problems with the faculty or other students?
No.
 Did you follow language courses during your exchange?
No.
 Did you follow the Erasmus Intensive Language Course?
No.
Personal Development
 How do you think the exchange experience will affect you from a cultural and social point of view?
I believe that my exchange period at the TEC will help me think in a more global way.
Morevoer as I am interested in public policy and administration living in a country facing a series of social issues has reshaped my view on responsible leadership.
 How do you think the exchange experience will influence your future career possibilities?
Personally I am incredibly passionate about Latin America. Thus having a had an additional experience in this region could serve as an important asset in my professional life (as perhaps
I would like to work in Latin America for a couple of years). In addition to this I also learned to speak Spanish.
 What did you learn from the people you met during your exchange?
Meeting international students and more generally people from a different part of the world other than my culture, extends the outlook and perspective that one might have over issues.
This can range from from political and economic views or also generally about how people live their lives.

 Would you do things differently if you had the chance, and what would you do differently?
Not applicable
 What was your best experience, and what was your worst experience?
It is difficult to mention specific experiences. Incredibly positive however was the general mood that people are in Mexico. Everything is more relaxed and people tend to stay very optimistic.
Less good was probably very drawback of people being very relaxed, which results in a general inefficiency of the general Mexican system.
 What will you never forget about your exchange period?
The good weather, the fantastic teachers, the wonderful people and the incredibly food
 What was the most important lesson you learned about yourself during your exchange period?
Probably that sometimes us Europeans should consider taking us a little less seriously.
III ACADEMIC INFORMATION
Academic level at a host university
 In what language(s) are the courses offered at a partner university?
Courses are taught both in Spanish and in English. Obviously most courses taught are in
Spanish, however, the university offers an extensive catalog of courses taught in English
 Did you follow any courses taught in the language of the host country?
No.
 Which courses did you take and why?
I take courses from the department of economics, international relations and law. Mostly I chose these courses because I aim to work in the public policy sector. Thus all of them were incredibly important for me to classify for a Master’s degree.
 Which courses would you recommend?
All of my courses were really fantastic. The materials covered were great and the teachers put a lot of effort in their work. The course listing can be found below.
 How would you compare the academic level at your host university to the academic level at Tilburg University (e.g.: level of the courses, use of extra material, level of English, workload, etc.)?
In general the academic level in Mexico (and more generally Latin America) is lower as compared to Tilburg University. Some people who were also on exchange complained that the work-load is higher compared to their home universities. However I personally have to say that my courses were not keeping me busier than the classes that I have at TiU. The level of
English of most professors is excellent. The majority of them has studied or worked in the
United States.

 Is the teaching style primarily practical or theoretical?
This highly depends on the course. Obviously economics courses tend to be more theoretical, which is the same for courses from the international relations department. On the other hand my course “International Contracts”, which was from the Law department included a number of moot courts that in fact made the course more practical.
 What teaching method is practiced by the host university: case studies, group work, seminars or lectures (or a mix)?
Literally all possible teaching styles. In “Negotiation and Conflict Management” we analyzed various case studies. In other courses we worked primarily together in groups. However each course entailed as well teaching in form of lectures.
 How would you describe the relationship between the students and the teaching staff?
Generally, the relationship between students and teachers is more hierarchical as compared to the Netherlands. However, as most classes are very small the teachers are always at the disposition of the students and whenever one might have a question during or after lecture they would always be available.
 In general, were you happy with your academic achievements during your exchange?
Yes.
Exams
 What types of exams did you have to sit?
- Essay exams
- Presentations
- Multiple-choice exams
- Papers
- Moot-courts
Other
 Can students easily access the library and its resources?
Clear yes.
 Were there public computers available on campus/in university buildings?
Yes.
Description of Courses
Please list all courses you have taken at a partner university in the form below:
 Course title and code
 Comments: Relevance, Difficult/easy, Practical/theoretical, Enrolment problems
Prerequisites Exam Major at TiU Course Name/
Difficulty
Geopolitics & None Written + Paper Law
Approved minor/ ECTS
Minor/ 5 ECTS as
Global Change
(medium); BA
Negotiation and
Conflict
Management
None Written + Paper Law Minor/ 5 ECTS

(medium); BA
Social and Cultural
History of Latin
America
(easy); BA
None Written + paper
+ presentation
Law Minor/ 5 ECTS
International
Contracts
(easy); BA
Macroeconomics
(medium); BA
None
None
Written + moot court
Written
Law
Law
Minor/ ECTS
Minor/ECTS
Every course was taught by some very capable and incredibly friendly teachers. I highly recommend all of them.
Tips for the future students:
 Would you recommend an exchange period?
Yes, absolutely!
 Would you recommend your host university?
I certainly would. Academically I did not perceive the materials covered as being particularly challenging. Yet, I have to say that the exceeding fre-time I could invest in exploring Mexican culture which certainly enlarged my horizon as much as any class would do.
 What should prospective students absolutely not forget before going on exchange?
Not applicable
 How can they better prepare before going on exchange to this destination?
In general the international office takes care of most things. However I would recommend that being pro-active in looking for an apartment and ensuring to have a health care insurance.
 Was there anything you should have arranged before departure that you haven ’t?
No.
Contact details:
Can the International Relations Office share your e-mail address with prospective exchange students, so that other students could contact you for more information? NO