la salle testimonial from valentin jeanjean
DESCRIPTION
Hear about life in Mexico at La Salle University from one of our second year French students, Valentin Jeanjean.TRANSCRIPT
2013-2015 M I E X E D . 1 2 LA SALLE
My name is Valentin. I am French and I
belong to MIEX Edition 12, 2013-2015. As everyone in MIEX, I am deeply fond of
travelling and discovering new cultures
and after enjoying Nancy and Bologna I
decided that Mexico was right for me. I had always been attracted by warm
southern cultures, and the professional
opportunities arising in the development
of the country helped me make my
decision. Mexico is a great country and I have been
enjoying it so far! I arrived in Mexico
about a week and a half before the start
of the programme so that I could get settled.
My first impressions about the country
are pretty much in line with what I
expected in the first place in terms of
culture, the level of development, infrastructure and so on.
Mexican people are warm, helpful and
very hard-working people. If you are out-
going, it is easy to meet new people and make acquaintances and they will surely
try their best to help you settle in the
country.
My Second Year at MIEX: LA SALLE
MIEXERS AT LA SALLE!
OUT ON THE TOWN BOATING DOWN THE RIVER IN CLASS
VALENTIN JEANJEAN
In my perception, finding accommodation is much easier than in
France or Italy and you can get a decent place for about 250-320
euros in “La Condesa”, which is in the university district. It gets
even cheaper in other cities such as Querétaro, Guadalajara or
Monterrey where opportunities for internships may also be
available for MIEX students.
As you know, Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the
world and there’s always something to do, to visit, whether it is
cultural, going out, sports, etc. However, it takes a bit of getting
used to with transportation, traffic, and noise pollution. Getting
on the subway or the “Metrobus” in rush hour is a real challenge
and sometimes becomes even impossible!
We often hear all sorts of myths about Mexico being extremely
dangerous. Obviously, some parts of the city are not
recommendable but in districts such as “La Condesa”, it is safe
even at night. Only basic precautions are to be taken when taking
the subway or in remote places.
Mexico has a huge variety of food that is much different from
what we usually know as “Mexican food” in Europe. Barely
anyone will eat burritos here! But things such as tacos, chilaquiles
and enchiladas are very common and can be found all around the
city. Same goes for foreign food, such as sushi for example, can be
found all over the city, even within the university.
I really like the university here. They have given us a warm
welcome from the beginning and Alejandra López, the post-
graduate study manager, who is a MIEX alumni too, does a very a
good job in helping us and organising various visits.
I particularly appreciate the relationship with teachers who will
also try their best to help both with your university work and
for any other kind of advice. The workload is quite intense here
in Mexico and takes up a lot of efforts as the teaching methods
rely much more on personal homework than on traditional
lectures from what we have observed so far. The university
facilities have everything we need, from a large library to
Starbucks to relax and work, and also various sports and cultural
activities are offered.
We are now all in the process of looking for an internship or for
a job and it appears that in Mexico too, networking is a crucial
factor. Not only does Mexico City have job offers but big cities
such as the ones mentioned above also are important economic
poles that gather opportunities for graduates.
I’d be happy to talk to you more in-depth about my experience
and you can ask Tamami to give you my contact. In the
meantime, enjoy the MIEX year in France and Bologna!