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Studying in Mexico City: best decision ever!

From Mexico City to Central America, Ellie’s exchange was an unforgettable adventure of travel, culture, and new experiences.

North America
Three-panel collage from Ellie’s exchange in Mexico: a colourful hillside cityscape with historic buildings, a tranquil forest lake viewed from above with a cup held in the foreground, and a clear blue alpine lake framed by rocky mountains.

Ellie Hansen participated in our Wellington Global Exchange Programme at Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México in Mexico City during Trimester 1, 2023. In this post, the Law student reflects on her experience adjusting to life in Mexico, studying at ITAM, and travelling across the country and beyond. From learning Spanish to embracing local life and culture, Ellie’s story captures the excitement and personal growth that can come from stepping far outside your comfort zone. If you’re thinking about exchange but feeling unsure about choosing somewhere unfamiliar, this is an inspiring read.

I chose to go to ITAM in Mexico City, Mexico for my exchange in January 2023. I chose to go because I was excited to go somewhere so far and different from New Zealand, to learn about another culture, try new foods, and challenge myself to learn a language I had no knowledge of prior. I was slightly nervous about moving to a country so far away by myself, being the only exchange student from New Zealand at my university and not knowing Spanish. However, I realised within the first week of my arrival that choosing to go to Mexico was one of the best decisions that I have ever made.

Three-panel collage: a sunset street with a lit church tower and quiet road, a narrow cobblestone lane shaded by bougainvillea and lined with pastel buildings, and a corner street with a warm-toned house and flowering trees under a clear blue sky.
Everyday life in Mexico: blooming flowers, sunlit streets and colorful corners.

Welcomed from Day One

As soon as I arrived in Mexico, I was welcomed by the friendly students of ITAM and was also able to make friends with the other exchange students, some of whom I lived with. On my first weekend there I was invited to travel with my Buddy (set up by ITAM) and his friends. Despite my lack of Spanish skills, I found that people in Mexico were really friendly, polite, and patient with me. The people I met during my exchange, both Mexicans and other exchange students, made my experience and prevented me from feeling homesick or experiencing too much of a culture shock.

Three-panel collage of different foods: close-up of tacos topped with coriander and onion, a bowl of traditional soup with cabbage and radish garnishes, and a cheesy taco dish with grilled meat and sauces on a plate.
Trying all the different meals and street foods in Mexico was one of Ellie’s favourite parts of her exchange.

Studying at ITAM

Adjusting to the university itself was also not too difficult as the class content and structure was a little similar to what we do at Vic. I enjoyed that ITAM was a really small university, so it was easy to find my way around and you have the opportunity to get to know your professors more as the lectures were not bigger than 30 people. The campus itself was nice and green, and the university even had their own cute husky who you could walk around the university if you wanted! I enjoyed that my courses were not too hard so I could spend more time travelling and enjoying my experience rather than worrying about my grades.

I liked the area I lived in and Mexico City itself. The university is in a really nice area which is safe, pretty and a bit far from the centre. I liked this because I didn’t see many tourists and most people (other than the university students) did not speak English so it forced me to learn and practise my Spanish and felt like I could live like a local rather than just being a tourist. I enjoyed doing my shopping at the local market, being able to travel on the metro, and eating lots of street food (despite getting sick a few times!).

Three-panel collage: turquoise cenote surrounded by rock cliffs with swimmers below, a colourful signpost pointing to nearby destinations by a calm lagoon, and a large stepped pyramid under a bright blue sky with visitors gathered in front.
Swimming in cenotes, coastal views, and exploring ancient history—just a glimpse of Mexico’s highlights.

Travelling across Mexico

I really prioritised travel during my exchange as Mexico is super big with so many things to see. I did day trips to places like Taxco and Tepoztlan, weekend trips to places such as Acapulco, Puebla, Guanajuato, Zacatecas, and Oaxaca. I spent one of my longer weekends travelling around Chiapas and spent the week-long semana santa break travelling around Yucatan and Quintana Roo. I then spent an extra month after my exchange finished travelling by boat to Belize and then travelling around Guatemala. All of these trips were so different and were all great.

I loved my exchange experience and was not ready to leave. I plan to return to Mexico in the future and would even like to live in Mexico City again one day.