Jul 12, 2023 | Study abroad
Samantha Arreguín of Global Business at the University of Lleida, Spain.
When you entered Uni did you know there were international programs? Yes, I was already aware of the academic experiences thanks to acquaintances from the University.
At what point and why did you start thinking about applying for a scholarship and studying in another country?
I have always liked to learn the history and way of life of other countries, so from the beginning of my career I started to meet goals to be able to apply.
Why did you decide to study in that country?
Because they offered subjects that interested me and also because it is one of the countries with more foreign students, so I thought it was excellent to know that I would get to know more cultures.
How was the scholarship application process?
It was really an easy process for me, even UNI always supports you in any obstacles or doubts that arise.
How did you prepare for this new experience?
It was hard knowing that I would be leaving my family and friends for the first time and for a long time, but everyone motivated me. I was also researching what daily life is like in the country and saved a lot.
How did you feel when you arrived in the new country?
I felt good and excited to know how the classes would be, anxious to know the city, also for the people I would meet from other parts of the world.
How have you been received at the university where you arrived?
Better than I thought, the teachers, local classmates and even students from other countries were very friendly and we connected quickly.
What do you miss the most about Mexico and UNI?
I missed my family and friends a lot, also the food, especially the spicy food. From UNI I missed the social and academic environment.
What is the most exciting thing you have experienced so far in this experience? And the most difficult?
The fact that I made friends from Korea, Italy, Spain, Chile, France, Germany, and so on. It is very exciting the experience that we were able to live together and learn from our cultures. The hardest part was the farewell with our friends.
How do you think this experience will influence you as a person and professionally?
I believe that even though we all have different customs and traditions, I was able to learn from each one and respect them. I also became more independent and that helps me a lot in my personal growth. Professionally, I think it helps me because now I know how to get around more easily and work better in a team.
What advice would you give to those who are about to go on exchange to another country?
Save money before leaving, be aware that it is a completely different but very good experience that will improve you as a person and always be mentally open to new adventures.
Would you recommend these opportunities offered by UNI to your colleagues?
Totally, it is an unforgettable experience.
Jun 26, 2023 | No category
Paola from Communication and Audiovisual Media won the Uni scholarship for a semester at the Universidad Mayor, Campus Santiago, Chile.
When you entered UNI, did you know there were international programs?
Yes, it was one of the reasons I chose to study at the University of Celaya.
When and why did you start thinking about applying for a scholarship and studying in another country? Since my first semester I started to prepare and work to get a scholarship, but it was in my fifth semester when I started to apply; I always wanted to go on an exchange program to learn about another culture.
Why did you decide to study in that country?
I chose to go to Chile because it is one of the most developed countries in Latin America, besides having a diversity of landscapes, it is a country full of incredible places.
How was the scholarship application process?
I started to do things since I started my career and have a profile to be selected for the scholarship; from volunteering, services and extracurricular things. So when the scholarships are announced you have a better chance of being a beneficiary.
How did you prepare for this new experience?
I started looking for accommodation from Mexico, and making a list of things I would like to visit or do to make the most of this experience.
How did you feel when you arrived in the new country?
Arriving in Chile I was nervous and excited at the same time, it was a totally new experience for me, I felt ready for anything to come. Chile is a country with warm people and everyone helped us to get to our accommodation, even when we arrived they helped us to find what we needed.
How have you been received at the university where you arrived?
The Universidad Mayor, since we were in Mexico, helped us with the process to obtain the visa, they also offered us housing options, and when we arrived in Chile they gathered the exchange students to welcome us and explain a little about the University.
What do you miss the most about Mexico and UNI?
Without a doubt the food, in Chile things don't have much flavor, besides they don't have much variety of products, about UNI what I miss the most is the community, at UMayor they don't have events to socialize, so it is difficult to meet new people.
What is the most exciting thing you have experienced so far in this experience? And the most difficult?
The most exciting thing I have experienced is to be able to travel with my friends to different places, it is an unforgettable experience, the most difficult thing so far has been having to organize myself, now everything depends on me, so I have to organize my time very well.
How do you think this experience will influence you as a person and professionally?
This experience helped me to grow as a person, I feel more capable of achieving my goals, coming on exchange opened another perspective of the world, and of what I would like to do with my life.
What advice would you give to those who are about to go on exchange to another country?
Make the most of this opportunity, live and experience as much as you can, do things you wouldn't usually do, and make friends with people from another country, exchange cultures.
Would you recommend these opportunities offered by UNI to your colleagues?
I would 100% recommend going on an exchange, it is an experience that is like nothing else, you may be scared to go alone at first, but I promise you that after that you won't want to go back, you will meet amazing people and travel to places you never imagined. Thank you UNI!
Jun 23, 2023 | Study abroad
Regina, an International Business major, won the scholarship to study in Oviedo, Spain.
When you entered Uni, did you know that there were international programs?
Yes, I was told about it in the talks to enter the Uni.
At what point and why did you start thinking about applying for a scholarship and studying in another country?
Since I entered college, since one of my goals was to do at least one exchange during my career.
Why did you decide to study in that country?
Because Europe seems very interesting to me and Spain is an available option for my career in that continent.
How was the scholarship application process?
Quite simple, the complicated part was to obtain merits to be eligible.
How did you prepare for this new experience?
I prepared myself a lot mentally as I had never been so far away from my family and friends for so long.
How did you feel when you arrived in the new country?
I was very excited to get to know my new city, the university and make many new friends from all over the world.
How have you been received at the university where you arrived?
Good, although I would have liked them to accompany us a little more in the adaptation process. UniOvi does not have, like Uni, a dedicated department for foreign students, you receive very little guidance from managers and professors and we had to discover the dynamics within the university on our own.
What do you miss the most about Mexico and UNI?
From Mexico I mainly miss my family, my friends and the food. From Uni I miss the way classes are taught, the educational system and the evaluation system.
What is the most exciting thing you have experienced so far in this experience? And the most difficult?
The most exciting thing was being able to take advantage of the free time and having the opportunity to travel and get to know new countries.
The hardest part was undoubtedly becoming a much more independent person, as now I had to take care of myself, take care of the apartment, the food, the cleaning, etc., which is not something I was used to in Mexico.
How do you think this experience will influence you as a person and professionally?
This experience definitely altered my point of view about the world, and I am going home with thousands of new perspectives about life, the value of things, people, etc. An educated person, full of experiences and eager to continue knowing and learning, is something very valuable for both personal and professional life.
What advice would you give to those who are about to go on exchange to another country?
They should take advantage of any opportunity they have to travel or socialize or even learn something new, and they should seek a lot of support from people who have already gone on exchange to make it easier for them to adapt to the new city.
Would you recommend these opportunities offered by UNI to your colleagues?
Yes, they are very worthwhile.
Jun 20, 2023 | Study abroad
Paula Sofía is a Digital Design student and did an exchange semester in Ravensburg, Germany.
When you entered Uni, did you know there were international programs?
Yes, I knew about the existence of the programs, but I was not fully informed, then they told us and I was quite interested.
At what point and why did you start thinking about applying for a scholarship and studying in another country?
After they told us where we could go, the idea of doing a semester abroad really caught my attention and I decided that I would try to apply for the scholarship. It meant learning a lot of things and having new experiences.
Why did you decide to study in that country?
From the beginning, Germany was always my first choice; it attracted my attention, because the culture is totally different from ours and I was eager to learn from it, besides having the possibility of knowing more countries that would be nearby.
How was the scholarship application process?
It was easy to do, the follow-up was always good and we received help every time it was necessary to finish it.
How did you prepare for this new experience?
In school matters, maintaining a good average and keeping my cultural card up to date. In more personal matters, I decided to study a little of the language, prepare myself for the weather, and prepare myself mentally as well, since it would be the first time I would be so far away from home and for such a long time.
How did you feel when you arrived in the new country?
It was a mixture of many emotions, as I was very excited and happy to think of all that awaited me, ready to learn a lot and generate new connections, but, on the other hand, being so far away from home made me very homesick and I thought about how difficult it was going to be.
How have you been received at the university where you arrived?
At the beginning, the reception was good. After some time we were left a little bit aside, which was confusing and difficult.
What do you miss the most about Mexico and UNI?
The warmth and attention of teachers and classmates.
What is the most exciting thing you have experienced so far in this experience? And the most difficult?
The most exciting thing was having the opportunity to visit several countries close to where I was, both alone and with friends, and the hardest thing was being away from home and often feeling alone.
How do you think this experience will influence you as a person and professionally?
It influenced me in many ways, personally it made me grow in ways I could never have imagined, helping me to know how to resolve conflicts on my own, and professionally by making connections with people from many parts of the world.
What advice would you give to those who are about to go on exchange to another country?
Be well prepared, but, always keep in mind that, no matter how well prepared you are, many things may not go according to plan, and anyway, everything will be fine in the end.
Would you recommend these opportunities offered by UNI to your colleagues?
Yes, I would recommend this type of experience.
Jun 20, 2023 | Study abroad
Andrea is a student of Architecture and completed a semester at the Universidad Piloto de Colombia. Bogotá, Colombia.
When you entered Uni, did you know that there were international programs?
Yes.
At what point and why did you start thinking about applying for a scholarship and studying in another country?
I was excited to learn how architecture is studied in other parts of the world.
Why did you decide to study in that country?
Because it was a great opportunity to learn more about Latin American culture.
How was the scholarship application process?
Exciting, from the announcements to the date the approval mail arrives.
How did you prepare for this new experience?
Carrying out university projects, always participating in volunteer work.
How did you feel when you arrived in the new country?
A lot of excitement about what the next few months would be like and how the routine would change and the new experiences I would have.
How have you been received at the university where you arrived?
Very good, the treatment was excellent, they were very cordial and were on top of things.
What do you miss the most about Mexico and UNI?
My family and friends, plus the spicy food.
What is the most exciting thing you have experienced so far in this experience?
Seeing the perspective of how daily life is lived and appreciated.
How do you think this experience will influence you as a person and professionally?
This experience definitely broadened my view of how architecture is perceived and how it can be applied in a variety of ways.
What advice would you give to those who are about to go on exchange to another country?
May they always go out and not waste time.
Would you recommend these opportunities offered by UNI to your colleagues?
Yes, of course.
