When you entered Uni did you know there were international programs?
Yes, I was aware of it and of course I always wanted to take advantage of such an opportunity.
Have you ever lived or studied outside of Mexico before?
No, I had not had the opportunity to live such an experience.
What prompted or motivated you to study in another country?
The fact that I have always believed that traveling is a way to grow and learn, a way to open your mind to new ideas and knowledge. I like to face new challenges and make the most of every experience. To know, to be, to grow, be it in a work, cultural, personal, etc. way.
Why did you decide to study in that country?
Well, the truth is that I just took the opportunity that the university gave me and of course the Chef in charge of the restaurant to travel to this country, I have always had the idea of working in Europe and I was presented with the option of going to Germany, so without thinking twice I packed my bags and went.
How did you feel when you arrived in the new country?
It was like being in a dream, the emotions were many but above all it felt like being in another world and it was necessary to explore it to the maximum, to make the most of each day.
My trip was for professional practices, so I was in a restaurant working, and everyone was always very friendly, it seemed that they were excited to receive a foreign colleague, and of course I was even happier. They welcomed me with joy and gave me the opportunity to be part of their team.
What will you miss most about Mexico?
As usual, of course I missed my family and all my people. When you travel to a country where things are so different, you miss everything! The customs, your language, friends and in my case, what I missed the most was the food, without a doubt Mexican cuisine is delicious.
What is the most exciting thing you have experienced so far in this experience?
The feeling you get after you finish the day successfully, especially when you had to organize events for up to 120 people, were days full of pressure, work, running from one place to another, but you feel a great satisfaction when at the end everything goes just as you wanted, when everyone is happy with your work.
And of course, the fact of traveling, getting to know beautiful places not only in Germany, but also in France, Holland, Luxembourg and making new friends.
And the hardest part?
The language barrier, fortunately I met people fluent in Spanish but still, in Europe it is very easy to travel and that is why you meet people of many different nationalities in any country you are in, so communication was my biggest challenge.
What do you expect as a person and as a professional from this program?
Growth in both aspects. As I mentioned before, from a trip you can learn many things.
So this experience helps me to be stronger, braver and more determined to achieve what I want; to see what I can do and more, because I have new knowledge of how to work, techniques, I have a better idea of what it is like to be in a kitchen and how to handle certain problems. As well as in my personal life, I was encouraged to do things that maybe before I was afraid or ashamed of.
Do you recommend these opportunities provided by Uni to your colleagues?
Of course, I think it is a chapter in our lives that we should all go through at some point, because it can help us a lot to give us a better vision of what we really want and how we can achieve it or what kind of life we want to lead.