The application process went smoothly. After a personal interview with the International Office, I submitted my application in Spanish and quickly received positive feedback. The International Office was always there to help me. The contact person at Ibero Monica is also available at all times and speaks fluent English.

The semester abroad did not include any additional tuition fees and in my case was supported by a PROMOS scholarship, which was paid out in three installments. A visa was not necessary for the stay abroad, as it does not exceed 180 days. Immigration cards are handed out on the plane, which have to be filled in and stamped at the airport. This document must be kept carefully and handed back when leaving the country.

It is possible to take out insurance with Ibero. However, I opted for international health insurance with Hansemerkur, which gave me all-round cover. Fortunately, I didn’t have to make use of the insurance.

I booked the flight via the Paderborn flight exchange. Please note that the flight does not include a stopover in the USA, otherwise an ESTA visa is required. We recommend a return flight after the actual semester has ended so that you can travel beforehand.

We chose the housing organization “Si Señor” on the recommendation of previous international students. We lived in a house with ten other international students in the Cholula district, which is very popular with students due to its countless restaurants, bars and clubs, but is a 20-minute drive from the university. I paid €180 for the spartanly furnished room, but the price is above average. Si Señor owns other houses and regularly organizes parties and excursions, which are accompanied by the landlords.

In general, however, I advise against this organization and recommend an apartment in one of the secure apartment blocks. The student-run organization “AS Accommodating Students” is another very good place to look for accommodation.

As I had previously worked in England, my journey began at Heathrow Airport in London. After a ten-hour flight and a change of planes in Madrid, I landed in Mexico City at 04:00. From there, the Estrella Roja bus line takes me directly to Puebla for 300 Mexican pesos. Your luggage is met at the counter by a bellboy and you get a free bottle of water and a snack. The luxurious and comfortable coach takes around two hours to reach Puebla. Once there, the bus station staff will order a cab on request. … Once I arrived in Cholula, it took me about two days to get my sleep rhythm back to normal after the jet lag.

Puebla has well over 50 universities, with UDLAP, BUAP and Tecnológico de Monterrey among the largest. Ibero is a smaller, private university with several campuses throughout Mexico, comparable to the FHDW.

On our first day at the university, we had to register in the tent set up in front of the sports hall just like the new freshmen and were assigned to groups. Monica greeted us warmly by our names and we were given all the necessary documents. Older students showed us around the campus in our groups. Sports teams and music groups prepared shows and attractions for us and were on hand to give us advice. The extracurricular courses can also be taken by international students. They cost around €50 per course for the whole semester. The Ibero also has its own fitness studio, which can be used for a fee.

The first two weeks were spent looking at the lectures and trying out courses. After this period, the professors had to enroll us in their courses using a pre-made document, which had to be submitted to the International Office in Mexico. During this period, I decided to swap two courses and not take one. Another course was not offered, so I will make up for these two courses next semester.

The quality of the courses at the is very high and the lectures are demanding. The courses are held in Spanish, but there are also a few lectures in English. The professors are understanding and the fellow students are always happy to help, which is especially helpful at the beginning because of the language barrier.

Homework in the form of multi-page essays is required almost every week. There are two exams and a final exam in each subject throughout the semester. In addition, attendance is compulsory and students are not allowed to be absent more than six times per course. As compensation, there are usually no lessons on Fridays.

I can only recommend traveling on the weekends to everyone. Mexico has incredibly beautiful places to offer. Transportation and hotels are very affordable. There are also many tour companies that offer coach trips to different cities every weekend. We recommend “Viajes MH”. The tour operator Mario is very friendly and flexible. His trips are always very reasonably priced and safe and include accommodation in 3- or 4-star hotels. Recommended places are: Teotihuacán, Guanajuato, Gudalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Isla Marietas, Veracruz, Acapulco, Cancún, Holbox, Palenque, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Tampico, San Luis Potosi, San Cristobal, Puerto Escondido and many more.

The Cholula district with nightclubs such as Mantra, Abolengo or Bronx and the bar block “Containers” is ideal for partying. You will meet many international and local students here. However, you should be careful with alcoholic drinks, as spoiled alcohol may be served.

It is also worth visiting the pyramids or one of the museums. Entry is usually free for students. Buses into the city usually cost 6 Mexican pesos. However, I recommend ordering a vehicle via the Uber app, especially in the evening, to minimize the safety risk.

During my semester abroad, there were two very strong earthquakes within a few days of each other. The second earthquake in the state of Puebla in particular, with a magnitude of 7.1, caused a lot of damage. Many houses collapsed and our house and the university also had cracks in the walls. Classes were suspended for a week. The solidarity of the Mexicans was overwhelming and I don’t know anyone who didn’t help with the reconstruction and care of those affected.