Nancy during her time in Mexico

Hey! Where are you from? Where do you study/live/work?

My name is Nancy. I was born in the U.S. and immigrated to the Netherlands in 1992. In the spring of 1979, when I was 18 years old, I left with a group of about 20 students and one of our professors for my first experience abroad. We went to Xalapa, Mexico, in the state of Veracruz, for three months.

What was the first thing you thought when you arrived in Mexico?

I can hardly remember the very first trip to Mexico, but I do recall the sense of adventure. That feeling of traveling on your own, discovering new smells, sounds, and experiences. I shared a room in a guesthouse with my friend Carolyn (who later became a university Spanish professor), run by an older woman (around 50) who prepared our meals and did our laundry.

What was the most shocking difference between the Netherlands and Mexico?

I still remember the first time we met our landlady and she rattled off all the house rules in Spanish. Of course, I thought I understood — after all, I’d studied Spanish all through elementary and high school and had top grades in college. Well, we had to laugh because we didn’t understand a word she said!
What was the big difference between home and Jalapa? Mexico has a warm climate and life happens much more on the streets. I also remember the food being very different and not always recognizable. As a strict vegetarian, I found it especially challenging since the average Mexican had no idea why someone wouldn't eat meat. So every morning the landlady would call up the stairs: “How do you want your eggs?”

Did you ever feel homesick? How did you deal with it?

Honestly, from what I can remember, I didn’t have time to be homesick. Also, at the end of the '70s, things like Facebook or the Internet didn’t exist yet. Long-distance phone calls were a big deal. Nowadays it’s much easier to stay in touch with home. I was lucky to be with a group of students from the same university, which meant we could do a lot together. We had Spanish classes every morning until about noon, and then we were free to explore and relax. We also had plenty of time to travel.

Did you feel at home in Mexico? Why (or why not)?

I enjoyed my experience so much that in my third year, in 1981, I signed up again and returned. This time for a trimester in Merida, Mexico, in the Yucatan province. I lived with a family that had four children and a teenage maid of Mayan Indian background.

The first experience in the guesthouse with a roommate made it easier to avoid feeling homesick. The second time, living with a family, I felt less free to do my own thing and more dependent on them. Still, back in 1979–1981, I definitely felt at home in Mexico. Life there was peaceful and very safe. The people were warm and welcoming. We were also aware of class and racial differences, especially since I came from a privileged background.

Give us some tips on who to befriend abroad. The Russians? The Irish? The Chileans?

Well, during my first study trip to Mexico, I became friends with a violinist from Peru who played in the Xalapa Philharmonic Orchestra. The young men in Mexico were mostly interested in the foreign girls, but we had to be cautious of the "macho" culture. One fun moment was when my violinist friend, along with a group of other musicians, gave me a serenade one evening right outside our window. Our landlady was very conservative, so she didn’t want us girls to look outside or encourage them!

Describe the people of Mexico in three words.

Friendly, open, honest

What did you learn from your experience abroad? Was it the beloved community you enjoyed? The cheap cocktails? The beautiful nature? Or was your experience not quite what you expected? We want details!

It helped me develop a better perspective on the world, especially going to a developing country and really building fluency in a second language. This part of Mexico has a rich history of Mayan and Aztec culture, so there was definitely plenty to see and experience. We also enjoyed visiting a small indigenous village where people still made hammocks by hand.

And of course, it was popular back then to take the bus toward the Guatemalan border, to the town of Oaxaca and the beach of Puerto Escondido.

We also visited a place on the coast, Playa del Carmen, which in the early ’80s was still pretty unknown. Then there's Mexico City, a massive and vibrant metropolis. I still remember being served a very questionable soup and only afterward being told it was made from bull testicles — every vegetarian’s dream!

Going abroad is a life-changing experience! Go for it!

Abroad Internships Update: Is Mexico safe?

We asked Alejandra, a Mexican student currently studying in the United Kingdom.
"It really depends on where you go. I wouldn’t recommend going to cities near the U.S. border, for example. Usually, if you go to Mexico with a clear purpose and stick to it, everything will be fine. Just don’t go out alone at night and avoid certain neighborhoods in all big cities. If you’re going to a city, I recommend Guadalajara and Mexico City — the two biggest cities. They both have safe areas, lots of companies, plenty to see, and good public transportation!"