BCA Study Abroad: Xalapa, Mexico (Now Amizade)

I had an amazing time studying abroad in Xalapa with BCA Mexico. Where to begin? My homestay was amazing, I am still in touch with my host mother, and my housing was right in the middle of town which was so convenient. It was easy to get to know other international students and other Mexican students both through classes and organizations. I personally found my community in a feminist collective, but as Xalapa is kind of a college town, there is a lot of stuff to do! Xalapa always has amazing events going on, the music is fantastic (really missed Son Jarocho when I came back to the states!), and there are always cool film festivals going on in the local cultural center. The nightlife is fun and affordable, and I always found that my friends watched out for me! I've got to say, I never felt unsafe in Xalapa, so please don't let that keep you from studying abroad in Mexico. I My Spanish got a lot better while I was in Xalapa, and I really did meet people who I am still close with today. I loved my time in Xalapa and I have recommended it to many of my friends who are interested in studying abroad in a Spanish - speaking country. It was everything I could have hoped for from a study abroad experience!

I was deeply satisfied with my experience as a BCA-Xalapa study abroad student. Our program started with cultural immersion and language classes in the city of Cuernavaca, where we were given both the structure and guidance necessary to make us feel safe, and the freedom to begin exploring a new and exciting country. I was initially struck by how much the program director, Rob Krueger, knew about both ancient and modern Mexican history, and how he could contextualize the sites we were visiting and communities we were observing by pulling from his expertise in archaeology. I learned amazing things about indigenous history, Spanish colonization, politics and contemporary Mexican society from both classes and informal discussions with Rob. Also, from the start, we all only spoke Spanish, and this really got us ready to immerse ourselves linguistically in the country.

Moving on to Xalapa, we were given so much freedom to pursue classes that interested us, while also being guided and supported every step of the way by Rob. Rob is uniquely passionate, dedicated and caring when it comes to taking care of his students, and he's extremely casual and approachable, but still professional and organized. When I was the only person who wanted to take a class he was offering, he met with me every week at a coffee shop to discuss our readings and my essays, and he treated our classes just as seriously as if it were not only me. It was truly appreciated.

Xalapa itself is an awesome city, in an amazing part of the country. Veracruz gets a bad rep for drug-related violence, but it's sort of like any large city or region of the world that has an active conflict: You know where and where not to go, and you just don't go to the cities that aren't safe. Most of the cities ARE extremely safe, and I typically felt safer than I would in a city of comparable size in the U.S. People are kind, hospitable, open, inviting and if you let yourself get enmeshed with local students, organizations and people in general, your Spanish will become excellent. I entered shaky and left confidently fluent, and to this day this is a skill that helps me in my professional and personal life.

You are nearby beaches, rainforests, mountains, mangrove swamps, jungles, waterfalls and so much natural beauty. Food is incredible, though vegetarians will have to be mindful about eating in Mexico. Fruit is fresh and delicious. Buses, hotels, etc. are very affordable for most Americans given the conversion rate. Opportunities to get involved with local organizations (such as Matraca A.C., which serves youth who are working in the streets of Xalapa) and fun classes at the university where you will be taking classes (Universidad Veracruzana) abound (sculpture, dance, mushroom-growing, orienteering...).

In short, I could not have asked for a better program, a better program director, or a better study abroad experience. If you want to be in a beautiful place, eat great food, see exotic landscapes, majorly improve your Spanish, make good friends (of course, this will take openness and effort on your part, but this will be the case ANYWHERE you go) and learn so much about yourself and the world, come to BCA!

My time with BCA in Xalapa, Mexico was unforgettable and truly a life changing experience. I had traveled internationally before going to Xalapa, but I had never really been immersed in a culture for longer than a couple of weeks. I had many options for Study Abroad locations, but Xalapa enticed me because of the diversity of landscape and things to do in and around the city. And it didn't disappoint in the slightest! The director, Rob, was professional, organized, helpful, but also a ton of fun and made all of our excursions and educational opportunities quite enjoyable. I even had the chance to go cave diving with him in extinct volcano tunnels on one occasion. This was just one of the many incredible memories that I made with my time in Xalapa. I also made a lot of really good friends (both with local people and international students) with whom I still talk to this day. The education was also high quality. I took classes on Spanish Composition, translation, Mexico and Latin American History, and Mesoamerican Religions. I was always challenged, but the teachers and instructors taught in such a way that I really enjoyed it and hated having to leave. I would encourage anyone who is considering studying abroad to choose Xalapa. You will not regret it!