Partner Country of the Month: Mexico
Marked by 300 years of colonialism, Mexico has not had it easy, but Spanish Catholic culture and influences from pre-Columbian cultures such as the Aztecs and Maya have blended into a very colourful picture. The most populous Spanish-speaking country is known for Día de los Muertos, the ruins of Chichén Itzá, Frida Kahlo, tequila and spicy food - and unfortunately also for the drug cartels that plague parts of the country. But that is far from all that Mexico has to offer. Mexico has beautiful nature and is a country full of contrasts and diversity, with a lot to discover.
With the "Partner Country of the Month" campaign, we want to shine a spotlight on the countries, regions and partner universities of TU Dresden that our exchange students don't necessarily think of first.
Table of contents
General facts and figures about Mexico
Capital: Mexico City
Population: 126 million
Official languages: Spanish, regionally also 68 indigenous languages, especially Náhuatl (Aztec) and Maya
National holiday: 16 September (Day of Independence)
Currency: Mexican peso ($). 1 € = 23,8 $
Further facts and figures can be found on wikipedia, on visitmexico.com or wikivoyage.
Small language excursion:
- Hello – Hola
- How are you? – ¿Cómo estás?
- My name is ... – Me llamo ...
- Thank you – Gracias
- Please – Por favor
- You’re welcome – De nada
Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world. As almost all of Latin America speaks Spanish, studying it opens up a continent for you. However, the wide spread of the language has also given rise to many regional peculiarities, especially through loan words from local languages and new slang. A few Mexicanismos are sure to stay with you as souvenirs from an exchange in Mexico! Very important in any case is the word ahorita, which covers the time span from "right away" to "maybe someday"...
Learning some Spanish for a stay in Mexico is definitely a good idea, as large parts of the population speak little English. However, our partner universities in Mexico also offer many courses in English. Please check the exact requirements before applying.
In Dresden you can study Spanish at places such as TUDIAS, or inlingua. TUDIAS also offers an advanced Spanish profile course specifically as a preparation for stays abroad.
Did you know that ....?
- in Mexico it’s illegal to play the national anthem incorrectly? There are singers who performed the anthem at sporting events, forgot part of the lyrics and as a result, they had to pay a fine. It’s also mandatory to observe the appropriate celebratory mood when playing the anthem.
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the crater of the meteorite that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs is located in Mexico? The so-called Chicxulub crater in the north of Yucatán measures about 150 km in diameter - even though not much of it is visible on site.
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chocolate comes from Mexico? According to Aztec mythology, Quetzalcoatl, god of wisdom, stole the cacao tree from the garden of the gods and gave it to mankind. Xocolatl is Aztec for "bitter drink" – sugar was only added later on in Europe. In ancient Mexican cultures, cocoa drinks often had ingredients like chilli, cornmeal and vanilla instead. Drinks like that can still be found in Mexico. Chocolate used to be a drink for ceremonies and celebrations, and cacao beans where even used as currency.
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there are volcano rabbits in Mexico? They are one of the smallest species in the rabbit family and live only on a chain of active volcanoes in central Mexico.
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in Mexico, birthday boys and girls get their faces shoved into the cake? Before cutting the birthday cake, the birthday boy or girl has to take the first bite with their hands tied behind their back. This, of course, provides a perfect opportunity...
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the Mexican peso was the first currency to use the $ sign?
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the dialogue in Mel Gibson's film Apocalypto is spoken entirely in the Mayan language? However, no native speakers were hired, even though the language is still alive. Therefore, the actors speak with such strong accents that the film is barely understandable gibberish for native speakers.
Cooperation with TU Dresden
You can find an overview of all cooperations of TU Dresden that you can use for your exchange in our database. It is also often worth your time to ask professors in your own faculty who might have direct contacts to your partner university of choice.
Central interdisciplinary student exchange programme
Faculty collaborations with Mexican universities
- Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (TESM)
- International Relations
- Universidad Panamericana
- Economics
Don't miss...
the Museo Subacuático de Arte near Cancún. More than 400 statues are exhibited here - on the bottom of the sea. You can take a look at them while snorkeling, diving, or sitting in a boat with a glass bottom. The whole thing not only looks insanely cool but is also meant to serve as an artificial coral reef, as marine life can settle on the statues. This helps with ecosystem recovery after hurricanes.
the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. Every year, millions of monarch butterflies migrate between the northern United States and Mexico to spend the winter here. Their wintering grounds can be visited from November to March. The masses of butterflies that densely cover the trees in winter are as spectacular as the large swarms that flutter into the air in autumn and spring.
swimming in the cenotes of Valladolid. Cenotes are freshwater-filled caverns common in the karst landscape of the Yucatán Peninsula. They are often interconnected by underground watercourses and were seen as entrances to the underworld by the Maya. Valladolid has many beautiful cenotes – and nearby are the famous ruins of Chichén Itzá.
Oaxaca de Juárez. This city with its pretty historic center is known for its particularly beautiful Day of the Dead (Oct. 31). Somewhat more eccentric is the Night of the Radishes (Dec. 23), when artists carve spectacular sculptures from oversized radishes. A trip to the surrounding area is also very worthwhile – go see the petrified waterfall Hierve el Agua and the thickest tree in the world, Árbol de Tule.
Let's get cooking...
Mexican cuisine, like the culture as a whole, is a colorful blend of indigenous and Spanish influences. Many of the main ingredients are native to Mexico, like maize, avocados and tomatoes. Maize is the main staple food and is usually eaten in the form of tortillas. Depending on how the tortillas are filled and folded, they get different names - tacos, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, ... - it's a science in itself.
Guacamole, chili con carne and tequila are known all over the world. But for many delicious dishes and snacks you simply have to go to Mexico. After all, where in Germany can you get ingredients like tomatillos, or try the chocolate pudding fruit?
Finally, an important tip to get you into the Mexican food culture: You can spice up just about anything with lime juice! And preferably with hot sauce, too. Although you can make an exception with the recipe we're presenting.
Agua de Jamaica
At street stalls, in restaurants and juice bars - in Mexico you can buy aguas frescas, "fresh waters" everywhere. They are delicious thirst quenchers somewhere between juice and flavored water, and can be prepared with virtually any type of fruit, but also with flowers, seeds or cereals. Usually, the freshly prepared drinks are sold out of large glass jars. One of the most popular varieties is the tart-sweet Agua de Jamaica made from hibiscus flowers (flor de jamaica).
Ingredients:
- 50 g hibiscus flowers (e.g. from a tea shop)
- 1 l water
- 50 g sugar (a little more if necessary)
- ice cubes to taste
Preparation:
Step 1: Heat the water in a pot. Just before it starts to boil, add the hibiscus flowers. Bring to a bubbling boil for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Turn down to medium heat. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve it. Let simmer for another 10 minutes.
Step 3: Remove the pot from the stove and allow it to cool slightly. Then strain the flowers. Taste the hibiscus brew - if it’s still too sour for your taste, put in more sugar.
Step 4: Let the Agua de Jamaica cool down in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Serve it with ice cubes.
(Many thanks to directoalpaladar.com.mx)
Contact and further contact persons
Have you had great experiences in Mexico? Successfully spent a semester abroad in Mexico City, visited the pyramids of Teotihuacán or walked through the blue agave fields of Tequila? We would be happy to share your experiences either here, on Facebook or, if you like, in a digital information event with other TUD students. Get in touch with us:
© Sven Ellger
Advice on studying abroad
NameMs Federica Serra
Infocenter/ Study abroad; TUDworldwide: America
Send encrypted mail via the SecureMail portal (for TUD external users only).
Visiting address:
Fritz Foerster Bau, Office 161 Mommsenstraße 6
01069 Dresden
Postal address:
TUD Dresden University of Technology International Office
01062 Dresden
Office hours:
- Tuesday:
- 10:00 - 12:00
- 13:00 - 15:00
Please register at the SCS (FOE, floor 0).
Office hours by phone:
- Thursday:
- 10:00 - 12:00
Do you want to get first-hand information?
Would you like to know more about Mexico? Ask our regional ambassadors - TUD alumni who are active in many countries around the world and can give you tips and advice for your stay.
Getting in touch is very easy: On the interactive world map, markers indicate the cities where the regional ambassadors live. A short profile is stored for each one - so you can easily get in touch with them: https://tu-dresden.de/regionalbotschafter/weltkarte
Partner Countries Archive
Have you missed a partner country? Don't worry! Here we collect all pages of the previous months for you to read up on:
July 2021: Sweden
June 2021: Taiwan
May 2021: Netherlands
April 2021: Vietnam
February 2021: Czech Republic
January 2021: Brazil
December 2020: Austria
November 2020: India
October 2020: Estonia
July 2020: South Korea
June 2020: Hungary