This post was written by CGEE staff member Lucy Hardaker, who works at the Minneapolis office at Augsburg College.
When I traveled to Cuernavaca, Mexico this April, I got a glimpse of the life of a CGEE student in Mexico. I landed at the Mexico City airport, where the CGEE driver, Ismael, came to pick me up. He was incredibly friendly, and chatted with me during our 2 hour drive to Cuernavaca, and taught me about Mexico. As a Cuernavaca native, he is very knowledgeable about the region and culture!
For the next two (intensive) days, I observed and participated in the student semester experience. I visited an elementary school where our students intern teaching English, visited a host family, got a tour of the town, participated in class activities, saw guest speakers, and met the students from UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) who spend two weeks with the social work students.
Cuernavaca is a very balanced and accessible city in which to study. It’s not an overly large or sprawling city, but it is also not too small – it has many great shops, cafes, events, and theaters to keep students busy. It’s not “touristy”, so you can get the full Mexico cultural experience. And perhaps one other wonderful perk – it’s BEAUTIFUL!
Aside from the city being marvelous for a study abroad experience, the staff on site are also wonderful people. Each one brings their own expert knowledge and insight about Mexican culture, the town of Cuernavaca, and their respective academic disciplines. They are all kind-hearted and fun-loving, and I had an absolute blast getting to meet them in person!
Who wouldn’t want this great experience in a cool town with fun people?! Thanks to the entire Cuernavaca team for making my visit memorable.
