Universidad de las Americas (UDLAP)
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A Parting Gift
Scarlett Gilligan, UDLAP, Mexico When we think about sustainability, we often think green, recycling, taking public transport, but often it can be so much more than that. Being on this year abroad, I feel like I have been given so much and after speaking to some of my friends, we decided we needed to give something back to the community that welcomed us so kindly. After spending a year in Cholula, with street markets calling my name, I don’t dare to think of the amount of clothes I have accumulated. I couldn’t be more thrilled to see my wardrobe beaming with colour, but my suitcase to go home isn’t so…
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More than the headlines
by Scarlett Gilligan, la Universidad de las Americas Puebla, Mexico N.B. In late February 2026 there were reports of cartel-related unrest and violence in Mexico. This was primarily in western Mexico, but some other cities, including Puebla City, experienced some spillover disruption. This blog is a little more serious. As important as it is to focus on the amazing things that a year abroad can provide, nothing is ever perfect. Just like anywhere in the world, things can change overnight. This week in Mexico, a large figure in the cartel realm was killed, sparking violence across parts of the country. We found out on the way back from our Malinche…
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The UDLAP Handbook They Don’t Give You
by Scarlett Gilligan, Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Mexico I have the world’s best privilege of spending semester two in Cholula; however, for most of my friends, they have moved on to other places, jobs, continents — you name it. This got me thinking that despite being here for a semester, I am still learning about my university. Don’t get me wrong, I do love this place, but UDLAP can be very confusing — it is wonderfully random. So, here I will provide future generations with little tips and tricks I have learned whilst being a student at UDLAP, which will hopefully give you the prime experience! The Gym First…
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Environmental sponging
Scarlett Gilligan, la Universidad de las Américas Puebla, México I am penning a new term right now, hear me out. Being on your year abroad is about learning — obviously — everything you can’t in a classroom. I can say where I have learned the most about myself and about everything is my house. You are going to come across so many different things on your year abroad within an international community and your general environment. Be a sponge. I want you to absorb it. You are going to spend so, so, so much time here, and you don’t want to waste any time constantly asking why things are the…
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Learning to Learn
Scarlett Gilligan, Universidad de las Américas Puebla. At our age, we’re more than used to adapting to new ways of learning and our education systems constantly changing — one of the few good things to maybe have come out of COVID. Use this to your advantage because, at least for me, moving universities was such a strange experience. Thanks to our historical turmoil with education systems, we can use this adaptability to help us prepare and transition to new little flips. Keep in mind your experience may be totally different, this is just a bit of food for thought if you are preparing to leave! One big thing I had…
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It did happen to all of us – dealing with the Coronavirus Pandemic whilst abroad.
On Monday the 23rd March I was, much like the rest of the country, sat at home with my family in the UK, hearing for the first time that we would now be in lock down. Just a week prior, I was saying goodbye to my sister as we both boarded flights after an amazing trip around Quintana Roo and neighbouring Islands, hers back to London and mine back to my hometown in Mexico. To say that, at this moment, I was oblivious to the virus and how it could potentially impact my year abroad would have been a lie. As my sister works in the NHS, and was also…
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México 101: All of the essentials (that I can think of) for moving to this beautiful place.
VISA • In the UK: You’ll need to organise this through the Mexican embassy (all information can be found online) and make a trip to London to bring all your documentation. There they will then take your passport and hold on to it for a few days to process all your documents and put a temporary student visa inside. • On the flight: you will be handed a migration form so just follow the instructions and make sure you fill out the bottom part aswell (which is a repeat of the same information because one of them is your copy) • Arrival in mexico city: in immigration just hand them…
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Cholula: a new chapter
To begin, a few photos of the place I can now call home: Cholula. It is truly a beautiful place to live. On every turn there is street-art, brightly coloured buildings and taquerias. However; don’t be fooled by the weather in the photos. It’ll be cool when you wake up, boiling by midday, ominously cloudy late afternoon, stormy in the evening and then the skies may clear by the time you go to bed. What to wear: everything. Casa Roja: My new home I am living in a 15- person student house about a half hour walk from uni, and I am so lucky to have such a big ‘mexican’…
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Final reflections: post-year abroad survival
What a year. Mexico has brought me intense happiness, challenges, new understandings, questioning, all among its colours, smells, music, arts, joy, volcanoes, beaches, deserts and jungles. But it hasn’t all been rosy! I have been tested in friendships and relationships, in Mexico and the UK to push my mental strength to its limit – and been pushed possibly most of all by my return to the UK. It’s been said before, I’ll say it again. Reverse culture shock is worse. Coming “home” is an odd sensation: things are the same but different. Also: what is home? You’ve changed but many things, many people and many places are mostly the same. This…
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Post-exchange travel
Many partner universities finish their semesters earlier than Manchester – in my case, the start of May, so I took advantage of this to travel around Mexico and Central America – having 2 months’ more travelling to what my friends teased me was already a year of holiday/travelling! As soon as I finished my assignments, I made the most of the luxury of not having any exams at the end of the semester, and booked a flight for a solo adventure in El Salvador. Having said goodbye to my pals and my home for the last year, Cholula, I made my way over into Central America. El Salvador has a…
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Goodbye UDLAP
By Lily Baker Haynes, Universidad de las Americas My time here at UDLAP is coming to an end – and of course, it flew by. I arrived here fresh-faced and having no idea what to expect… and I finish having learnt a lot, met amazing people and leaving a part of my heart here in beautiful Cholula.
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A Mexican Manifesto
It is hard to encapsulate and create an image of the beauty of Mexico without visiting – but I’m going to try anyway… Mexico’s diversity is something I have been absolutely blown away by; although not difficult when you consider that by area, it is the 13th largest country in the world, and fits a large number of European countries within its boundaries! This gives rise to an astonishingly diverse range of cultures, which vary dramatically between states and regions, with varying music and dance, clothing, language and customs in each community. Given that my workload is not nearly as heavy or demanding as in Manchester, I have been able…
