Applying for the exchange programme
My home university gave me a huge list of universities that I could apply to, but I already knew I wanted to go to the UK. I had to choose seven options and pick one as my first choice. Of course it was Bath. I was chosen according to my grade average and English level. It was an easy process.
Great, professional teaching
The teaching here is great. There's a lot of self-led study, but the professors are incredibly educated. They know a lot about their subject and they’re well-prepared for each class. They are very passionate about what they teach.
I'm taking a class called International Strategic Management. The teacher makes the classes interesting because she shows real-life case studies about enterprises. So even if you don’t 100% understand the topic, the case studies really help to explain it.
I’ve learned a lot here even though I'm not used to self-led studying. If I had to choose one word to describe the teaching, I would say: professional.
Bath: a city to fall in love with
Bath has been amazing. I am so in love with the city. I heard it was one of the most beautiful cities in the UK but I didn't imagine it was this beautiful. I’m so happy here because the architecture is amazing. The houses are so pretty and it's a very historic place. It's one of the greatest cities I've seen in my whole life.
In Mexico, I live in Monterrey, which is a very modern city. There are so many cars and you can’t walk at all. Here in Bath, I've been walking every day, sometimes for hours. My friends and I love walking around the city centre, past the churches and Pulteney Bridge. It’s nice in the day and in the evening too. It’s a city you never get bored of.
Between classes, we like hanging around campus to get the real student experience. I like going to the Lime Tree restaurant and chatting with my friends. On the weekends, we go to TikTok and search for the most beautiful places in Bath and visit them. We’ve been to Prior Park and many restaurants in the city this way.
Making friends in the UK has been easy
Going out at night is something that I didn't do much in my hometown because it's quite dangerous. The thing that I wanted to do the most here was experience things like going out, speaking to new people and making new friends. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and do things that I wouldn't normally do.
Mexicans are very sociable. Back home, my friends and I always do everything together. I think the friendships that I've made in Bath are because we live together in Aquila Court, the student accommodation. We’re all international students, so we've bonded over that. We were all in the same situation and felt a bit scared at first because we were in a different country. It’s nice that we're neighbours and we see each other around a lot so making friends has been easy.
My advice for students going on an exchange
To someone going on exchange, I would say: manage your time. Even if it sounds like a whole semester is a lot, it's a really short time. From the first week, you have to make sure you do the stuff you want to do. Often we’re expecting to do new things once we’re ready. But I‘ve learned that you’re never going to be 100% ready. You just have to go for it.
I would also say that you have to enjoy it! I've seen many people worrying about things like, ‘What do I do next’, or ‘I need to find jobs in my hometown for when I return’. But you don’t have much time on exchange, so you have to enjoy the experience while you’re having it. You can always take care of those things when you're back.
I always felt like Bath was the right choice, but now I’m 100% sure. It's not only a great location and a great way to improve your English skills, but there is a lot you can learn from this city. Bath can open your mind to a new way of life. You’ll learn about the culture, how people behave, how they relate to others and also about the history here.
You're going to wake up every morning, open your window and see the city and its beautiful architecture. It’s going to be mind-blowing. It’s the perfect place to go on exchange.