IFSA Mérida Universities Program

In this program you attend a local university, stay with a local family, and have tons of opportunities to volunteer or explore something you’re interested in. This is a great way to really be a part of your host community and connect with people there. I often played card games with my host family, we grew very close, and I continue to talk to them even after I’ve come back home. Mérida is a place that will always be a part of me and a place I feel I will always be welcome. The excursions are also interactive with visits to museums, archaeological sites, and local communities which means there are so many different ways to learn and explore. Sometimes there were challenges in adjusting to a new culture and the different academic expectations but the IFSA team in Merida is really supportive and has lots of resources to help you. Merida is also close to the beach and a few hours drive from popular sites like Playa del Carmen. One of my favorite memories is a trip some friends and I took to Cozumel as a recommendation from the on-site team! Honestly, if I could go on thus study abroad program again, I would.

The cultural immersion in this program was like no other. I lived with a host mom, Rebecca, and she helped me grow during my semester in Merida. She taught me the bus systems and helped me grow more comfortable speaking Spanish. She helped me learn how to get to the beach by myself. The IFSA programs are structured to have full immersion with a host family and to attend the local universities, but it is really the people who make all the difference. The Merida program has lovely people who are there to support students.

I studied abroad in Mexico as part of IFSA's Spring 2019 Mérida Universities Program. Overall, it was an absolutely incredible and rewarding experience, but of course there were pros and cons! Pros: Coursework: There's a reason it's called STUDY abroad, and I personally LOVED the three classes I took at the local university. As someone who goes to a liberal arts college, I was quite concerned about the classes at a nationally renowned public university being too large, but they were honestly quite comparable in size to what I am used to. All of my professors were excellent, and all of my classmates were extremely kind, patient, and intelligent. I took all of my courses at the UADY's School of Anthropology, specifically in the departments of Latin American Literature, Communications, and Tourism. Location: Mérida itself may be calm for a city, but I still found plenty of things to do. One of my favorite activities was going to the movie theater with my friends as well as visiting local artisan craft shops. The nightlife was also always such a blast! The city's location in the peninsula of Yucatán makes it super easy to travel domestically by bus, not only to neighboring beach towns but also to more well-known tourist-y hotspots such as Cancún and Tulum as well. If you are interested in Mayan history and architecture, Mérida is also a 1.5 hour bus ride away from Chichén Itzá and 1 hour away from Uxmal. I think it's also important to mention that it is incredibly safe, and even as a woman I felt comfortable walking around alone at night. Finally, the Spanish accent in Yucatán was very neutral and easy to understand. Management: The team at IFSA was incredible at all stages of the study abroad process! They were always super willing to help me with any random questions or adjustment issues. I haven't heard of any other program with a support system as well-developed as the one at IFSA! I am still in touch with the On-Site Program Director because everyone truly cares about your well-being. Host Family: All my friends and I had great experiences with our host families. We lived in very comfortable houses, and you can't complain about eating Yucatecan food everyday. Cons: Academic Rigor: The program was not super strict about people speaking Spanish, so it was hard keeping other American students in the program accountable with language immersion. I dealt with this by spending adequate time with my friends that I met at the UADY, and speaking to my host mom. Like other people have mentioned, the way in which classes were structured was reminiscent of the teaching style in American high-schools, which might be off-putting to those who want to be very challenged academically. However, I personally still found value from learning in this way. Transportation: The bus system in Mérida was incredibly convenient, but also kind of complicated and overwhelming at the beginning because there were no signs on the bus telling you where you were. Definitely gather a group of friends when you take the bus to go to school for the first time if you are nervous about this. Weather: If you like the sun and the heat like I do, Mérida is the place for you. However, if you can't stand it, definitely prepare yourself adequately. Most homes, like mine, had no A.C. whatsoever, and during May, the weather got up to 40 degrees celsius daily. You will also be walking a lot. From January to April, the weather was usually in the mid-20s in celsius, with nights generally being much cooler than the days. All in all, I think this is a completely underrated study abroad program in Latin America, and I would highly recommend it to almost all Spanish-speakers who want to learn in a culturally-rich and beautiful location!