Apr30 Written by:SPP Blogger
4/30/2008 12:00 AM
A little over a year ago I decided to study abroad. I hadn't taken the opportunity to do so during my undergraduate years, so I wanted to take advantage of the many study abroad options we have as SPP students here at George Mason. My initial interest was to study in Cuba, though the State Department would not allow GMU SPP to offer the program. Having studied Spanish in college, Mexico seemed like the next logical option if I wanted to brush up on my language skills and visit Latin America.
Mexico had never been a place I was particularly interested in before. I suppose as our neighbor to the south, it is frequently overlooked as a case study in International Affairs. Nonetheless, I applied to the program and was accepted. I figured this was a way to visit a location that I probably wouldn't visit otherwise. I obtained my required readings and began to open my eyes to Mexico and its transformation.
I came to class on a Saturday for our pre-trip departure and was thrilled to meet the other SPP students who would be joining me on the trip. Each was eager to learn, and brought different backgrounds to the group, as most of the SPP classes generally do. Though we were a very diverse group, we instantly bonded over tacos that Michal (the Study Abroad Faculty Director) graciously bought us. We introduced ourselves, found roommates for the trip and discussed our flight itineraries. We couldn't wait to leave.
I won't lie. The trip took focus and dedication. We didn't leave until the end of May, and we had to deliver a paper on our first day in Mexico City. This was at the same time we were wrapping up with finals so dedication was a must.
Our first night as a group in Mexico showed us that it was well worth the work and the wait. We stayed at a hotel in the Historic District. We resided there for about 4 days, while we toured Mexico City. During our time in the city, we went from visiting ruins dating to the first century to meeting with political leaders who helped set the tone for the political situation in Mexico today. From one hour to the next we were digging deeper and deeper into understanding Mexico and the problems it faces as well as the transformation it is undergoing.
After a few good days in the city, we left for Cuernavaca, the "land of eternal spring." You can see why when you're there; it is always 75 degrees and the flowers are always in bloom. There the group continued to meet with local leaders, business people and others who could show us first hand what it meant to be Mexican and what Mexico's new role in the global economy was becoming.
I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Professor Rogowsky (our faculty director) and Michal McElwain Malur (our Study Abroad director) were not only easygoing but provided structure and balance to the program. We had clear expectations of the work that we had to do, but they made sure to balance that with showing us a real Mexican experience.
Had I not been granted the opportunity to visit Mexico through the SPP Study Abroad program, I would not have applied for a Fulbright Scholarship to that country less than a month upon my return. Unfortunately, I did not receive the Fulbright but I am working toward a transfer with my company to our new office in Mexico City. There is much work to be done in Mexico, and as students of the George Mason School of Public Policy, we are being provided the tools with which to help shape the world. I'm prepared. I just need to get where I'm going.
Kate Hotze
International Commerce and Policy
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