Es Viernes! Sea feliz! 

I am writing this in a seat that’s far too low for my desk (but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to raise) inside the library of my new University: Tecnologico de Monterrey (the double ‘r’ gets a pretty serious tongue roll, and it shouldn’t be forgotten). I have successfully completed my first full week of classes, and am a few days from having lived in this city for two weeks. 

(FYI that metal was very hot, I kinda thought I may have burned my hands on it lol)

My school, TEC for short, is a private university that has campuses all across Mexico, both for secondary students and college students. The campus I’m at has a focus on engineering, business, and sciences. The best part about this school, for me, is that there are a good amount of classes taught in english. The campus is stunning, not only is it situated in the beautiful city of Monterrey, but there has been quite a bit of time and money put into the architecture. The buildings are beautiful, especially the library, with most of its out-facing walls made up of glass panes and the furniture looking like someone spilled a rainbow across the building. 

This Saturday I had the privilege of taking a tour to the big spots of the city. It was about 100 °F so I can’t say it was the best time of my life, however once things begin to cool down I’m excited to see more of these places.

The first place we visited was the ‘Mirador Asta Bandera’, or ‘Priests Point.’ This is a GIANT flag on top of an overlook giving you an amazing view of the city. When I say giant flag I mean it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a flag as big as this one. But the really amazing part of this view is the mountains. Monterrey is surrounded by beautiful mountains that stand out starkly against the skyscrapers of the city. 

After this we went to the ‘La Gran Plaza’ or ‘macroplaza’, which is the place to visit if you are ever traveling through Monterrey. This is the biggest park of the city, and the seventh biggest plaza in the world. I didn’t have the chance to walk the length of it, nor did I want to succumb to heat stroke, but I did get the opportunity to see one of the many museums that dot this park. The museum of Monterrey’s history is free to enter and is also home to the Governor’s office on the second floor. In addition to the many museums there is a beautiful river running straight through the park, giving rise to fountains and an incredible boat tour.

Just like any other big city this one has so many places to go I’m sure I wont find them all in my short time here. Just one more suggestion today: ‘Barrio Antiguo’. This is the old town of Monterrey, and the center of young fun and art. There are a number of restaurants, bars, and clubs here that all contain a great artsy vibe. It may sound a bit touristy, but since Monterrey has very few tourists in the first place you will be partying with locals.