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About Mexico
About Mexico
Mexico is a country with a beauty and richness that amazes its visitors. Its cultural heritage, beautiful sceneries, and the warmth of its inhabitants make Mexico the perfect place to visit, and this is why it is among the ten most visited countries in the world.
The diversity of the country can also be discovered through its gastronomy, traditions, folklore, and industry. From Baja California to Quintana Roo, Mexico offers a wide array of tourist destinations where visitors will be able not only to immerse themselves in different cultures and different moments of history, but also to practice all kinds of activities, from waterskiing to mountain climbing.
About Monterrey
About Monterrey
An up and coming, young and vibrant city, Monterrey is the second largest metropolitan area after Mexico City, and the third most populous after Mexico City and Guadalajara with close to five million inhabitants. It is the first industrialized city in Latin America and boasts more than 40,000 small, medium, and large industries and companies today.
During your visit you will observe the Sierra Madre Oriental to the south of the city, to the southwest La Huasteca, to the west the Cerro de Las Mitras, to the northwest the Cerro del Topo Chico, and to the southeast, the famous Cerro de la Silla (“Saddle Mountain”). It gets its name from the fact that it resembles the shape of a horse’s saddle. This mountain has been declared a national natural monument.
Money matters
Money matters
As for travelers’ checks, practically the only ones that are accepted are from American Express. If you are considering others, please speak with someone from the International Office first to see if they are accepted in Mexico.
Money transfer:
If you plan on opening an account with a local bank so that your family may send you money, it is important for you to obtain the necessary information from your bank in order to ensure successful delivery of funds:
Name of the bank where the account is located
Location
branch
SWIFT code
Additionally, you need to provide the sender with your complete account number, full name, and name of the corresponding bank. It should be noted that a transfer to your account is paid out in Mexican pesos at the current exchange rate on the day the transfer is received, and a fee is charged for the transaction. It will take approximately one to two days for a money transfer from the US, Canada, or Europe to be processed. It will take at least 3 days for transfers coming from South America, Asia or Africa.
If you want to bring cash with you at your arrival, we strongly suggest to bring USD dollars or euros. Any other currency will be impossible to change.
Communication
Communication
The best way to communicate with people in Monterrey is buying a Mexican mobile. You can get one starting at 300 MXN - 500 MXN (about 60 USD).
To communicate with your family and friends back home, the easiest and cheapest option is WhatsApp cals and Skype. You can also buy long distance prepaid cards at supermarkets, convenience stores, and even at the UDEM bookstore.
The most frequently used prepaid service is “Amigo”, from Telcel, since the credit can be recharged starting from 20 MXN, at any supermarket, convenience store, or ATM. Consider that mobile services in Mexico are usually more expensive than in the U.S. and Europe. You can also buy a SIM card for your mobile, but you will have to check if it is compatible.
Shopping
Shopping
In Monterrey, most stores are open Monday to Sunday, generally from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Large grocery stores are usually open until 11:00 pm. Offices are generally open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
It is cheaper to buy groceries at large supermarkets such as HEB, Soriana and Wal-Mart than at convenience stores like 7-Eleven. It is also generally cheaper to buy food items in bulk (larger quantities). Some bulk stores include Costco and Sam’s Club (membership required).
Near campus:
Major grocery stores like HEB and Soriana and other businesses are located on Calzada Del Valle and Avenida Humberto Lobo. You can get there easily by taxi.
Some of the popular shopping malls that carry quality local and imported name brands include Palacio de Hierro on José Vasconcelos and Valle Oriente on Lázaro Cárdenas.
How to get around?
How to get around?
TAXIS
All students are encouraged to ask for a Safe Taxi every time they need the service. Safe Taxis are the ones who have a regular base where they operate from. Even when taxis circulating on the street might be safe to hail, a safe taxi is always the best option. Taxis circulate everywhere at any time; their meter should start at about $15.00 MXN and increase by $10.00 MXN per Km.
Make sure that your taxi has a meter and that they are using it appropriately; if they don’t, make the taxi stop and get another. Some taxi services have fixed rates for certain runs (e.g. from hotels, airports, and the bus station).
There are also private transport applications that can be downloaded on a mobile phone and that can be paid with a credit card, paypal or cash like Uber or Didi (you can get the apps on Google Play or Appstore)
BUS
Buses and ‘peseras’ (smaller buses) have routes that cover most of the metropolitan area and cost about $15.00 MXN, while panoramic buses are more expensive. The most used routes are 202, 203, 204, 130. Metrorrey is another bus route that stops at different Metro stations; they are a bit more expensive (like the Metro). The Metro has 2 lines, the north-south (long line) and east-west (shorter line), unfortunately, no metro line passes by San Pedro, so you may probably need to use the buses or taxis.
The "Moovit" website may be useful, it is a guide to public transportation in Monterrey.
CIRCUITO UDEM
Circuito UDEM is a free private transportation service that facilitates your arrival and departure from campus. This service is exclusively for members of the UDEM Community, so it is necessary to present your valid UDEM ID when boarding the bus.
It has four routes that operate from Monday to Friday, continuously, during the semester:
Del Valle
Santa Catarina
San Jerónimo-Cumbres
Valle Alto
To use any of the UDEM Circuit routes, download the Urbvan app and create your account with your institutional email address.
You can find more information in the following link: https://www.udem.edu.mx/en/conoce/circuito-udem
Useful links
Useful links
Weather
Weather
Monterrey has a semi-arid climate. Its weather is temperate in the spring and autumn, and is extremely hot in the summer, when temperatures fluctuate between 28°C and 35°C but can rise as high as 40°C.
During winter, from November to January, temperatures fluctuate between 2°C and 15°C and may even hit freezing temperatures.
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