“It's really great that so many cultures come together in one place!”

Where did you live before you decided to study in Germany?

I come from a very small village in northern Mexico, where the main industries are agriculture, livestock farming, and small-scale trade. Opportunities there are very limited, especially when it comes to gaining international experience. I am the first person in my family to attend university. Neither my grandparents nor my parents had the opportunity to attend a higher education institution. That was a big challenge for me. However, my parents always encouraged me to look for opportunities to gain international experience. After graduating from school, I went to Canada for an exchange year, which I really enjoyed. I then completed my bachelor's degree in finance in Texas, USA, thanks to a fellowship. After graduating, I had the opportunity to work for an American company for a few months. This allowed me to save some money to finance my studies here. I then returned to Mexico, where my father and I opened a branch of our family business focusing on agriculture. We have more than 20,000 apple trees and make sure they have the best conditions to produce high-quality fruit. This also includes the picking process and storage. 

Why did you decide to study in Germany, and specifically at the University of Mannheim?

At all costs, I wanted to earn a master's degree. It was a combination of many factors that encouraged me to come to Germany. In 2022, I knew it was time for a change. I wanted to leave my comfort zone, grow, see the world from a different perspective, and develop both personally and academically. Also, my boyfriend is German. We met when we were both in Canada, and I learned more about life and opportunities in Germany from him. Ultimately, Germany felt like the perfect choice because it combines a strong academic reputation with the opportunity to study specific programs in English and at affordable tuition fees. Another important factor was the support I received from my family, who always encouraged me to look for opportunities for development. When researching programs and higher education institutions, I learned that Mannheim always ranked high in international rankings. That's why I applied. Later, I discovered other advantages that I wasn't even aware of at first. For example, the flexibility of the program—I really appreciate that now.

You are enrolled in the Mannheim Master in Management program. How do you like it?

It is really enriching and enjoyable, but also challenging—especially getting used to a completely new system. As I said, I love the flexibility I enjoy when it comes to choosing courses. At first, I was completely overwhelmed because I was used to following a rigid degree plan. Here, you can truly develop your skills during the two-year master's program. And I really enjoy the international environment at the university. I have learned a lot about other cultures through my friends—that's really nice.

You mentioned that studying is something very special for you because you are the first in your family to go to university. How does that feel?

It feels like a big responsibility because I know that I'm not just doing this for myself, but also for others who might want to follow in my footsteps later on. It can be very challenging. Because I'm the first, I don't have any role models or anyone I can ask for advice. I had to figure everything out on my own—writing applications to higher education institutions, composing letters of motivation, applying for visas, etc. It was a whole new journey. But it's also exciting to discover so many new things.

Do you have any tips to share with international students who want to study here?

 Don't be discouraged if you don't get very good grades at the beginning. You have to remember that you're not just getting used to a new system, you're also learning a new language, a new culture, everything. I've been among the best of my class my whole life, so seeing that things are different here was tough at first.
 But I’d say: Keep at it, don't give up. Everything will fall into place eventually. And if you are international students who are also studying the MMM, I would recommend that you focus on the Operational Management course. Take this alongside Decision Analysis. This will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed by all the new concepts.

And I would also like to encourage all students from Latin America who want to study abroad: Don't give up, don't let your background determine your future. Even if you start out small, look for opportunities! Do volunteer work, learn a new language, or just do what interests you—but do it!

And what is your experience of living in Germany? Are there many cultural differences?

It's really nice, but also very challenging. I had been here before as a tourist, but of course that's not the same as actually living here. My first impression was that everything is very organized and efficient. I would say that Germans tend to be quiet and uncommunicative—quite unlike Mexicans, who often just talk to strangers or welcome you, even if they don't know you at all. That was probably the biggest challenge or even culture shock for me. But I've gotten used to it now and am trying to embrace the cultural differences.

What do you like about living in Mannheim?

I like the city’s diversity of the city—it's really great that so many cultures come together in one place. And I also really appreciate Mannheim's location. You can get to big cities like Frankfurt, Mainz, or Stuttgart quickly—and Heidelberg, of course. And the border with France isn't far from here either, so you can visit another country easily.

And finally: Do you already have any ideas about what you want to do after completing your master’s degree?

Definitely. I'm open to staying here in Germany. In the short term, I would like to find a job here and maybe travel the world a bit—if that's possible. In the long term, I would like to return to Mexico and help other people—especially in rural areas—to seize international opportunities. I truly believe that Latin America, and Mexico in particular, has a lot of potential, but unfortunately, these opportunities have hardly been exploited so far. What I mean is that in Mexico and Latin America, many people do not have access to certain opportunities that could help them grow academically or professionally. For example, opportunities such as going to university, studying abroad, or even leaving the country to gain international experience are often limited to a small group of people. This is not because of a lack of talent or ambition, there is a lot of potential, but rather because of barriers like financial constraints, lack of information, or limited support. That is why I feel it is important to work on reducing those barriers and to help more people in Mexico access international opportunities that can really make a difference for their futures and their communities.

Interview: Emma-Lena Sester / September 2025