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Facts - Gap-Year-Teaching-Mexico - Africa and Asia Venture

Facts

Useful Information

Back Up

In general, Mexico is relatively safe, although in urban areas you should use the same precautions you would in any unfamiliar city: Don't wear expensive jewelry or flash a full wallet around, and only take cabs that hotels or tourist-friendly restaurants order for you. In Mexico City, be especially careful that your taxi is a properly licensed one before you get in; in Cancún, avoid using ATM machines late at night or in deserted areas. Our representatives in Mexico will be on hand whenever you need them to sort out any kind of problem. They are Adriana Martinez Cabral and Genaro Ortiz Tirado. Peter Bell, our UK Director will fly out to conduct your orientation training and will visit you during your teaching placement.

Weather

Temperatures are consistently in the 70s year-round, with a spike into the low 80s in April. The best weather is between February and August, with the July the rainiest month. Winter is as in UK. from December through February.

Electricity

American plugs/sockets are used so bring adaptors, as required

Money

Confused by price abbreviations? Note that "Dlls." or "USD" stands for American dollars and "M.N." stands for moneda nacional, or pesos. Many hotels and tourist restaurants show both dollars and pesos on the final bill. You can pay with either. Visa and MasterCard work, although Visa is more common.

Cuisine

Above all else, you must sample at least one dish prepared with an authentic, traditional mole. Rich and dark brown, mole is a concoction containing Mexican chocolate, cinnamon bark, nuts, seeds, several types of chiles, and often raisins.

Books and Movies

To get a sense of what Mexico is like now, check out some of the new generation of gritty films that have won awards around the world like Amores Perros and Y Tu Mamá También.

Etiquette

Mexicans are excessively polite, especially in the face of a dispute.