Rosie's Experience in Tijuana, Mexico

How did you find living in Tijuana? Do you recommend it? What is it like?

I really liked living in Tijuana. It's a large city where various cultures co-exist, both Mexican and international alike. One of the distinctive features of Tijauna is that a large part of the population is bilingual, due to its position below San Diego, and they usually adopt American slang and traditions.

Yes, I recommend it, it's a city full of interesting things to see, where you can meet a variety of people, ranging from conservative to very liberal.

What is the student atmosphere like in Tijuana?

The student atmosphere in Tijuana is very calm. There are several universities in the city, although our most prestigious university is the Autonomous University of Baja California, where a multitude of degrees and extra-curricular activities are offered.

How much does it cost to live in Tijuana?

Life in Tijuana isn't cheap, but like all places, you have to know where to look to eat and live. The most expensive thing in the city is public transport, which, aside from being expensive, is also quite old and consists of buses, collective and free taxis. Mobile phone companies are also expensive, so it's important to know which is the best company to choose.

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Tijuana? Can you give some advice?

Well, I am a Tijuana native, but what I would recommend to you is to talk to those who organise exchange placements at the school, in case they have associations or special rent rates for foreign students. In the same way, I recommend that you stay in a hostel or temporary accommodation while you personally look for a place to rent.

Rent can be between $150 and $450 per month, mainly depending on the area of the city, the number of rooms and the facilities included.

How is the Mexican food? What are your favourite dishes?

The food is excellent. In Tijuana, you are never going to be left without a restaurant or a little eatery to go to. If you're someone who doesn't like to eat particulary spicy foods, you must be wary when asking for salsa on your food. Although they may say that "it's not very spicy", it most likely will be, haha.

The tastiest and most typical food of Tijuana are the grilled meat tacos; you can't leave the city without trying them. You won't find any others like the ones here - they are excellent. But if you like Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Turkish, Lebanese, or Indian cuisine, fast food, tapas... it's food you are never going to miss out on, especially tacos (there are so many types: grilled meat, pork, chorizo, marinated, animal head, goat meat, etc. )

Which places do you recommend visiting in Tijuana?

You can visit various places in Tijuana and its outskirts. In the city, you can go to 'Avenida Revolución', or the 'Zona Río' district, the tourism centres of Tijuana: it's in these areas where cultural or food festivals open to the public take place. You can also go to Tijuana's beaches, where you will find the pier, as well as little restaurants and cafes.

Rosarito, a beach town, can be found south of Tijuana, where you can go to have a drink, or try the typical, and delicious, king prawns at the Puerto Nuevo. There is also the Ensenada port, and north of Tijuana is San Diego. To the right of the city, you will find Tecate, which was recently awarded the title of "Magical Little Town".

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And with regards to eating in Tijuana? Can you name your favourite places?

It's difficult to choose my favourite places because there is so much food, but you can find some of the best tacos in "Las ahumaderas", a street filled with taco places. In the centre of Tijuana, there are lots of restaurants, like Vittorio's, Caesar's (where Caesar salad was invented), La Pizzería, El Plato de Oro, Los Panchos, etc.

I recommend visiting this page so you can check each municipality that makes up our state:

Baja California

Which places do you recommend for nightlife in Tijuana?

As well as food, in Tijuana you are always going to find a party. If you like bars, in the centre you will find "La Sexta", which is a street full of nightclubs, in which you can find any type of music or atmosphere. There is also "La Plaza del Zapato", which can be found in the aforementioned 'Zona Río' district, where you'll find even more nightclubs.

You'll also find various bars and dives dotted around the city, any of which you can go to.

Do you have any advice that you could give to future students in Tijuana?

Search for advice among the city's natives. Get them to recommend places to go out to, there are very different cultures within the city and, therefore, different places to enjoy, but also the schools that have libraries and information that could prove useful for your studies.

Find a good group that you can join and use for support, and one that can also help you find accommodation faster, and go to the State's web page.

The climate in Tijuana can vary during the day, in the morning it can be cold and then warm in the afternoon, but the temperatures vary between 10 and 30 degrees.

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