Aidan Trinity '24 was awarded a Fulbright ETA (English Teaching Assistantship) award to Mexico. His Fulbright experience began in Fall of 2024. At Oxy, Aidan was a double major, DWA and Group Language, with a Linguistics minor.
We asked Aidan to share details and takeaways from his Fulbright experience in Mexico, and here's what he said:
I was part of the 2024–25 Fulbright ETA cohort in Mexico and was originally placed in Tuxpan, a small port city on the Gulf Coast. I taught at a normal, or teachers college, working with students from the first through sixth semesters. At the end of February, I was relocated to Puebla due to security concerns in Tuxpan, which gave me the unusual opportunity to experience two very different versions of what a Fulbright placement in Mexico can look like. I ultimately remained in Puebla, where I began teaching sixth grade at a private school.
Although the formal role of an ETA is to assist English professors, in practice I often taught classes independently and adapted lessons to the needs of each group. One thing I learned from both my own experience and conversations with other cohort members is that the ETA role varies greatly by placement. In general, it requires a great deal of flexibility, initiative, and learning on the fly in order to support whatever needs your institution may have.
Living in a small city like Tuxpan came with both rewards and challenges. On one hand, it allowed me to become part of a community I likely never would have encountered otherwise, much less become an active member of. On the other hand, adapting to a close-knit, family-oriented culture could sometimes feel isolating.
Over time, though, (pardon the cliché) Tuxpan truly became a second home to me. Even now, despite having spent much longer in Puebla, Tuxpan still feels like home in a very particular way. I remain closely connected to the community there, especially as it continues recovering from severe flooding last fall. Together with the students and administrators, we raised approximately 50,000 pesos over four months, largely through donations from supporters in the United States. More info about this project on Instagram: @dollarsforveracruz.
One memory that captures my connection to Tuxpan happened just this past weekend during the annual carnaval celebration. I had barely arrived at the desfile along the main boulevard when I spotted members of my old salsa dancing group performing as part of one of the parade sections. They immediately pulled me in, and I stumbled through the choreography alongside them.
Since my Fulbright grant ended, I have been working at Colegio Americano de Puebla as a 6th grade teacher. Teaching there has provided an interesting contrast to my experience in public education through Fulbright. In Mexico, the divide between public and private education is particularly pronounced, shaped in part by socioeconomic divides and the history of the plaza, or tenure, system (among other differences). It is a contrast I am still reflecting on. My biggest takeaway so far is that both systems face significant structural challenges, many of which remain topics of national conversation. I witnessed some of these tensions firsthand during the student strike at Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, where I was placed when I moved to Puebla.
Looking ahead, I plan to return to the United States this fall after what will have been two years in Mexico. I am especially interested in transitioning into international education, ideally within higher education, though I am keeping my options open at this stage. I am excited to be closer to my family and I am dreading leaving behind tacos de asada, cempasuchil, and all my friends who have made me feel at home here in Mexico.