Located 120 miles norhwest of México City in the fertile agricultural region known as the Bajío, Querétaro is 6,080 feet above sea level: Latitude 21 North; longitude 101 West.
For the most part, the climate is comfortable year round. You will find it hot during September days, gradually cooling as you move through the Fall. Average temperature in December: 59 . Nights throughout the year are usually cool. September and October can be big mosquito months.
The city, now some 800,000 people officially (unofficial estimates range up to one million), was originally inhabited by the Chichimeca Indians before being established as a Spanish town in 1531 by Hernán Bocanegra.
It was important in México's early independence movement in 1810, when Querétaro's Corregidora, Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez, notified conspirators that their plans had been discovered. This prompted Father Miguel Hidalgo in the town of Dolores to call his people to rise up in arms (the famous "Grito de Dolores"), beginning the war that eventually led to México's independence. Important treaties have been signed in Querétaro, and it was here that the Emperor Maximiliano, sent by France to rule over México, met his death on the Cerro de las Campanas.
In 1917, towards the end of the Mexican Revolution, the nation's constitution was written in Querétaro's Teatro de la República.
Beginning in the 1970's Querétaro's governor established a historic preservation district in the center of the city. Zoning legislation made possible the restoration of many square blocks of buildings dating from the Eighteenth Century. The system of andadores (pedestrian ways) coupled with restricted traffic on some streets has brought the heart of the old city back to life.

 Querétaro can be reached by train and highway. Because it is economically stable, the city attracts new residents from all over the country. For this reason, it's hard to generalize about the type of culture you might expect, but you will see a variety of influences from different regions.
It is commonplace to observe that Querétaro is a very "Mexican" city. It is equally common to hear native Queretanos complain of the invasion by "chilangos"- residents of México D.F.
Even though it has a colonial heritage, it is not a tourist town. Rather, it is a middle-class, industrial city where Price Club, Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's have their (recent) place along with more traditional commerce, and where traffic gets intense at the rush hours, just like home.

Spend a few minutes orienting yourself once you arrive in Querétaro. Make note of the main east-west avenues which intersect the Cerro de las Campanas (on the flank of which is located the UAQ Escuela de Idiomas).
The buses are fun, and they cost less than one-fourth what you'd pay for a cab, so it's worthwhile to leam how to use them. One of the best ways is to simply jump on and ride. Have your family show you where to wait. Take along a notebook to keep track of stops and times. (And DON'T expect that the bus will always keep the same schedule!) Most places you will want to go are within walking distance and, for those times when you're just not in the mood for a stroll, you can always take a cab. (10-20 pesos, depending on distance traveled. Ask before you get in.) You should budget at least S60.00 for local transportation.

Consult your family for referrals for medical, dental, or other health-related problems. These are for your convenience and neither IUSI nor the school can be held responsible for the quality of care you receive. You must pay the doctor for services; an insurance claim will not be accepted. Save receipts for billing to medical insurance back home.

The local pharmacist will helpfully recommend and sell you drugs and antibiotics, but he will usually be unable to provide dosage information. You do not need a prescription; drugs are cheap, but be careful of allergies and dosage. In addition to the neighborhood farmacia, there are two modern drugstores in Querétaro: Sanborn's in Plaza del Parque and Vip's on Constituyentes.

Mexico's state-owned phone system Teléfonos de Mexico (Telmex) has now been privatized. The system used to be nightmarish, and your family and new Mexican friends will tell you horror stories hard to believe--but true! Be aware that while things are improving, (Mexico still has fewer phones per capita than Russia) many Mexicans have genuine fears of the system which may translate into severe restrictions on your use of their telephone. A number of homes have measured service, which means that even a local call can cost.
Do not use your host family's phone for long distance calls, unless you are calling collect, or using an AT&T or Sprint access number. Otherwise, to call someone in the States, use a LADATEL card from a pay phone, or go to one of the Larga Distancia offices: Andador 5 de mayo, Plaza Santa Rosa, or the Central Camionera (24 hrs) Wherever you are calling from, call collect--it will save 50% or more.
On arriving, discuss and understand your family's expectations about your use of their phone. When you call locally from your family's phone, make it a message call, not a chit chat. Your family will appreciate not having their phone tied up.
Don't promise your American family a call upon arrival. It's cheaper and easier for someone in the States to call you, and Mexico has direct-dial international service. Set a date and time for them to call, make sure they have your phone number; then from the US., they should dial:
011-52-42+6 digit phone # (52=country; 42=city)

Don't worry if you don't receive any mail right away. Letters will take 10-14 days minimum both from Mexico to the US, and vice-versa. Bring some American stamps with you for letters which are being taken back to the states by returning friends.
The Post Office is located downtown at Arteaga l 7 poniente near the Biblioteca del Estado and the Parque Alameda. MexPost (2-day delivery to the US) is in the Edificio Orbit on Ignacio Perez street between Zaragoza and Constituyentes. It costs about $6 (US) and delivery to the States is within 3 business days--usually.

The banks are open from 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. (Some may remain open until 6:00 p.m.) The hours for changing money in Banks are very limited. The easiest place to cash traveler's checks is the "Casa de Cambio" in the Gran Hotel. Its hours are 9:00 ti¡l 3:00, Monday through Thursday, and 9:00 until ¡:30 p.m. on Friday. A passport will be very useful in changing money. Personal checks are of no use because they require 4-6 weeks to clear before you'll get your money.

 Bigger than the Big Apple, "el DF" (Distrito Federal) counts more than twenty-two million inhabitants. Sprawling, congested, polluted, fascinating, the city seems to go on forever even when you are flying over it; crossing it in a cab on a week day is an ambitious project. One of every four Mexicans lives here; all cultural, governmental, and social roads in the Republic lead here. Like Los Angeles and New York, it has both delights and dangers (and it is bigger than New York and Los Angeles combined).

 For delights, Chapultepec Park on a Sunday is incomparable. So are the Museo de Antropología, the ruins of Teotihuacan, and the Aztec Templo Mayor being excavated right now. Very fancy shopping may be found in the Zona rosa (Insurgentes metro stop). A Mexican version of Paris's Left Bank is the Plaza de Coyoacán (check out the Parnaso bookstore‚ where more than one revolution in Latin America has been planined; Gen. Anaya metro stop, then the Colectivo Sto. Domingo-Coyoacán). The Ballet folklórico is a great show in the Bellas Artes theater, which is worth a visit in itself Cinema freak? The classics are shown daily at the Cineteca Nacional, Avda. Mexico-Coyoacan 389, southern extension Avda. Cuautemoc. And on and on. Tiempo Libre, a biweekly available at most newsstands, publishes information on what's happening in entertainment, the arts, and special events. It has a supplement for the State of Mexico with information about regional festivals and market days. It's worthwhile to look at a number just to see the variety of entertainment, sports and cultural events. The magazine can be purchased at Vip's and Sanborn's in Quer‚taro. A huge selection of the best artesanias are found at La Ciudadela market (Balderas metro stop)
For safety, go with a friend or two; beware of purse snatchers and pickpockets - especially on the Metro -, and thugs (after dark), and be street-smart.

Less than an hour's bus ride, San Miguel de Allende is an artistic center famous for the Instituto Allende (housed in an 18th Century palace), art and language schools, galleries, markets and crafts. It is also one of the largest art markets in Mexico, attracting artists and their works from all over the country. San Miguel's hillside setting makes the view from just about everywhere special. The town has been home to several thousand Amiericans (and countless Texans) for most of this century. The "colonia" has created the best English-language library in Mexico.

 Guanajuato is a mining town (once the richest silver mine in the world) and its character is set by the catacombs of dark tunnels (now roads), the colorful display of buildings on the hillsides, the presence of several hundred 19th Century mummies (Yes, mummies!), and the historic memory of revolutionary battle so evident in the art of this city.

 Walking is exercise here, taxi cab rides are adventures and exploring will find you treasures of silver craft, historic literature, ceramics, and hard candy mummies. (What little brother, sister, niece or nephew wouldn't flip over one of these?) Be sure to go up (the only direction in Guanajuato) to the Valenciana mine, still working round the clock, and catch the church of the same name just before the mine.

One of the most beautiful of Mexico's cities, and with one of the most impressive markets anywhere: San Juan de Dios. The fountains of the main plazas are especially impressive from a horse-drawn coach. Among the many attractions are works by one of Mexico's leading Revolutionary muralists Jose Clemente Orozco.
The Hospicio Cabaiias houses a ceiling fresco of extraordinary scale; there is also a large collection of his graphics there. At the Palacio de Gobierno on the Plaza de La Libertad is Orozco's fiery portrait of Father Hidalgo, champion of Mexican independence. The imaginative use of the building's stairwell as the locus for the mural is a remarkable accomplishment.

Even though they're not close (10-12 hours by bus to the nearest), many students do seem to need to do some sun-worship while in Mexico. The beaches on the Pacific coast are generally the best and the most accessible from Querétaro.
From Mexico City go to Acapulco and head north along the coast to Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa (fancy) or south to Puerto Escondido (hammocks on the beach). About two hours south of Acapulco by bus are the beaches of Marquelia and Playa Ventura--beach life at its best and cheapest. Or head west from Querétaro to Guadalajara and thence to Puerto Vallarta or Manzanillo. There are great opportunities for hanging a hammock in the vicinity of both towns. If you've got the "lana," there are flights to major beach resorts from the airport at León. Check with a travel agency for schedules and reservations.