This past week has been very productive and busy. I finalized my immigration so hopefully, I’ll just need to get my fingerprints done and I will be a legitimate exchange student in no time! I also got a phone here which is prepaid. Because there isn’t really any competition with
Telcel, the service is pretty limited and is expensive for non-local numbers (in the state of Nuevo Leon)
I also accepted to start my internship with Gobiernos Corporativos de Latino America doing financial analysis for primarily
Brazil, Mexico and a bit of Argentina and Chile investigating the correlations between performance of the 1000 most successful companies for the past 10 years in relation to political and economic developments. It’s really hard because my work is all in Spanish and Portuguese. I don’t speak Portuguese! But I’m learning very fast! The aim of this project is to publish a study for institutional investors, enterprises, and regulators in
Latin America to see how structured corporate governance is a vehicle for growth. While
Sarbanes Oxley legislation changed auditor-business relations forever,
Latin America still has a lot of what would today appear to be conflicts of interest. It’s really exciting because this sort of a study has never been done and is pioneering in terms of information services for prospective investor information in
Latin America. Information which we take for granted like executive compensation is a mandatory regulation for the SEC. Here, it’s still in the early
stages.
This past weekend, we went to the Cola de Caballo (Horse’s Tail) waterfall. About 40 minutes outside of the city, it was an amazing site to see. I had never really seen a big waterfall until I saw this one, but I would have never been prepared for how powerful and loud it was. The cool mist blowing on my face was refuge from the torrid heat that day. For lunch, we ate at a buffet, which after tasting the mysterious texture of the meat; I really don’t want to go back there again.
The week sped by with schoolwork and weekly quizzes that wrecked my nerves. I figure I’ll enjoy this weekend as much as I can. Plans are tomorrow to go to Alebrije with my Bolivian posse because the Central and South American student activities are throwing a party. Depending on how I feel the next morning, I’m headed to the Grutas Garcia caverns and get to use my headlamp. I’m so excited!! I miss you all back on campus and hope welcome week is…welcoming. Big shout-out to Kogod Investment Group and the UBA! (I’m such a dork, but I promised I’d give a shoutout) So how ‘bout that President Ladner? It’s quite embarrassing for AU. Washington Post material! But I have faith in Provost Kerwin, whose been loyal to the institution for a solid 30 years and will continue to serve the institution and take it to the next level. That was my endorsement.
It’s so weird being so disconnected from everything else. I haven’t read the Wall Street Journal since I left DC and only see what the Dow closes at occasionally. My goal this week is to stay connected more around the world and read some newspapers. 30 minutes a day and I should get back on track. Till next time, Enjoy classes all my AU posse y ¡FELIZ CUMPLEANOS PAPA!-Gerardo
Below are just a couple more pics. The beautiful steed is Jhoan's horse, Benito el Guerrerense, Us at the Cola de Caballo (Alex, myself, my roomie Segio, and Trujillo), and last was from a party the last weekend at my friend's place. Jhoan and Trujillo show my swiss and french friends how to salsa dance (and dress).
This past week has been very productive and busy. I finalized my immigration so hopefully, I’ll just need to get my fingerprints done and I will be a legitimate exchange student in no time! I also got a phone here which is prepaid. Because there isn’t really any competition with Telcel, the service is pretty limited and is expensive for non-local numbers (in the state of Nuevo Leon)
stages. 
