Downtown Guadalajara has a colonial sector with impressive buildings dating from the time when Mexico belonged to the Spanish Empire. Students are taken on a free tour of historical downtown Guadalajara during orientation. The city also offers a wide range of opportunities for financial and economic growth. International companies like IBM, Honda, Hewlett Packard, On Semiconductor, Flextronics, Hilasal, Jabil, Quaker, Bimbo, Elf, SCI, Hella, Solectron, and Siemens have opened manufacturing facilities and branch offices here on account of the strategic geographic location both for Mexico and Latin America. Guadalajara's consistently mild climate has made it a favorite among study-abroad students and tourists from all over the world.
Summer is the rainy season, but showers generally occur only in the afternoon or early evening.
A sweater or light jacket is appropriate in winter, but very seldom needed at noon. The dress code in Guadalajara is a bit less casual than in the rest of Mexico. For nightspots and social occasions, more formal attires are often required. The dorms are a half-hour shuttle ride from the campus proper. Visitors are always impressed with the attractive design and size of the buildings, but Campus Guadalajara also takes pride in its magnificent landscaping, modern sports facilities, and numerous workstations with laptop connections.