Latin American Cultural Immersion Program in Merida, Mexico
Fall Semester 2008
Chico State's cultural immersion program in Merida, Mexico, provides students the opportunity to experience a culture other than their own. This is achieved through ten weeks of academic preparation and orientation on the Chico campus, followed by six weeks in Merida, Mexico, where participants live with Mexican families and are placed in an internship related to their area of study. It could take months or years of residence in a country as an outsider to acquire similar insights and experiences.
Ten Weeks in Chico - August 25 to October 31
The first ten weeks of the semester are spent in Chico studying Mexico and Central America. While students receive six units of internship credit based on their experience in Mexico, the work in Chico is academic in nature. Program participants will take courses in Mexican history and politics (LAST 350M), literature and art (LAST 352M), natural history and ecology (LAST 351M), and the Spanish language. Fifteen units constitute the course load for the semester. This is a unique opportunity for students to focus all their class work on a single cultural area. Also it should be noted that successful completion of the Immersion Program in Merida qualifies a student for a minor in Latin American Studies if the student takes two additional courses (LAST 110 and LAST 495) and attains Spanish language competence. The 300 level courses developed for the Immersion Program in Merida also satisfy upper division general studies thematic requirements (Theme I Mexico and Central America).
Six Weeks in Mexico - November 3 to December 12
Work experiences will be arranged separately for each participant, and every effort will be made to place each individual in a job consistent with his or her area of interest. As working in a society is essential to understanding it, the work experience (approximately 30 volunteer hours per week) is central to the Mexico Program. The second major facet of the program is living with a Mexican family. The goal is to become, as much as possible, an integral part of family life in the community. Participants are the only native speakers of English in their family and at their job, so by the end of their stay in Mexico most participants are thinking and functioning in Spanish.
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Cost
In addition to normal student fees for a full academic load, students are responsible for the following program expenses. Note: These costs are estimate and subject to change.
- Application Fee: $52.50
- Course Fee: $125
- Round-trip airfare to Mérida, México
- Room and Board in México ($19 per day)
- Miscellaneous Expenses (entertainment, gifts, excursions, etc.).
- Total program expenses will vary greatly according to individual needs and changing transportation costs. Most students spend between $1900 and $2300.