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UConn Service Learning in Mexico (summer)

Monterrey, Mexico

Program Terms:

Summer

Program Dates &
Deadlines:

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Budget Sheets

Summer

Fact Sheet:

Class status:	2nd Year, 3rd Year, 4th+ Year	Type of program:	Field Study, Specialized courses for study abroad students
Academic area:	Humanities, Latin American Studies, Social Sciences	Language of instruction:	English
Language courses offered in:	Spanish	Prior language study required:	None
Open to non-UConn students:	Yes	Required GPA:	2.5

Program Description:

SUMMER 2009 DATES: June 1 - June 26

The Program

UConn Service Learning in Mexico is a four-week program designed by the Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM) that immerses you immediately in community life in rural Mexico. For the first two weeks of the program students will attend a course on Spanish and Mexican Culture for almost five hours each day. During this time period there will also be two cultural visits each week to various museums and other places of interest. During the second two weeks you will live in one of the rural communities comprising the town of General Zaragoza, and work on UDEM's Rural Community Development Program to improve the quality of life of the communities' residents along side UDEM students working on the same social projects. The program includes several activities throughout the month that are specific for each segment of the community population: environmental workshops for children, art workshops for women, and working on plantations. However, the main activity will consist on involving yourselves with the community to the extent of creating a bond with them in which you will be able to bond with them as well as be able to understand, and partake in the cultural, social, and economic reality of a Mexican rural community.

The Academics

UDEM You will receive six UConn graded credit courses, divided as follows:

LAMS 3999: Independent Study: Service Learning in Mexico (3 credits): During these two weeks you will receive an orientation to the region, the community, and the service projects in the area. You will then work with UDEM university students on a service project providing services to the local children and women and helping with community projects and on a bio-diversity farm. At the end of the two weeks, everyone will gather in the community of Guadalupe to enjoy the annual regional festivity as part of their learning of the culture of Northeast Mexico.

LAMS 3998: Variable Topics: Modern Mexican Language and Culture (3 credits): During the second two weeks you will attend a course at UDEM that will consist of equal parts survival Spanish classes and academic study of Modern Mexican Life and Culture.The course will be complemented by visits to local museums, companies, and state parks.

The Experience

In the rural villages, you will reside on the premises of local schools. At UDEM, you will stay in apartments arranged for the student with assistance from the UDEM staff.

Monterrey was founded in 1596 in a steep-sided valley of the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains. From its colonial roots, it has grown to a population of 3.5 million inhabitants, making it Mexico's third largest city. Monterrey's size and proximity to the United States (Texas) make it an important commercial and industrial center, both nationally and internationally. The main plaza is one of the largest in the world and is lined by colonial buildings like the Capitol and Metropolitan Cathedral, as well as by modern City Theater and Central Library. Monterrey is also a cultural and artistic city, boasting a symphony orchestra, ballet, theaters, sporting events, and restaurants specializing in Mexican and international cuisine.

Dates / Deadlines:

Term	Year	App Deadline	Decision Date	Start Date	End Date
Summer	2010	02/16/2010	02/27/2010	TBA	TBA