Mexico - BCA Study Abroad

Xalapa
Mexico
on the cover
The image on the cover is part of a mural in the Palacio del Gobierno of the State of Tlaxcala,
and the author is the painter Desiderio Hernández Xochiteotzin.
Bridge
Explore the extensive history and everevolving culture of Mexico with excursions to historical sites and modern
cities.
Xalapa
Connect
Fine tune your Spanish language skills
while living with a host family and
studying at one of the top 5 public universities in Mexico.
Act
Study the realities of major social problems in Mexico and gain experience
working with these issues through BCA’s
specially-designed courses.
Xalapa Quick facts
Location: east of Mexico city, beneath volcanic peaks in the Sierra Madre Oriental
Population: 666,535
Fun Fact: Known as “The Athens of Veracruz” (the state to which Xalapa belongs),
Xalapa is famed for its music, theater, and
dance.
Table of Contents
Bridge the World | Why BCA Xalapa?...................................3–4
Connect to Learning | Host university, sample courses......5–6
Connect to Culture | Living in Xalapa..................................7–8
Act: What Mattered to Me| Student experiences................9–10
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Bridge the
World
Why BCA Xalapa?
I am delighted that you are considering joining us here in beautiful Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico! You
will find many opportunities for
adventure and growth: academically, personally, and in developing
your own special relationship with
Mexico and its people.
Xalapa (also spelled Jalapa)
is a charming colonial city in the
mountains above Mexico’s Gulf Coast, and is capital
of the state of Veracruz. Xalapa’s climate is temperate
and humid, perfect for the verdant vegetation that
surrounds the city, earning its nickname, “The City of
Flowers.” The city’s narrow winding streets and colonial
architecture make it a beautiful and romantic city to
explore. Views of the surrounding mountains, including the snow-capped Pico de Orizaba, abound. A small
extinct volcano marks the highest point in the large,
green park of Macuiltepec. Surrounding colonial towns
and natural areas make for great day trips, and have
been popular filming spots for Hollywood.
You will be living not just in beautiful settings, but
in a vibrant cultural and artistic environment as well!
Both the university and the state government have put
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an emphasis on cultural development in the city, resulting in a vast array of cultural and artistic activities,
from art galleries to musical venues, theater troupes,
folklore ballet, one of the best symphonic orchestras
in Latin America, world class museums ... the list goes
on. Add to this the youthful college atmosphere of the
town, the countless cafés and restaurants, parks, and
lakes, and you could not find a more enchanting place
to spend a semester!
Not all learning occurs in the city: we will also explore other areas of Mexico. Weekend excursions might
include enjoying the Caribbean atmosphere of the port
city of Veracruz, ecological tourism at a rural community in the Tuxtla Mountains, or a long weekend in
northern Veracruz, spending time with local university students, visiting archaeological and historical sites,
and enjoying a bonfire on the beach! BCA offers more
sponsored excursions than any other study abroad
program in Mexico: just another way to help you understand this fascinating country!
You will live with host families in Xalapa, providing
total immersion into the Spanish language and Mexican culture. This will allow you to break down barriers
in language and culture that would endure with a less
intensive experience. Making Mexican friends, both in
the Escuela para Estudiantes Extranjeros’ (EEE) Cultural
Immersion program and in regular classes, is another
important part of the BCA Mexico experience.
Of course, throughout the time you are here you
will have the personal attention of the resident director. I have lived in Mexico and Xalapa for nearly twenty
years now, and have a doctorate in anthropology,
specializing in Mexican archaeology. In fact, in addition
to being your resident director, I am also a professor
within the anthropology department of the university!
It is my pleasure to introduce you to Mexico, to its culture and society, its reality and its potential — to take
you off the “gringo trail” in order to discover the real
Mexico. I hope this gives you a clearer idea of what BCA
has to offer in Mexico.
¡Espero verte pronto en México!
Dr. Robert Kruger
BCA Xalapa Resident Director
Connect to
Learning
Overview
Suggested Areas
of Study
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Spanish
Anthropology
Archaeology
Business Administration
Biology
History
Art
Music
Language Requirement:
4 semesters of college-level Spanish
or equivalent are required.
The professor really cared
about his students and structured the class based on what
the students had trouble with
and/or wanted to learn.
Katie Appleby, Elizabethtown College
(on class Español Intensivo VI)
Depending on your Spanish language proficiency, you may take either
regular university courses at the University of Veracruz (UV) or courses
designed for foreign students at the Escuela para Estudiantes Extranjeros
(EEE). In addition, all BCA Xalapa students can take BCA’s social justice
course taught by the resident director, Dr. Robert Kruger, SOC375: Street
Children and Popular Education: A Participative Approach.
University of Veracruz
The University of Veracruz is the most prestigious university
in the state of Veracruz and one of the top five public universities in Mexico. It houses 35 departments (offering more than
75 undergraduate degrees), 22 centers of research, a foreign
language center, a school for foreign students, a children’s
music education center, athletic facilities, and a library with an
information services system. The School for Foreign Studies
(EEE) courses in Spanish language, Latin American culture, arts
and history. Students improve their language skills and learn
more about Latin American culture.
The university is also committed to community engagement.
Students and faculty from the departments of global health,
education, sustainability, agriculture and the arts work within
disadvantaged rural and urban communities to implement
projects and research for sustainable development practices.
Additionally, the University has four Intercultural University
Centers to provide higher education to indigenous students.
In 2012, the University was recognized for its outreach
programs and awarded first place in the MacJannet Prize for
Global Citizenship.
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Courses
Sample Courses
View more recommended courses at
www.BCAstudyabroad.org.
EEE
Intensive Spanish Levels 1-6
EEE320
English–Spanish Translation
Spanish
eee375 Mexico–USA: Frontiers, Literature, and Identity
let330 Hispano-American Literature of the 20 th Century
BCA Signature Courses
Required Pre-Semester Course
spa 315 Advanced Spanish I:
Spanish in Its Socio-Historical Context
Before classes begin, you will spend two weeks
in BCA’s cultural orientation and intensive language program in Cuernavaca, Mexico. You will
study Spanish at Universal Escuela de Lengua y
Comunicación Social, and take a course on Mexican
culture and history led by BCA’s resident director.
Recommended BCA Course
soc375
Street Children and Popular Education:
A Participative Approach (taught in Spanish)
Study the realities of major social problems in
Mexico today and gain direct experience working
with these issues. Through a complimentar y
field placement at MATRACA, Asociación Civil
(civil association), you will have the unique opportunity to directly apply concepts learned in
class. Discussions with instructors and MATRACA
personnel will center around themes of poverty,
street children, the human rights of children, and
popular education.
MATRACA strives to protect the rights of street
children in the Xalapa and the state of Veracruz.
You will participate in one of MATRACA’s programs including street work, community work,
educational work, or other areas of interest. Visit
their website to learn more: www.matracaac.org.mx/
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let335 Cervantes and El Quijote
Anthropology
ant233 Contemporary Problems of Mexico and Veracruz
ant210 Culture Studies
ant315 Power and Social Movements
Ant336 The Body and Sexuality
Ant320 Myth, Religion, and Society
Archaeology
ant174 Mesoamerica
Ant240 Archaeology of the Americas I
ant355 Origins of Civilization
ant278 Material Analysis
Experiential Learning and Internships
Business Administration
The Xalapa program has established partnerships to ensure
professional volunteer and practicum experiences that
complement academic study:
bus210
Administrative Accounting I
econ330 International Economics
econ225 Macroeconomics I
econ215 Microeconomics I
econ210 World Economy
Biology
bio130 General Ecology
bio335 Evolution and Paleobiology
History
his320
The Contemporary Americas
eee374
The Impact of U.S. Policies on Mexico:
1848–1911
eee375
US Interventions in Central America
361836 Contemporary Mexico
»»MATRACA: supports children working and/or living on the
streets
»»Environmental organizations, private and NGOs
»»Governmental agencies supporting marginalized
populations
»»Xochiquetzal: sexual health NGO
»»Teaching English: in the Mexican school system or running
conversation clubs for college-age students
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Connect to
Culture
Nestled in the foothills of an extinct volcano, at an altitude of over 4,000 feet,
Xalapa is located in the Sierra Madre mountains in East-central Mexico.
Known as the City of Flowers, Xalapa features green parks and well-manicured
plazas set against the backdrop of the snow-capped Pico de Orizaba.
City Life
Xalapa was established in 1313 as a market town and boasts
fine examples of colonial architecture. Now home to 600,000
people, Xalapa is the capital and cultural center for the state of
Veracruz. The city hosts an extraordinary number of cultural
treasures, including an internationally renowned symphony
orchestra, folklore ballet and anthropology museum. Art galleries, theaters and cafés offering live music provide plenty of
entertainment.
The university and the city of Xalapa offer a multitude of
activities ranging from the cultural to the social. The small-city
atmosphere provides easy access to museums, musical and
cultural events, as well as the friendliness of a close-knit
community. In addition, Xalapa is surrounded by lush mountains dotted with charming colonial-style towns and villages
and just an hour drive to coastal beaches.
Housing, Meals and Transportation
Host Families: conversations you have with your familia
Mexicana will present you with an excellent opportunity to
learn about the culture.
Meals: host families provide breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Local Transportation: buses, taxis; everything in Xalapa is in
walking distance.
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Sports Facilities
BCA students have discount access to the University’s sports
facilities, including gyms, athletic tracks, tennis courts, fitness
rooms, open-air sport areas, and soccer fields. Students may
also choose to join any of the numerous gyms in the city that
offer a wide range of facilities for reasonable fees.
I think Mexico is a great
program because it’s so easy to
get plugged in with the native
population, and you don’t end
up spending all your time with
other foreign students.
Jeff Yoder, Goshen College
Excursions
Included in the program fee, educational
excursions offer an exciting way to examine important global issues affecting the local people
and environment. Destinations may change and
vary by semester, but can include a few of the
following locations:
»»Mexico City
»»Pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan
»»La Antigua: a quaint town founded by
Hernán Cortés
»»Puebla and Tlaxcala: traditional Mexican
cities with distinctive histories and flavors
»»Port City of Veracruz
»»Archaeological site of El Tajín and the
Costa Esmeralda beaches
»»Cuetzalan: an indigenous town nestled in
the mountains
»»Ecotourism in the Tuxlta Mountains
»»Yucatán Peninsula, Chiapas region, and
colonial cities of Central Mexico (spring only)
Act
What Mattered to me
student experiences in Xalapa
Bridging
The learning and Spanish
didn’t end in the classroom, it
continued in the streets with
native Spanish speakers, hearing Spanish everywhere, and
having to use it outside of class
to communicate and practice.
The World
Come to Xalapa! If you
can handle the freedom
and really want to be immersed in Mexican culture,
this is an excellent program.
Emily Michael, Malone University
Adin Vaewsorn, Wesleyan University
Connecting
to culture
I had an amazing experience here in Mexico
and am glad that I decided to try something
different.
Katie Appleby, Elizabethtown College
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Housing was amazing
because I had a lovely family
that was more than willing
to help me linguistically and
socially. If I needed clarification on culture or just someone to talk to they were more
than happy to help.
Meagan Floyd, Juniata College
Where I am
now
Working at MATRACA
restored my passion for a
career with Hispanic/Latino populations in Health
Promotion and Prevention. Being there was a
reminder that I am right
where I need to be, pursuing an education that
I know is right for me. I
can’t wait to call myself
a Certified Health Education Specialist.
Emily Michael, Malone University
[Teaching English] was
the best part of my experience
in Mexico. I looked forward to
teaching the students everyday and they also were willing
to teach me things. It made me
realize that I might want to teach
English someday.
Jeff Yoder, Goshen College
If there’s anything I can say about Mexico it is that words
don’t do it justice. It’s a giant, complicated, art-filled, musical, friendly, traditional, ever-changing, troubled, beautiful
country with so much to offer and so much to learn from.
Adin Vaewsworn, Wesleyan University
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Rooted in the values of peace and justice, BCA Study
Abroad promotes international understanding, awareness
of global citizenship and academic scholarship through
educational exchange.
Our Mission
www.BCAStudyAbroad.org
BCA Study Abroad Programs 2014–2015
Austria: Vienna
India: Chennai
Quick Facts
Belgium: Brussels
Ireland: Maynooth
China: Dalian
Mexico: Xalapa
Ecuador: Quito
Morocco: Tetouan
England: Cheltenham
New Zealand: Dunedin
Application Deadlines
»» Fall Semester: April 15
»» Spring Semester: November 1
Germany: Marburg
Palestine: Ramallah
Greece: Athens
Spain: Barcelona, Valladolid
Language of Instruction: Spanish. Four semesters of
college-level Spanish (or equivalent) are required.
BCA’s Comprehensive Fee Covers
»» Tuition
»» Housing
»» Meals or meal stipend
»» Excursions
»» On-site staff
»» Seminars and guest lectures
Dates of Study:
»» Fall Semester: late July – early December
»» Spring Semester: early January – May/June
Host University: University of Veracruz
Housing: host families
A. 50 Alpha Drive · Elizabethtown, PA · 17022
P. 717-361-6600 or Toll Free (U.S.): 1-866-222-6188
E. [email protected]
»» University services
»» Academic advising
»» Orientation program
»» Language Training (where applicable)
»» Academic transcript
»» On-Call International Travel Assistance