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May 11 - June 21, 2008

The Spanish department at UF offers students of advanced levels and bilinguals in need to perfect their Spanish an opportunity to earn six credits in Spanish language, culture, and literature in Guanajuato, Mexico. The city, situated in the highlands of Mexico’s colonial heartland, is a blend of both the old and new worlds.

Why study in Guanajuato?

The UF in Guanajuato program was established to provide students with an opportunity to immerse themselves in an intensive study program of Spanish. The program encourages integration into Mexican life and culture with daily interaction via their “adoptive” families, university students, and numerous visits to cultural sites.
A tour of the city will take students through several tranquil plazas and monuments, 18th century churches, historic silver mines, and museums such as the Casa de Diego Rivera and the bizarre Museo de las Momias. Students will not only enjoy the historic sites, but also all that a university town has to offer such as the Mexican discotheques, live music venues, film festivals, theater productions, and art expositions. Guanajuato’s geography makes it a popular destination for ecotourism since its mild climate and rocky mountains make it an ideal location for hiking and backpacking.

The students will also experience major historical and cultural sites such as The Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City, the pre-Columbian ruins of Teotihuacán, and even the site where Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico was executed (Queretaro 1867).

Eligibility:

UF students and Non-UF students who have completed the required prerequisites : SPN 3300 or SPN 3350. Note: Students in the bilingual sequence at UF may not enroll in SPN 3472.

Courses offered in Guanajuato:

•  SPN3301 Advanced Grammar and Composition
  
•  SPN4314 Advanced Composition and Syntax for Bilingual  Speakers (3 UF credits)
  
•  SPN 3472 Advanced Communicative Spanish Abroad (3  transfer credits)
  
•  SPW 3080 Survey of Spanish American Literature:  Mexico.

Important Application Dates

Scholarship Deadline: January 11, 2008 Program Deadline: March 03 2008

Housing:

Housing will be provided by host families approved by ISA (International Studies Abroad). To live with a host family will further the program’s goal of having students immersed in a Spanish speaking environment.
Room and board is included in the program price as well as laundry service once a week. Each family has been carefully selected in order to accommodate students’ specific needs and ensure a comfortable living situation. The home stay provides the opportunity for students to experience aspects of the Mexican lifestyle that are inaccessible to the average visitor to Mexico, not to mention the fabulous opportunity to practice the Spanish language constantly. Three meals a day are taken with the host family and are included in the program cost, as is once-weekly laundry service.

Costs: $3,769

It includes:

• Six credits tuition
  
• Room and board with host family including 3 meals per day and weekly laundry
  
• Cultural excursions
  
• Transportation on excursions
  
• Hotel with breakfast on overnight excursions
  
• Entrance fees/guided tours
  
• Tutorial assistance
  
• Internet access, including wireless, during office hours
  
• Health insurance
     

Not included:
Airfare, personal expenses and books.

Program Fee: $250.00

Financial Aid:

University of Florida students who need financial aid for study abroad should apply through University of Florida Student Financial Aid Affairs. Students with

Scholarships:

Please, consult the University of Florida International center for more information. http://www.ufic.ufl.edu/scholarships.htm

Tentative Itinerary for Guanajuato, Mexico:

May 11th, Sun: Departure from US. Arrive in Leon, Mexico and travel to Guanajuato to meet host families.

May 12th, Mon: Orientation meeting and tour of Guanajuato

May 13th - 16th: 1st week of classes

May 17th, Sat: Day excursion to Momias and Valenciana

May 18th, Sun: Day excursión to La Bufa.

May 19th – 23rd: 2nd week of classes

May 24th, Sat: Excursion to Coyoacán, Museo de Frida Kahlo y Zocalo. Overnight in area.

May 25th, Sun: Excursión to Teotihuacan

May 26th – 30th: 3rd week of classes

May 31st San Miguel de Allende, Balneario Escondido, aguas termales.

June 1st Free day

June 2nd -5th: 4th week of classes

June 6th -8th: Two night excursion to Uruapan & Paricutin

June 9th – 13th: 5th week of classes

June 14th – 16th: Free weekend

June 18th – 20th: 6th week of classes and final exams.

June 21st, Sat: Depart Guanajuato and travel to the Leon airport

Depart for the USA

Cultural Excursions:

Coyoacán, "Museo Frida Kahlo" and "Zócalo" D. F.

Uruapan & Paricutin

Museo de las Momias

Valenciana Mine

Teotihuacán

La Bufa

San Miguel de Allende

Description:

La Bufa: La Bufa is an impressive rock formation overlooking the city and it is a great day hike. The views of Guanajuato and the surrounding countryside are spectacular.

Uruapan & Paricutin: This excursion to the State of Michoacán includes visiting the indigenous town of Angahuan, the closest populated area to the Parícutin volcano. We will ride horses to the foot of the volcano with the help of indigenous guides whose first language is not Spanish but Purépecha. We will also hike through a national park to encounter the beautiful Tzaráracua waterfalls. On the way back, we will visit the ancient ruins of Tzintzuntzán.

Museo de las Momias: Located next to the city cemetery, this museum displays more than 100 mummified corpses that have been naturally preserved by the mineral-rich soil in Guanajuato. This tour will provide historical insight into one of Guanajuato's oldest mysteries and most significant sites.

Valenciana Mine: The 16th-century Valenciana mine is one of the oldest and richest silver mines in Guanajuato. A tour of the mine will take students down the original mine shaft and provide a glimpse into the historical significance of the mining culture in Guanajuato and Mexico as well as early and modern mining methods.

Teotihuacán - This day excursion is a truly overwhelming day of pyramid climbing in the Pre-Columbian city of Teotihuacán. Participants will see the pyramids of the Sun and Moon as well as the Temple of Quetzalcoatl. One of the most impressive cities of the ancient world, Teotihuacán offers visitors a glimpse into the Pre-Columbian history of Mexico. After an overnight in the area, the group will visit the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City.

An enchanting cosmopolitan and colonial town, San Miguel de Allende is sure to charm its visitors. This city glows with beautiful mansions and churches. San Miguel is frequented by artists and writers because of its cultural ambiance. The city boasts many market areas featuring the works of local "artesanos" or craftsmen. Mexican natives and visitors alike also enjoy relaxing in the nearby thermal springs, El Escondido. Students will visit El Escondido on the way to or from the San Miguel de Allende excursion. There are indoor and outdoor thermal springs, as well as normal swimming pools and walking paths surrounded by beautiful flowers and nature in general.

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