Program Description

Program Dates

Early-January to mid-March, 2006

Director

Silvia L. López, Assistant Professor of Spanish

Silvia L. López teaches 19^th Century Latin American literature at Carleton. Her main interests include Central American literature, cultural and critical theory, comparative studies of modernity, and Latin American intellectual history.

Prerequisites

Students must be sophomores, juniors, or seniors at the time of participation and have successfully completed Spanish 204 or its equivalent.

Location

Students will take classes at the Universidad de las Américas (UDLA), a private institution in Cholula, a city immediately adjacent to Puebla, the major city of the area. Cholula is the oldest city on the American continent, surrounded by the Popocatépetl and Ixtlaccihuatl volcanoes. In this city stands the great Pyramid of Cholula, considered to be the largest in volume in the world. A fantastic display of arts and crafts, ethnic music and food is part of the daily life of the various communities in the Cholula region.

Puebla de los Angeles is situated on a high plateau in the center of Mexico. Its central location places Puebla only 70 miles (122 km) away from Mexico City, 165 miles (267 km) from Veracruz, 198 miles (320 km) from Oaxaca, 308 miles (496 km) from Acapulco and 20 miles (32 km) from Tlaxcala. The city has a first-rate tourist infrastructure and is also a leader in commercial and educational facilities.

COURSE OF STUDY, 16 CREDITS

SPANISH 290-17: DIRECTED READING (4 CREDITS)

This independent reading course focuses on Mexican history, politics, and culture and is completed during Winter Break.

Instructor: Professor Silvia L. López

SPANISH 206-07: CONVERSATION AND COMPOSITION (6 CREDITS)

This course takes advantage of the native setting in order to expand and develop skills in conversation and composition. In addition, it involves an advanced study of grammar and utilization of on-site resources in order to guide the student toward greater cultural and linguistic fluency.

Instructors: Mexican faculty

SPANISH 246-07: INTRODUCTION TO MEXICAN LITERATURE: THE 20^TH CENTURY (6 CREDITS) RAD

A survey of Mexican literature from Juan Rulfo to Elena Poniatowska. Other authors studied in this course include Carlos Fuentes, Elena Garro, Sergio Pitol, Juan José Arreola, José Emilio Pacheco, and Juan Villoro, among others.

Instructor: Professor Silvia L. López

HOUSING

Students live with Mexican families. They will have their own room, eat their meals at home, and be included in family activities. Students are generally treated as members of the family.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

Students are expected to arrange their own travel to Mexico City, where the program begins, and back to the U.S. from Mexico City at the end of the program. Round-trip travel from Mexico City to Puebla/Cholula, plus all group travel during the program, will be paid by Carleton.

EXCURSIONS

Students will go on several organized weekend trips. Sites visits may include Oaxaca, Mexico City, Cuetzala, Taxco, and Acapulco. Day trips will include other towns in the Puebla/Cholula area, known for their architecture and arts and crafts.

EXPENSES

Students pay the 2005-2006 Carleton comprehensive fee, which covers the costs of instruction, room, board, and all scheduled excursions. Students are responsible for the cost of books, personal expenses, transportation to and from Mexico, and personal travel during the seminar. Student financial aid is applicable as on campus. See the Off-Campus Studies Planning Guide for further information regarding work contracts, loans, and other subjects of financial aid.

APPLICATIONS AND INFORMATION

Information meetings will be held early spring term 2005. In the meantime, Professor Silvia L. López may be contacted via phone at (507) 222-4240 or by e-mail at slopez@carleton.edu .

Application forms are available from the Office of Off-Campus Studies, Leighton 119. Application forms are due to Mary Tatge, Administrative Assistant, Romance Languages, LDC 340 by Friday, May 6^th, 2005. Students will be interviewed and selected by the end of spring term, 2005.