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"Seems like I've already lived here my entire life, but this is only our third week! Living with the family is great; mine is a full house, with lots of activities going on. Let's see, I have a 27-year old brother, 25-year old twin brothers, one of whom is married and his wife and three month old daughter live with us as well, and a 23-year old sister, plus me. The homestay aspect of the Mexico program is an integral part of our stay here. Not only does it provide a window into the private lives of Mexicans, but it also provides 24-hour, native-speaking language assistance, as well as someone to go do non-touristy things with, like going grocery shopping with my mom and the baby." Hannah Yetter '03
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Centre-in-Mexico, 2008-2009
Expansion of the Mérida Program
Beginning next year, 2008-2009, the Mérida program will be expanded to all three terms. During CentreTerm 2009 students will be offered the opportunity of doing an internship in Mérida. During the spring term, an Environmental Studies course will be offered to take advantage of the rich ecological diversity of the Yucatan.
Directors for 2008-09
Next fall's program will be directed by Assistant Professor of Spanish Dr. Genny Ballard. Dr. Ballard directed the program during the fall of 2006, when she traveled with her students to Costa Rica where she had served in the Peace Corps.
The spring program will be directed by Dr. Robert Ziemba, Assistant Professor of Biology. Dr. Ziemba is an evolutionary ecologist with extensive experience analyzing environmental impacts. He has traveled and done ecological research in several regions of Mexico.
The fall 2008 program begins on Wednesday, September 3 and concludes on Monday, December 1. The Director will meet you at the Mérida airport whenever you arrive on Sept. 3 and will arrange for your transportation back to the airport to make your December 1 return flight. There will be a four-day fall break--perhaps the best time for visitors--from Oct. 16 -19, which coincides with Centre's fall break.
The spring 2009 program begins on Tuesday, February 3, and concludes on Sunday, May 3. The four-day spring break--perhaps the best time for visitors--from March 26 to March 29 overlaps the last four days of Centre's spring break.
Housing in Mérida
In Mérida, students live with carefully selected Mexican families in middleclass or upper middleclass neighborhoods. Each home-stay is hand picked by our onsite coordinator and is matched according to the needs and preferences of students selected for the program. Students will have access to modern bathroom and kitchen facilities and will generally have their own bedroom. This arrangement has proven to be a highlight for Centre students in Mérida during the past few years. You will come to regard your home-stay family as a second family.
Program Excursions
An important part of the Centre-in-Mexico experience are the excursions that Centre arranges and pays for. At the beginning of the program you will be introduced to the Yucatán peninsula and its coastal regions. Later, Centre will sponsor an extended trip (possibly two) to another region within Mexico. These excursions will highlight cultural, ecological, and economic sustainability in a globalizing world.
Eligibility
Although this is not a program designed primarily for Spanish majors or even students who have taken Spanish in the past, the selection committee usually gives some preference to students who have studied Spanish. Students accepted for the spring term who have not studied Spanish must take Spanish 110 for a grade during the fall term. Students find that their Spanish improves drastically during the time in Mérida, partly because of the home-stay arrangement. It is strongly suggested that students applying for the program take the application process seriously as the selection for this program has become more competitive in recent years.
Applicants should note that final acceptance in the program is contingent on their regular attendance at the pre-departure meetings held in the spring and fall by Professors Ballard and Ziemba. Students who choose not to attend these meetings will have their acceptances rescinded, their deposits returned, and the places taken by students on the waitlist.
Pre-Departure Training
Selected students will attend three, required pre-departure meetings this spring. These meetings will prepare you for living and studying in another culture and give you a head start on your common course (see below). Students continue to prepare through individual reading over the summer.
Courses
The fall common course, taught by Dr. Ballard, will be Modern Indigenous Peoples of Mexico. All students also take a Spanish course at the appropriate level; Spanish majors may be able to take a course in both language and literature. The Spanish courses offered will include:
Spanish 110 (Fundamentals)
Spanish 210/220 (Intermediate)
Spanish 240 (Advanced Conversation)
Spanish 270 (Spanish American Culture)
Spanish 355 (Literatura Mexicana y Yucateca)
In addition, students will select two of the following three courses:
1. Anthropology 451: Ancient Maya Culture, taught by Prof. James Callaghan. Students will learn the principles and processes behind the development of universal high culture, using the example of the ancient Maya. The course traces the cultural development of the Maya prior to their conquest by Europeans in the 16th century.
2. Sociology 393: An Overview of Mexican History and Society. The first half of the course covers representative events in Mexican history, showing how past events influence and shape future ones, including current events. The second half of the course is an analysis of modern urban Mexico using empirical field work.
3. Art 288: An Identity Forged with Art: Mexican Art History. An introduction to Mexican art by exploring the painting, sculpture, architecture, and artifacts of Mexican civilization from its earliest beginnings in antiquity through the vital and diversified nature of its contemporary art. The laboratory for the course will be museums and exhibitions.
The spring common course, taught by Dr. Ziemba, will be Human Ecology in the Yucatan. This course will focus on the sustained needs for human population: food and fiber, shelter, water, and waste disposal. A focus on how technology and the services of natural ecosystems collaborate to provide these services in the Yucatan. The objective of the course will be to assess the sustainability of local strategies and to evaluate possible alternatives given social, political, economic, and natural constraints.
All students will also take a Spanish course at the appropriate level, as listed above. (Students selected for the spring term who have not studied Spanish must take Spanish 110 on campus for a grade during the fall; beginning Spanish will not be offered in Mérida in the spring.)
In addition, students will select two of the following three courses:
1. Anthropology 451: Ancient Maya Culture. (See description above.)
2. Art 288: An Identify Forged with Art: Mexican Art History. (See description above.)
3. Biology 375: Conservation Biology, taught by Professor Ziemba. A study of the protection and restoration of threatened organisms and ecosystems using ecology, genetics, and theoretical modeling. Issues involved in practical decision-making are explored with theory and case studies, bringing in legal, economic, and social issues. (This course can be counted towards requirements for biology and environmental studies.)
Cost
The cost (tuition & fees, room, and board) is the same as for study in Danville, except that 1) there is a $350 surcharge to help cover the considerable costs ($2,000 or more per student) of the group excursions that Centre pays for, and 2) students pay for their own airfare to and from Mérida, which currently costs about $650. All financial aid arrangements in Danville continue in Mexico. Students with remaining loan eligibility are eligible to borrow additional money for these additional educational expenses. Also, remember that you may be able to save some money by canceling your automobile insurance while you are away.
Book Air Tickets Early to Save Money
Students have been able to find round-trip air tickets for around $550 in the past. Some have found www.studentuniverse.com or www.statravel.com helpful. The earlier you book you tickets, the less expensive they will likely be.
Computers and internet connections are less available in Centre's study-abroad programs than they are in Danville. Students in Mérida have access to computers with internet connections in the classroom building, and may also, for a small expense, use cyber-cafes throughout the city. Note that wireless access to the internet is available at the facility where we meet for classes. Although you may turn in all work hand-written, if you own a laptop, you should definitely bring it.
Medical Insurance
Students studying abroad through any Centre program receive travel and accident insurance at no additional cost. Centre's Study Abroad Insurance, while provided through EIIA (Educational & Institutional Insurance Administrators), is administered through AIG Assist. Every student studying abroad with Centre College receives an AIG Assist contact and information card as well as a passport sticker. Each has the Centre insurance policy number, which is the only information needed to receive services. The categories of coverage provided are: accident and sickness ($100,000 limit with a $250 deductible); emergency medical evacuation and emergency family travel ($100,000 limit); accidental death and disability ($200,000 limit); and repatriation of remains ($100,000 limit). For specific questions, please contact the International Programs office at 859.238.5287 or lisa.nesmith@centre.edu.
Spending Money
Past Centre-in-Mexico students have suggested bringing about $1,000-$1,500 to spend on souvenirs and presents, phone cards, xeroxed readings for your classes, internet cafes (though you will have access to a computer lab), occasional restaurant meals, and personal travel beyond the excursions Centre pays for. You will receive a small allowance sufficient for bus fares during school days. Centre’s payments to your home-stay families do include all of your meals. If you will be going to school early and will miss lunch, your home-stay mom will fix you something to take with you. On group excursions, two meals a day are generally covered by Centre.
Grades / Independent Studies
Mid-term warning grades of D or U are issued after the sixth week of the term, just as in Danville. All Mexico courses count in the GPA, just as in Danville. The Pass-Unsatisfactory option is not available in any Centre study abroad program.
Only students whose schedules require that they take a particular course not offered in Mérida in order to graduate on time have the possibility of arranging an independent study with a Centre professor in Danville.
Pre-Registration / Convocation Credits
While in Mérida, you pre-register for future courses via e-mail with your regular academic advisor. You will automatically be credited with six convocation credits during your term abroad.
Passport
If you do not currently have a passport that will remain valid for at least one month after your return, you should begin the process of obtaining one as soon as you are selected, since it can sometimes take six weeks or more. You can now do this at the Danville post office.
How to Apply
Applications forms will be available at the three informational meetings and in the cabinet just outside the Career Services office in Carnegie. Hand out your two faculty recommendation forms in early January to allow your recommenders enough time. Then hand-deliver (do not use campus mail) your completed essay to the Study Abroad office in Carnegie by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 7th. The sub-group of the International Programs Committee that makes the selections retains the right not to select students who have had run-ins with the Student Life Office. You will be notified of your status by email by February 26th, after the list is approved by both the Associate Dean and the Dean of Student Affairs.
Trip Deposit Due Monday, March 3rd
In order to hold your slot if you are selected, you must pay the non-refundable $350 deposit/surcharge to Judy Bowell at the Cashier's Office in Boles Hall by noon on Wednesday, March 3rd6. If you later decide to withdraw from Centre-in-Mexico, this $350 deposit/surcharge is non-refundable.
