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HEY GUYS IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!
Apr. 15th, 2010 08:56 amIf you are a student or have friends who are students, then this applies to you.
This week the director of my study abroad program expressed his dismay that out of the applications for the fall semester, only one or two out of a large pile of applicants seemed like they would be good, thoughtful fits for the program here. He therefore implored us that we put out feelers to our friends and convince you all (because you are all awesome), to consider, if you can, CIRMA study abroad in Antigua for Fall 2010.
To apply, you DO NOT:
-Need to go to the U of A. It is U of A supervised, but about half of the students here come from other places.
-Need to speak Spanish. I think technically speaking you are supposed to have two semesters, but there are several students who at the beginning of this semester had *extremely* limited Spanish (which has gotten better by now, of course)
-Need to be an undergrad. There are options for graduate credit as well.
Reasons why you want to be in Antigua? (shit, if I can even count them)
-Antigua is beautiful, Guatemala is beautiful. Even on the most superficial level, this country is gorgeous. (Google image "Antigua Guatemala" or "Lago de Atitlan" if you don't believe me.)
-CIRMA, the school here, is amazing. All of the teachers know you personally, there is open communication about needs, and there's a lot of freedom to shape your own academic experience. There are cool classes, smart professors, and you can study stuff here that you'd probably never have the chance to in the US.
-Everyone has a chance to do at least one internship, and they really place you in programs that are interesting to *you*. You choose it. I work in the archive cause I'm like that, but there are other people working in schools for children, adults, working with babies, in hospitals, with women's cooperatives, on farms...you name it.
-The exchange rate is very favorable. In the states I had approximately no money and here I live like a queen. Seriously.
-You are placed in host families where all your food is provided 6 days a week (meaning you get to try out restaurants on Sunday). The host families are really nice, communicate well with foreigners, understand your needs as students, and are very good about cleaning stuff. Plus, the houses are all easily walking distance from school.
-There is free unlimited coffee/tea/water at school from Monday through Friday. :)
-Free wifi internet anytime that school is open, meaning 8AM-6PM Monday through Friday, so basically anytime you aren't in class within those hours, you have free wifi. There are also countless cafés and restaurants here that have wifi if you buy something.
-The first thing they give you when you get here is a phone. You have to buy your own minutes, but they're available literally all over the place and it's not too much more expensive to call the US than it is to call within Guatemala.
-Antigua is pretty safe, and has a HOPPING nightlife--there is live music/dancing/a zillion bars to choose from any night of the week (and the drinking age is basically nonexistent.. ;) )
-Guatemalans are really nice about communicating even if you have barely any Spanish
-YOU HAVE NO CLASS ON FRIDAY, so that you are more free to travel. And getting around this country is laughably easy. Whether you prefer direct tourist shuttles or don't mind taking the public buses, it is legitimately no problem getting where you want to go. And the teachers understand that you are traveling--hell, they actively encourage it.
This is also the text of an email I just received on my email listserv with information about the fall program specifically:
( Fall Semester in Guatemala )
Reading that stuff makes me wish *I* were gonna be here in the fall lol :(
This is the site with application information:
http://ialogin.catnet.arizona.edu/databaseshowitem.aspx?id=971
The application deadline is at the end of this month, but if someone is really interested and that's just *way too soon*, then tell me and I can inform the people here. I'm sure that an extension is negotiable. They just really want good students and are willing to go out of their way to find and accept them.
I realize that a lot of you are graduating or otherwise just wouldn't be interested in this anyway, but if you have ANY awesome friends who you think would really like something like this, please pass on this information. Also, if you have ANY questions, just ask, I'll answer as best I can.
Thanks guys!
This week the director of my study abroad program expressed his dismay that out of the applications for the fall semester, only one or two out of a large pile of applicants seemed like they would be good, thoughtful fits for the program here. He therefore implored us that we put out feelers to our friends and convince you all (because you are all awesome), to consider, if you can, CIRMA study abroad in Antigua for Fall 2010.
To apply, you DO NOT:
-Need to go to the U of A. It is U of A supervised, but about half of the students here come from other places.
-Need to speak Spanish. I think technically speaking you are supposed to have two semesters, but there are several students who at the beginning of this semester had *extremely* limited Spanish (which has gotten better by now, of course)
-Need to be an undergrad. There are options for graduate credit as well.
Reasons why you want to be in Antigua? (shit, if I can even count them)
-Antigua is beautiful, Guatemala is beautiful. Even on the most superficial level, this country is gorgeous. (Google image "Antigua Guatemala" or "Lago de Atitlan" if you don't believe me.)
-CIRMA, the school here, is amazing. All of the teachers know you personally, there is open communication about needs, and there's a lot of freedom to shape your own academic experience. There are cool classes, smart professors, and you can study stuff here that you'd probably never have the chance to in the US.
-Everyone has a chance to do at least one internship, and they really place you in programs that are interesting to *you*. You choose it. I work in the archive cause I'm like that, but there are other people working in schools for children, adults, working with babies, in hospitals, with women's cooperatives, on farms...you name it.
-The exchange rate is very favorable. In the states I had approximately no money and here I live like a queen. Seriously.
-You are placed in host families where all your food is provided 6 days a week (meaning you get to try out restaurants on Sunday). The host families are really nice, communicate well with foreigners, understand your needs as students, and are very good about cleaning stuff. Plus, the houses are all easily walking distance from school.
-There is free unlimited coffee/tea/water at school from Monday through Friday. :)
-Free wifi internet anytime that school is open, meaning 8AM-6PM Monday through Friday, so basically anytime you aren't in class within those hours, you have free wifi. There are also countless cafés and restaurants here that have wifi if you buy something.
-The first thing they give you when you get here is a phone. You have to buy your own minutes, but they're available literally all over the place and it's not too much more expensive to call the US than it is to call within Guatemala.
-Antigua is pretty safe, and has a HOPPING nightlife--there is live music/dancing/a zillion bars to choose from any night of the week (and the drinking age is basically nonexistent.. ;) )
-Guatemalans are really nice about communicating even if you have barely any Spanish
-YOU HAVE NO CLASS ON FRIDAY, so that you are more free to travel. And getting around this country is laughably easy. Whether you prefer direct tourist shuttles or don't mind taking the public buses, it is legitimately no problem getting where you want to go. And the teachers understand that you are traveling--hell, they actively encourage it.
This is also the text of an email I just received on my email listserv with information about the fall program specifically:
( Fall Semester in Guatemala )
Reading that stuff makes me wish *I* were gonna be here in the fall lol :(
This is the site with application information:
http://ialogin.catnet.arizona.edu/databaseshowitem.aspx?id=971
The application deadline is at the end of this month, but if someone is really interested and that's just *way too soon*, then tell me and I can inform the people here. I'm sure that an extension is negotiable. They just really want good students and are willing to go out of their way to find and accept them.
I realize that a lot of you are graduating or otherwise just wouldn't be interested in this anyway, but if you have ANY awesome friends who you think would really like something like this, please pass on this information. Also, if you have ANY questions, just ask, I'll answer as best I can.
Thanks guys!
