Are you ready to break out of South Bend?
The winter months bring many opportunities for new pursuits on campus, but can also leave some with yearning to launch out into the world in search of new experiences. Many students are surprised at how many overseas study opportunities are offered at IU South Bend. They are also targeted toward varying lengths of time and budgets, created with time- and cash-strapped IU South Bend students in mind. Spring Semester brings the Spring in Costa Rica Program: Building Sustainable Communities in Central America. Students enroll in a 3-credit general education course (either SOC B 399, a social science core course, or SOC S 362, a non-Western culture course). In the first part of the semester, they do advance reading on the history, culture and environment of Costa Rica and its neigbors. They then spend ten days over spring break traveling through the beautiful country of Costa Rica. The program includes homestays with Costa Rican families, intensive workshops and travel to the highlands and the coast. Spanish is not a prerequisite, but students with language skills can practice their Spanish as they interact with their Costa Rica hosts and explore a unique country with a peaceful, democratic heritage. Students with an interest in the environment will enjoying snorkeling off the coast, hiking (and even ziplining) through the cloud forest, and exploring river estuaries by boat. A service learning project has included work in a one-room school house and a mini health education clinic.
Biology students who want to spend more time under the water can consider Tropical Marine Biology in Belize. This 3-credit Summer I course led by biology faculty uses as its laboratory the beautiful reef off the coast of Belize, largest in the hemisphere. |
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Students who want more intensive Spanish instruction as they study Latin America can consider Summer in Mexico, a 6-credit, 4-week Summer II program on language, culture and society. Students stay with Mexican families (think great food and great hospitality!) while studying intensive Spanish in small groups with native speakers. Weekend and Wednesday excursions explore the amazing sites of central Mexico from the great pyramids, to the colonial silver city of Taxco, to great museums and indigenous villages, with enough time for relaxation or a side trip to Acapulco. The excursions, combined with readings and lectures, comprise a general education course, B399 Mexico or S362 World Societies and Cultures: Mexico. Spanish enrollment depends on the students' level, anywhere from SPAN S 102 to SPAN S 496. |
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Those longing to go to Europe can consider any of a number of partner programs: the University of Indianapolis Odyssey in Athens, Greece (summer and semester); the IUPUI European Union Program in France and Belgium (spring break);or the IU Northwest Spanish or Business program in Bilbao, Spain (May-June). In fact, IU offers over 100 programs in countries around the world, most all available to students from any campus. See the brochures outside the Advising Center, across from the International Programs office (DW 2277) or opposite the blue wall of Wiekamp. The electronically inclined can find the information at http://www.iusb.edu/~sbintl/study.shtml . Think about how you would like to extend your learning experience and begin planning your overseas adventure now! |
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