Summer Study:
Students travel to Mexico

Twenty-two students accompanied Directors Robert Shell and Patricia Cathey on this summer’s Study Abroad Program in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

They were Jessica Aswegan, Kara Atkins, Jennifer Bacon, Kristi Bailey, Misty Burright, Marc Coustry, Daniel Dorr, Joshua Goodman, Tara Hovenga, Heather Idstein, Jennifer Kerner , Chad Kirkendoll, Gayle Law, Carmen Lawson, Nick Malewski, Stephanie Mitchell, Dianne Moreland, Lisa Reynolds, Allysha Rooks, Heather Shanks, Jesse Thompso, and Ann Wallner.

The students spent three weeks in Cuernavaca, Mexico, located 50 miles south of Mexico City. Cuernavaca’s near perfect climate has attracted visitors since the days of the Aztec emperors. "This is the ideal place to develop Spanish language skills and experience the Mexican culture," said Cathey.

The students spent three weeks in Cuernavaca living with middle- or upper-middle-class Mexican families. The Mexican families provided three meals per day, transportation to and from the school (if not within walking distance), and plenty of conversation.

Students attended class at the Spanish Language Institute in Cuernavaca from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday for a total of 90 hours of instruction. Classes are small (a maximum of five students per class) with an emphasis on conversation. Students received eight hours of credit in Spanish (six hours credit for the classes taken in Mexico and two hours credit for a preparatory course taken at MWSU during the Spring semester).

Students participated in many of Curenavaca’s cultural activities. Visiting the Cathedral, the Cortés Palace, the Robert Brady Museum, the markets (both the artisan’s market and the food market), people watching in the Zócalo, and dancing at the discos were particularly popular with the students.

Optional excursions were available on the weekends. One favorite destination was Taxco, 90 minutes by bus from Cuernavaca. This colonial city is famous for its steep cobblestone streets, its architecture, a spectacular Cathedral, and scores of silver shops.

Included in the trip to Mexico were excursions to the pyramids of Teotihuacán, the archeological site north of Mexico City, and to Mexico City. In Mexico City, the students visited the Zócalo to see the Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Palace with its Diego Rivera murals, and the ruins of Tenochtitlán, the Aztec city on which Mexico City is built. They also visited Chapultepec Park to see the castle of Maximilian and Carlota and the Museum of Anthropology, which houses an outstanding collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts and is considered one of the best museums of its kind in the world.                        

The students ended the trip with a weekend in Acapulco for some "fun in the sun" before returning to the United States.

Mexico — An Unforgettable Experience

By Stephanie Mitchell, BS Marketing major and Spanish minor

For me, going to Mexico on Missouri Western’s Summer Study Abroad Program was an experience that I will never forget. I experienced a new culture, came to understand more about the world, had an opportunity to speak Spanish, and had fun, too.

Before I left for Mexico, I have to admit that I had some stereotypes. I thought that my roommates and I were going to be living in some dumpy, bug-infested, lower-class home comparable to a room at a local Motel 6. It was a definite shock for me when we arrived at a beautiful home with a pool and a yard that looked like a page out of Better Homes and Gardens.

Family helps to learn Spanish:

Our family, the Pachecos, made us feel welcome and at home, and our mamá, Leonor, was a wonderful mom, always stimulating conversation and encouraging us to practice, practice, practice.

The school experience was excellent as well. In Maricarmen’s class, I really got to practice speaking Spanish, and in Rosalba’s class, I learned how to comprehend more quickly. Rosalba helped us build a strong foundation for future speech as well. What I really liked about our classes, though, was that they were so flexible and informal. Whether it was interviewing other students from the university nearby or just practicing our conversation skills over a bowl of Santa Clara ice cream, I know that we were absorbing, learning, and experiencing something new and wonderful.

Mexican culture is delightful:

Being in Mexico was like being in another world. There were so many things that I liked. First, I absolutely loved the climate. It was sunny every day without the extreme humidity that we have in Missouri. I also liked the artisan’s market downtown. I loved the dance clubs, especially Barbazul.

Despite its population of a million or so, Cuernavaca gives the feeling of a local home town. The people were very warm and nice and made us feel like home folk, and the whole atmosphere of the town was laid back and friendly.

Going to Mexico was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I will always cherish my memories of this study/travel trip: my teachers at the Institute; salsa dance lessons and Wednesday nights at Barbazul; the mariachi band at the Thursday after noon fiestas at the school; the Friday singing class with Juan Alejandro; Santa Clara ice cream; my family and their pet cocker spaniels; the market with its unbelievable meat section, fresh flowers, and people of all sorts; the cathedrals adorned in gold; the sun and nights spent at the beach in Acapulco.

I had the absolute time of my life and learned a lot, too. In fact, I have decided to return again next year!

A trip itinerary and tentative price listings for the 1999 Summer Study in Mexico program will be posted in mid-October.