Saint Francis University

Mexico

• Purpose of Program
• The Language School and Its Program
• Housing and Meals
• Excursion

 Dates: May 1 to May 31, 2008 (and flexible dates for student athletes)

• Costs & Deadlines
• Exceptions Clauses
• Further Information
• Webshots
• Full Itinerary for Spring 2008 Trip

 "The Mexican culture and people are beautiful and the memories that I have will last for eternity."
    --Dior Mixon

Purpose of The Program

Obtain Saint Francis University credit in a program organized and led by University faculty members, and come home with some Spanish you can really use.  

• Become familiar with another culture, travel to new and interesting places, and live with a Mexican family while you fulfill your foreign language requirement in four weeks of "total immersion" study in the natural language setting of a Mexican school.

• Gain the extra Spanish proficiency required by your major or that will allow you to work with the many Spanish-speaking clients or patients you may encounter in your future career.

The Universidad Internacional is located in Cuernavaca, a historic, residential city 60 miles southwest of Mexico City, and has three campuses in close proximity to the downtown area.  The school boasts an experienced, professional faculty, extensive facilities (classrooms, bookstore, auditorium, swimming pool, cafeteria, landscaped gardens), trained physicians available for consultation, as well as copying, money changing, faxing services and e-mail access.   

The core of the school's program is its Spanish language classes, which meet 3 hours per day, weekdays, and conversation classes for 1 hour per day with a maximum of 5 students per class.  When you arrive at the school, you will be placed at one of the 50 different language group levels, according to your knowledge of Spanish, your ability to communicate, your fluency, and even your age.  Language majors or minors also take 2-hour mini-courses in Spanish according to their interest and level.  

Students who only take 3 credits in Spanish will meet daily with a Saint Francis Religious Studies or Sociology professor, for a course fulfilling one of the requirements in the Saint Francis Religious Studies program or Sociology Program.  These courses will be taught in English.  

Students will also spend some of their time in Mexico offering service.  Students will act in the Franciscan spirit by working with children at a local orphanage.

"I truly feel that the children at the orphanages helped all of us much more than we helped them. I think they made all of us a little more human and a lot more compassionate."
    --Amy Castagnola

Orphan Service

Advanced students may enroll in a 400 level Spanish course offered by the University's faculty, requirements for which will be fulfilled through the seminars and advanced mini-courses (listed below).  These students must also write weekly papers in Spanish to be reviewed and evaluated by the Saint Francis Spanish professor.  

Spanish courses available for 400 level:

• History and Politics (History of Mexico, Political Science, Mexico Today) [3 credit hours]
• Culture and Customs (The indigenous, rural, and urban world) [3 credit hours]
• Mexican Art (Painting, sculpture, architecture, muralism) [3 credit hours]
• Literature (of Latin America in general and or of Mexico in particular) [3 credit hours]

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Mexican Family Hospitality: "Mi Casa Es Su Casa"

You will live with one of the more than 300 middle class host families associated with the school, all of whom have experience in hosting and living with foreign students.  You will share three meals daily with your family, who will open up conversations and encourage you to participate in family life.  Usually a room is shared with a fellow student or a same sex family member.  

Acapulco: The Highlight of the Trip
 

There will be two day-long trips to Mexico City's historic sites including the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Rio Las Estacas, the pyramids of Teotihuacan, Taxco, the silver city, a weekend trip to Acapulco, a half day tour to the Pequenos Hermanos Orphanage, and an evening outing to the famous Ballet Folklorico in Mexico City.  

Mexico City: Zócalo

Cost of Program:  $3,850.00 (Price subject to change depending on airfare)

Includes:

• Tuition for 7 hours credit: 3 hours credit Religious Studies or Sociology Elective and 3 hours credit Spanish Language  OR  6 hours credit Spanish and 1 Fine Arts Credit.
• Room and board, for 30 days (includes all meals).
• Transportation to and from U.S. Airport and SFU.
• Round-trip airfare from US airport, including travel between airport in Mexico City and school in Cuernavaca.
• Eight excursions in Mexico, which include a weekend in Acapulco (including all entrance fees, hotels, and meals).
• Textbooks for language and Religious Studies or Literature courses.
• SFU summer school registration fee.
• Health insurance.

Payment Schedule:

• Application fee ($80) due ASAP
• Preliminary payment ($650) due March 1
• Final payment (balance) due May 1

Application Deadline:  

February 10 for SFU students and January 31 for non-SFU students.

Students may apply for any student loans for which they would normally have eligibility.  It is imperative that students applying for financial aid apply by specific deadline dates in order to facilitate the financial aid process.  The financial aid office will assist students needing information about financial aid.

Financial Aid Office
Padua Hall, Room 228
Saint Francis University
PO Box 600
Loretto, PA 15940
(814) 472-3010

Rio Las Estacas

"I am really going to miss this place and the people in it. Even though my time here has come and gone, the experiences I have had, the people I have met, and the places I have visited, will stay with me for a lifetime."
    --Christine Bender

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1.  The program does not cover such expenses as incidental supplies, gifts, passport fees, meals outside of the those scheduled or provided by the   program, bus and taxi transportation for personal travel, or any additional fees for changing airline reservations.
2.  Reimbursement, in case of cancellation by student:
     • until 45 days before departure, full reimbursement 
     • after 45 days prior to departure, full reimbursement MINUS cost of Airline ticket 
     • after departure, NO reimbursement
3.  The Program reserves the right to expel any student for misconduct, who will be sent home immediately at his/her expense.

Click here to view photos from the trip during May of 2003. 

Dr. Margaret Morales McKale 
(814) 472-3193
E-mail mmorales@francis.edu

Also, get complete course offerings and other information about the Universidad Internacional at their website:  www.uniter.edu.mx

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