MLO 5 Cultural Internalization and Language Immersion
Students demonstrate that they have actively immersed themselves in authentic Hispanic cultural and linguistic environments and have internalized the language and cultural experience, from which they have developed personal understanding and new perspectives of Hispanic communities.
Note: Students develop intercultural communication skills and strategies, and learn to adapt and respond in effective ways. This MLO may be fulfilled by a study abroad experience or equivalent. Courses taken in a study abroad program may count toward another MLO. Students who choose Pathway 2 will be working on a community project to fulfill this requirement.
Note: Students develop intercultural communication skills and strategies, and learn to adapt and respond in effective ways. This MLO may be fulfilled by a study abroad experience or equivalent. Courses taken in a study abroad program may count toward another MLO. Students who choose Pathway 2 will be working on a community project to fulfill this requirement.
Mexico & Costa Rica - 1995
When I was 19, I spent 5 months living and studying Spanish in Mexico and Central America. I had been accepted to UC Berkeley, but at that time in my life all I wanted to do was study Spanish. So I begged my parents to let me defer my college plans for a year and study Spanish in Mexico and Costa Rica. They reluctantly agreed and after 7 months of working and saving every penny, I left on the adventure of a lifetime. I started off in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in a satellite program through the University of Guadalajara. I lived in an apartment complex on the outskirts of town where other students also lived. I had fallen in love with Puerto Vallarta before the plane had touched down on the runway. I was immediately enamored with the Sierra Madre mountain range, the Bahía de Banderas and the Malecón with it’s bronze statues that meandered along the beach in the heart of downtown. I rode the bus to class every day from 8am-12pm and then I would go with classmates and enjoy all the Puerto Vallarta has to offer. On weekends we would spend all day at the beach or sneak into a resort and spend the day at the pool. At night we would partake in the Puerto Vallarta nightlife and bounce from discoteca to discoteca. Once we even spent the night hanging out with the Mexica rock band, Maná at the Cristál discoteca. My Spanish improved immensely during that time. I was sad to leave.
The next portion of the adventure took me to Costa Rica where I was enrolled in a private language academy. I lived with a host family during this time and attended classes Monday through Friday from 9am-1pm. On the weekends the program had arranged for the students to partake in various cultural immersion expeditions. One weekend we went to visit the Cloud Forest of Monteverde. Another weekend we went to explore Volcán Arenal and the surrounding area including hot springs where I saw fireflies for the first time in my life. We also spent a weekend on the Caribbean side of the country where the ocean was calm and warm and reggae played at palm frond bars on the beach. Living with a host family really helped my Spanish advance to the next level. My time in Mexico and Costa Rica was unforgettable and my Spanish would never be what it is without that full immersion experience.
The next portion of the adventure took me to Costa Rica where I was enrolled in a private language academy. I lived with a host family during this time and attended classes Monday through Friday from 9am-1pm. On the weekends the program had arranged for the students to partake in various cultural immersion expeditions. One weekend we went to visit the Cloud Forest of Monteverde. Another weekend we went to explore Volcán Arenal and the surrounding area including hot springs where I saw fireflies for the first time in my life. We also spent a weekend on the Caribbean side of the country where the ocean was calm and warm and reggae played at palm frond bars on the beach. Living with a host family really helped my Spanish advance to the next level. My time in Mexico and Costa Rica was unforgettable and my Spanish would never be what it is without that full immersion experience.