USD Magazine, Spring 1998

LISA Newman doesn't mince words when describing her trip to Mexico last summer. "I went to Guadalajara a terrible Spanish student," the junior told a group of undergraduates considering making the same trip this year. "But I came back and breezed through Spanish III." For 35 years, USD has sponsored a summer session in the cos– mopolitan city of Guadalajara, where students just like Newman immerse themselves in the language and culture for six weeks. Mexican families host two or three students for the summer and provide traditional meals, spacious rooms and a dose of Latin American family life. "The host families will help you with your homework and correct you if you say something wrong," Newman says. By living with the families and taking at least one of two classes in Spanish, there is little choice but to speak the native tongue. "You can't be shy about speaking because it's a necessity," says Newman, who adds that she knew progress had been made when she started dreaming in Spanish. Classes are held at the Universidad del Valle de Atemajac (UNIVA), a private university in a section of the city called Jardines de Guadalupe (Gardens of Guadalupe). Lower- and upper– division courses are offered in cultural anthropology, political science, business, history, Latin, Spanish and Spanish literature. Recreational dance and guitar classes teach the American students about the traditional dance and music of the region. Instructors from USD often join the group of students for the summer session and teach some of the courses. Other classes are taught by Mexican professors, many of whom have been affiliated with the program for years. One of the native teachers is legendary for his historical knowledge of the city of 6 million people, and he always hosts a bus tour of Guadalajara the first weekend students are in town. Newman took that tour, and several others throughout the summer, mostly to other cities and villages. "We went to some amazing places," she says. "Traveling gets you to speak the language and interact with other people." There is a time each day, though, when interaction with others is put on hold. Largely because of the midafternoon heat, the people of Guadalajara take a siesta each day at about 2 p.m. When a fellow student recoiled at the idea of starting classes each morning at 8 a.m., Newman assured him getting up early is countered by the afternoon naps.

Sculptura of Guadalajara's city crast in a local plaza

"You will learn to siesta if you're with a family," agrees Carl Jubran, executive director of the program and a Spanish instructor. The homestays significantly increase the value of the experience, Jubran tells potential students. This aspect distinguishes the Guadala– jara summer session from all other USD foreign study programs in which students live in campus housing. "Eight years ago I was sitting where you're sitting," he told a group gathered at a recent informational session. "I've taken most of the courses and stayed with many of the families. The families we have in Mexico really care about the students and will take care of you." Newman undoubtedly felt taken care of. A cross-cultural studies class quickly helped her understand differences between Mexican and American traditions, and eased her entry into the everyday life of Guadalajara. "In the class you talk about everything that's happening," she explains. "It helps you feel less foreign. By the end, you don't want to leave."

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