Where do I start?
For anyone who has not yet heard the story behind my study abroad experience in México, here is a quick rundown of the five W's and the H:
Who? Me, of course!
Even better, my friend Jasmin Vant plans to go also.
I met Jasmin last spring (2013) in Spanish class, and we have been studying Spanish together for three semesters now. She is a History Education major here at DWU, and she is also pursuing minors in Music and Spanish. She keeps busy with many other activities at DWU, including Wesleyan Choir, Highlanders (another choir), and DWU Multicultural Club.
What? A summer study abroad program through Central College, a small liberal arts college based in Pella, Iowa. Specifically, the four week Intensive Language and Culture Immersion Program.
When? Four weeks during the summer of 2014. We plan to fly out on May 24 and return home on June 21.
Where? We will be in the city of Mérida, in the state of Yucatan, in the country of México.
Why? Almost as much for the college credit as for the experience.
In the four weeks of classes in México, I will gain six college credits. This will be enough to finish my Spanish minor. I hope the immersion experience will greatly improve my conversational skills. I am especially looking forward to meeting the family with whom I will be staying while in Mérida.
How? I learned about Central College Abroad through my Spanish teacher, Diana Spinar. She has sent several students to the program, and she has visited Mérida herself to evaluate the program. Mostly because of her encouragement, I decided to take this opportunity to travel and improve my Spanish skills. Once I made up my mind to go, I started working on Jasmin to accompany me.
That is the short version of the story. I applied to CCA for the Mérida program during Thanksgiving break 2013, and I was accepted shortly after returning to school for the spring semester 2014. Once the application deadline of March 15 passed, I got my online acceptance packet and started filling out forms, researching plane tickets, and reading everything I could find about the program in Mérida.
I am still trying to get myself organized. I still need to get my physical and TB test and send those forms in. I also need to buy my plane tickets and submit my flight information to CCA. But everything is falling into place smoothly, and before I know it, May 24 will be here!
