Weber State College Comment, June 1985, page 6 : June 1985, page 7 Weber State College Comment, students of Mexican history, jand language The group was under the diection|| Kartchner, assistant professor mov Though students spent much time in intensive c Spar ‘dassroom study, coursework was not fo Mexico ULE: confined guided them through what he cal an of } 0 the school building and classes were often held tour which included visits to sua citiesjin cathedrals, at significant historical sites or in cun, Merida, Mexico City, and tk small he town park. of San Miguel de Allende, Oanca and ended up in Guadalajara. anf, Van Orman said, “There are some people who buringif Would definitely think students would learn less the students saw ancient Mayan ad oth@ a trip like this, but I feel that a student who is ruins, museums, cathedrals, makets af Willing to commit to travel to learn about difmore. ferent lifestyles and cultures can build on the Kartchner said, “You need < smati{stong foundation of the college-based educa- culture so the residence is more neaning tion. We make sure that the students are exposed try to see and do as much as possdle, bp !0an equal amount or more of lectures, texts and have digest days—sit and think ays. } sts.” Once the orientation part of th progg Most of the students seemed to have developed completed the students traveled » Guag an unquenchable desire to learn about this counwere divided into groups of fouror six "'Y and its people. to live with Mexicans, most of mom @ Jim Stenquist, a sophomore with an speak English. There they lived, ze andj automotive engineering technology major, said, family life for a month and a hal. If you want to learn about cars, you go get Scott Kimball, a sophomore fom Ci srasy. In terms of practical Spanish I’ve learned said, “In a class you can’t see or ouch more in a week than I would in a quarter back at your learning second hand, froma tead {Me college - perience or from something he rad. Ij Even those students who did not know the be “Wlanguage seem to enjoy the experience. The students rode the bus dailyto cla Everything that happens here changes you, Weber State rented near the cater qd Suzanne Wright of Ogden. “It’s an exThere they combined the textbox appi perience worth taking. talist education with live experiences. Rebecca Hawkins of Kaysville added, ‘I think Courses included Spanish language, lig You learn more about yourself than you ever, and culture, gerontology courses augh Fever would on campus. I think that’s probably Roy Van Orman, an associate prof™ Why they have these. oe gerontology/sociology, and phoograph Kartchner said, ‘There is something in a field art taught by Michael Herbert ofthe | lirip that you can’t get in a classroom. Sometimes depatment. Dr. Roy Van Orman, an associate professor of gerontology, taught courses on aging to students on the study abroad trip. The students looked specifically at how Mexican families adn Mexican society treat their elderly. Here Dr. Van Orman] Herbert to studies the above-ground burial method used in Mexico. be a Wyou've got to get out of the classroom and into told the students, sponge. Allow “Alliw yom everyting Your education.” (Morgan, added, Marjorie Rose, a senior from “You couldn't buy an education through you. Learn and question ad comlike this on campus.” ' “ Editor's note:Craig Nelson spent three) weeks with the study abroad students | in Mexico and filed this story from | Guadalajara, in April. GUADALAJARA, most, college is an tional experience, but upped that one better abroad story and photos by Craig V. Nelson, WSC News Bureau program MEXICO—For | total attention. intensive educaAs Kellee Smith of Heber City:said: 16 WSC students | “When you want to eat, you have ‘to through a study | learn the words.” Shellee Smith, her in Mexico. lsister, added, ‘There is so much learn- For two months the students found | ing that comes from the culture and the themselves engulfed by a people, | places we study. ~ 42 : Mexican culture and studies that required their The mayan ruins of Uxmal, located in the Yucatan Penninsula, sits atop a hill that overlooks for miles the flat, surrounding} country. Uxmal was built by a people who were principally farmers, and this building was used mainly as a place where] they made religious sacrifices of food and animals. bid faccdes The library at the University of Mexico in Mexico City is known the world over for its muraled I love it.” aes : : : John Kartchner, director of the Mexico st! and an assistant professor of ene me had an impressive knowledge of the cult nd historical sites of Mexico, and exp ets a : the Church of Santo Domingo in Oaxaca in 1575 and has walls that are two yards a The interior of the building is elaborately# with gold plated, hand-crafted wood carvings. university is only about : i aii, Soa ee a $3, but strict entrance requirements make facade. it difficult for many Neatletibinnae sk: re to attend. i vis of Willard stand in front of the stadium at the University of Mexico that was built for the oe has a student population of about 70,000 (estimated population for Mexico City is 20 on atanirocains ot nleseie tak 4 i ( i