CESL serves int'l students a slice of American life

These students come from many countries, including Japan, Panama, Chile and Saudi Arabia, but all have common goals -to learn English and to learn about American culture.

Gonzalo Valenzuela, student activities coordinator of CESL programs, is doing his best to make international students feel more comfortable in their new environments.

"It's difficult to see how intelligent and nice a person is, because people judge them on their abilities to communicate and don't really get to know them," he said.

Valenzuela has been involved with CESL since he came to the University of Arizona in the fall of 1995. During his first year, he participated in the programs he now coordinates.

"Since I have already done some of the things, I know what I considered fun," he said.

Valenzuela received a bachelor's degree in journalism from the Universidad de Chile, in his native country, and is working toward a bachelor's degree in political science at the UA.

Elizabeth Templin, assistant director for CESL, supervises Valenzuela and said she is pleased with his work so far.

"He has a good idea about what activities students are looking for," she said.

Valenzuela spends his time between classes in a small CESL office planning and scheduling events for the international students. He organizes events promotion and encourages students to attend CESL functions.

"We don't just target the first-time students. We want to keep people involved the whole time they are here at the UA," he said.

Director's Awards are presented at the end of each semester to students who complete seven specific activities for CESL. Activities include working in the community, making a presentation about their country and attending American cultural events.

Ana Maria Briones, a student from Nicaragua, said Valenzuela has been helping her earn a Director's Award.

"He is very good at motivating us to do stuff, not just letting us sit around and not do anything important," she said.

At the beginning of each semester, new students get a whirlwind tour of the university and Tucson. CESL takes students to Wal-Mart and local grocery stores, teaches them how to use the SunTran bus system and takes them to movies at Gallagher Theatre.

"We want them to be able to get around and do things for themselves in the community," Valenzuela said.

Activities this year have included visits to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Renaissance Festival, the Tucson Rodeo and skiing at Mt. Lemmon.

Briones said her favorite trip this year was to Tombstone. "It was fun to be in the western scenes I've only seen in movies," she said.

Templin said the program is important for foreign students. "It provides students an opportunity to practice what they learned in the classroom in the Tucson and university communities," she said.

Valenzuela has planned trips to the Grand Canyon and the Pima Air Museum this semester.

CESL tries to provide the trips at no cost to the students, but occasionally they must pay part of the fees.

Many of the trips can handle an unlimited number of students, but excursions requiring the use of UA vans limits the number to between 14 and 28. The sign up is then on a first come first served basis, Valenzuela said.

There are 178 students from 35 different countries involved in the CESL program.

Valenzuela said he came to the United States because his travels make him look better to prospective employers.

"In order to apply for better jobs, you need to improve your education. If you have a good knowledge of English, that helps too," he said. His boss at a Santiago, Chile radio station suggested the city of Tucson and the UA to him.

An important event at the end of the semester is the Closing Ceremonies, where all the students of CESL can get together one last time before they go their separate ways. The festivities include food, international music and dancing.

"It's really special because some of the students have never danced in their entire life, so they don't even know what to do," Valenzuela said.

Valenzuela said he enjoys his job because of the people involved. "This has been really great because now I have friends from all over the world."