By Carol Gachiengo
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 20, 1997

Swimming in the pool of culture

Joe Legros had never left the country.

The native Tucsonan, a Latin American studies and political science junior, was ready to see how his education applied to the rest of the world. To see if he could swim.

Legros spent the last year in Mexico in the University of Arizona's study abroad program.

"I can always learn a language at the UA, but I couldn't have learned the Mexican way of life and Mexican values. I would know how to speak Spanish, but I would not have known how to relate to life experiences in Mexico," Legros said.

This spring others will follow Legros to Mexico or one of the 18 countries the Center for Global Student Programs offers.

Students can choose between England, Spain, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, France, Australia and Japan, to name a few.

Requirements and prices vary from country to country. The prices range between about $2,900 and $8,500.

The study abroad program is particularly popular with students who speak a foreign language fluently or complete a language requirement, minor or start a major, said Renee Griggs, study abroad adviser. She agreed with Legros that studying abroad is the best way to learn a language and culture. However, she said, the program is not restricted to language students - a full curriculum is offered in various countries where the language of instruction is English.

Caroline Patrick-Jones, senior adviser at the Center for Global Student Programs, compared studying abroad to being thrown into a cultural swimming pool. Participants get to meet students from all over the world, not just from the country in which they are studying and this opens doors to more extensive travel, she said.

"My favorite stories are about where students go for breaks after the program," she said.

Patrick-Jones said more students go abroad in the spring semester.

"Spring seems to be most popular because students can extend travel or work in the summer. In spring, the weather is nice," she said.

For those who can not fit in a full semester, there are summer programs mainly for languages, art and architecture, Patrick-Jones said.

Donna Swaim, a humanities professor organizes the Voyage of Discovery summer program each year with Michael Bonine, a geography and near eastern studies professor.

Swaim, who has been arranging trips and traveling around the world for 18 years, took students to Morocco and Spain last summer. This summer she will lead a trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe.

She said she chose South Africa because it is a country in transition.

"We in the U.S. have been most aware of the need for change during the apartheid regime. We have taught so much South African literature," she said, "now we will be able to see the culture in transition first hand."

Participants in the Voyage of Discovery will spend 21 days in South Africa and 12 days in Zimbabwe. During this time, Swaim said she expects they will become familiar with the cultural heritage of the regions. They will also attend lectures at South African universities in Cape Town, Pretoria and Harare.

Swaim said all UA students who take a two-unit class on historical background this spring are eligible for the program. Participants in the Voyage of Discovery will receive 3 units of credit for Humanities 310.

The Center for Global Students Programs has $70,000 in travel grant scholarships for study abroad as well as advising sessions. For students with interest outside the UA program they have an extensive library with information on other programs.

For more information, contact the Center For Global Student Programs at 915 N. Tyndall Avenue or call 621-4627.

The UA offers study abroad programs in:

Australia

Brazil

China

Cyprus

Denmark

Egypt

France

Germany

Greece

Hugary

Israel

Italy

Japan

Mexico

Russia

Spain

Sweeden

United Kingdom