Students immerse themselves into language, culture
by Violetta Rocha
reporter

 Most travelers to Mexico come home with tans after lying on the beach for a week. But TCC students who travel to Cuernavaca with Jim Palmer come back with an understanding of the Mexican culture and better fluency in Spanish.
Palmer, Spanish instructor, directs the NE Campus foreign language department’s Spanish in Mexico program. In its 15th consecutive summer, the program offer s a total immersion experience and seven hours of college credit in five weeks.
“Cuernavaca, the city of eternal spring time, has absolutely beautiful tropical flowers, fruit trees and cultural values that give the best environment to learn,” he said.
The group will leave May 23 and return June 26. Final classes will meet on NE Campus June 28-29.
Summer 2004 will be the 12th time Palmer has taken students for the intensive language study.
Palmer said he has enjoyed this type of trip since he was a student; he spent two years in Spain and many more in Mexico. In the time that he has been directing TCC sessions in Mexico, TCC students, business people and other Spanish teachers have joined him on the trip.
‘You can’t teach a language unless you have an appreciation of the culture,” he said.
Palmer said he feels satisfied by doing this program.
“It takes a lot of responsibility, but it is worthwhile,” he said. “I have a sense of wonder on how the students turn out and learn the language.”
When students arrive in Mexico, they take classes at Instituto Mexicano de Espanol y Cultura. The school has native teachers, and each has a group of five students, Palmer said.
“In this program, the language is not taught just in a closed room, but also by taking cooking classes, dance classes or traditional Mexican manual crafts,” he said.
Two students stay together in a Mexican home unless they decide to pay an extra fee to stay alone.
“Mexican host families are middle class, but they are very nice people. Students share time with them and make lasting friendships; the students love it,” he said.
This program includes an immersion in the language and the culture. Four excursions allow students to visit national cultural interests such as the pyramids of Teotihuacan, museums in Mexico City and beautiful counties of Taxco and Xochicalco, Palmer said.
“Even the more basic student comes back speaking Spanish more fluently,” he said.
For some participants, however, once is not enough.
“I have at least one person who comes back the next year because he wants to repeat the experience,” he said.
Once a week, small groups of students can visit any place outside the school area they want at their own expenses, Palmer said.
“The trip’s focus is on studying and going to class, but it is also a vacation,” he said.
Interested students need to register and pay regular fees for Elementary Spanish II and Intermediate Spanish I—or Intermediate Spanish I, Spanish II and Conversation—for a total of seven credit hours. Elementary Spanish I or a passing score on the challenge test is required.
Teachers, business people and other non-credit students can register through the continuing education office for Spanish 1560, Study in Mexico.
After enrolling in this course, the total fees for the trip will be $2,415, which includes transportation, tuition, room and board with a Mexican family (occupancy and three meals a day) and four excursions.
TCC has suggested four monthly payments of $635.75. The total amount must be paid by April 16.
Only 35 people can participate.
To obtain a registration form or for more information, contact Palmer in NFAC 3204A on NE Campus or send e-mail to james.palmer@tccd.edu.