UTA 2010 Summer Study Abroad in Cuernavaca

July 9th, 2010: At the airport

A. Raymond Elliott — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 10:46:12 +0000

I will be arriving at the airport about two hours before our flight takes off. As soon as I check in and get through security, I will go to the gate. Please be sure to check flight status at: www.aa.com. You can put in the flight number to make sure that the time and gate information has not changed. Between now and the day of the flight, feel free to email me if you have any questions. En unos días estaremos en Cuernavaca–la ciudad de la eterna primavera.

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!!!!!

I MISS MY MOMMY!!!!!

A. Raymond Elliott — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:57:37 +0000

Although you probably will be enjoying yourself too much to really get homesick, there are several ways you can keep in touch with the folks. Here are a couple of ways:

1.) Telephone: You can buy calling cards at the institute so you can call home. These cards can be used at public phone booths or from home. If you use the cards at home, you get a lot more minutes than you would if you use them at a public phone booth. The difference is substantial. A $10.00 phone card will give you about 2 hours of talking time from a private phone. If you use a phone booth, you get about 45 minutes. Please remember that when calling from your “family’s” home, please keep phone calls to a minimum.

2.) SKYPE: Using Skype is one of the best ways to keep in touch. If you have friends and family members who are computer literate and who have webcams, wherever you have an internet connection, (e.g., at the institute, perhaps at your home, at an internet café), you can keep in touch. Skype is wonderful because it’s FREE and you get to look at the person you are talking to using real time video! Skype also has pay plans where you can make calls to land-lines using their service. I’ve never felt the need to use their pay service so I’m not too sure how it works. To download SKYPE to your computer or laptop, go to www.skype.com. There are Skype versions for both MAC and PC platforms.

3.) EMAIL: There are a couple of computer terminals at the institute for you to use. Sometimes there is a line, especially between classes. There are many internet cafés that you can use. These are downright cheap–something like 4-5 (40-50 cents) pesos for an hour!

4.) CELLPHONES: Boy, there’s not a better way to get yourself in trouble! Unless you have a great international cellphone plan, I would advise against using cellphones to call the U.S. Some people have found great plans–which, for some reason, I have not. One student from last year used her cellphone so much that her mother cut it off when the bill got up to a couple thousand dollars. So, if you are independently wealthy, or if you have a great international plan, then I recommend cellphone use! If not, BEWARE–there always appear to be hidden costs that you never are aware of until you get that bill!

5.) CONVENTIONAL MAIL!: WHY BOTHER?????

¡Cuernavaca nos espera!

A. Raymond Elliott — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:43:33 +0000

In about 11 days or so, we will be going to Cuernavaca! I hope you’re as excited our trip as I am and that you’re ready to have some wonderful experiences.

Since the big day is almost here, please take a moment to introduce yourself on the study abroad blog site to other members of our group. Feel free to share information about who you are, what you are studying, what you hope to get out of your study abroad experience in Cuernavaca, your “pasatiempos”, etc. You can write in English or better yet, it might be a good time to start using español!

I also wanted to remind you to check the website frequently between now and our departure date. I’ll be making periodic postings to the list and I want to make sure everyone is informed by the time we leave. In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to post them either to the blog or shoot me an email at elliott@uta.edu.

For now, be sure to go to the blog to write your introductory paragraph! Go to: http://utacuernavaca2010.wordpress.com and click on ABOUT OUR GROUP! You can type your introductory paragraph in the comment box at the bottom of the page!

I’m looking forward to getting to each and every one of you much better in Cuernavaca. In the meantime, better brush up on your español.

¡Cuernavaca nos espera!

Countdown to Mexico

A. Raymond Elliott — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 06:30:41 +0000

How soon will we be in Mexico? Click on the link to find out! ¡Cuernavaca nos espera!

Countdown To Cuernavaca

Still wondering whether or not you should go to Cuernavaca this summer?

A. Raymond Elliott — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:23:58 +0000

Well, there’s still time to turn in an application! There are still a few spots open in the program so why not take the plunge and go to Cuernavaca to study Spanish and to learn more about Mexican culture? So, live, learn and interact on the cobblestone streets of one of the nicest areas of Mexico. For more information about the program, feel free to email me at elliott@uta.edu.

ANNOUNCING: STUDY ABROAD INFORMATIONAL MEETING

A. Raymond Elliott — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:24:05 +0000

There will be a Cuernavaca Summer Study Abroad informational meeting scheduled for Monday, February 15th, 2010 at 12:00 pm in Trimble Hall, room 200. Come find out the study abroad program, the Spanish Language Institute, the courses, financial aid and application deadlines.

For more information about the informational meeting, feel free to contact me elliott@uta.edu or by phone at 817-272-3161.

Where will you be this summer????

Where will you be this summer?

A. Raymond Elliott — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:34:23 +0000

Informational Pages

A. Raymond Elliott — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:48:44 +0000

Dear Summer Study Abroad students,

Here are some pages I put together to prepare you for our trip to the Spanish Language Institute in Cuernavaca, Morelos, México. On this site, you will find information about the Language Institute, What to Pack, Information on Getting from the Airport to Cuernavaca, and what to do once you have arrived. All of these documents are downloadable in Adobe .pdf format so you can print them and take them with you on your trip.

There is also a page link above, “About our group” where I ask you to submit a small paragraph telling us a little about yourself–who you are, what your major is, what you like to do in your spare time, etc. This will help us to get to know each other a little better.

There is another page titled, “FAQ’S: QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM?” where you can post questions that might be of benefit to other students as well.

I hope you are looking forward to our trip to México as much as I am. I am sure it will be a rewarding learning experience.

FAQ's: Questions about the Program?

A. Raymond Elliott — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:29:31 +0000

Whether you are a student who went on the Cuernavaca Summer Study Abroad Program or are thinking about going and have some questions, feel free to click on the FAQ’s link above to post any questions you may have about the program, the Institute, Cuernavaca, etc. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the program. The UT-Arlington study abroad program is also open to students from other universities who would like to earn intermediate or upper division credit in Spanish language, literature or culture. Thinking about expanding your horizons? Well, it all starts here!

Specific information about payment at the institute

A. Raymond Elliott — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:13:03 +0000

1. Students will be required to pay the following upon arrival at the institute:

Fees, onsite tuition, transportation to/from the institute $720.00

Books and materials: $50.00

Room and Board: $620.00

2. Accepted forms of payment: traveler’s checks; dollars or pesos. Credit/Debit cards are not accepted.

3. Excursions are optional and payment is due prior to each excursion.

Please let me know if you have any questions.