

	Introduction The Program Puebla and Cholula The University The Community Housing Calendar Application Collage of Pictures Fall 1999 Collage of Pictures Fall 2000 Collage of Pictures Fall 2001

Community Involvement

A central feature of the program is a placement for each student in a local institution or organization. Students will thus need to use their language skills in task-oriented real life situations, in a program supported by a weekly seminar meeting to discuss the experience. This experience may provide the basis for the students’ final projects or serve as an opportunity for the exploration of personal interests or the devlopment of language skills useful in specific environments.

Wesleyan Program in Mexico: Page 3

Universidad de las Américas, Puebla

Puebla and Cholula

The location of the UDLA-P is exceptional in that it offers access to rural Mexico, to a thriving small town, and to a city, all within a ten-mile radius.

The city of Puebla is a two hour drive from Mexico City, but can also be reached through its own international airport. Founded by the Spanish in the 16^th century, it is an industrialized city of 400,000 people which has maintained its beautiful historic center, with colorful tiled buildings and church domes. Important for its location on the trade corridor between Mexico City and the port of Veracruz, Puebla stands on a fertile plain dominated by volcanic mountains. The city is known for its sidewalk cafes, its history as a religious center with over 100 churches, as a cultural center with many museums, and as a center for brightly-colored Talavera ceramics. Pollution has been curbed by limiting traffic in the city center, and Puebla is a wonderful city for walking around. The fourth largest city in Mexico, Puebla offers many opportunities for student involvement in social services, or in commercial enterprises, or for field research projects in a range of disciplines. Puebla is famous for its cuisine, held by many to be the finest in Mexico.

Cholula, a charming small town 9 miles from Puebla, where the university campus is located, was an important pre-Columbian city, and has been continuously occupied since 300 B.C. This is an excellent location for learning life in a small Mexican town and for developing an interest in archeology, Mexican social structure, and ritual. Dominated by the pyramid of Cholula, a huge pre-Columbian structure with a beautiful chapel on its grassy summit, the town has an exceptional number of churches and a highly organized ritual system of social organization. Students can pursue volunteer opportunities in Cholula, often working with children or with literacy programs.with children or with literacy programs.

The University

The Universidad de las Américas

The campus of the University is built on the American model, with dormitory housing, modern classrooms, and athletic facilities, and is enclosed. The UDLA-P, which is a private research university, has one of the best libraries in Mexico, and a highly-qualified faculty and a diverse student body. The Wesleyan program is coordinated by the International Center for Language and Culture. The number of American students on campus is quite limited, and there is every opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the Spanish-speaking environment.

We suggest you visit the web site of the Universidad de las Américas

Housing

Students can choose to live among Mexican students in the UDLA-P dormitories or in homestay placements in Cholula, or in Puebla, depending on the individual goals and needs of each student.

Students who enjoy family life and wish to learn about the nature of home life, arguably the central force in Mexican society, may prefer a home stay, and many of our students have become very close to their host families. It is important to understand that mexican families will treat students as if they were relatives, showing concern for their safety and welfare (especially for female students) and will expect to be kept informed of students’ plans, and to be treated with the respect due to older people from the young. Many students feel that a homestay, which provides opportunities for interaction with people of all ages, most of whom will speak little English, is one of the keys to developing fluency in Spanish.

If privacy and freedom of movement are primary concerns, students will be more comfortable in dormitory apartments, which are located either on campus or in the center of neighboring Cholula. While Mexican student housing has many more rules than American dormitories, students find sharing accomodation with other young people a more familiar experience than the close-knot Mexican family, and often develop close friendships with their room-mates, and thoroughly enjoy the social life of the campus. Students at the UDLA-P usually have a good knowledge of English, but Spanish is the language of preference, and students who opt to live in the dorm can achieve an excellent level of immersion.

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