Study abroad: Earn Spanish credit in Mexico

Coastal Bend College’s summer intensive Spanish course offers students the opportunity to spend two weeks and two days in the beautiful Mexican city of Cuernavaca; study Spanish at the Instituto Mexicano de Español y Cultura; live with friendly Mexican families; make excursions to interesting sites near Cuernavaca and Mexico City; experience life in a foreign country; and enjoy 85 degree weather.

 Instituto Mexicano de Español y Cultura offers:

• Small classes for high school students, college students, Spanish teachers who need to renew their teacher certificates, and other adults who wish to improve their Spanish-speaking skills; and
•  Beginning through advanced level classes with credit for one semester of first or second year college Spanish or Continuing Professional Education credits.

 Because the IMEC offers classes for both teenagers and adults, CBC makes the class available to high school students who have passed their TAKS exit exams (or the equivalent) and to college students and adults of any age. 

 Students may earn CBC credit for either semester of first year college Spanish (4 semester hours); either semester of second year college Spanish (3 semester hours); or an advanced sophomore conversation class (3 semester hours). Public school Spanish teachers may earn 48-60 hours of continuing professional education credit toward renewing their teaching certificates.

 Kay Past, Spanish instructor at CBC in Beeville, accompanies the group; supervises the Cuernavaca activities; assesses student progress on a daily basis; offers out-of-class assistance in the language; administers the final exam for the course; and assigns the CBC grade.

 The group will fly from San Antonio to Mexico City, where an IMEC representative will meet them in a charter bus for the final 45 mile drive to Cuernavaca.

 Airfare, passport and registration for Coastal Bend College credit are additional. Airfare is approximately $500. If more, students will pay additional cost.

 $1500 covers the IMEC tuition, room and board with a Mexican family (with a roommate), excursions and travel insurance. Excursions include trips to Mexico City, Taxco, Tepoztlán, Teotihuacán, Xochicalco, and to museums in Cuernavaca.

 For more information, contact Kay Past, Coastal Bend College, 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, Texas 78102; call (361) 354-2401 or email to kaypast@coastalbend.edu.

 Tuition Options (must choose one):

 (1) CBC tuition is extra, ranging from $40 for Bee County high school dual credit students to $500 for out-of district students in a four-hour course.  

 (2) Teachers who wish CPE credit for the entire program will pay $169 for that credit, in addition to the $1500 IMEC total.

 (3) Teachers who wish CPE credit for the  cultural portion only will pay $139 for that credit, plus $900 for room and board and excursions. 

 (4)  Participants who do not wish to receive any CBC academic or CE credit will pay a $40 continuing education fee to cover the cost of trip arrangements.

 In order that air travel may be arranged early enough to get the best prices, $500 needs to be paid by April 1, 2010.  (This amount is non-refundable.)  The balance of $1500 is due by June 1, and CBC tuition is due by June 30.  Students may still join the group after April 1, but they may not be able to get seats on the same flight with the director and the group. 

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