The Latin American Studies Program Fall 2015 semester is off to a rip-roaring start with an already packed schedule the last couple of weeks! We can’t believe how fast time is flying by; we can barely keep up! This semester we have 20 students from 13 different schools within the Council. After finishing orientation week and our first two weeks of Core Seminar, we are taking off this Friday for our trip to the Caribbean coast in the province of Limón! So far in Core Seminar we have discussed important issues of neo-colonialism in the region, poverty, and the economic system and its impact on local realities. Students are sharpening their Spanish skills in their classes at ICADS every afternoon. Additionally, students have begun perhaps their most important learning component of living with their host families and they are doing an excellent job of connecting and building deep, life-changing relationships. New this year, we have even enjoyed the fellowship of a university, student-led Bible study at the University of Costa Rica each week (CEM). We will soon take our learning outside of the classroom and get some first-hand experience on the move as we take off on our Limón trip. We look forward to wrestling together with some important themes related to export economies as well as indigenous realities in Latin America, and discrimination in Costa Rica, specifically. We of course also anticipate a fun time at the beach and exploring downtown Limón together! Our semester has already provided us with some important learning opportunities and we look forward to growing and learning even more together in the coming months!
Becoming Cultural Learners activity in orientation
LASP orientation on the first day of the program!
Fellowship night with CEM, learning to dance
Fellowship night with CEM, playing board games
