UWT in Cuba: Overview

Introduction

TIBCIN 490, Society and Culture in Cuba, is an intensive immersion program that will take place during Winter Quarter 2006, in Cienfuegos, Cuba. Working with UW faculty and academic partners in Cuba, students will spend 10 weeks at the University of Cienfuegos learning Spanish language, taking seminars on Cuban culture, history and society, studying the psychology of cultural transition, and working with tutors on an individualized research project. Students receive 15 upper-division credit hours upon successful completion of the program.

Students from other UW campuses are eligible to participate. Contact your academic adviser to determine where the credits will apply toward your degree.

About Cienfuegos

Located on the southern coast of Cuba, Cienfuegos is a maritime city with strong ties to the sea. Known as the "Pearl of the South," Cienfuegos is the capital city of the province of the same name and has a population of about 150,000 people. The Bay of Cienfuegos is one of the largest and deepest in the Caribbean and has made Cienfuegos an important international port. It also has a well preserved historic downtown, which includes among other 19th century jewels, the Thomas Terry Theatre, one of the oldest functioning theatres on the island. World-famous figures such as Enrico Caruso and Sarah Bernhardt performed here in the early 1900s, and today the theatre is the home of an orchestra, a choir, and frequent performances by Cuba's national ballet.

Cienfuegos has an active cultural life. In February each year, a national book fair takes place, where authors, scholars and the public come together to discuss new books and study themes in literature. There are weekly concert performances and poetry recitals in the city's parks, and the Beny Moré School of Art trains students in the visual and musical arts. Cienfuegos has an active chapter of UNEAC, the Cuban Union of Writers and Artists, who sponsors many events and holds frequent lecture series, as well as publishes its own journal. The city also has a local television station that produces educational and cultural programs. Cienfuegos is home to nationally known writers, artists and musicians, and takes pride in its cultural heritage. Historically, Cienfuegos has played an important role in the development of industry and commerce in southern Cuba, and the province has been important in the production of sugar cane and coffee. Today, Cienfuegos is quickly becoming an important tourist destination for visitors who want to explore Cuba's heartland. Among Cienfuegos' attractions is the Botanical Garden which originally belonged to Harvard University in the early years of the 20th century. Here, researchers studied tropical plants and sugar cane, and today it is one of the largest botanical gardens in Latin America, with more than 2,000 different species of plants. The University of Cienfuegos is a relatively young university, but since its inception in the late 1970s, it has grown quickly. Initially created to train engineers, agricultural experts and technicians to serve the community's immediate needs, the University has expanded to include innovative programs in the Social Sciences and Humanities, as well as Education, Medicine, and Sports. The faculty of the University are active researchers, writers and teachers. Many have received their Ph.D.'s at prestigious universities in Europe and have experience teaching at home and abroad. Cienfuegos and Tacoma are sister cities, and we have enjoyed a warm and friendly relationship over the years. The people of Cienfuegos treat visitors from UW with remarkable kindness and affection, and make us feel immediately at home. Cienfuegos is within easy driving distance of other central Cuban cities, like Santa Clara and Trinidad, and it is about three and a half hours by car from Havana.

Academic Content

Students attend class five days a week while they are in Cienfuegos, from morning until early afternoon. Upon arrival in Cienfuegos, students are placed in Spanish language classes at a level appropriate for them (from beginner to advanced) and they work on conversational fluency, reading comprehension, and written communication skills in small classes led by highly skilled Cuban teachers who have been trained to work with international students. Students have the option of taking culture classes in English or Spanish, depending on their language proficiency. These classes are taught by a variety of Cuban professors from the Humanities and Social Sciences. They are interdisciplinary in approach and teach students about contemporary issues in Cuba through a historical, social, cultural, political and economic perspective. In addition, students meet weekly with the UW faculty in Cuba to discuss cross-cultural issues and bring their experiences and newly acquired knowledge into sharper focus. Before leaving for Cuba, students must design an individual research project (in collaboration with a UW faculty member) that can be carried out while they are in Cienfuegos. Once students arrive, they will be assigned a Cuban tutor who will mentor and guide them. Some students may have the opportunity to engage in community service, volunteer work, or do an internship while in Cuba, if that work relates to their discipline and if they have the skills needed to do the work.

In addition to work in the classroom, students will have walking tours and field trips to places in and around Cienfuegos, so they can take what they learn into the real world. For example, students may visit an agricultural cooperative to learn about how food is produced and distributed in Cienfuegos; they may visit the rural community of El Nicho to see how eco-tourism has had an impact on the people who live there; or they may go to La Soledad, a now defunct sugar mill, to learn how sugar production impacted the economy and shaped the lives of the Cuban people in the years before and after the Revolution.

Writing assignments for the class include: a substantial term paper, several short essays on topics discussed in class, and a travel journal.

Students on the Tacoma campus will receive 15 credits for the class TIBCIN 490, Society and Culture in Cuba. Check with IAS academic advisors to find out how this course may count toward your concentration requirements.

Students on the Seattle campus will receive 15 credits that can be distributed among these course numbers, as appropriate to the level of the student: Spanish 199, 299 or 393, and SISLA 399 (Foreign Study in Latin America) and 490 (Special Topics in Latin America). See your department or program advisor for details about how these courses can count toward your graduation requirements.

Students on the Bothell campus should work with their program advisor to see how their 15 credits can be distributed.

Orientation

We strongly recommend that all students who plan to go to Cuba should take TIBCIN 390 (Preparation for Study Abroad) in Autumn Quarter 2005 on the Tacoma campus. This 5 credit course is offered once a week on Saturdays. It is offered on a pass/fail basis only. It will give you a head start on your research and prepare you for a more successful study abroad experience.

Syllabus for TIBCIN 390

The Faculty

Dr. Cynthia Duncan received her Ph.D. in Spanish and Portuguese from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1983. Her areas of academic expertise include Latin American literature, culture and film, with an emphasis on the way in which the arts reflect social and cultural values. Over the years, she has published many scholarly works on these subjects, including numerous essays on contemporary Cuban literature and film. She teaches Spanish language, as well a wide variety of interdisciplinary courses like the Contemporary Culture of Cuba, Latin American Women Writers, Hispanic Film, Hispanics in the U.S., and the Arts, History and Cultures of Mexico. She has created, organized and frequently led groups of students to Cuba, Mexico and Brazil during the past two decades. In 2005, she was recognized by the Mayor of Cienfuegos as a "Distinguished Daughter" of the city for her work in promoting solidarity and friendship between the U.S. and Cuba, and she has been a member of the Tacoma-Cienfuegos Sister City Committee since its inception in 2000. She is also the Associate Director of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences on the Tacoma Campus.

Dr. Kima Cargill earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2001. Her areas of academic expertise include the psychology of food and culture, specifically the ways in which food and food rituals mediate cultural identity. She teaches psychology from an interdisciplinary perspective with an emphasis on culture and its role in psychological experience, distress and treatment. She has traveled with students to Mexico and Cuba and speaks Spanish.

Student Eligibility

This program is restricted to full-time, degree-seeking students at the UW. It is not open to incoming freshmen or transfer students with less than 20 hours of UW credit. Graduate students may participate in the program with written approval of their home department or program. Adjustments can be made to the program to accommodate the special needs of graduate students.

U.S. policy toward Cuba makes it impossible for students to travel to Cuba with family members, spouses, children or friends, unless they are full-time, degree-seeking students at the UW.

Students who are U.S. citizens must have a valid and current passport. Students who are foreign citizens should check with their embassy to find out if travel to Cuba will have any impact on their immigration status in the U.S.

It is desirable to know some Spanish, but it is not required.

Housing and Accommodations

For the first two weeks in Cienfuegos, students stay together in a hotel. For the remainder of their stay, they live with Cuban families. Meals can be arranged as part of the home-stay package, or arranged independently.

Cuba is an underdeveloped country and living conditions are very modest. Family homes where students live are clean, safe, and provide basic comfort but, as in any developing country, there may be occasional inconveniences (power outages, lack of hot water, shortage of fuel, etc.). Students must be prepared to live as the Cubans live, and regard the situation as part of the study-abroad experience.

Transportation is a major problem in Cienfuegos, so students must be prepared to walk, ride a bike, take public buses or even ride in a horse-drawn cart. Taxis, rental cars and scooters are available, but they are a much more expensive option. Students should not expect the family they live with to own a car or drive them to school. Part of the experience of living in Cienfuegos is to find creative ways to deal with these kinds of issues.

Costs

The cost of the program is $4500. This includes:

• course fee (in lieu of tuition) for 15 UW credits
• instructional costs in Cuba
• lodging and some meals in Cuba
• field trips and ground transportation in Cuba
• Cuban health insurance

It does not include:

• round trip airfare to/from Cuba
• personal spending money while in Cuba

Payment schedule:

• $200 due at time of application
• $2,500 due October 10
• $1,002 due November 1 (airfare payment)
• $1,800 due November 28

Send checks to:
University of Washington, Tacoma
Cashier (MAT 354)
1900 Commerce Street
Tacoma, WA 98402

As noted above, airfare costs are not included in the $4,500 program fee. Because of restrictions on travel to Cuba, UW will make some of the travel arrangements on behalf of students and request payment ($1,002 payment noted above), while students will be expected to make the remaining travel arrangements on their own.

Application Deadline

This program is now full; applications are no longer being accepted.

Refund Conditions for Fees

1. If you are not accepted to the program, the entire $200 deposit will be refunded.
2. If you are accepted and withdraw in writing prior to September 15, 2005 the deposit will be refunded.
3. Thereafter, you will forfeit the deposit plus any non-recoverable payments already made or committed on behalf of the participant. No refunds will be given for unused accommodations, meals or other fees and services.

Notice of Withdrawal from the program MUST be made in writing to:

UWT International Programs
Cuba Program
Box 358437
University of Washington, Tacoma
1900 Commerce Street
Tacoma, WA 98402

Changes in Costs or Scope of the Program

In the event of significant devaluations of the dollar, some adjustments to program activities may be necessary. If there are any political events that might compromise the safety of the participants, a rescheduling or cancellation of the program may be necessary. If such changes occur, students will be notified of the changes and options will be presented.

Program Cancellation

If viable enrollment is not reached by October 1, 2005, the program will be cancelled and all recoverable monies paid in will be refunded.

Equal Opportunity and Disability Accommodations

The University of Washington reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam era veteran in accordance with University policy and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations. The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process contact the Disability Support Services Office at least ten days in advance. An appointment can be made through the front desk of Student Affairs (253-692-4400), through Student Services (692-4501), or by phoning Lisa Tice at 692-4493 (voice) or 692-4413 (TTY), or by email (ltice@u.washington.edu).