[Content]

UWT in Cuba: Overview

Introduction

The UWT program in Cienfuegos, Cuba is a 10-week intensive immersion program. It is a structured program designed for students with an interest in studying Spanish language, Cuban culture, politics and history, and cross-cultural psychology. While in Cuba, students work with UW faculty and academic partners at the University of Cienfuegos. Students from all three UW campuses are eligible to participate. See the sample syllabus for more details.

Credit Distribution for UW-Tacoma Students

Students from the Tacoma campus will receive 15 upper division credits for TIBCIN 490, Society and Culture in Cuba. For students pursuing the Hispanic Studies minor at UWT, 10 of the credits can be used to satisfy the Spanish language portion of the minor, and 5 will count as culture. For students pursuing a major in Psychology at UWT, 5 of the credits can be used to satisfy major requirements.

Other UWT students should talk to their program advisor to discuss how the 15 credits can be distributed toward their major.

Credit Distribution for UW-Seattle Students

Students from the Seattle campus will receive 15 credits as follows:

• 5 credits for Spanish 199, 299 or 393, to be determined by the Spanish Department upon completion of the program, depending on their previous language background. Contact Elena Johns for more information.
• 5 credits for SISLA 399
• 5 credits for SISLA 490

Contact your academic advisor to determine where these credits will apply toward your degree. Students on the Bothell campus should work with their program advisor to see how their 15 credits can be distributed.

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. There are also many opportunities for outdoor sports and recreation around Cienfuegos, such as Rancho Luna beach located about 20 minutes from downtown.

Academic Content

Sample Syllabus

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. Culture classes are conducted in Spanish, but interpreters are present to assist those who lack Spanish language proficiency. Culture classes are team-taught by Cuban professors from the Humanities and Social Sciences. These classes are interdisciplinary in approach and teach students about Cuba through the study of literature, art, architecture, music, history, political science, economics, and film. Before leaving for Cuba, students must design an individual research project that can be carried out while they are in Cuba.

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 have a walking tour of Cienfuegos to learn the difference between Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture, or visit the Botanical Garden to learn about tropical plants.

Grading of Coursework

Tacoma and Bothell students will receive one final grade for the 15-credit class, TIBCIN 490. The grade will be determined in the following way:

• Spanish language classes, 34%
• Cuban culture classes, 33%
• Individual research project and assignments related to it, 33%

Seattle students will receive 3 separate grades:

• Spanish 199, 299 or 393
• SISLA 399 (culture classes)
• SISLA 490 (individual research project and assignments related to it)

Weekend Excursions (optional)

Weekends are free time, but for those who want to visit other cities in Cuba such as Havana and Trinidad, we can arrange group excursions for an additional cost. Our license does not permit us to engage in 'tourism' in Cuba, but travel to places of cultural importance for educational purposes is fine.

Is this the right program for you?

The ideal participant will possess most, if not all, of the following characteristics:

• flexible, adaptable, able to deal with uncertainty and change
• able to get along without regular email, phone contact, or other communication with the U.S.
• able to withstand problems associated with lack of infrastructure (e.g., transportation, power, communications)
• able to get along well with other people, work as a group
• enjoys other cultures, open to new experiences
• hopes to learn or improve their Spanish
• prefers to be in a smaller city like Cienfuegos (not Havana)
• wants a structured academic program
• can live with some restrictions and rules

Orientation

Students accepted into the Cuba program are required to attend four formal orientation meetings. These meetings are held on the Tacoma campus between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and are scheduled on the following dates:

• October 7
• October 21
• November 18
• December 2

Students can receive 2 credits for attending the orientation by signing up for TIBCIN 390 (Preparation for Study Abroad) in Autumn Quarter. It is offered on a pass/fail basis. It will give you a head start on your research project and prepare you for a more successful study abroad experience.

Travel to Cuba

We are traveling to Cuba legally with a license from the U.S. Department of Treasury. However, due to the difficulty of travel between the U.S. and Cuba, all students participating in the program are required to take the same flight to/from Cuba. We are required to work through a specialized travel agency licensed by the U.S. government for travel to Cuba. For this reason, the program director(s) will make flight reservations for everyone in the group. Students will be notified as soon as possible about the exact cost of the air ticket, and each student will pay for his or her ticket at that time. It is not possible to travel to Cuba using frequent flyer miles. We do our best to find the best price and the most convenient arrival/departure points. Although prices can vary significantly, we estimate that the cost will be around $1000. Generally we fly from a destination outside the U.S. (such as Toronto). Students are responsible for making their own arrangements to reach the departure city.

Because of the difficulties related to travel to Cuba, students should be prepared for the possibility of flight changes or cancellation prior to departure.

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.

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

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. All students in the program must obtain Cuban visas, which can sometimes take as much as 3 months to process. Students must have a passport in hand by the time they attend the first orientation meeting so the visa application process can begin.

U.S. Law Regarding Travel to/from Cuba

Students who participate in the program must comply with the conditions set forth in our license to travel to Cuba. Specifically, students are not permitted to bring back any items acquired in Cuba (including t-shirts, CD’s, souvenirs, rum, cigars, etc.) Any violation of the license will result in immediate expulsion from the program.

Housing and Accommodations

For the first week in Cienfuegos, students stay together in a hotel. During this time, students eat all meals together in the hotel dining room. For the remainder of their stay, they live with Cuban families. Breakfast is included as part of the home-stay, but lunch and dinner must be arranged independently. Students can pay an additional cost to eat all meals with their family (arranged on an individual basis with the family), or they can eat in restaurants.

Cuba is an underdeveloped country and living conditions are very modest. The hotel where we stay is not a 'tourist' hotel but, rather, one where Cuban workers stay when they travel to Cienfuegos. 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 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
• Friday field trips and ground transportation in Cuba
• Cuban health insurance

It does not include:

• round trip airfare to/from Cuba
• costs of travel documents (passport, visas)
• optional weekend excursions
• lunch and dinner during home-stay
• personal spending money while in Cuba
• concurrent enrollment fee for Seattle-campus students

Payment schedule:

• $200 due at time of application
• $2,500 due October 10
• $1,800 due November 28
• $579 (airfare payment) due December 22

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 ($579 airfare payment noted above), while students will be expected to make the remaining travel arrangements on their own.

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, 2006 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, 2006, 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).