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Flexibility in Central America

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Katie is a junior at Duke University, currently studying abroad in Central America with CGEE. This is an excerpt from Katie’s blog. Her blog is a great resource for anyone considering study abroad in Central America!

Katie B, Casa Xelaju, fall 2015
What does flexibility look like traveling in Central America?

It looks like getting used to rescheduling your classes when they’re cancelled due to protests over corruption (Guatemala) or the building of a new canal (Nicaragua).

​It looks like knowing your taxi or shuttle might not arrive on time, without letting that stress you out.

It looks like figuring out how to bathe in a little den with a pot of boiling water and two buckets.

It looks like not being scared to ask for directions every once (or twice) in a while.

It looks like being open to making mistakes while learning a new language and understanding that you won’t understand everything.  And that’s okay.

…And it looks like realizing that sometimes the best experiences in life are the unplanned experiences.

Scholarship Winners, November 2015

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Congratulations to our scholarship winners!

Augsburg students winning awards for January short term travel are:

  • Winta Gebre has been awarded the Mary Witt Scholarship & the Students of Color Endowed scholarship for her program traveling to Guatemala
  • Hani Mire has been awarded the Mary Witt Scholarship & the Students of Color Endowed scholarship for her program traveling to Guatemala
  • Maly Thao has been awarded the Mary Witt Scholarship for her program traveling to Guatemala
  • LaTiona Washington has been awarded the Mary Witt Scholarship for her program traveling to Nicaragua

 

Students from other institutions winning awards for January short term travel are:

  • Michael VanBrocklin has been awarded the Yackel Religious Studies Endowed Scholarship Award for his program to Cuba in January, with the Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO).

 

The next round of applications will be due January 15th, 2016, for short term, customized programs at CGEE permanent sites traveling February – August 2016.

 

Celebration of Lois Swenson

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On Saturday, November 7th, Augsburg College celebrated the life and legacy of Lois Swenson, during the unveiling of a memorial gift in her honor.

A wooden, handcrafted bench now stands prominently in the atrium of the first floor in Lindell Library, inscribed with: “Lois Ann Swenson. 1935-2012. Live Simply so that others may simply live.”

Lois Swenson was the very embodiment of CGEE’s philosophy that the purpose of education is to create a more just and sustainable world, and we could not be more grateful to her, and her family and friends’ continued support of our organization and mission.

The event had a great turnout, with multiple speakers honoring Lois, and the unveiling of the new bench! Here are a few photos below:

Thanks to everyone involved with the event. Watch our website soon for more information on Lois Swenson, and all of CGEE’s wonderful donors.

Guest Blogger: JD Mechelke, Southern Africa October 2015

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This is a guest post written by Augsburg College student, JD Mechelke, after two months on CGEE Southern Africa program. 

My eyes began to open, being disturbed by the slight shaft of light poking past the peaks of the mountains around our two story double decker sleeper bus. We were on the road all night traveling from Bloemfontein to Cape Town. I dug through my backpack and found my phone. It was a little past 5am. As the light behind the mountains grew I began to more accurately assess the highway we were traveling down. Though our bus was massive and the thruway vast, we were at the mercy of the mountains. But moments earlier, my conscience was somewhere else… Continue reading “Guest Blogger: JD Mechelke, Southern Africa October 2015” →

Guest Blogger: JD Mechelke, Southern Africa September 2015

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This is a guest post written by Augsburg College student, JD Mechelke, after one month on CGEE Southern Africa program. 

The view was hard to take in. It was decaying. An endless view of tin, tarp, and cardboard roofs. It was not possible to distinguish between each jury-rigged shack. It wasn’t overtly overwhelming to me. I had encountered the sounds and smells of deep poverty before. The merciless sea that is Alexandria halted drastically as we stopped on a bridge passing over a freeway. When we got to the other side, I realized we weren’t in Alexandria anymore. My eyes bulged as I watched a Lamborghini drive into a mansion. We had entered Sandton, the richest municipality in South Africa. There was an endless contrast between the super rich of Sandton and the extreme poverty of Alexandria, separated by 8 lanes of freeway: now that was overwhelming. Continue reading “Guest Blogger: JD Mechelke, Southern Africa September 2015” →

International Education Week: November 16-20, 2015

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Join ISO (the International Student Organization) for activities around campus during November 16-20 for International Education Week! Here are some of the great activities that will be going on:

  • Monday – International Culture Posters Display, Christensen Center Lobby, 10 am to 2 pm
  • Wednesday – Game & Trivia Night, Student Lounge, 6 pm to 8 pm
  • Friday – International Dance with ALAS (Augsburg Latin American Students), East Commons, 8 pm to 11:30 pm
  • All Week – Watch for International Foods in the cafeteria, from A’viands!

In addition to ISO events listed above, the Study Abroad & Study Away in the USA and the office for Latin@ Student Services will be co-hosting  a Global & Off Campus Programs info session for DACA and undocumented students interested in off-campus study.

The session will feature experiences of current students who have studied off campus as well as John Keller, executive director of the Immigrant Law Center of MN, who will provide legal advice about the risks and benefits of these programs for students. The session highlights Augsburg’s commitment to offering services and support to DACA & undocumented students. For more information about the session, please contact Dulce Monterrubio at monterru@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1309.

Returning home from Mexico

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This is a guest post by Alicia Olness, an Augsburg College student that participated in the summer program in Mexico with CGEE, 2015. 

Mexico had a lot of great things to offer. Every week we were able to meet with someone new from the community and discuss a topic such as poverty, immigration, or business in Mexico. This allowed me to expand my knowledge about Mexico as well as feel more connected with different kinds of people from the area.

Alicia Olness, Mexico Summer 2015

I also loved the three states we were able to visit and the other destinations that CGEE brought us to. Everything we did and everyone I met had a huge impact in my life. Overall I had a great summer studying in Cuernavaca, Mexico and can’t imagine spending my summer any differently.

Reality Check: Gaps Between Global North & South

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*UPDATE November 11, 2015 – Mark’s full presentation is now posted online!

Mark Lester, Co-Director of Augsburg’s Global Campus in Nicaragua, will be speaking at Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, this weekend in Washington, DC. The theme of the event this year is “Bridges”.

Mark Lester Staff Photo

Mark will be presenting on the topic, “Beyond Immersion and Service:  Bridges for Institutionalizing the Impact of the Global South on our Educational Mission”. This presentation uses the experience of a 30 year collaboration between Augsburg CGEE, the Winds of Peace Foundation, and the Research and Development Institute “Nitlapan-UCA” in Nicaragua. The presentation is meant to provoke reflection on the gaps between the reality of the Global North and South, and the important role institutions can play “as bridges” between those realities.

Mark will be presenting during breakout session #3, on Sunday, November 8th, from 1:10 – 2:00 PM.

Augsburg Staff & Alumni to Present at NAFSA

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Andrea Dvorak, Assistant Director of Off-campus Study, Dulce Monterrubio, Director, Latin@ Student Services, and and Augsburg alum Zitlali Chavez Ayala (’15), will be speaking at NAFSA’s regional conference in Des Moines. NAFSA is the premier national organization for international educators. The theme of the conference is “Planting Seeds. Sharing the Harvest”.

Andrea, Dulce, and Zitali will be presenting on the topic, “Breaking Barriers: Best Practices Working with Undocumented and DACA-mented Students”. From NAFSA conference site: “This interactive session will introduce up-to-date information on federal and state regulations, address ongoing barriers to accessing higher education, and guide you in providing services and support for undocumented and DACA-mented students. We will also share strategies for offering informed education abroad advising, and provide examples of programs that are undocu-friendly. Most importantly, you’ll hear from a recent college grad about her college and study-away experience as a DACA-mented student. You will walk out with confidence in your knowledge about serving these students and empowered to support them within the structures of your state, program, or institution.”

Congratulations, Andrea, Dulce and Zitali on representing Augsburg’s value of breaking down barriers to access higher education for a wide variety of students!

Study Abroad in Mexico: Still Accepting Applications

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Missed the deadline to study abroad?

We still have spaces remaining for our spring 2016 semester in Mexico – and will continue to accept applications until full.

Here are the top 5 reasons why you should choose the program Migration, Globalization, and the Environment:

  • study Spanish at any level–small classes individualized to your level as well as practice with native speakers during your host family stay
  • complete an optional internship specific to your major or interests
  • travel around the country to well-known sites such as Frida Kahlo’s house, Puebla, Taxco, Teotihuacan, and more – most of the trips are included in the price of the program!
  • make friends with students from other colleges studying at our Global Campus study center
  • enjoy delicious Mexican foods!

Start your application today.