Fall/Winter in Spain

This year, our Fall/Winter Barcelona program runs as below:

Sept 26, 2017 – Dec 2, 2017

The most populous city of Catalonia, and the second largest city in Spain, Barcelona is an important cultural center and has a rich cultural heritage. The architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner that have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

As an affiliate of WCCCSA, Edmonds Community College is able to offer students the opportunity to earn a full quarter of transferable college credits, whereby students live with Spanish families and immerse themselves in day to day Spanish Life. Frequent field trips and travel opportunities enable students to experience the culture and history of Spain. The teaching team tailors courses to the European environment and structures the coursework around several themes common to the locale (WCCCSA, 2017).

Program led by WA state community college faculty teaching 10 credits at the facilities of International House and the Barcelona School for International Studies. Additional Spanish language course taught by local faculty. Students will live with homestay families, with breakfast and dinner included. A thorough on-site cross-cultural and health and safety orientation will be provided upon arrival. Full comprehensive medical and accident insurance included. Participate in cultural activities which may include local food and market tours, salsa classes, Spanish and Catalan cooking classes, language exchange with local student and more!

Below is information about Edmonds CC’s WCCCSA program:

PROGRAM DOCUMENTS:
Barcelona Brochure 2017

SITE: Barcelona is a spectacular city in which to study and live. It is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Europe and by far the most modern city in Spain. Situated on the Mediterranean, it is a city of contrasts; mixing the best of old and new, traditional and trendy, religious and secular, conservative and progressive. As such, this vibrant city offers students the unique opportunity to both surround themselves with Spanish language and tradition while at the same time taking advantage of its mixture of Spanish and Catalan cultures. With Barcelonians fluent in both languages, students have the opportunity to perfect their Spanish while also learning some Catalan! People in Spain are passionate fans of football (soccer), delicious food, family, and celebrating and enjoying life to its fullest. Festivals and holidays are important in Spanish life, and have their own distinctive flavor depending on local customs and the time of year. We hope you enjoy your stay in Barcelona and have a chance to explore and take advantage of all its spectacular offerings!

CLASSROOM: Classes will be held at the facilities of International House and the Barcelona School for International Studies (SIS). The school is located in the city center, just steps from Plaça Urquinaona, 5 minutes from Plaça Catalunya, and 5 minutes from the Arc de Triomf. With easy access to many bus lines and several metro lines, it is easy to get to classes from anywhere in the city.

STUDENT FACILITIES: Wi-fi is available throughout the school and students (and faculty) also have access to computers and a printer. To make photocopies, there is a copy shop just across the street. The building also has a sun-drenched terrace to study, eat, or just hang out.

TRANSPORTATION: An unlimited 3-month public transportation pass is provided for all students on this program. The pass is good for the metro, bus, train & trams within Barcelona city and near surroundings.

FACULTY:

Professor Jeannette Idiart completed her undergraduate studies in English Literature at the University of California at Berkeley and then followed with graduate studies in American Literature at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. Since 2001, she has taught as a full time English faculty member at Shoreline Community College. Jeannette teaches a wide variety of composition, interdisciplinary and literature courses and especially enjoys exploring Gothic literature with her students. She is a well-seasoned traveler who has lived in France, Spain, and Argentina and looks forward to creating a learning community in Barcelona.

COURSES: Students register for their courses at the home campus. See your study abroad advisor for course offering.

– Spanish (5 credits) is required for all students.

– English 111/English 111W: Introduction to Literature: Barcelona in Literature Students will explore a selection of poetry, short fiction, novels and drama that represent Barcelona in its pages. We will read both Catalan literature and works by Spanish and international writers set in Barcelona from the 17^th century to the present day while learning about literary genre. Studying the literature of Barcelona in its setting will deeply enrich students’ understanding that the Barcelona of literature is an imagined one, allowing them to explore how literature transforms the city into art. The class will also grapple with a question raised in much of the literature about Barcelona: What darkness lurks beneath the image of Barcelona as a romantic, artistic, and cosmopolitan city?

This course fulfills a Humanities distribution requirement for the AA and AS degree. The writing intensive “W” version of the course also satisfies the University of Washington’s “W” writing requirement. Check with your Study Abroad Advisor for more information.

– English 101/102/276: The Self in Barcelona Personal narrative is a powerful tool for inquiry, understanding, and communication. This way of thinking and writing guides students to delve into their inner lives and their own stories in order to discover the meaning of their own experience; question their own ideas and beliefs as well as those of society; and connect personal experience and insight to the wider world. To this end, students will write stories about their Barcelona experiences and use them as a jumping off point for analysis, reflection, and research, which may lead them to new perspectives on the essential questions, “Who am I?” “Where am I going?” and “Why does it matter?”

Emphasis on specific writing and analytical techniques, assignments, some readings, and research requirements would differ from course to course. English 101 and 102 fulfill the general education core Communication requirement for the AA and AS degree; English 276 satisfies a Humanities distribution requirement for the AA and AS degree. It may also satisfy the University of Washington’s “W” writing requirement. Check with your Study Abroad Advisor.

– Political Science 204: Introduction to Comparative Politics (Only offered if enrollment reaches 25 or more) All European states, including Spain, and most states (countries) in the world are governed by parliaments and prime ministers. Spain is also a constitutional monarchy. How do these systems compare with the presidential systems of the United States, Latin America, and elsewhere? We will undertake these and many other questions as we compare and analyze the politics and workings of political systems around the world. We will place a special emphasis on Spain and the European Union. Social services are much more extensive in Europe (e.g., free or cheap health care) and college costs a lot less. Spain, however, is one of the states hit hardest by the 2008 Recession and austerity measures have made for some hard adjustments. Let’s learn about this! Additionally, we will focus on human rights issues in Europe and elsewhere. Lastly, students will also learn the basic methodologies for carrying out comparative politics research.

– Social Science 160: Introduction to Gender Studies (Only offered if enrollment reaches 25 or more) This class provides an introduction to the historical constructions – socially, politically, culturally, biologically, and legally – of gender (masculinity and femininity), sexuality and the body, and relations between the sexes. It also examines gender as informed by race, class, ethnicity, culture, religion, age, and nationality. Students will compare and contrast Spanish and European policies (i.e., same-sex marriage, paid child care), culture, and attitudes about sex and gender with those found in the United States, Latin America and the Philippines (former Spanish colonies), and elsewhere. We will draw on a wide variety of fields including political science, sociology, psychology, biology, medicine, history, anthropology, criminal justice, economics, and others. We will watch and analyze movies on a near weekly basis, including one or more by the Spanish director, Pedro Almodóvar. There is no essay in this class, but students will write analyses of assigned readings which will inform class discussions.

This is an academic program and students are expected to enroll in a full-time course load. Failure to participate in the academic coursework may result in dismissal from the program. Students are encouraged to make the most of their classroom learning as it will enhance understanding of all the local area has to offer.

EXCURSIONS/ACTIVITIES:
Included in the program students will have:

3 day trips outside of Barcelona potentially including: Tarragona, Montserrat or Dalí Museum
Weekly cultural activities to get to know Barcelona and local life such us: Guided tours, Cooking class, and more
Optional weekend excursions with other students for an extra cost
Welcome & farewell meals
Re-entry professional workshop: “How to use this experience to help you land your dream job”

HOUSING: Students will stay in homestays in double rooms. A homestay can be one part of a meaningful cultural integration and increased safety of the study abroad experience. Homestays are designed to be a mutually valuable experience for both the hosts and the participant. We work to find homestays that want to share their culture and language with the students and create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. A homestay “family” does not always mean a husband and wife, two children and a cute dog. In fact, what is more common is to live in the apartment of an older, widowed woman who enjoys the company. The thorough screening process, regular family check-ins and homestay reviews allow us to monitor safety and the quality of the homestays we place our students with. Homestays include breakfast and dinner every day, laundry services once a week, a set of keys to the apartment to come and go as you please.

COSTS: $6,575

INCLUDED IN THE COST:

Housing facilities (breakfast and dinner every day, laundry services once a week)
Airport Pick-up included for those who arrive on the assigned day and time
Welcome & Farewell lunch
A thorough cross-cultural and health and safety orientation
Full, comprehensive medical and accident Insurance through CISI
24‐hour emergency cell phone on‐site with Barcelona SAE staff
Experiential education, ICC, and language acquisition built-in to all activities
Professional workshop: “How to use this Study Abroad Experience on Your Resume to Land Your Dream Job”
Weekly cultural activities
3 day trips outside Barcelona
Unlimited 3-month public transportation for zone 1 in Barcelona
Space for 2 WCCCSA clases
50 hours of Spanish language class taught by local professors