World Languages and Cultures Welcome!
Newsletter: February 2013
The Department of World Languages and Cultures welcomes you to Spring semester of 2013! We’re so glad you’ve decided to make languages a part of your academic career!
Special points of interest: Upcoming events in the Department of World Languages and Cultures Costa Rica Program Personal Experiences from Costa Rica 2012 What to expect next month...
Inside this issue: Welcome
1
Conversation Tables
2
Film Schedule
3
Costa Rica Program
4
Personal Experiences from Costa Rica
5
Tutoring Schedule
6
This newsletter serves to inform you of the events sponsored by the Department this month. Check out the activities calendar for the conversation tables and movie nights, as well as anything else that might be of interest. You will also see information on the Costa Rica Summer Program, including personal testimonies of experiences from students who participated in the program last summer. If you are
considering studying abroad as part of your Spanish studies, check it out! There are so many opportunities available to you! If you have any questions regarding activities or opportunities offered through the department, please do not hesitate to come by and talk to someone in the World Languages and Cultures Department Office, Wilson room 220. Ms. Alyssa, the Department’s Administrative Specialist, or Dr. Unnold, the Chair of World Languages and Cultures, will be more than happy to help!
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World Languages and Cultures Activities Color Guide: French German Spanish
February 2013 Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
Stammtisch @ 12, The Edge
3
10
17
24
4
5
6
7
8
Le Cercle Francais @ 5, The Edge Charlas con Ryan @ 3:30, W 317
Charlas con Tyler @ 2, W 317
Tertulia @ 2, The Edge Charlas con Ryan @ 12, W 317 Gespräch mit Stefanie @ 4, W 317
FMN– Jeux d’enfants @ 6:30, W Auditorium Spanish @ the Pub8pm Charlas con Eileen @ 3, W 317
Stammtisch @ 12, The Edge
9
11
12
13
14
15
Le Cercle Francais @ 5, The Edge Charlas con Ryan @ 3:30, W 317
SMN– Sidewalls @ 6:30, W Auditorium Charlas con Tyler @ 2, W 317
Tertulia @ 2, The Edge Charlas con Ryan @ 12, W 317 Gespräch mit Stefanie @ 4, W 317
Spanish @ the Pub8pm Charlas con Eileen @ 3, W 317
Stammtisch @ 12, The Edge
18
19
20
21
22
Le Cercle Francais @ 5, The Edge Charlas con Ryan @ 3:30, W 317
Charlas con Tyler @ 2, W 317
Tertulia @ 2, The Edge Charlas con Ryan @ 12, W 317 Gespräch mit Stefanie @ 4, W 317
LAB CLOSED FOR ONLINE EXAMS Spanish @ the Pub8pm Charlas con Eileen @ 3, W 317
LAB CLOSED FOR ONLINE EXAMS Stammtisch @ 12, The Edge
25
26
27
28
M-CMN– Kabab Connection @ 6:30, W Auditorium Le Cercle Francais @ 5, The Edge Charlas con Ryan @ 3:30, W 317
Charlas con Tyler @ 2, W 317
Tertulia @ 2, The Edge Charlas con Ryan @ 12, W 317 Gespräch mit Stefanie @ 4, W 317
Spanish @ the Pub8pm Charlas con Eileen @ 3, W 317
16
23
Conversation Tables in Wilson 317
Spanish In addition to Tertulia at The Edge on Wednesdays, there are conversation tables for Spanish students at the elementary and intermediate levels throughout the week. Advanced students in the Spanish Internship host the “Charlas” and plan fun activities and conversations that you can attend to immerse yourself in the Hispanic culture and advance your communication skills.
German German students have two opportunities to join conversation tables. Stammtisch is held every Friday at The Edge, and our new German tutor, Stefanie, now hosts Gespräch on Wednesdays in the Multimedia Center in Wilson 317.
French French students can join Dr. Johnson at the Edge on Mondays at 5pm for Le Cercle Française. Additionally, Shine tutors French in the Multimedia Center in Wilson 317 on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Check out the back page for the schedule of tutoring hours!
Volume 1, Issue 1
French Movie Night: Thursday, February 7, 2013 Jeux d’enfants (Love Me If You Dare) As adults, best friends Julien and Sophie continue the odd game they started as children -- a fearless competition to outdo one another with daring and outrageous stunts. While they often act out to relieve one another's pain, their game might be a way to avoid the fact that they are truly meant for one another. -IMDb Wilson Hall Auditorium, Room 211 6:30 pm
Spanish Movie Night: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 Medianeras (Sidewalls) Martin, a Web designer who lives in a tiny apartment, is getting over a breakup: His girlfriend went to New Jersey to visit her parents and never returned. Mariana, who designs shop windows but wants to be an architect, also is mourning the end of an affair -- she calls it “35,040 hours with the wrong person.’’ Both are neurotic: He’s agoraphobic, and she has a fear of elevators. They’re obviously meant for each other, but while their lives frequently cross, they never connect as they deal with loneliness and their phobias. -NYPost Movie Review by V.A. Musetto Wilson Hall Auditorium, Room 211 6:30 pm Multi-Cultural Movie Night: Monday, February 25, 2013
Kebab Connection Aspiring Turkish director Ibo makes a name for himself when he directs an acclaimed commercial for his uncle’s King of Kebab restaurant, which greatly increases business. Ibo’s good fortune disappears though when his father kicks him out of the house after he learns that his son’s German girlfriend, Titzi, is pregnant. Compounding the problem is Ibo’s refusal to accept his share of parenting responsibility and a lackluster second commercial he directs for his uncle. -IMDb "Kebab Connection" comically lifts the veil on a colorful group of characters and their bizarrely incoherent ideas about combining the personal and the political. - Variety Film Review by Deborah Young Wilson Hall Auditorium, Room 211 6:30 pm
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WLCs Summer Costa Rica Program For students wishing to experience life in a foreign country, consider going to Costa Rica with World Languages and Cultures! This is a four-week Spanish immersion trip filled with weekday academic instruction at two locations, one in the busy central valley of San Joaquin and one in the beautiful mountains of Monte Verde.
There will be two weekend excursions, one to Manuel Antonio National Park and one to Arenal Volcano and Hot Springs. Included also are escorted excursions to San Jose, Heredia, Café Britt, and El Trapiche. Several weekend activity choices are offered for making the trip a personalized, individual experience for each member of the group. Some of this year’s optional activities:
waterfall repelling, bungeejumping, zip-lining, and horse -back riding. Additional activities include dance lessons, cooking classes, and more. In addition, the program includes a half-day service project through the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation in which all students volunteer time toward making a difference in the lives of others.
“I wouldn't take it back for
Travel with us next summer!
anything, and
Dr. Ruth Owens, who leads the group each year, is always somewhere in the background coordinating daily schedules and activities and making certain that all in the group are happy and well.
now I'm ready to travel more! PURA VIDA!” -Patricia Holloway
All who have studied Spanish under Dr. Owens know what
a pleasure she is to work with. Firm but fair, she will be your fearless leader while in Costa Rica. Her experience in this position, her expertise en ‘la lengua española’, and her pride in our students and our university ensure that everything progresses with ease throughout the trip.
If you have questions about the program, please contact Dr. Owens through her campus email: rsupko@astate.edu
Personal Experiences: Eileen Bufano, Costa Rica 2012 My personal experience with the 2012 Costa Rica group was very rewarding. I found the people to be warmhearted and welcoming, and the city, countryside, and seashore beautiful and exciting. The classroom instruction and immersion experience was an invaluable part of my study program. The families I was assigned to
live with were accommodating and charming. The week-end trips were great fun. One Saturday while in Monte Verde, about half a dozen of us went horseback riding while others went zip-lining. I am not a horse-woman, never had the opportunity to learn, but I really wanted to
go….and I loved it. No lessons necessary, the horses were trained, gentle ‘tourist’ mounts. I just sat and let the horse do the work for the most part. The views of Costa Rican nature were exquisite from my perch on the back of that horse, climbing over stones and through muddy paths. It was a highlight of the trip for me.
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Volume 1, Issue 1
Personal Experiences: Jory Neff, Costa Rica 2012 Costa Rica is often considered a paradise by tourists around the world; indeed, it has lush rainforests, gorgeous beaches, and the friendliest people you could ever meet. If seeing a verifiable heaven-on-earth appeals to you, you'll be in luck. Every utopia, however, has a less-than-bright side, and no country in the world is exempt from the problems that plague the post-modern world. Costa Rica has a real
side too--a need for volunteers with a heart for helping others. When we were in Costa Rica, our group visited a city called La Carpio-the national landfill for Costa Rica. We assisted a nonprofit group in building bunkbeds for immigrants and 'pobres' in the city. While I will leave it up to you to discover the meaning of those bunkbeds, I will just say that they mean worlds to the people living in
La Carpio: Safety, independence, and hope. Seeing a demand for people who need help spurs me on to being a better teacher and activist. I hope that knowing you will have an opportunity to help others will encourage you to go to Costa Rica--it's not just a month long vacation; it's getting to know a people, a culture, and a life in the most hands-on way.
Jory Neff at La Carpia, Costa Rica
Personal Experiences: Latasha Moore, Costa Rica 2012 My experience in Costa Rica was surprising and insightful on so many levels. I learned that a society can thrive and excel without the latest technology. In this country, our lives revolve around gizmos and gadgets. Costa Ricans are still intelligent and
knowledgeable without all that we have.
capabilities. I recommend this trip to anyone!
What I loved most about the voyage was being surrounded by Spanish. The full immersion caused me to improve my bilingual skills and I am even more confident in my speaking
Latasha Moore at Zarcero Topiary Gardens, in the picturesque mountain town of Zarcero, Costa Rica
Personal Experiences: Sarah Seibert, Costa Rica 2012 Costa Rica was full of challenges and once in a lifetime experiences. Arriving with minimal Spanish communication skills, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. To my surprise, I learned much more than to effectively communicate in another language.
This trip also taught me to appreciate another culture through hands-on learning in CPI and full-immersion with multiple host families. Additionally, I was afforded countless opportunities to enjoy Costa Rica’s natural beauty and learn about the country’s history through a variety of excursions.
Studying abroad is one of the most beneficial endeavors that a student can take part in throughout their college career. I recommend to take advantage of the numerous travel opportunities our school provides.
Sarah Siebert at Selvatura Park in the Costa Rican Rain Forest
World Languages & Cultures ASU-Jonesboro Wilson Hall, room 220 P.O. Box 2400 State University, AR 72467
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Phone: 870-972-3887 Fax: 870-972-3927 E-mail: languages@astate.edu
Educating multilingual leaders, enhancing their understanding through a multiplicity of cultural perspectives, and enriching their lives through cross cultural exchange.
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Multi Media Center Spring 2013 Tutoring Schedule – Wilson Hall 317 Time
Monday
11-12pm
Closed
12-1pm
Spanish
1-2pm
Spanish
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Closed
Spanish French
Closed
Spanish
Spanish
Spanish
German Spanish
German Spanish
German Spanish French
Spanish
German Spanish
Tuesday Spanish
Next Month:
2-3pm
German Spanish
German Spanish
German Spanish French
Spanish
Closed
3-4pm
German Spanish
Spanish
German Spanish French
German Spanish
Closed
4-5pm
German Spanish
Spanish
German Spanish French
German Spanish
Closed
5-6pm
Spanish
Spanish
Closed
Closed
Closed
In next month’s issue, you can learn more about the new additions to the World Languages and Cultures faculty. Also included will be next month’s activities calendar! Find out what’s going on within the Department all month!