ARHU350:UMD-Winter: Chile: Chilean Culture Democracy and Social Change (ARHU/HONR/CMLT/GVPT/HIST/LASC) Santiago, Chile Valparaiso, Chile Pucon, Chile
Program dates: January 1-20, 2017
IMPORTANT: • Before you read about the itinerary and activities that are part of this course it is essential to keep in mind that, although we will be visiting some beautiful places and engaging and numerous enjoyable activities, this is not a touristic or vacation-type trip but rather a carefully planned academic course with an important cultural exchange component. In order to earn a good grade and help maintain a productive environment where all the students can do the same you will adapt your conduct and academic priorities accordingly. In order to do so, students are require to familiarize themselves with UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT, available online at: http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/docs/V-100B.pdf • students should also familiarize themselves with and the academic requirements for a 3 creditlevel course: 300-level courses—require substantial writing (e.g. 10-12 pages of formal writing), including at least one assignment of five pages or longer; and a final exam or its equivalent. Additional writing (such as in-class writing, journals and additional papers) encouraged.
REMEMBER that the same behavior expectations listed and explained in the University of Maryland Code of Student
Conduct exist overseas, in matters relating to student-to-student, student-to-instructor relationships, academic performance, class attendance, and academic honesty.
Grading and assessment for this course consists of the following components: • Key Concepts Test 15% • Required Readings & Movies Test 15% • Presentation and 5 page paper 15% • Service-Learning incl. Service-Learning Planning • Class Participation 15% • Electronic Journal (4 posts total) 10%
30%
SANTIAGO (the Capital of Chile)
Cultural Excursions, Guest Speakers & Santiago a Mil Theater Festival
Location: Santiago This course is an introduction to contemporary Chilean society and culture. It will provide you with the tools necessary to understand how international circumstances and Chile's social and economic tensions resulted in the 1973 coup d'etat and ensuing 17 year-long military dictatorship. The course emphasizes the creativity and cohesive power of many different un-trained individuals and groups who developed effective community-based strategies for survival and found ways oppose the regime through a series of artistic and solidary engagements. Our itinerary will include visits to the most important government locations and cultural sites such as La Moneda, Plaza de Armas, and the National Cathedral, as well as museums, theaters and parks for reflection and the preservation of collective memory (Villa Grimaldi, the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, Pablo Neruda’s houses in Santiago and Isla Negra, etc.).
Great Things about Santiago: Cultural and Historical Sites
Cerro Santa Lucia Cerro San Cristobal National Cathedral La Moneda Palace of Government Iglesia San Francisco and Colonial Museum
Museum of Memory and Human Rights Parque por la Paz Villa Grimaldi
Great Things about Santiago: The Guest Speakers
Dr. Jorge Montealegre is a poet, journalist and cultural critic who, as a young student organizer, was arrested by the Pinochet regime and incarcerated in the Chacabuco detention camp in the Atacama desert in northern Chile. He has conducted extensive research on the history of Chilean cartoons and comics. Jorge received the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1989. He is currently the Director of the Department of Cultural Extension at the Universidad de Santiago.
Award-winning Chilean author PĂa Barros is known internationally for her dedication to human rights and her belief in the power of literature and the arts to bring about social change. She is the author of one novel and numerous volumes of short stories as well as the series of flash fiction anthologies titled Enough; a project conceived with the intention of raising awareness about violence against women and children in her native Chile.
Great Things about Santiago: The Santiago a Mil International Theatre Festival • DATES: 3-22 of January, 2017 • The Santiago a Mil International Theatre Festival is run by a non-profit foundation which started the festival in 1994 with the intention to provide affordable access to quality cultural events for locals, while simultaneously promoting Chilean theatre to an international public. The event features national and international productions (more than 250 indoor theatre, dance, and musical performances and about 80 street-based shows). With more than half a million attendees every year, this is one largest arts festival in Latin America. • Every year we attend two performances. If the schedule allows, students can attend other shows independently. In addition, there’s plenty of opportunity to just happen upon any of the numerous street performances taking place all over town.
Some of the shows we have seen in the past include “Festin” by Colectivo La Vitrina, “The Afternoon of the Faun” by Non Nova, “Mobile Home” and “The Giant Dolls” by Transe Express
VALPARAISO
Spend one week of summer camp making friends with Chilean children, local artists and other mentors
Location: Valparaiso In Valparaiso we take part in a mentoring and cultural exchange project in collaboration with Colegio Pablo Neruda, a local elementary school where UMD students run a summer camp for 20 to 25 children ages 8 to 13. During the course of the week we lead fun and educational activities such as sports sessions, music and dance workshops, and art projects. We also help with the upkeep of the school premises by caring for the community garden and painting some of the classrooms. Through each of these experiences, students learn about the Chilean people and the social movements that contributed to the defeat of Pinochet's dictatorship and the restoration of democracy in Chile. Despite the language barrier and the age gap every year UMD students are surprised to witness the ease with which meaningful friendships develop between the children and their UMD mentors.
Great Things About Valparaiso: Our Amigos
Great Things About Valparaiso: Games & Sports
Great Things About Valparaiso: The Music and Art Projects
We normally have one music and/or art per year. The following pictures are a sample of some of the activities that we have done in previous years
Great Things About Valparaiso: Street Art Valparaiso is famous for its world-class street art done by local and international artist
Pucon Enjoy some unscheduled time in a southern town full of outdoor activities
Pucón is a beautiful town located besides Lake Villarrica in the south of Chile. It has amazing view of the Villarrica Volcano and it’s surrounded by mountains, rivers, and breathtaking views of the country side. Despite the fact that you can walk across town in an hour, this location has everything you can possibly need (banks, post office, supermarkets, restaurants, craft markets, etc.) to spend a few unforgettable days visiting. Although most people gather in a small portion of the beach in front of Gran Hotel Pucon (where there’s a small wharf and you can hire boats, windsurfers and jet skis), the larger beach in Pucon spans for about 4 km. Near Pucon, Parque Nacional Villarrica is one most popular in the country because of its magnificent combination of volcanoes and lakes. The park's 60,000 hectares (148,263 acres) are divided into three sections called Rucapillán, Quetrupillán and Puesco; each section offers a variety of hikes; some can be done in a day, others are a multiple day adventure. After engaging in in some of the numerous outdoor activities that Pucon has to offer (climbing, trekking, paddling and cycling, horseback riding) visitors often enjoy visiting Pucón's hotsprings which are some of the world's biggest natural Jacuzzis. Termas Geométricas, for example, are an “Asian-inspired, red-planked maze of 17 beautiful slate hot springs set upon a verdant canyon over a rushing stream [which] is simply gorgeous”.
Upon returning from Pucon, students have at least one day to recover from the overnight bus ride. During their last day in Santiago students have time to pack and complete their souvenir shopping before departing for the airport in the afternoon/evening.
For additional information, contact: Vivianne Salgado Associate Director Jimenez-Porter Writers’ House 0103 Queen Anne’s Hall Tel: 301.405.0674 Email: viviannesalgado24@gmail.com