Study Abroad: Cartagena
UC’s study abroad program in Cartagena, Colombia focuses on the social, political, historical, and cultural factors affecting education in a developing nation. Led by Dr. Mary Benedetti, professor of Literacy and Teaching English as a Second Language, students participate in PK-12 or University-level classes, meeting teachers, students and families while observing educational curriculum. Students also have the opportunity to visit important historical and cultural sites in the region, as well as the area’s beaches. Read the accounts of two students as they share their own experiences from the trip.
More information on the study abroad program details is available.
Rosemary Franklin, M.Ed. Literacy, enjoys ‘la bella vida’ of Cartagena
Take one old Spanish Colonial building, set in a beautiful bursting with color residential area of Cartagena, Colombia, add four UC students and the director of the Adult International program plus a mélange of professors and students from Universidad de Technologica Bogata and you have a lively and authentic English as a Second Language experience!
The study abroad practicum is a real life look at what many of our university colleagues in foreign countries experience in unique educational settings. I had the pleasure of meeting some of the warmest and most friendly Colombian colleagues imaginable. Cartagenans are ultimately social, and this warm, friendly and animated group made the study of ESL intimate and immediate.
We met as a group for a two-week session in the morning. Our afternoons were free to see all this UNESCO World Heritage site had to offer. Cultural sites such as the Palace of the Inquisition, Cathedral of San Pedro Claver, Castillo de San Felip de Barajas were several of many excursions. The hot, sultry weather made going to the beach unavoidable! A long ferry ride filled with salsa-dancing to the Rosario Island of Playa Blanca es la vida bella! So many memorable images of charming sidewalk cafes, world-class restaurants in the evening, strolling in Plaza Bolivar, carriage rides through the old center, sidewalk vendors, grilled red snapper on the beach, and ah, Colombian cerveza! What a fantastic way to get real-world experience.
The true highlight though was meeting and spending time with Dr. Benedetti's warm and wonderful Cartagenan family! I can't wait to return. It was gorgeous.
~ Rosemary Franklin
Alison Carnevale, M.Ed. Literacy, gains a deeper understanding of international education
I am a student in the M.Ed. Literacy program with a specialization in teaching English to speakers of other languages. This summer I was lucky enough to be one of four students to participate in a two-week trip to Colombia for my practicum.
We spent two weeks in Cartagena, a city on the northern coast of Colombia. We worked with English teachers at a local university, assisting them in revising/creating a curriculum. It was a great learning experience for someone like me, who wants to teach English abroad. Working with the teachers at the university introduced me to the obstacles teachers and administrators can face in certain countries. We were able to observe classes, talk to the teachers and get a deeper understanding of higher education in Cartagena. I had some fascinating conversations with Colombian teachers as we shared our diverse experiences and perspectives. We were able to exchange ideas with the teachers, and although the power went out on more than one occasion and the heat was unbearable, we all learned from each other every day as we discussed our varying teaching approaches and methods.
After the program ended, I stayed in Cartagena for about a week, exploring the city further and traveling to the Rosario Islands. On the island I explored a local village, kayaked through waters filled with mangrove trees, and even watched shooting stars on a dock with the locals! It was truly a lovely ending to a transformative trip that not only provided me an enlightening academic experience, but also introduced me to the unique Cartagena culture. My time in Cartagena was a valuable and memorable journey that has certainly played an essential role in my education to become an ESL/EFL teacher.
~Alison Carnevale, M.Ed. Literacy