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 Current Conditions: Cloudy, 61 F Forecast: Fri - Partly Cloudy. High: 61 Low: 57 Sat - Partly Cloudy. High: 62 Low: 56 Sun - Partly Cloudy. High: 61 Low: 56 Mon - Partly Cloudy. High: 61 Low: 56 Tue - Mostly Sunny. High: 62 Low: 56
Distance to Cedar Falls: 4448 miles
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Given its great extension, one of Chile's main characteristics is its astonishing variety of landscapes.
A Chilean legend states that when God finished the Creation, he took the extra desert, pampa, jungle, and mountains to create the diverse landscape that is Chile.
Arica is the northernmost city of Chile located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. With a population of just over 180,000, the area has a number of anthropological research sites of ancient societies including the Aymara, Atacama, and Chinchorro people. The University of Tarapaca is the custodian of the rich remains of textiles, pottery, religious artifacts, and the oldest mummies in the world.
Known as the city of eternal spring, Arica has mild winters and hot summers. Rain is seldom seen, making sunny afternoons almost guaranted. People enjoy water sports like surfing, wind surfing, water skiing, and other outdoor recreational activities. Because of its excellent location near Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Peru, Arica is a great place to begin traveling in the region. The Machu-Picchu ruins in Peru, Tiwanaku in Bolivia, the jungles of Brazil, and the northern steppes of Argentina are all within a traveler's reach.
The University of Tarapaca is located in Arica, Chile, and was established in 1982 by merging the local branches of the University of Chile and the Catholic University. It has five faculties: Agriculture; Business and Social Sciences; Natural Sciences (Nursing, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical Technology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology); Engineering, and Education & Humanities (Physical Education, History, English, Geography). The Agronomy Institute, located just outside Arica in the Azapa Valley, carries out research on desert agriculture.
The University of Tarapaca offers a summer Culture and Intensive Spanish Program (CISP). The session normally runs through June and July (8 weeks). Possible course options (for undergraduate credit) include:
(SPAN 3050, 3 credits) - Written Communication
(SPAN 3020 or SPAN 3052, 3 credits) - Latin American Culture and Civilization or Contemporary Hispanic Culture
(SPAN 3004, 3 credits) - Introduction to Hispanic Literature
(630:159, 3 credits) - TESOL Practicum: Dr. Joyce Milambiling, arranged meeting time, no prerequisites.
Students with a sufficient level of Spanish are able to enroll in regular university classes during the semester, but most UNI students focus on Spanish language studies while in Chile. The usual semester load is four or five classes (total of 28 direct contact hours) a week. The summer program includes offers three to four Spanish classes (9-12 UNI credit hours).
Academic year begins in March and ends in December. Spring semester runs from mid-March through mid-July; fall semester runs from mid-August through mid-December.
CISP Summer session is an eight week program, typically running through June and July.
Homestays with local Arica families are prearranged by UTA staff. The accommodations will include a private room and all meals throughout the day. The family placement will be arranged by completing a questionnaire to ensure maximum compatibility. You will have the opportunity to specify any allergies to food or pets, preference of large or small families, and any other details that may make your family experience a positive one. The majority of the families in Arica speak little to no English, allowing for an authentic immersion experience and a better opportunity for UNI students to practice and apply their Spanish language skills.
The approximate cost is $3,600-$3,700 (not including airfare)
Included in the price:
NOT included in the price:
*The airfare will be arranged through a travel agent so participants will arrive together
(most will depart as a group as well).
"The town overlooks the Pacific Ocean, the Andes Mountains run through it, and the climate is desert-like. Arica is the best of all three worlds!
I've experienced so many new things that I would never have been able to experience here in Iowa! I've eaten some strange foods, swam in the Pacific Ocean for the first time, experienced the joys of going through customs in a foreign country, crossed the Peruvian and Chilean border many times, stayed the night in a mountain, experienced earthquakes, saw Machu Picchu, rode a double decker bus for the first time, and so much more! I'm grateful for being able to go on this trip and I'm excited to see how this trip as helped me in my Spanish classes at UNI and for my future ELL classroom!"
Allyson Berry, Summer 2011
