Highlights

While in Guatemala

Principal points of interest will likely include the communities of Antigua, Zunil, Lake Atitlan, Chichicastenango, Tecpan and Momostenango and the archaeological sites of Copan, Utatlan, Iximche and Ab'aj Takalik, though the list may be subject to change. Students will also have an opportunity to climb the active volcano Pacaya.

Students will be living in home-stays with Mayan and Ladino families in Quetzaltenango for the better part of five weeks, which will include private rooms, shared baths, three meals each day, purified drinking water and opportunities for direct engagement with the domestic life of the host families. Quetzaltenango is a large yet comfortably scaled city with a majority indigenous population, a regional hub permitting access to many small indigenous communities and local sites of interest.

The program will also include several one-to-four nights excursions to other locations of particular interest, about 11 nights in all. During these excursions students will be staying in hotels and should expect to purchase meals in restaurants or from vendors in the open air markets.

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$:

Approx. USD2,300 (includes roundtrip airfare) + VCU tuition

Cost Includes:

Cost Include Description:

The program fee is approximately USD2,100 - USD2,400 and includes:
* Round-trip airfare between Washington, D.C. and Guatemala City
* Accommodations
* All meals while living with Guatemalan families
* Study visits and excursions to museums and archaeological sites
* All ground transportation in Guatemala
* On-site Program Director support
* Application fee and deposit
* Pre-departure orientation
* VCU administrative fees
* International Student Identification Card

The following are not included in the program fee. Students are responsible for:
* VCU tuition and fees
* Passport application fee
* All meals when we are based in hotels
* Personal expenses during the program (estimated at USD500)
* Anything not specifically mentioned above

Please budget for these additional expenses.

Airfare:
Airfare is included. The professor will make travel arrangements between Washington, D.C. and Guatemala City, departing in the morning of June 19 and returning July 31 (students are responsible for ground transportation to and from the D.C. airport).

Credit Available

no

Experience Required

yes

Eligibility Students must have at least a 2.0 GPA in order to participate in the VCU summer study abroad program. All applicants must have completed ANTH 103 Introduction to Anthropology (in exceptional cases, the pre-requisite may be waived with the professor's permission). A student's GPA may be taken into account but will not be the sole determining factor. This program is intended to provide a practicum in ethnographic research methods and research design, along with a survey of highland Maya culture. Anthropology majors will enjoy preference over non-anthropology majors. Within that cohort, advanced anthropology majors will have preference over less advanced students, as measured in the number of anthropology credits already completed. Non-anthropology majors from the School of World Studies who are looking to gain international experience will be next in line, and preference again will be extended to senior students over less advanced students. However, strongly motivated students from other disciplines, including freshmen and sophomores, are encouraged to apply. Spanish proficiency is not formally required, but in the event that many students fitting the criteria above wanted to participate, preference would be shown to those with greater levels of Spanish fluency.

This Program is open to

American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African, Worldwide Participant.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Dormitory
• Home-stays
• Other

Application Process Involves

• Essay
• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Typically The Application Process Time is

Year Founded

1838