North Carolina State University
2008 Summer Ethnographic Field School
Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
May 16, 2008 - July 7, 2008
ELIGIBILITY and APPLICATION INFORMATION
The program is designed for only 12-13 enthusiastic and committed undergraduate or graduate students who are anthropology majors or minors and interested in learning ethnographic field methods. Prerequisites are two courses in anthropology, one of which must be in Cultural Anthropology. No previous experience in ethnographic fieldwork required. Successful participants must have had at least two semesters of college Spanish or its equivalent by the start of the program. Guatemalan anthropology students from the Universidad del Valle in Guatemala City will also participate. To apply you must login to the NC State University Study Abroad Office (SAO) website.
Application, Cost, Eligibility Information
1. Applications: You must go to this online website through the NC State University Study Abroad Office. Complete the application form, and send two letters of reference, a copy of your transcript and a check for the $200.00 deposit to the Study Abroad Office. (Make checks payable to North Carolina State University.) STUDY ABROAD OFFICE, Attn: Kim Priebe, Study Abroad Advisor, Box 7344, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7344. Phone is 919-515-2087, Email: Kim_Priebe@NCSU.edu Your application is not complete and cannot be processed until all of the requested information has been received including a copy of your transcript (unofficial one is ok for NCSU students, but students from other universities are required to send an official transcript, two letters of reference (one from an academic reference and one from a work or volunteer superior you know), and a check for $200 for your deposit (to be refunded if you are not accepted)
For further information contact Tim Wallace , the Program Director (15th year as Program Director), Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Box 8107, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8107 (email: (tmwallace@mindspring.com). Telephone: (919) 815-6388 (m); (919) 515-9025) (o), (919) 781-8655 (h); FAX: (919) 515-2610 (o) Call Dr. Wallace on his mobile for quickest response. Please contact him if you have questions about this application form. He is also very happy to any answer questions and provide additional information about the program. If you would like meet with him, please call to make an appointment. For other information you may also call the NCSU Study Abroad Office at 919-515-2087.
Announcements of acceptance into the program will begin as soon as applications are processed shortly after the February 8th deadline. Every effort will be made to promptly advise students of the status of their application. Space is limited, and your chances for acceptance are higher the earlier you submit your application. Only 12-13 students will be accepted for the 2008 program. If the program is oversubscribed, a list of "alternates" will be developed. Alternates will be selected to fill any vacancies that may result if students have to drop out of the program before departure. You will be kept informed (via email or telephone) of the status of your application. The official deadline for applications is February 8, 2008, but if space is still available after that date, applicants who submit their paperwork after that date will be considered.
2. Costs: The cost of the 7 1/2 week program is $2995, which covers nearly virtually all in-country living and travel expenses including: tuition, full coverage health insurance, program fees, room and board, (three meals a day), laundry, ground transfers, local transportation, and on-site research expenses. Airfare (approximately $600 from most anywhere in the lower 48 US states) is not included. All applications must be accompanied by a deposit of $200.00. The deposit will be applied to the total costs paid by the student for the program. Any student not accepted for the program will receive a full refund. After acceptance into the program, the applicant is responsible for making arrangement for paying the rest of the program fees ($2795) by April 1. If there are special arrangements about fee payments that need to be made, please contact the program director or Ms. Lowell West, SAO Budget Manager to discuss them. Students who have been accepted and need to withdraw prior to April 1 will receive a full refund of any additional fees paid.
3. Pre-requisites: Students should have at least two courses in anthropology (one of which must be in cultural/social anthropology or its equivalent before departure. At least some Spanish language ability, though not technically required, is important for this field school, and students should have had at least two semesters of college-level Spanish or its equivalent prior to departure. If there are more applicants than spaces, preference will be given to those with more Spanish. The language of instruction, however, will be in English. If there are special circumstances, please contact Dr. Tim Wallace for discussion of those circumstances to see whether you qualify.
4. Pre-Departure Information: After acceptance into the program participants will be sent an acceptance letter, a syllabus and a gear and reading list.
5. Health Insurance: Each participant will receive full health insurance coverage during the dates of the program. Additional insurance may be purchased at rate of $2 per day if someone wishes to stay longer in Guatemala after the program is completed and still be covered by health insurance. There are good hospital facilities in Guatemala, but it is also important to know in advance whether you have any medical conditions that the program leaders or families may need to know in case of an emergency. Please indicate in the application any medical conditions, allergies or drug allergies that we might need to know about during an emergency.
6. Lodging: During the program each student will be housed separately with a Guatemalan family at Lake Atitlan. Housing includes room, board and laundry. Ninety percent of the homestay families we use are Mayan. The Guatemalan families receiving students like to know what dietary preferences and/or restrictions students have prior to arrival. Please indicate on the application form any dietary preferences or restrictions you may have, including whether or not you are a vegetarian. We will also send you, after acceptance, a homestay request form to find out specific details to assist in making the best homestay match for you.
7. Travel Arrangements: Each student is responsible for making his/her own travel arrangements; however, our program is working with a travel agent who was able to get low airfares to Guatemala for us last year and will be able to do so again this year. After acceptance into the program you should contact him (Dan at Travel Experts 919-846-2544 or 800-274-2544) or your own travel agent as soon as possible because seat reservations need to be made as early as possible.
8. Passports and Visas: If you are a U.S., Canadian, U.K. or Mexican citizen, you only need a valid passport to enter Guatemala. You will be issued a tourist card at the airport upon arrival. These are good for up to 90 days. If you are a US citizen and do not have a passport or yours needs to be renewed, you should go to the nearest Federal Post Office Passport Officer to obtain one. You will need to bring two 2" X 2" photos, a notarized copy of your birth certificate or your old passport and cash in US dollars - approx. $60 for first time applicants and $40 for renewals. If you do not have a passport or yours needs renewal, you should begin the paperwork to obtain one immediately upon acceptance. It takes much more time to be processed now than in previous years, up to 2-3 months.
9. Non-US citizens and non-NC State Students: Participants do not have to be American citizens or NC State University students to participate. In past years, more than 50% of the participants have been from universities other than NC State University; furthermore, students from Japan, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, England, and Scotland have been participants.
10. Special Equipment: A laptop computer for your use during the program is required. If you have problems locating an inexpensive one to use, please contact the program director. You will also need to download a free, field-note taking software for your research.