by Bryan Gibel
Daily Lobo
If you're tired of the daily grind at UNM and want to get away for a semester, there's a program that can help you study at universities across Latin America and Spain.
The Latin American and Iberian Institute's study abroad program has exchange agreements with 51 universities in 10 countries in Latin American and 14 cities in Spain.
Studying on exchange for a semester or a year is a great learning experience, said Fernando Maresma, a program coordinator for the institute.
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"It's not only that you learn, but also the fact that you travel," he said. "You broaden your mind. It makes you more sensitive to other people and other cultures."
The agreements allow students who are fluent in Spanish or Portuguese to study abroad for a semester or a year, said Robyn CìtÇ, the program's coordinator.
In return, students from Latin America and Spain who are fluent in English attend UNM for a semester or a year, she said.
CìtÇ said it's a more personal experience for students than studying at UNM because they take classes with the native students of the country.
"Having to use the language every day and hearing it around you all the time is really much better for students," she said. "When you're down there, you're living it. You're breathing it. It's everywhere."
Exchange students pay tuition to UNM, not the university where they study, CìtÇ said. She said students remain registered here and can use their scholarships or financial aid to help pay for their studies.
When students return to UNM, they can transfer the credits they earned while abroad, she said.
This semester, there are 25 students from Spain and Latin America studying at UNM, the biggest group yet, CìtÇ said.
There are 15 students from UNM in Spain and Latin America, she said.
Student Ana Lucia Alvarez came to UNM this semester from Managua, Nicaragua.
She said one of the first things she noticed at UNM is the amount of resources available on campus.
"My campus, for example, doesn't have any kind of lab that provides free computers for students who don't have one of their own," she said.
Student Mike Nilan spent last year in Granada, Spain.
The process of moving to another country to study was challenging but worth the effort, Nilan said.
"At first, it was a little difficult, but by the end, it went really well," he said. "I got to know a ton of people and improve my language skills. The experience of getting to know Spain taught me a lot about another culture that is very different than the United States."
Nilan said the exchange program helped him grow personally and academically.
"It changed my future plans a little bit," he said. "Now, I don't want to just get a job and earn money. I want to get to know other parts of the world, too."
On Sept. 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., UNM will host a study abroad fair in the SUB. The event will offer information on study abroad programs, academic exchanges and other opportunities to travel, study or work overseas.
