UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Zion Sykes never imagined pursuing a minor in Spanish at Penn State would take him to the heart of Mexico for a Lucha Libre match.
Sykes, a third-year student who is also pursuing degrees in political science, international politics and Chinese, was one of 12 students who recently participated in a six-week, faculty-led Spanish language and Mexican culture trip to Puebla, Mexico. Sykes noted that the students’ in-classroom studies at Penn State and through their classes at Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla helped them better understand the social and linguistic norms anticipated during their trip.
“We learned a lot of valuable historical facts that have helped shape Mexico in its current state,” Sykes said. “That made interacting with the nation feel deeper and less superficial.”
Simone Bello-Englesbe, a second-year student majoring in philosophy and minoring in Spanish also noted that studying language and culture helped prepare her for the trip.
“I took a grammar/speaking, literature and theater class,” she said. “The literature class was my favorite — reading Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo and other short stories that also commented on Mexican culture helped develop my appreciation for the destinations I visited. I could see the influence of Christianity, death and family in Mexican culture.”
Alexandra Dyreson, a third-year student majoring in history and philosophy with minors in Spanish and film studies noted that the trip to Mexico helped her improve her overall Spanish-speaking skills.
“Being in a fully immersive experience and having to speak the Spanish language with my host family, during class, at the local OXXO supermarket... greatly improved my language skills,” Dyreson said. “I grew exponentially in my capacity to read, write and speak Spanish.”
The trip proved to be incredibly valuable for more than the students, according to Penn State faculty members Daniel Sanguino, lecturer in Spanish, and Damian V. Solano Escolano, assistant teaching professor of Spanish.
“As a teacher, the best experience I take away from Puebla is seeing my students grow both personally and intellectually week after week,” Solano Escolano said. “The program has three fundamental pillars: day-to-day life with the Mexican host families, the class discussions and assignments on various topics of Mexican history and art and the students’ shared interactions in the city of Puebla and other parts of the country. This whole experience has a great impact on the way students reflect not only on Mexico but also on the role of the U.S. in the world.”
Sanguino echoed Solano Escolano's comments.
“In my second year leading this study abroad program, I continue to be amazed by the level at which the students thrive in a new country with a host family,” Sanguino said. “Students immerse themselves in a distinct education system, explore diverse regions and wholeheartedly adopt Mexican cultures and customs. They have a front-row view to the rich history and uniqueness that Mexico has to offer, for which they will not soon forget about. This experience propels students to grow, challenge themselves and become better global citizens. As for me, the front-row view is a bit different: witnessing their growth and resilience, which makes the entire program worthwhile.”
Although the students spent most of their time in Puebla, they also had the chance to spend long weekends to cities such as Oaxaca, Mexico City, Veracruz and Cuetzalan during the trip.
“My favorite experience of the whole trip was our weekend in Cuetzalan,” Dyreson said. “It is a small historic town — a pueblo magico — tucked away in the jungle. On our second day, we went zip-lining across ravines from one mountain to the other and then hiked all the way to the bottom to swim under waterfalls. The landscape was amazing, and spending time out in nature and the fresh air was a wonderful experience.”