Vamos a ???

Introduction:

I have just been informed that the International Center for Student Travel (ICST) has awarded our class an all-expenses paid trip to a Spanish-speaking country of our choosing in Central America. However the organization has stipulated that in order to receive this premio increíble we need to a) make an informed, defensible decision about the country we choose to visit, and b) convince a team of ICST representatives that we are knowledgeable enough about each of the countries in Central America to have made an informed decision. In other words, in groups of 3 or 4, you are going to become experts about a particular Central American country so that you can convince your classmates that we should visit the country you have researched and consequently persuade the ICST representatives (impersonated by a few of your teachers who are self-proclaimed "world travelers") that we deserve the prize they have so graciously awarded us.

Tasks:

1. Arrange yourselves into groups of 3 or 4 and set to work on identifying all of the Spanish-speaking countries that belong to the region known as Central America. Once you have compiled a complete list (use http://graphicmaps.com/webimage/countrys/camerica.htm for assistance), you will conduct basic research on each country so that you can make a more knowledgeable decision about the country your group will select to research more extensively. Choose five characteristics that you will use to make your decision (i.e. population, main religion, literacy rate, government type, history, economical measures) and ensure that each group member is responsible for finding a specific characteristic of each country (use https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html). When you have collected all of the necessary data, you are ready to decide which country you wish to investigate further. You can then inform me of your decision, and, upon confirmation, you will move on to Task #2.

2. Having chosen the Central American country you wish to visit, your group will begin the research process by delegating different responsibilities to each member so that the end product is a comprehensive, holistic approach to the request of the travel organization to justify your choice for a travel destination. Remember, you are going to have to persuade your classmates that the country your group chose is the one we should visit, so you want to be as complete as possible! As I imagine that you are all going to have a hard time approaching this assignment, here are a few of the things that you should be looking for in forming an adequate argument for your country choice: the "vitals" (the general information you have already discovered about the country), the current political situation (Is there unrest? Are Americans generally welcomed?), the overall safety (Am I likely to be pick-pocketed? Should I travel in groups? Are the police corrupt?), the climate, the unique destinations and landmarks (What can I see and do in your country that I cannot do anywhere else?), and the culture and people (What makes the people in your country so unique? What kind of reception will I get? What are the holidays I should be aware of?). The preceding ideas are simply suggestions; your group should be as creative and comprehensive as possible in forming a justification for visiting your country. Please see below for a list of websites that will help you find some useful information (you will need to use at least 5 of the provided sites as well as 2 of your own choosing as part of this project).

3. When you have collected an adequate amount of information, your group will organize your research into a 5-page paper (English, double-spaced, size 12 font) that presents a case for why our class should choose your country. You will also plan a 5-10 minute presentation to be given in class a week after the project is assigned.

4. If your group's country is chosen as our travel destination, you will be responsible for giving the same presentation to the ICST representatives during the following class period, at which time your classmates will be responsible for answering any and all questions pertaining to the other countries in Central America that were not selected by our class. Just because you are not responsible for researching all of the C.A. countries does not mean that you will not be called upon to answer questions about the one you did not research; review the "vitals" before coming to class!

5. Using the sources that both I and your group provide, each group member will ultimately turn in an annotated bibliography containing at least 7 sources. You are to write about why each of these websites is helpful and what information from that website is crucial for the completion of the assignment. This must be completed individually.

Sources:

http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/
http://www.bootsnall.com/Central-America
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/central-america
http://www.latinworld.com/centro/
http://gocentralamerica.about.com/
http://www.topix.com/world/central-america
http://www.world66.com/centralamericathecaribbean
http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/region/travel/
http://www.lata.org/
http://www.centroamerica21.com/

Conclusion:

After spending so much time studying a language, we have been presented with a remarkable opportunity to use it by visiting one of the countries where Spanish is the official language. Let's take advantage of this opportunity by learning all that we can about our destination and the people who reside there. Be complete. Be professional. Be creative. And above all, diviertanse!