SPAN 3903/4903

The purpose of this course is to encourage you to have a MEANINGFUL experience in Madrid. You will be doing all sorts of social things, but this course should help to organize your thoughts about your experience, too. It will be a journal for you, written in the language you are studying.

A. Everyone is to read chapter 1 of the text, go to the Paseo del Prado, and go to the Prado Museum of art. Anyone NOT visiting the Prado Museum will get an F in this course. Write and post: 1. a résumé of chapter 1; 2. your observations of/response to the place described in the text. In addition, you are to see the following artists' work: El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya. You are to choose one painting of each and comment on it. This is to be in Spanish. I expect 500 words minimum. (Please also see El Bosco´s Garden of Earthly Delights, for your own benefit.) This is due within the first week.

B. From that point on, you are to choose the chapter that appeals to you the most, and following this guide (Go to the place described):
1. A résume´of the chapter.
2. A reflective piece about what you observed.
3. Write a total of 500 minimum for each chapter. Photos and sound files are encouraged!
4. Do a chapter a week--4 in all, in addition to Chapter 1.
5. All writing is to be posted on the program blog: http://spsumadrid08.blogspot.com/
6. FINAL Posting--a reflective piece on the entire experience, taking into account what you had expected to find, and what you actually found. How this experience changed you and your outlook on life, your education, the US, etc. Also 500 words--but this one can be in English.

Final grade: average of grades on each of the 6 postings.