Hmong Language & Culture in Thailand
Program Details
The beautiful, mountainous city of Chiang Mai, located in Northern Thailand, is a place that merges ancient and modern culture with Hmong tradition. Chiang Mai is home to fabulous food, famous markets, plentiful waterfalls, and ornate Buddhist temples. On this program, Chiang Mai will serve as the setting for studies of the Hmong language and culture in the trans-historical context of Thailand. Students will gain deeper understandings of Hmong linguistic and cultural diaspora, as well as discovering the complexity of Hmong dialects and regional cultural shifts.
About Hmong Language & Culture in Thailand
This is a four-week instructor-led program that is coordinated by the University of Minnesota Learning Abroad Center. Participants will live in shared accommodations with others also participating in the program. Program coursework also involves multiple excursions in and around Chiang Mai. These may include a Hmong Market, the fabrics and arts factory, Mae Tang, homestays in a Hmong Village, Ban Vina, and a trip to the Mekong River. All participants will take the coordinated group flight to and from the program sight, with the cost of flights being included in the program fee.
The learning objectives and academic elements of this course are centered around students learning Hmong and experiencing Hmong culture in its natural setting. The belief is that full immersion can aide students in working towards fluency, while also earning credits towards a Hmong major or minor. Instructors will work with students at all levels of speaking, but beginning Hmong speaking skills are recommended. All aspects of linguistic performance—speaking-reading-writing and listening—will be addressed. Coursework will involve daily journals, video reflections, and a final paper on Hmong language and culture. There will also be group projects for excursions that students will collaborate on throughout the program.
How to Apply
Visit UMabroad.umn.edu and search Hmong Language & Culture in Thailand to find the program's page! Apply on this site and learn more details about the course.
About Learning Abroad Center
The Learning Abroad Center in the Global Programs and Strategy Alliance is the University of Minnesota's comprehensive resource for study, intern, community engagement, research, and volunteer experiences worldwide.
The Learning Abroad Center is a leader in providing innovative international learning experiences that expand and redefine the world for a diverse population of students, colleagues, and staff. The Learning Abroad Center staff and University of Minnesota faculty and staff participate in numerous leadership opportunities and serve on the advisory boards of organizations who provide and/or support education abroad programs. Through collaboration and individual attention, the Learning Abroad Center continues to promote empowerment, development, understanding, and responsibility in the global community.
A variety of program options—more than 180 programs in 50 countries—have been developed to address the diverse needs of students. Programs vary in length, level, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and degree of independence demanded of the participant.
UMabroad.umn.edu
612.626.9000
UMabroad@umn.edu
