Aimee Orndorf returned from Guatemala with encouraging news: It’s a great place for UWM students to experience a new culture, make friends, and learn Mayan languages.
Orndorf works in the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at UWM. She coordinates Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships, which are awards from the U.S. Department of Education that provide funding and support for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in learning less commonly taught languages. That includes languages spoken in Latin America, including Portuguese and the Mayan languages of Kaqchikel and K’iche’.
Thanks to long-standing partnerships with Tulane and Vanderbilt universities, UWM graduate students interested in studying Kaqchikel and K’iche’ can participate in the Mayan Language Institute, a six-week program that allows students to work on their language skills by living in Guatemala and learning from native speakers.
But how is the quality of the program? Orndorf had heard great reports about the MLI, but seeing is believing. So, this summer, she traveled to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala (where K’iche’ is taught) and to Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala (where Kaqchikel is taught) to check it out for herself.
“Having this first-hand experience can help me better advise students who are interested in the program and overall give me a better feel of what programs I’m promoting,” Orndorf, herself a UWM graduate, explained.
Why study Mayan languages? There are plenty of reasons, Orndorf said. There are about one million native speakers of K’iche’ and half a million speakers of Kaqchikel, making them among the most widely-spoken Mayan languages. And if you’re studying Mayan culture, it’s helpful to be able to speak with the experts.
“We’ve had, for example, anthropology students who study pottery in a certain region of Latin America, so learning an Indigenous language of the region is very helpful for them to continue their research,” said Orndorf. “There’s also an architecture student wanting to learn about architecture in Central and South America, and they’re interested in learning this language to look back at pre-Columbian architecture. UWM students in any academic program can benefit from this opportunity!”
Supported by a professional development award from the UWM Provost’s Office, Orndorf experienced the MLI as a graduate student might. She was hosted by a local family and received a home-cooked meal each night of her stay. She attended classes with the students who were in the program at the time and got to partake in lessons.
“It was incredible to see their different pedagogy, techniques, and the different classrooms they use,” said Orndorf. “I was surprised that they wanted me to participate and jump right in the classes. Even though I didn’t know the language, the classes were wonderful. There were songs and we played charades, so it was a very interactive way to learn the languages.”
She got a taste of the environment as well; some of the classes were held outdoors or in the instructor’s home. She attended a soccer game after courses were done for the day and heard from students who had formed friendships with local basket weavers or street artists.
The experience assured her that UWM students with FLAS fellowships will get a solid education if they enroll in the MLI. It also reinforced UWM’s close ties with both national and international partners to provide quality educational opportunities for its students.
Now, when Orndorf helps UWM students travel to Guatemala, she can be sure that they are in good hands – educationally, culturally, and linguistically.
UWM students interested in FLAS funding may contact Aimee Orndorf at aorndorf@uwm.edu or visit uwm.edu/clacs/funding.
By Sarah Vickery, College of Letters & Science