MEXICO
2008
Frequently
Asked Questions
(To see answer, click on question or scroll down)
ORGANIZATION
What is this trip all about?
When does the trip take place?
Where exactly are we going?
How will the participating students be chosen?
Who is the instructor?
Where are we going to stay?
Who is taking care of the travel
arrangements?
Where will we meet?
How much will it cost to participate? SURVIVAL
Help, I don't speak any Spanish!
What if I get lost?
How much money do I need to bring?
Should I bring cash or a credit card?
What if my parents need to contact me?
Will the trip be physically or emotionally demanding?
What is the Mexican weather like?
Is Mexico dangerous?
I have never traveled. Do I need a passport?
ACADEMIC
What are the prerequisites?
Do we earn credit hours?
Do I need to buy a textbook?
Where and when do I have to register?
When are the payments due?
Are there going to be pre-trip meetings?
ACTIVITIES
Will we have time to go shopping?
How are we going to move around?
STUDENT
RESPONSIBILITIES
I want to go! Now, what do
I have to do?
CONTACT
Who should I talk to if I have additional questions?
ORGANIZATION
What is this trip all about?
The Fall Break trip to Mexico is an annual four-day, small-group,
business field trip designed and coordinated by Dr. Wolfgang
Hinck, Assistant Professor of Marketing, College of Business,
LSUS. Because we do not earn any course credit, it is an
official activity within the LSUS Continuing Education program.
Participants will be visiting two foreign production
facilities (maquiladoras) in Reynosa, Northern Mexico, and
spend a day in Monterrey, the largest city in Northern Mexico.
Students will be staying in shared accommodation in a motel
in McAllen, South Texas (approximately 10 miles from the
border). The field trip is a wonderful opportunity for all
participants to obtain a sneak preview of other business
practices and cultures.
When does the trip take place?
The 2008 field trip takes place during Fall Break 2008 (subject to change).
Departure is at 5:00 a.m. on Thursday, return is Sunday p.m. around midnight. Departure and return take place in the LSUS BE parking
lot.
Where exactly are we going?
We are going to McAllen, South Texas, to Reynosa,
Mexico, and to Monterrey, Mexico. We will be visiting maquiladoras
in Reynosa and different points of interest in Monterrey
(including a cave system and a waterfall).
How will the participating students be chosen?
Since the number of participants is limited, students
will be chosen on a first-come-first-served basis.
Who is the instructor?
The 2008 trip is designed and coordinated by Dr. Wolfgang
Hinck. He will be accompanied by Dr. Tim Shaughnessy.
Where are we going to stay?
We will be staying in double-occupancy shared accommodation
in a motel in McAllen, Texas.
Who is taking care of travel arrangements?
We are going to travel down to South Texas in a 15-seater
van. We will be eleven people on board, so there should
be sufficient space. THE DRIVE TAKES 12 HOURS EACH WAY!
Please do not participate if you are not prepared to spend
that much time in a car. The van approach was chosen to
lower the costs for all participants. On location, there
will be a lot of walking and hiking up and down mountains. Please do not participate if you
are not prepared to walk five miles in a row and to hike up and down a mountain. Wear appropriate
shoes!
Where will we meet?
We will leave from the LSUS BE parking lot at 5:00 a.m.
on Thursday (first day of Fall Break).
How much will it cost to participate?
The whole course is designed to keep costs as low as possible.
It is a nonprofit trip as far as Dr. Hinck is concerned
(he's doing it for free and will pay his share of the total
costs; so will Dr. Shaughnessy). Your total expenses will
depend on the number of participants and on your spending
behavior during the trip. The "official costs"
will be $350 or less. These costs include the costs for
the van (which will have to be paid in advance at Continuing
Education), as well as all other costs you will have to
pay on a case-by-case basis on location (motel, visa, bus
into Mexico, etc.). You should have $350 available for the
trip, excluding food etc.
SURVIVAL
Help, I don't speak any Spanish!
Not a problem. Dr. Hinck speaks Spanish and we will be
as a group at all times. The company visits will be conducted
in English.
What if I get lost?
We will stay as a group at all times. We will also agree
on certain meeting points in case somebody does get lost.
How much money do I need to bring?
Good question. How much are you planning to spend? The 'official'
costs are $350, excluding food and personal purchases.
Should I bring cash or a credit card?
Both. You will definitely need cash in Mexico, but we
are going to exchange currencies at the border.
What if my parents need to contact me?
I will provide you with a cell phone number for emergencies.
However, when in Mexico, we may not have access to that
number.
Will the trip be physically or emotionally demanding?
Yes, to some extent it will be physically and emotionally demanding. Since we will engage in a lot of walking and hike up and down mountains, you should be in a decent physical condition. In the previous years, participants usually got soaking-wet due to the waterfalls and rain in the mountains, so you should be tolerant to these conditions. Your hair won't look its best! Furthermore, we will be spending a lot of time cramped in a van and you may not get more than five or six hours of sleep at night. Finally, these trips typically involve a lot of changes in plans, so you have to be tolerant to ambiguity and should exhibit a high level of flexibility. A good degree of awareness of cultural diversity is also a must.
What will the weather be like?
It will most likely be dry and between 70 and 90 degrees
F. Bring some light summer clothes, but definitely also
one warmer sweater and a rain jacket or umbrella! Bring
comfortable shoes for long walks.
Is Mexico dangerous?
The places we are going to will be safe. However, as everywhere,
the more alcohol you drink, the greater the likelihood of
getting into trouble. Therefore, the consumption of alcoholic
beverages is strongly discouraged.
I have never traveled. Do I need a passport?
Yes, you will need a passport.
I will check your passport before we leave the parking
lot in the morning!
ACADEMIC
What are the prerequisites?
You need to be an LSUS undergraduate or graduate student,
and you need to be approved by Dr. Hinck to register.
Other than that, there are no general academic prerequisites.
Do we earn credit hours?
No, there are no credit hours to be earned.
Do I need to buy a textbook?
No, there will be no textbook.
Where and when do I need to register?
You can only register after receiving Dr. Hinck's confirmation
that you are on board. Please contact Dr. Hinck by calling
318-5268, email to whinck@lsus.edu, or visit with
him in person in BE 312.
When are the payments due?
You will have to register as soon as possible. Registration
guarantees your right to participate.
Are there going to be pre-trip meetings?
No, but I will talk to you on an individual basis and be in touch with you by email.
ACTIVITIES
Will we have time to go shopping?
For those of you who want to spend some extra money, we'll
have time for shopping in Monterrey.
How are we going to move around?
We will have a 15-seater van.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
I want to go! Now, what do I have to do?
Please contact Dr. Hinck by phone (318-797-5268), email
( whinck@lsus.edu ), or in person (BE 312) as soon
as possible. The trip will be filled up on a first-come-first-served
basis.
CONTACT
Who should I talk to if I have
additional questions?
Wolfgang Hinck, Ph.D.
College of Business Administration BE 312
Louisiana State University
One University Place
Shreveport, LA 71115
(318) 797-5268 [office]
whinck@lsus.edu
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