Cultural Immersion Program Coordinator: Tate Quinones
Practice enhances learning. The purpose of the ELI Cultural Immersion Program is to create opportunities for practice and to make activities fun so that students will want to practice. Student life at the ELI is an experience you will never forget! Follow the CIP on Instagram @UFLELI.
Cultural Immersion Program Mission Statement
The mission of the Cultural Immersion Program is to facilitate cross-cultural experiences, connections, and relationships for our students through extracurricular activities, practice-oriented English classes, and the Conversation Partner Program and to provide ample opportunity to practice English outside the classroom in an enjoyable and low-stress environment.
We are committed to providing our students with interactive experiences that immerse them in US culture through trips and events and build their confidence in navigating daily life in English through the structured yet informal Language Assistant (LA) class.
The CIP aims to foster intercultural friendships within both the ELI student body and the wider UF community through connections built with LAs and conversation partner volunteers at our events and in our programs.
The CIP is also committed to supporting the intercultural competency of UF students hired as Language Assistants through training, mentorship, and professional development. We strive to provide a supportive workplace centered on empowerment, growth, collaboration, and respect.
Weekday Activities
Most weekdays there will be something to do after your classes are finished. Weekly sports and activities are organized by the Language Assistants. The Language Assistants are your English speaking peers. They meet with students in the evenings to do many different things. The activities change every semester based on the students’ interests. All of these activities are fun and will help you practice real-life English.
| Day | Location | Time | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Coffee Talk | Various Locations | 6:30pm-9:00pm | Come get coffee or dinner and socialize in English with ELI friends and LAs! |
| Tuesday Volleyball | Lexington Crossing Apartments Phase 2 | 6:30pm-9:00pm | Play volleyball for some fun competition with students and LAs! |
| Wednesday Soccer | Flavet Field | 6:30pm-9:00pm | Come play soccer with your ELI friends! |
| Rotating Thursdays | Various Locations | 6:30pm-9:00pm | Hang out with ELI friends at different cool spots around Gainesville each week! See the Weekly for this week's location! |
| Reitz Game Room | Reitz Union | 6:30pm-9:00pm | See all the fun activities UF has planned for students! Games, food, crafts, movies, and more! Enjoy with ELI friends! |
Weekend Activities
There is a lot to do in Florida! The weather is beautiful and there are many attractions across the state. Each weekend the Cultural Immersion Program plans a trip for the whole ELI. There are three types of trips: tourist spots, cultural events, and outdoor activities. For example, a trip to a tourist spot could be Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL or Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL. A cultural trip could be to the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral or an arts festival. An outdoor trip could be to go horseback riding or to go canoeing and snorkeling at one of the famous springs in the area. There will usually be one Language Assistant for every five students on a trip. The weekend activities let you learn about places in the US and practice your English while Language Assistants act as tour guides.
| August 30 | Welcome Picnic | UF Campus - Matherly Courtyard | Come meet fellow students and your teachers and play some games to get to know each other! Free food! |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 6 | Gator Football Game Vs. FSU | UF Campus - Ben Hill Friffin Stadium | See the Gators play college American football and support your school! Tickets for sale in Matherly 211. |
| September 13 | Rainbow Springs | Rainbow Springs State Park | Enjoy the summer sun and swim in the cool, crystal waters of beautiful Rainbow Springs! Hike some of the trails and enjoy the outdoor space with friends! Small entry fee at the gate. |
| September 20 | Clearwater Beach Trip | Clearwater Beach | Spend the day at one of the highest-rated beaches in Florida with clear water, white sand, and tons to do like eating and shopping. Tickets for sale in Matherly 211. |
| September 27 & 28 | Volunteer Weekend | Various Locations | Help at Field and Fork pantry and learn about sustainable food sources! Also volunteer with retired horses at Millcreek. |
| October 11 | B-term Welcome Picnic | UF Campus - Norman Lawn | Come meet B-term students and teachers and socialize! Free food! |
| October 17 | Homecoming Parade | UF Campus | Celebrate the Gators and show your school pride at this fun parade! Wear orange and blue! |
| October 25 | Haunted Houses | Kirby Farms | Get into the Halloween culture with some fun haunted attractions at this local farm! Tickets for purchase online or at the gate. |
| November 1 | Micanopy Fall Festival | Micanopy | Explore the quaint town of Micanopy during their biggest event of the year! Celebrate the fall season with goods, crafts, food, and performances. |
| November 8 | Pottery Painting | Reitz Arts & Crafts Center | Paint your own ceramic pieces at the Reitz Arts and Crafts Center! Take your masterpiece home after it has been glossed and fired. Pottery for purchase at location. |
| November 15 | Sweetwater Wetlands Nature Walk | Sweetwater Wetlands Park | Explore the beautiful Florida wetlands at this park. See birds, alligators, and more during this easy nature hike! |
| November 20 | Thanksgiving Potluck | Gator Wesley Foundation | Make a dish from your culture and try food from all over the world while celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday with your ELI friends! Try traditional American turkey and other Thanksgiving favorites. |
| December 4 | End of Semester BBQ | Lake Wauburg | Celebrate the end of the semester with ELI friends at beautiful Lake Wauburg where you can kayak for a small fee! Free lunch provided. |
Volunteer Program
Volunteering is very popular in the United States. A lot of people spend time helping other people. For example, they visit the elderly at nursing homes, they take care of children at nurseries, or they may build houses for people who cannot afford to buy one. At the ELI, we help our students volunteer for five reasons:
- To help other people
- To get experience in your professional field
- To learn about US culture
- To meet people from the United States
- To practice speaking English!
After you decide what you want to do, the Language Assistants and the Volunteer Coordinator will help you organize your volunteer time. Each semester we offer a volunteer of the term award to the ELI student who has made the greatest contribution to the Gainesville community through volunteering. One day each semester, the whole ELI gets together to volunteer. Volunteering is an experience you will never forget.
Conversation Partner Program
The Conversation Partner Program is a popular part of the ELI Volunteer Program. It is a chance for UF students to meet one on one with a student at the ELI. Volunteers are matched with interested ELI students. The partners then meet for about an hour a week, spending at least half of the time conversing in English. Sometimes the partner who speaks English is trying to learn the native language of the ELI student. If they are, the partners will spend about half of the time speaking in that language. If you would like more information about the Conversation Partner Program, please email us.