This was one of the hardest geography classes I have ever taken at UCLA. Despite relatively easy readings, the lectures were hard to catch up with as Prof. Bell had never used the slides. Most of the time, the lectures went on and on, leaving a lot of students confused. This class is based on two quizzes and a paper (a proposal and a final research paper). The tests were true or false, which may seem easy, but they were not easy. They became one of the hardest T/F tests I have ever taken. Prof. Bell changed the grading scheme to be easier to get an A (which was the only reason I stayed in the class), but all the scores you see could give you a heart attack. If you are interested in South America, you should try it out, but this class was not really for me. I recommend you take other electives unless you want to challenge yourself or have no other options.