2007 May Term International Study Trips
MUS/HUM 197 From London to Edinburgh with the Madrigal Singers 3 credits
Robert Larson, Maria DiPalma
Enrollment: 45 students
Approximate Cost: $3600.00
Explore the museums and sights of London then travel north stopping at some of the great cathedrals and university towns like Cambridge, Oxford, York and Wells and then cross into the Scottish countryside culminating with a stay in Edinburgh.� The Madrigal singers will be performing throughout this trip.
GER 397 Berlin: Germany's Cultural Metropolis 3 credits
Patricia Calkins
Limited to students studying in the Schorndorf Semester Abroad Program
This course focuses on the role of Berlin in German and European culture of the past two centuries. Included is a 7-day trip to Berlin to visit architectural monuments, museum exhibits, cityscapes and cultural events. We will explore the daily lives of Berliners at several critical moments in the city's history: Berlin�s growth as an industrial center, its transformation into the capital of a united Germany, its role as Hitler's capital, its division and isolation, its joyous reunification, and its rebirth as Germany's cultural, political and corporate capital.
REL/HUM 297 Exploring the Biblical World 3 credits
Mark Gammon, Chris Waddle
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Approximate Cost: $4000.00
When reading the Bible, we inevitably project our own experiences into the text, including our own experiences with geography, architecture, dress, ethnicity, and other trappings of culture. This trip will emphasize Paul's travels, especially ancient sites in Ephesus, Athens, and Corinth, along with attractions in western Turkey near Istanbul and the eastern coast and islands of Greece. Visiting these biblical sites will be a transforming experience, clarifying how the unique geography, history, and culture of the ancient Mediterranean world continue to influence the contemporary practices of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
REL/HUM 197 Japan: Climbing the Buddha 3 credits
John Bolen
Enrollment: 15
Approximate Cost: $3700.00 - $4000.00
Japan is known for its many temples throughout the country, yet when you ask the average Japanese if they are religious, they will usually say no. The symbols of Shinto Buddhism are everywhere. There are temples where students go to offer sacrifices (coins) before taking exams, there are temples where people go before taking a long trip. What is Shinto Buddhism, and what place does it have in Japanese culture? And why do some temples have 1000 steps leading up to them? These are some of the many questions we will address in this study trip. We will climb to many of these temples and witness the mixing of a modern, westernized culture with a more ancient traditional culture. We will visit temples in Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Fukuoka, and Kurume. We will also have an opportunity to witness a Sumo Basho, another expression of Shinto Buddhism. This trip will afford all who go an opportunity to witness part of what makes Japan what it is, the shrines, temples, and castles. We will also eat our way across the island nation as we taste many of the specialties each town and village features on their menu. (Oh yes, most of which is NOT raw fish.)
SOC/EDUC 197 Treasures of Thailand 3 credits
Jack Gittinger, Lora Friedrich
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Approximate Cost: $2967.00
Thailand is the home of an ancient culture; it is also vibrant 21st century society that is in the throes of massive change. This trip will introduce students to the broad spectrum of the This culture through a variety of activities. In Thailand we will visit Buddhist temples and talk to monks, an overnight cruise on the Chaiphara River, ride elephants and bamboo rafts, walk along the railway immortalized in Bridge on the River Kwai, visit coastal areas rebuilding from the 2005 tsunami, and complete a short service project working with students at a Thai English-language school. We'll also see the ruins of the imperial capital at Ayuthaya, the Grand Palace in Bangkok, and a number of colorful and chaotic city markets.
HUM 297 The New EU: Krakow, Budapest and Prague 3 credits
Frank Colella, Pat Singer
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Approximate Cost: $3800.00
From the spectacular colors and architecture of the Old Square, to the loveliness of Wawel Castle and Cathedral, and the sadness of nearby Auschwitz-Birkenau, Krakow, Poland, is both enchanting and soul wrenching. It is a cultural and educational center. Buda and Pest are separated by a river, the Danube, with a beautiful and exciting riverfront on both sides. The dual citadels of the Royal Palace and St. Matthias Church on Castle Hill in Buda fram the Danue with the imposing Parliament building in Pest on the reverse side. The Danube is a center of attention with its charming dinner boats and lively, cosmopolitan walking areas. Then there is Prague, a virtual tourist fairyland. But we are not just going to tour the cities. In Krakow we will join students from a local college for a two day service project. We will work with them at a center for the disabled and at a social help center run by the city. In Hungary we will join other local students on another two day service project in and around Budapest. There will be ample time for touring with our guides as well as exploring on our own.
ART 197 From Diego Rivera to Puerto Vallarta, A Photographic Tour of Mexico 3 Credits
David Richmond, Margarita Savala
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Approximate Cost: $2700.00
In this study trip we will travel to Mexico. We will explore and photograph the most beautiful and oldest civilized areas of North America. Places of special interest that we will visit and photograph will be: Hospicio Cabanas at Guadalajara, the Presidential Palace, Lake Chapala, and Basilica of Zapopan. Students will learn elementary photographic techniques.
HIST/HUM 197 Discover Britain and Ireland: 3 Credits
Historic Locations in British History
Own Duncan, John Epperson
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Approximate Cost:: $3500.00
This trip will include visits to prehistoric and Roman sites, medieval castles and cathedrals, early modern palaces and battle sites, the homes of famous Britons, and the places where crucial decisions were made that shaped British and World history in locations in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England. Among the places to be visited will be Edinburgh Castle, Stonehenge, Roman Baths, Oxford University, Shakespeare's Stratford, James Joyce's Dublin, William Wordsworth's Lake District, and Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London, and the British Museum in London.
HUM 197 Life Under the Midnight Sun: 3 Credits
Exploring Scandinavian Culture
Tom Woldt, Ann Woldt
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Approximate Cost: $3950.00
Among the safest, most efficient and most welcoming regions of Europe, Scandinavia has figured prominently in the cultural development of both Europe and the United States. The trip begins in Denmark, and continues through the major cities and countryside of Norway, Sweden and the breathtaking badlands of Iceland. Guided tours of all major cities (Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Reykjavik) include visits to centuries-old castles (including "Hamlet's castle" in Elsinore), cathedrals, Viking artifacts, and living-history museums. Other compelling high points will include: overnight cruise ship journey from Denmark into the Oslo fjord; national art galleries and sculpture parks; national theatre or ballet performances; Norwegian Olympic venues; the home of the Nobel Prize; boat tours; the soothing "natural hot tubs' of spring-fed ponds in Iceland; a professional soccer match; and enough free time for your own adventures with English speaking Scandinavian people.
SPAN 297 Discovering Andalucia (Spain) 3 Credits
Tracy Rutledge
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Approximate Cost: $3700.00
Andalucia, the southern most region of Spain, offers a culturally rich environment whose attractions include the historic Alhambra, the Giralda and the famed Mesquita in Cordoba. These and other highlights will serve as our classroom as we explore contemporary Spanish culture, politics and language while traveling to Toledo, Madrid, Sevilla, Cordoba, Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera, Granada and the beautiful Costa del Sol. This adventure is targeted to Spanish majors and minors and will fulfill the 3 credit hour requirement of Study Abroad for your major. You will have a great opportunity to be immersed in Spanish language and culture while living with families and will have the opportunity to explore the charms of our host cities. Come to a bullfight, explore the gypsy caves in Granada, visit a Sherry Bodega and enjoy the sun on the beaches of the Costa del Sol!
MAGT/ECON The World Looks East: From Wall Street to 3 Credits
the Great Wall China on the Brink
Tom Schmidt
Enrollment 25 - 30
Approximate Cost: $3500.00 - $4000.00
Travel to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing to experience the ancient and the modern in the world's most populous country. China represents the world's largest market, and students from all majors will learn how their lives will be impacted by this "Crouching Economic Tiger," poised to overtake the U.S. as the world's economic leader. Landing in Hong Kong, "the Wall Street of Asia," Hong Kong is the world's eight-largest economy as well as one of the largest shopping centers in the world attracting 14 million visitors a year. Our next stop is Shanghai, the designated host of the 2010 World Expo and a significant beneficiary of China's entry in the World Trade Organization. Shanghai is China's largest city. We will "Stroll the Bund," see the world-famous Shanghai Acrobats perform, visit the Shanghai Museum, and view all of Shanghai from the observation deck of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. We will take a cruise on the Huangpu River, wander the Old Chinese City, and dine on Chinese delicacies. Our final destination is Beijing, the capitol of China. The Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven will be sites through which we wander and marvel at China's magnificent past. We will walk the Great Wall and tour the Ming Tombs excavation site. We will cross the vast expanse of Tiananmen Square to stand where protesting students were camped in 1989, and the famous photograph was taken of a single student standing down a tank. We will also see how China is embracing Western-style economics and an entrepreneurial spirit which may overtake the world's other economic powers.
COMM 197 Voices in the Global Village: 3 Credits
Media Studies in Europe
Brian Steffen
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Approximate Cost: $3,659.00
Media audiences in Europe are exposed to a somewhat different media system than that of the United States, a system built more prominently on the ideals of public service rather than marketing and advertising. This international-study experience will offer students the opportunity to be exposed to the philosophies and practices of media professionals and consumption habits of audiences in Europe through a tour of France and Italy. Prior to departure, students will read, view and discuss perspectives on the differences among the American media system and those of the nations on the tour.