Study Abroad

May Term 2010 International Travel Courses

Courses traveling to Africa:
"Ghana, the Heart of West African Culture"--Carolyn Dallinger & Walter Lain
This course will allow students to learn about various concepts of the global community by intensively studying the culture and people of Ghana, Africa. Students will learn about the sociological principles of race, poverty and social welfare systems within the culture of a developing sub-Saharan African country. Students will also learn the impact of the Atlantic slave trade from sub-Sahara Africa to the Americas. Students will engage in service learning projects within rural and urban schools, and a non-governmental organization. Students will learn about the culture of Ghana by engaging in interactive methods including eating, dancing, cooking and a naming ceremony in the traditional method. Students will be involved in extensive reflection activities (both written and verbal), quizzes, journal writing, presentations and research project.

Courses traveling to Asia:
 "China: The Emerging Economic Leader"--Tom Schmidt
Participants in this course will travel to Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing to experience the ancient and the modern in the world's most populous country. Students will learn how China is on the doorstep of overtaking the U.S. as the world's largest market, will see first-hand what major centers of economic activity look like, and will recognize China's growing economic power. Visits to a major trade show, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and meetings with business executives, trade representatives, and Chinese business students will all be included.

"Culture, Environment and Globalization in Thailand"--Lora Friedrich & Nick Proctor
This course will introduce students to the broad spectrum of Thai culture through a variety of activities, which will begin with a series of readings and presentations during the spring semester. These readings will include some or all of the following books: Campbell & O'Neill, ed., Sex Work Now, Moran, Tropical Deforestation, and Sachs, The End of Poverty. Once in country, the class will explore several different facets of globalization in Thailand. These will include exploring issues of deforestation and eco-tourism as well as getting some experience in the care and handling of elephants. Examining issues surrounding human trafficking and sex work by completing a service project in either an orphanage for HIV+ children or an institution devoted to teaching sex workers who want to leave the business. Finally, there will be a service project in the extremely economically distressed Klong Thuy neighborhood of Bangkok. In the midst of these experiences, the class will step back every few days for a broader, more general exploration of issues of poverty and cultural change in a global context. These reflections will culminate in a full-day debriefing at the end of the course.

Courses traveling to Central or South America:
 "The Ancients Knew Us: What the Inca of Peru Can Teach Modern Civilizations"--Mark Freyberg
A peculiar modern conceit encourages us to believe that contemporary America is the greatest culture in history. But what do people from other times and places have to teach our great culture? This course takes a holistic view of ancient Inca and modern Peruvian cultures, emphasizing how they have met the material and spiritual needs of their citizens. We will compare these societies to our own, asking how we might alter our way of living to gain fulfillment as individuals and as a people. We will travel to the Andes region of Peru to see both the cosmopolitan city of Cuzco and several ancient Inca sites, including the "Lost City" of Machu Picchu. Assignments include three papers, a pre-travel exam and a post-travel oral report.

"Coral Reef and Tropical Rainforest Ecology in Belize"--Ryan Rehmeier & Jeff Parmelee
This course will explore the ecology, structure, function, and conservation of tropical rainforests and coral reefs in Belize. Experiential learning via snorkeling, SCUBA diving, and boating on the reefs, sea grass meadows, and mangrove swamps will take place on South Water Caye, an island situated on the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. Students will learn to identify local fish, invertebrates, and plants; observe important ecological relationships; learn field techniques; and carry out group research projects. We will investigate tropical rainforest at the Blue Creek Rainforest Lodge in mountainous southern Belize. Activities there will include numerous day and night hikes, a visit to Mayan ruins, and snorkeling in the pristine Blue Creek River. Discussions in the spring prep course, active participation in all off-campus group activities, journal writings, group research projects, and a final reflective essay will make up the course work. This course has no prerequisites and is designed for both biology and non-biology majors.

"Globalization in Costa Rica"--Allison Wolf & CoryAnne Harrigan
San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, used to have streets lined with local shops. Now, these shops have been replaced with U.S. businesses like McDonald's, Blockbuster, and The Gap. Outside the city, gorgeous forests, stunning volcanoes, and pristine beaches are increasingly being developed to build hotels, restaurants and other resources to accommodate North Americans. While Costa Ricans welcome U.S. citizens in their country, they resent active U.S. intervention in Costa Rican and Central American affairs; thus, there is a major debate within the country about development and globalization in Costa Rica. Should U.S. business be limited, if not prohibited, in Costa Rica in order to prevent continued U.S. imperialism? Should there be protections for Costa Rican workers employed by U.S. companies to prevent exploitation? How do we balance our desire to visit those incredible beaches, mountains, and forests with an obligation to respect and preserve Costa Rican culture and natural resources? On this travel course, we will investigate these and other issues of globalization in Costa Rica by studying philosophical ethics, U.S.-Costa Rican history, Costa Rican literature, and Spanish.

"A Photographic Study of Mayan Ruins in Mexico"--David Richmond
In this course, we will travel to Mexico photographically study the sites of 7 ancient Mayan ruins and the locations around the sites. We will also learn about the Culture of the area around the sites and the culture that existed during the time that the Mayan's occupied and their civilization thrived. Journal writing will be encouraged. The evaluation for this course will be based on a test of the provided reading material that will concern aspects of photography and Art History of the Mayan civilization. Assigned research papers and the presentation of the research will also be evaluated.

Courses traveling to Europe:
"Models of sustainable energy in Iceland, Denmark and the Netherlands"--Pat Singer &
Ron Warnet
In a world where climate change and depletion of oil reserves threatens lifestyle and economies, the nations of northern Europe have been working on alternatives. This course is about what these countries are doing, how they are doing it and how their lifestyle promotes carbon neutrality. Iceland derives 77% of its energy needs from renewable energy, Denmark has communities that are carbon neutral, and the Netherlands is working hard to mitigate the effects of sea level rise. We will visit with energy producers, schools offering degrees in renewable energy and consumers of that energy. We will participate in alternative energy use by using different modes of transportation such as bicycles in our travels. Our home stays within carbon neutral communities will enable us to see first-hand how it all works.

"Theatre, Arts and Culture in Great Britain"--Steve McLean
This travel course will combine opportunities to visit many important historical sites in Western culture with opportunities to experience many theatrical performances by important British companies and performers. Students will investigate Edinburgh, Scotland and London, Stratford and Bath in England. Included will be professionally guided tours of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Castle, London and the Covent Garden Theatre area and Shakespeare's New Globe theatre and the "Ripper" district of London. Also included will be visitations to St Paul's Cathedral, London Museum, Tate Modern, National Portrait Gallery and Victoria & Albert Museum, Tower of London, Stonehenge, Bath, and Warwick Castle. Theatrical events will include performances and/or tours of the following: Shakespeare's New Globe Theatre, The Royal National Theatre, Theatrical Museum (London), The Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare's Birthplace and Museum and associated sites (Stratford) and the Royal Lyceum Theatre and Prestonfield Ceildeh (Edinburgh). Additional performances will be taken in at other important venues in London and elsewhere. Students will have ample free time in London and Edinburgh for individual exploration relative the student's personal interests. Students will research and present reports on one of these sites in advance of the experience and will maintain a reflective journal with entries related to each of the required activities.

"War, Culture and Identity: London and Paris Between the World Wars"--Rebecca Livingstone & Angela Glover
How does war shape identity? What are the boundaries that war blurs? How is war remembered or forgotten? These are eternal questions that all societies have to deal with, but especially in the period following the First World War. World War I was a shattering experience for European society as it revealed that progress was not always for the good and that perhaps society was not as civilized as it believed. During the interwar period (1919-39), many people began questioning the nature of war through writing, such as memoirs of their own experiences at war or one the home front, novels, poetry and art. This course will use the interwar period as a lens through which students will be able to not only learn about the past, but be able to make the connection to the present by writing a memoir, as our society wrestles with similar questions, with just as uncertain answers.

For more information, contact the Office of International Education at 515-961-1288 or toll-free: 800-362-2454, ext. 1288; or by email at: marzia.corni-benson@simpson.edu.

 

 

Last Updated: 7/21/09