Honors College travel courses create lasting memories s t u d y a b r o a d | 12
By Jim Clark
A great Honors College travel course has at least four interactive parts—visiting fascinating places, participating in enjoyable activities, making valuable connections with local citizens, and reflecting upon the journey taken. These fundamental elements combine to create wonderful and powerful memories, and the experiences gleaned along the way often cause permanent changes in a student’s worldview. In May 2007, Honors College students participated in travel courses led by experienced faculty and had the opportunity to learn about the world in unique settings including Morocco, Romania, Poland, and Germany. Our students and trip leaders shared the following experiences:
Morocco Students camped in the desert in southeastern Morocco and rode camels in the shifting sand dunes. Honors College students rose in the early morning to watch a spectacular sunrise in the desert near the village of Merzouga. Participating in Arabic and English conversation groups and experiencing local culture and typical home life with a Moroccan family were major highlights. Students have identified living with native families as one of their most rewarding study abroad experiences. This brief visit often leads to the formation of lasting friendships.
Romania Our students communicated and socialized with Romanian high school students who were enrolled in the international service-learning program. Honors College students taught sessions in several high schools on a variety of topics such as leadership, globalization, and
Honors College students and group leaders gather at the Mathias Corvinus statue in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
entrepreneurship. Extracurricular activities included bowling, paddle boating, and dancing—ordinary pursuits that resulted in the breakdown of cultural barriers and the start of new connections. Romanian historical sites included centuries old painted churches. Many students were impressed by the detailed frescoes and the radiant blue color on the outer walls of the Voronet Monastery. Students also enjoyed touring Bran Castle, more commonly known as Dracula’s Castle, near the city of Brasov in central Romania. Visiting the city of Sibiu, which has been designated as a European Capital of Culture for 2007, the group arrived in the city just in time to see a fireworks show and outdoor con-
cert. The multitude of exciting activities and events in this appealing city created a very positive impression.
Poland and Germany The immersion in history was memorable. Visiting historical sites associated with Nazi Germany is a powerful experience that cannot be duplicated in a regular classroom setting. After the trip, several Honors College students expressed a strong interest in continuing their study of the Holocaust. Upon reflection on his visits to the sites of former German Nazi concentration and extermination camps, including AuschwitzBirkenau, Treblinka, and Majdanek, Honors College student Jonathan Tomberg wrote that