Current Release: April 28th, 2009 | Vol. XXX Iss. 10

Photo By meghan see

Students share stories from around the globe

By Nicholas Schneeberger

njschneeberger@vwc.edu

On Thursday October 16, VWC held its annual study abroad poster session which began at 11:00 a.m. and lasted two hours. There were 20 tables dedicated to students who have traveled abroad through Wesleyan s programs and four additional tables provided for some of the faculty who committed themselves to trips this winter.

Dr. Maynard Schaus, Dr. Ehsan Salek, Professor Sharon Swift and Ms. Lena Johnson were all present during the event promoting trips for college credit in many different subjects.

Schaus is traveling to Belize with Weinstein to host a Biology or English course titled BIO 250: Field Studies in Biology, or ENG 230: Ecological Reflection. Salek is hosting a business trip to Mexico entitled MBE 111: Global Commerce. Swift has planned a photography course in New Zealand entitled ART 307: Travel Photography. Lastly, the studies abroad coordinator Lena Johnson is offering a human services adventure to Ghana titled HUM 150: Service in Global Context. All students who are interested should pick up a brochure and contact professors in order to guarantee a secure spot on each expedition. Students not interested in any of these trips but who would like to travel should go see Johnson in the OIP office.

During the poster session this year the travel addicts were helpful, informative and so enthusiastic that attention was grasped by many students.

Senior Brian Powers said,  I wish I wasn t graduating because I definitely would have taken the opportunity to go abroad.

At one end of the event students had the opportunity to learn about Ireland. Senior Chris Kreft posted pictures from Ireland and other parts of Europe. Kreft told stories of endless nights and wholesome memories of being in Ireland. He referred to the Irish as  the friendliest people in the world.

The next stop was to a table presented by freshman Sarah Pena who actually has not traveled abroad through VWC but wants to start a mission trip to Brazil. Pena s parents are missionaries in Brazil and she wants Wesleyan to get involved in order to start a study abroad program during spring break of 2010. Pena has traveled there many times and was handing out bracelets that characterized the Brazilian flag.

The next table was dedicated to Katie Lavigne who went to Malawi, South Africa where she described her human services trip to help those dying of disease. Her table was very unique displaying artifacts from Malawi that were given to her during her mission trip.

 Believe it or not, said Lavigne,  people are really happy there even with disease. Those who have never heard of Malawi should recognize that the country is the third most AIDS-ravaged nation in the world. Anyone skeptical about traveling to Malawi should be careful.

 I enjoyed it so much I went back for a second time! said Lavigne.

Shortly after traveling to Malawi I visited senior Taylor Roesch on a semester at sea. During the summer Roesch traveled all over the Mediterranean and more during this four-week-long journey. He went to Norway, Russia, Denmark, Belgium, Italy, Egypt, Greece, Croatia, and left from Nova Scotia. The group he traveled with stayed three nights and three days in each country, sometimes four nights and five days. Although the trip was an astonishing $9,000 he received nine credits for the trip and is graduating earlier than expected. Roesch said,  It was worth it. He also described the trip through the eyes of Thomas Jefferson:  Jefferson once envisioned a community of teachers and students living together. This dream has come true with Semester-at-Sea.

After visiting Europe, senior Cat Lecrone convinced us to stay in order to see Paris, France and Mannhiem, Germany which is south of Frankfort. While Lecrone was in Germany she was able to adopt a double major in English and German.

Lecrone was so excited about her travels she said,  The best part about the trip was everything. She told stories of her long-awaited expedition to see the real Moulin Rouge and claims that Europe has the best museums and biggest palaces in the world.

The last stop students made was to South America and Vietnam. Lauren Perry had an extravagant display of artifacts, diaries, and pictures. Perry went to Vietnam with Professors Stu Minnis and Steven Emmanuel, and many other students to help with the documentary film Making Peace with Vietnam. Perry returned from Vietnam with a better understanding of the Vietnamese culture, and then she went to Buenos Aires, Argentina for six months. While in South America she visited Peru, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador and Bolivia and learned much about South American culture. She describes Buenos Aires as  one of the most unique cities I have ever been to. Buenos Aires reminded me of New York with Latin flavor.

The poster session gave students the opportunity to see what life is like outside of Virginia Wesleyan and to participate in a worldly event. All the students who did not have the chance to participate will have another opportunity to do so next semester. The OIP office hopes to see you there.