The Mexico Course reports:

Hemos estado ocupados durante la semana pasada. Empezamos en Mérida, México y entonces nos mudamos a los pueblos Tinum y Loop Xul por dos noches. La primera foto muestra a nuestro grupo en la primera noche en México cerca del centro de la cuidad donde pasamos tiempo juntos y llevamos sombreros tradicionales. El segundo día, conocimos a nuestras familias anfitrionas y nos establecimos antes de prepararmos para las actividades del próximo día. La segunda foto es una de las ruinas de Dzibilchaltún donde tuvimos nuestra primera lección de la historia de los mayas. Aprendimos sobre el calendario, el estilo de vida, y las tradiciones. La tercera foto es de nuestro tiempo en Loop Xul, un pueblo cerca de Tinum, en una milpa tradicional donde ayudamos a la familia de granjeros a hacer canastas. Aquí, nos acostumbramos a la vida sencilla. Dormimos en hamacas, visitamos una panadería, ayudamos a un carpintero, y aprendimos sobre medicinas tradicionales herbales. En el viaje de vuelta a Mérida, aumentamos nuestro conocimiento de los mayas con una parada en Chichén Itzá, uno de los Siete Maravillas del Mundo. Durante nuestro tiempo en Tinum aprendimos a bañarnos al estilo maya con un cubo y una copa, y disfrutamos de nadar en el cenote mostrado en la cuarta foto.

(English Translation of above)
We have been very busy the last week. We began in Mérida, Mexico and then moved to the villages of Tinum and Loop Xul for two nights. The first photo shows our group on our first night in Mexico near the center of the city spending time together and wearing traditional sombreros. On the second day, we met our host families and got settled before we prepared for the next day’s activities. The second photo is one of the ruins of Dzibilchaltún where we had our first Maya history lesson. We learned about the calendar, the lifestyle, and the traditions. The third photo is of our time in Loop Xul, a village close to Tinum, in a traditional milpa where we helped a family of farmers make baskets. Here, we became accustomed to the simple life. We slept in hammocks, visited a bread bakery, assisted a carpenter, and learned about traditional herbal medicines. On the trip back to Mérida, we increased our knowledge of the Maya with a stop at Chichen Itza, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. During our time in Tinum we bathed with a bucket and a cup like the Maya, and we enjoyed swimming in the cenote shown in the fourth photo.

Written by class reporters Caitlin McGuire, Brett Patterson and Laura Ward.





The New Zealand Business Course reports:
We're now in Napier. Everything is going very smoothly.

The London Course reports:
Things have been going swimmingly because all is well and the amount of rain we have received since our arrival. While we are all conscious that this is typical weather for this time of year, I suppose we also thought that our auspicious arrival would somehow change the universe.

On Monday, the entire group saw “The History Boys”, a play about different philosophies of teaching and human relationships. The topical issues and humor excited discussions about teaching and learning as well as the ethics of certain kinds of behavior. It was originally produced at the National Theatre but became so popular that it demanded a West End venue. We highly recommend History Boys as an intelligent and thought provoking experience.

Wednesday and Thursday tested our students’ resolve with high winds and constant rain in Wales. This was especially the case at Big Pit, an operating coal mine, located on the barren hills a ways outside of Cardiff. We learned a great deal about coal production for the avarice appetite of industry in England and, perhaps even more importantly, the gentleness and dry humor of the Welsh. Our guide was a retired miner who, without a trace of anxiety, took us through a malfunctioning exhibition with rough grace and humanity.

Tomorrow, we leave for a tour of Canterbury Cathedral in the morning and an experimental excursion to medieval ruins, beach and an oyster harvesting around Whitstable. We do not know what to expect of this part of our travels but we all decided to take a chance and attempt something different. The decision forced us to function on that continuum between courage and ignorance.

The WWII Course reports:
We arrived in Prague just fine after a 12-hour train trip from Amsterdam. Had a walking tour around the Old Town and the Prague Castle this morning.

The Italy Heritage Course reports:
We have been traveling quite a bit. We were in Sorrento for a few days and from there we made day trips to Pompeii, Paestum, and Naples (where a garbage strike was in full force). In Pompeii we checked out the ancient brothel, among other interesting places! After Sorrento, we spent a couple of nights in Orvieto. A highlight for many of us was a visit to Civita Banreggio, a hill city that is slowly eroding away. Our presence in the city tripled the population and we had to walk across a footbridge to reach the city. Today we travelled to Spoleto, where tomorrow we meet the mayor and experience the yearly procession of the skull of the town's patron saint.

The China Course reports:
We've arrived at the roof of the world – Tibet. Although a few students are still adjusting the high altitude, in general, the whole group is doing very well and having a great time here. Yesterday, we visited Portala Palace (winter palace for Dalai Lama), Jokhang Temple (the holiest place for Tibetan), and Tibet Hospital. Today, we went to Norbulinka (Summer Palace for Dalai Lama), Tibet Museum, and Sera Monastery. Tomorrow morning we'll leave Lhasa for Kunming.





The Ireland Course reports:
We left Galway this morning after a memorable time there experiencing the seafaring culture in connection to the drama of Synge and enjoying the abundance of traditional music. This morning we learned about the mining of Connemara marble (and made a few purchases!) and then visited the beautiful Kylemore Abbey. Tonight we will discuss several Yeats poems in preparation for our tour of Yeats country around Sligo tomorrow.

The Brazil Course reports:
On Saturday we had a 2nd Capoeira lesson and returned to Laborearte to continue work on our service art project. Once again we were joined by children from the orphanage and residents of the assisted living facility where our art will be displayed. Those old folks sure do like to dance! The picture is of the group having a Samba lesson. At least one student has said Saturday was a life-changing experience for them. That’s why we’re here!



The Barbados Course reports:

We will spend most of the remaining time in country exploring the island's history and culture in small groups. This is a bit challenging as it requires utilization of a public bus system that is often over burdened and difficult to navigate. We have had the opportunity to visit some of the old sugar plantations as well as the Barbados wildlife preserve. The famous 'green monkeys' made an appearance just as we were preparing to board the bus! These most recent pictures highlight a large drive wheel once used to crush cane in the rum production process as well as students enjoying a few hours of relaxation at Bottom Bay, one of Barbados east coast beaches.

The Peru Biology Course reports:
We are in San Pedro and all is well.

The Scandinavia Course reports:
Here are some photos from our course.













The Brazil Course reports:
Friday has been a very busy day in Brazil. We started with a Capoeira lesson, our first of three. The first picture is the class as a group learning some of the basic moves…this one is a defensive move. In the 2nd picture Chase Keller and Dave Day are showing off what they have learned. We then went to visit an HIV/AIDs NGO called Grappa. We finished our day with the beginning of our major service project…working with an NGO called Laborarte which takes discarded materials and turns them into beautiful art, teaching at risk teens to make the art. They are starting to work more with the elderly, also, and our project is to make Carnival decorations for a public assisted living facility. Some kids from a local orphanage are helping us, too. Today we painted and cut and we were joined by some of the elderly folks and some of the orphans. On Saturday we will continue making our art and on Monday we will decorate the facility. It has been very moving experience for us already. The third picture from Brazil today is one table of our students, along with a few kids from the orphanage, making flowers out of the bottoms of discarded 2 liter soda bottles.





The Ireland Course reports:
Greetings from the Emerald Isle! We finally found an Internet cafe where we can upload pictures. You can see our students here at the Cliffs of Moher, with the Aran Islands and O'Brien's Tower in the background. We were lucky to have sunny weather even though it was very windy on the Cliffs. Then we stopped by the Burren, which is an area of limestone rock. We're enjoying our final day in Galway, despite the rain, and then we'll be off to Kylemore Abbey and Sligo tomorrow.

The Peru Heritage Course reports:
We spent the last three nights in Arequipa (altitude = 7,000 ft) and are heading to higher elevations in about an hour. We will go over the high pass at 16,000 ft as we head to Lake Titicaca.

In Arequipa, we toured the main plaza, the Santa Catalina covent, and some students visited the Cathedral during Mass. We also visited the Incan mummy called Juanita. She was a sacrifice to the "Apus" (gods of the Incans) to bring good tidings. In Arequipa the students also were on there own for all dinners so that they could practice their Spanish.

Students had two Spanish classes at Maximo Nivel, a local language institute and will continue with the same local teachers when we arrive in Cuzco next week. Two environmental classes included a lesson on plate tectonics, which was tied to our ride over the Nazca fault line and to the August earthquake in Pisco, and a lesson on global warming and ozone depletion. These environmental problems are recognized around the world and we discussed how they affect Peru specifically. In Cuzco we will look at environmental issues more on the local level.

As we move toward Puno and Lake Titicaca, Internet availability is low. We will probably not send an update until Cuzco in about 4 days. Here are two recent pictures from our travels. The first is a group shot from the Aqueducts in Nazca. The second is with a student, Larissa Long, and the children of Lomas de Marchan.



The Barbados Course reports:
We recently visited Codrington College, a theological college of the Anglican Church affiliated with the University of the West Indies. The grounds include the original mansion house as well as the main buildings which houses living areas and classrooms. From there, we hiked through Welchman Hall Gully, the last remaining natural rain forest on the island. The preservation of the Gully has been threatened in recent years and local naturalists are working hard to maintain this important historic and ecological property.

Students have begun to participate in course 'challenges' which require the navigation of the public transportation (bus) system to access more remote areas of the island including the north point of Barbados. This is an all day adventure that allows students to gain insight into rural life in the northern parishes.

Here are pictures from Condrington College and our hike through Welchman Hall Gully:



The Brazil Course reports:
We arrived safely in Montes Claros, the site of the heart of our service work while here in Brazil. We spent one night in the historic city of Diamantina and this picture is of the class touring the birth home of Juscelino Kubitschek, a former president of Brazil. Tomorrow…our first Capoeira lesson…



The Costa Rica Course reports:
Since the last update we've been quite busy with classes, excursions into San Jose, and more travel in the countryside. The past two afternoons we have spent visiting the Museum of Gold, the National Theater, and the National Museum. A featured exposition there was about a nineteenth century American "William Walker" who declared himself President of much of Central America and tried to take over several of the countries. The exhibit celebrated his defeat and expulsion from Costa Rica. We also took time to explore the surrounding area of San Jose in the commercial/shopping district. The group certainly stimulated the economy of several vendors.

Today we traveled about 2 hours by bus for a day of whitewater rafting on the Rio Reventazon. The guides did a great job of preparing us and leading us down the river of many "class 2-3" rapids. "Class 2-3" appears for be Spanish for "Class 4-5" rapids. It was intense and there were several unplanned swims and fishing for paddles and shoes along the way. The river was absolutely beautiful and luckily most of us have rafted before. The uncommonly nice weather was an added bonus.

Everyone is getting more accustomed to our neighborhood and venturing out more and more. We all have different family situations (we live with Costa Rican families) and that is often the topic of discussion. Last night many of us made an impromptu trip to the local futbol stadium for a three game match-up which was a fundraiser for the Cancer Society. The local San Jose Club "Saprissa" played the nearby Heredia and the very nearby Alahuela teams. They played hard, but like our Phoenix basketball team on Wednesday evening, they were defeated by the nearby rivals. Nonetheless, it was a great experience for all of us to be the only Gringos amidst many thousand Ticos.

Friday it's back to the books prior to a weekend trip to the Monteverde cloud forest.

Here are some of our latest pictures:







The Hawaii Course reports:

We are currently in Hilo on the Big Island. We had the fortune to have a traditional hula lesson taught by Hollis Kiwala'o Taylor. She is an extraordinary instructor and holds the distinction of Kumu Hula (Hula Master). We all had a great and interesting time. We also spent a day at 'Imiloa, the Hawaiian Astronomy Center. Here we learned about the formation of the islands, the sea voyage that brought the original settlers here, and celestial navigation. We had a great session talking with Ka'iu Kimora. Ka'iu sailed aboard Hokule'a on her last voyage from Hawaii through Micronesia to Japan. This voyage was done using no modern instrumentation and only historical celestial navigation skills. These sea voyages are a great source of knowledge and pride relating to the recovery of the Hawaiian culture. We also spent a day at the Hilo Farmers Market, Akaka Falls, and the Tsunami Museum. Hilo has the distinction of being severely damaged by tsunami in both 1946 & 1960. Later that night, we were invited by Stan and Sue Toyama, Hilo residents and friends of Dr. Pugh and his wife, for a traditional Hawaiian meal. It was quite a treat. We spent our last Hilo day at Volcanoes National Park. We had a ranger lead hike, went into the Thurston Lava Tube, and walked up to the caldera.

Here are some of our recent pictures. We are enjoying Hawaii as you can see!

The Ireland Course reports:
After a gloriously sunny morning at the Cliffs of Moher, a walk on the burren, and a visit to Coole Park to see the inspiration for "The Wild Swans at Coole" by Yeats, the Ireland class has arrived in Galway.

The Mexico Course reports:
We have finished the village stay where everyone fell in live with their Maya host families and the food. Sleeping in a hammock was a little difficult for some. The village stay was a bonding experience for the group.

Monday was a very unusual day culturally. It started with breakfast in a Maya hut in the village of Tinum. They then went to the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza followed by a swim and cliff diving in a cenote 75 feet underground. Upon the return to Merida there was an added activity, free tickets to a Latin Jazz concert by world renowned jazz artists. Every student got dressed up and attended the concert at a classic European style theater where the Russian Ballet performs each year. (The concert was phenomenal).

Elon can be very proud of these students.

The first photo below is of the students at one of the new seven wonders of the world, Templo Kukulkan at Chichen Itza. The second photo is Elon students, faculty and Instituto Yucatan jointly presenting gifts of school supplies to the primaria in Tinum pueblo.





The Guam Course reports:
Hafa Adai everyone!
Our continued tour of the island included a jungle riverboat cruise to an Ancient Chamorro village where we saw the Latte Stones that once supported the huts of the natives. We saw a lot of beautiful plants, and some water life, including stick fish, crabs, and a huge catfish. The tour guides gave us headbands and toy fish from coconut leaves, and showed us how they made fire with sticks. We also toured Gef Pago, a Chamorro village we where learned how to make coconut candy, how to make rope from a pandana tree, and we got to watch a master weaver work with coconut leaves. We started our service with the elders and the students were showered with gifts and affection at the senior centers. We learned some coconut leaf weaving techniques, did dances including the Guam Cha-Cha and the Electric Slide, and some of the students decided to teach the elders "Soldier Boy" and a couple of other dances. Last night we went to the Chamorro Village market and had fantastic food, saw some cultural dances and listened to some great music. All in all it has been a great cultural exchange between the mainlanders and the islanders.






The China Course reports:
Below are some photos from the Great Wall of China, the Panda Conservation Center, and the ancient wall of Xian. We're heading to Tibet tomorrow and will keep you updated from the roof of the world.






The Scandinavia Course reports:
Hellas Garden - Polar Plunging
Nordic Museum
Natural History Museum - Golden Eagle

Greetings from beautiful Scandinavia! Our group has the privilege of saying that we are partaking in the coldest Winter Term trip that Elon has ever offered. Clad with our P- coats and scarves, we are battling the dark skies and snow filled streets of Sweden’s capital, Stockholm. A few days ago, we sat atop a tour boat with reindeer skin covered seats where we enjoyed the scarce hours of sunlight that Stockholm has to offer throughout the winter.

From the tour, we passed over the sight of the sunken Vasa ship whose new resting place, the Vasa museum, was in plain view just across the bay. Later that day, our class received a guided tour that elaborated not only on the capsizing of the ship, but also the extensive salvage job of 1961. Constructed in the early 1600’s, it sank on its maiden voyage less than a mile off shore due to unstable ballast and top heavy construction. Although it looked like something straight out of Pirates of the Caribbean, it did not have the magic of the big screen to stay afloat. After sitting at the bottom of the bay for over 300 years, its true beauty can now be observed at the Vasa Museum.

In order to allow students to explore aspects of Swedish culture on their own, free days have been implemented in the itinerary every so often. Despite the frigid temperatures of the area, a few members of the group decided it would be fun to partake in a local favorite past time, the polar plunge. It is much like the Polar Bear Plunge in Elon’s Lake Marynell, except that you sit in a sauna before each plunge and the lake itself is completely frozen over except for an area kept clear for plungers. Later in the trip, the entire group will be taken there to participate in the plunge as part of a group presentation. Be waiting for a great group picture to arrive soon!

Today we arrived back from the Island of Gotland. Specifically we visited a World Heritage Site on Gotland, the medieval town of Visby which is surrounded by a centuries old wall. As with many of the places we have visited, it is easy to get a sense of the history of the area as many of the buildings that surround us are older than the United States itself. Through a local tour guide that showed us around the city, a visit to the Gotland Fornsal Museum and by talking to local cafe owners, we have been able to learn a great deal about the Viking and medieval roots of the city.

Relating to Elon, Visby is making large strides to become completely self-sufficient in regards to energy. Through solar panels, hydro electric power that is obtained from the Baltic Sea, and strategically placed windows, their library is well on its way to running solely on sustainable energy.

Our class is divided into groups that focus on the following aspects of Swedish culture: art, education, sports, wildlife, cuisine and automotive safety. The groups are responsible for contacting local professionals and creating a presentation that will educate the rest of the class in their specific areas. Thus far, the wildlife group has taken our class the Natural History Museum where we were introduced to many native creatures that are capable of surviving and adapting to the extreme climate of Scandinavia. We are all hoping that many of these species will be visible when we visit, Kiruna, Sweden’s most northern town, later this week. This evening we are looking forward to experiencing the local cuisine at Tennstopet, one of Stockholm’s local restaurants.

The Aboriginal Australia Course reports:
Wednesday Jan. 9
Today we took a Ferry Ride to Rottnest Island. The island is called Wadjemup by the Noongar people, the indigenous inhabitants of the Perth City area. In one of their dreaming stories that piece of earth separated from the mainland and received its name Wadjemup once it separated, meaning "the land across the water".

In traditional Noongar history, the island had no negative connotation; however since the arrival of the Europeans, the island is very negatively associated with the Noongar people. The Europeans turned this beautiful island on the Indian Ocean a prison for the aboriginal people. They created laws without telling the aboriginal people and then imprisoned them here on Rottnest. The prisoners had a very rough time on the Island. They were only rationed 2 pounds of bread a day for all of the prisoners and their cells were the size of office cubicles. The prison is now a tourist hotel on the island called the Lodge.

There is also a cemetery on the island were both the prisoners and white inhabitants of the island are buried side by side. However, all of the graves of the aboriginals are unmarked because in their society is very particular about their deceased and their spirits.

Now on the island you can find a local Australian coffee chain Dome, tandem bike tours and a plethora of other vacationing extravaganza.

Thursday Jan. 10
Today we had more classes at Curtin University Aboriginal Study Center. We were cultured in the Aboriginal domain, dreaming and outlook by three knowledgeable individuals. One, a lady named Lesley Neale, a white woman who actually teaches professors how to teach aboriginal studies. Originally from England she has spent around 20 plus years working with aboriginal children and studying their culture.

The other is John Mallard, an aboriginal who looks like a white man. Only another indigenous person would be able to tell he was an aboriginal. He explained the intermarriage with the Dutch since the 1640’s, that have cause his white features. Mr. Mallard explained all the aspects of the Dreaming, the basis for all aspects for life on aboriginal societies. There was at one point over 400 aboriginal tribes all with their slightly own unique story of the Dreaming. Mr. Mallard cultured us in peculiar social peculiarities and aboriginal territorial rights.

Lastly, there is the very humble Darren Garvey. He is an indigenous man, a Torres Strait Islander, who hails from the Northeast corner of the continent. He is a Psychologist by trade and an expert in spreading the understanding and beauty of the aboriginal people. He is a very engaging speaker, pleasant, a phenomenal listener and seems eager to learn the American perspective on the aboriginal situation as well share all of the knowledge he has.

Later in the day we ventured to the Western Australia Museum and Art Gallery. Here we learned of the history of the indigenous dating back 50,000 years ago up to modern day. The museum covered everything from first traces of aboriginal settlement to the current day action of providing those equal rights and opportunities as well as all of the nitty gritty details in between. At the art gallery we were able to see modern artwork down by aboriginal artists all over the country.

Tomorrow we are off to Margaret River and are all very excited!!

The Brazil Course reports:
We had a Tuesday afternoon bus tour of the city of Belo Horizonte, capitol of the state of Minas Gerais and 5th largest city population-wise in Brazil. The first photo is a group one taken in front of a Catholic church (yes, it truly is a church) designed by famed architect, Oscar Niemeyer, a native of BH. The second photo is the backs of some of the students (sorry about that!) with another Niemeyer building in the background. Guess how many stories are actually in that apartment building you see? Ready…8. This is one of Niemeyer’s signature architectural creations.

Tomorrow we have a long bus ride to the historic city of Diamantina where we stay one night and then we are on to Montes Claros. Everyone is having an amazing time…and is learning a lot!




The New Zealand Course reports:
We're now in Rotorua and all is going well

The Aboriginal Australia Course reports:
After arriving in Perth we met our coordinators and enjoyed a nice dinner with our faculty; what a great way to wind down from our long travels. Our coordinators (Adrian and Ben) set up a full day of adventure for Monday. Our group of thirty split up and raced around Perth looking for restaurants, piers, shops, Aboriginal art, historical parks, etc. This race was a great way to become accustom to Perth, learn on our own, enjoy the warm weather, and find different destinations we may need to find our own way to later this week. After venturing around Perth we also headed to the Freemantle Prison and the Western Australian Maritime Museum before eating at Cottesloe beach.

Tuesday morning, our bus left around 9:30 am and we attended our first lecture at Curtain University, Center for Aboriginal Studies. Our class was lucky enough to receive a traditional Nyoongar welcome by Noel Nannup (a well known Aboriginal man) and Darren (our Curtain University faculty member). Noel began by sharing a quote with us; "For some of us, our feet still follow that of our ancestors". This quote immediately made me think of our required reading ("Why weren't we told?"); a lot of our required text spoke about never truly understanding yourself and your culture until you could understand your family history. Unfortunately, many Aboriginal people are still searching for their complete history and as they search for the answers, they trace the footsteps of their ancestors. Noel also shared an Aboriginal story with us, entitled "The Carer of Everything". This story is sacred to the Aboriginal people and challenged us to become engaged in the spiritual beliefs and values of the Aboriginal culture. Many parts of the story took place in parts of Western Australia that we will be visiting in the weeks to come; including Rottnest Island and the Wave Rock. Personally, I found the most intriguing part of his story to be when he spoke about losing all self-centered characteristics in order to be a true carer of everything. It is very easy in today's society to become self-centered and this was refreshing to hear; it made me remember that the common good goes beyond one life and beholds all humanity.

Following our first lecture, we visited the Bernadt Museum (being 75% Aboriginal Art). All of the Aboriginal Art is contemporary, being collected within one year of its making in order to have proper and thorough documentation. Our guide, John Stanton, showed us many artifacts, including carrying bowls, digging sticks, spears, clubs, boomerangs, and grinding stones. We also saw Aboriginal paintings each having their own spiritual meaning. One fascinating fact John shared with our class was that the footprints of Aboriginal people are an identification factor, as faces and fingerprints would be for us as Americans. While knowledge is seen as a privilege for the Aboriginal people, they do keep some things secretive; not sharing certain art, stories, or ways of life with outsiders. I enjoyed learning about the secretive aspect of Aboriginal culture because, we tend to forget that the richness of culture is at our fingertips. More often than not, we as Americans get caught in the materialistic ways of life that surround us and forget that we can exploit our environment and choose a multipurpose way of life.

Tomorrow we leave Perth and I can't wait for what's yet to come.

One of the photos below is of one of our students, Billy, with the books we were given as a gift from Noel Nannup. The second one is a view of Perth and Swan River from King's Park lookout. The third one is three Professors: Lesley Neale, John Mallard and Darren Garvey in the lobby of the aboriginal center at Curtin University. Behind them are three aboriginal flags. One is the Torres Straight Flag, the green represents the land; blue the ocean; and the center is a traditional head piece. The black and red with the yellow center is the universal aboriginal flag. The black represents the people, the red the land and the yellow the sun. Lastly, the center flag with the center is the Goana Flag. The fourth photo is Ross Chernin hanging off a rock on the beach at Rottnest.