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Juniors Abroad

Juniors Abroad 2004

GEED 375A England/Scotland  - Caitlin Corning and Phil Smith

This course invites students to examine three Christian thinkers whose work has proved to have lasting influence, Anselm of Canterbury (11th century), Julian of Norwich (14th century), and Thomas Reid (18th century).  Our study will be highlighted by our tour of sites related to each writer as well as other places of interest. Students will have the opportunity to walk the medieval streets of Canterbury and York, see a Shakespeare play at the new Globe, hold medieval manuscripts in Durham, visit an active archeological dig at a Roman fort on Hadrian's wall, explore castles and cathedrals, etc.  (Meets Tuesday night)

Important: This trip will be going in June.  All are welcome to sign up, but spring athletes have first priority.

GEED 375B Guatemala/Costa Rica  - Debbie Berho and Viki Defferding

We will visit both urban and rural areas, the fabulous Mayan ruins at Tikal and the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica.  In between, we will have contact with several indigenous groups of Guatemala and serve alongside local pastors in ministry to street orphans and teens from the poorest sectors.  We'll interact with local college-age Christian youth and stay in Costa Rican homes.  Learn a little Spanish (or improve what you already know)!  Prior to going, we'll study the history, religion and culture of Central America from pre-Colombian times up to the present.  We will also prepare for the service aspect of the trip.  If you'd like to experience cross-cultural ministry for Christ, this trip is for you! (Meets Tuesday night)

Berlin to London  - Mark Weinert and Robin Baker

This trip will include time in Germany, France, Belgium, and England.  The emphasis of the course on the great world wars of the twentieth century will mean visits to such places as Checkpoint Charlie at the former Berlin Wall; sites of the trench warfare of World War I in Belgium and France; the beaches of Normandy where the D-Day landing of World War II occurred; the British port city of Portsmouth with its D-Day museum; and the various museums of London related to the world wars, including the Imperial War Museum.  In addition to these sites, students will experience many other riches of European life and culture, including cathedrals and castles in the Rhine valley of Germany; three days in Paris with its glorious architecture and museums; the medieval trading town of Bruges, with its canals running through the town; and the museums, history, and theatrical productions of London. (Meets Monday night)

GEED 375D Kenya - Paul Chamberlain and Hank Helsabeck

This course will study the history, culture, and wildlife of Africa by visiting various locales in Kenya, Africa.  Students will have opportunities to explore a variety of rich and distinctive ecosystems, including jungles, tropical rainforests, tea plantations, savannas, game parks, and marine habitats.  Of particular interest will be our visits to such sites as the Massi Mara (one of the worlds great game parks where you will see an incredible variety of wildlife including, giraffes, lions, elephants, warthogs, hyenas, and cheetahs), the Indian Ocean and the coral reef (including a boat ride to the reef for snorkeling), the crocodile infested Lake Turkana (the so-called cradle of civilization), a remote northern Kenyan village of the Rendille tribe, Daystar University (a George Fox sister school), Samburu National Park, Lake Baringo (and its hippos), Marsabit Rainforest and Jungle.  To add to the cultural flavor of the tour, students will have the opportunity to visit two of Kenya's largest cities, Nairobi and Mombassa.

Important:  This trip is primarily a camping trip.  We will be camping much of the time, which means sleeping in tents on the ground or on cots, very primitive toilets (holes in the ground), cold showers, if they are available.  If you sign up for this trip please be prepared to rough it!! (Meets Wednesday night)

GEED 375 Korea/Japan- Alex Pia and Katsu Ozawa

The purpose of the trip is to enhance the participants' understanding and appreciation of the society, culture, industry, and educational systems of Korea and Japan, and to gain insight into the significance of their relationship with the U.S.  Assisting us with our study tour of Korea will be our sister school, Joongbu University, whose representatives will accompany us on our travels throughout Korea. In addition to touring the urban beauty of the city of Seoul, we will be taking in some of the natural beauty of Korea's national parks.  Additional sites include touring the culturally rich city of Gyeongju, where it is said the whole city is a museum without wall, and in 1979 was listed by UNESCO as one of the 10 world historic cities; touring a Korean Folk Village, where there will be Korean people dressed in native costumes "living traditional lives"; and visiting the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which divides North and South Korea.  For Japan, we will visit a variety of cultural and historic sites in the cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Hiroshima, which are of immense historical significance to Japan.  Students will also have direct experiences in living with a Japanese family, trying their hand at some traditional Japanese arts and sports, and dialoguing with Japanese students (Meets Thursday night)

GEED 375 F Paris to Munich - Roger Newell and Paul Kennedy

This is a humanities tour of France, Switzerland, Austria, and Bavaria (Southern Germany). We will stroll the soccer fields surrounding the Eiffel Tower in Paris, amble through the Burgundy countryside near the village of Taize, joining hundreds of young European seekers in multi-lingual worship, walk briskly through the efficiency and purpose driven legacy of Calvin's Geneva, climb gentle hills and gaze "gob-smacked" at spectacular Mountains in the heart of Switzerland's Interlaken area.  Mozart's idyllic Salzburg and Bavaria's beautiful capital, Munich, will complete our immersion into Western EuropeÕs heartland.  We will also consider some of the dark moments (visiting Dachau concentration camp) as well as triumphant achievements, examining both Reformation and contemporary religious life, the crisis of 20th century Fascism, as well as some of the contemporary political and religious issues in each country.  (Meets Tuesday night)

GEED 375 G New Zealand- Beth LaForce and Terrie Boehr

New Zealand is a country of contrast.  There are vast mountains, beautiful ocean beaches and forests.  The scenery may seem familiar to those who have seen the recent Lord of the Rings movies. The big cities are balanced with miles of open country scenes with millions of sheep.  It is a bilingual country with two major cultures and traditions- Pakeha (white European) and Maori (native) groups. We will explore the history and geography of this complex country by getting actively involved in the experience.  We will take a boat trip on Milford Sound, visit the thermal reserves at Rotorua, climb on the Franz Josef glacier and explore museums, including the Antarctica Museum. During the trip, we will have the opportunity to participate in many outdoor tourist activities: hiking, jet boating, horseback riding and parasailing on several days when small groups will plan their own activities for the day. (Meets Tuesday night)

GEED 375 H Russia - Ludmila Praslova and Sue O'Donnell

The trip to Russia will help you to explore how its cultural history influenced various aspects of modern culture and life. Prior to the trip you will have an opportunity to learn some basics of conversational Russian, which should enable you to communicate with local people (many of the younger Russian people will also know some English). Geographically, the trip will be within European Russia. Exploration of Moscow will include Kremlin's fortress and palaces, medieval Cathedrals which reflect a mix of European and Asian architectural styles, and Moscow river tour. You will see famous palace-like stations of Moscow subway and learn to navigate the city via the public transportation. To gain a deeper understanding of culture and lifestyle, you will be able to spend several days sharing the everyday life and activities of local people and churches and experiencing Moscow the way Muscovites do. Next, we will travel to the northern Russia, to St. Petersburg and its suburbs. Peter the Great has founded this city to be a grand "paradise" and the Venice of the North, and the city's canals, palaces, museums, parks, and fountains stand true to his vision. Add in the natural beauty of rivers, lakes and the Gulf of Finland, as well as that of  "white" northern nights (yes, there really is enough natural light to read in the middle of the night in May-June!), and you will understand why Northern Russia inspired so many great artists, novelists and poets. You may even get artistically inspired yourself. (Meets Monday night)

GEED 375 I Switzerland/Italy  - Manfred Tshan and Tim Tsohantaridis

This Juniors Abroad trip will be organized around 5 main locations, with day trips to points of interest. We will start in Rome (3 days), travel to the Etruscan coast of Tuscany (7 days), Venice (2 days), the High Alps of Switzerland (5 days), Western Switzerland (3 days). Aside from experiencing the geography and architecture, the main focus of the trip will be on history. The expansion of the Roman Empire will be one thread; church history will be the other. We will also take advantage of the cultural and culinary treasures in each location. At least one day will be spent hiking in the mountains.

Important: Ground transportation will be by van. This gives us the ability to reach out of the way places, and the flexibility to adjust our itinerary to weather conditions. However, it makes the trip a poor choice for people who get car sick, and for people who need more than a small suitcase to carry their stuff. (Meets Wednesday night)