ANCIENT GREECE - AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL TOUR
By Susie Mason, Peer Advisor for the Office of Study Abroad
Students at KU have an exceptional opportunity this summer to travel and experience our classical heritage. The 2005 Ancient Greece summer institute is an amazing program in which students become directly immersed within the art, architecture and archaeology of the Preclassical, Classical Roman and Byzantine cultures in Greece.
The program begins in Athens with an orientation and works its way through towns such as Sparta, Olympia and Delphi. The program concludes back in Athens with a farewell dinner in the Greek tradition on the Plaka, just below the Acropolis. Students will participate in readings, walking lectures, and tours of sites and museums.
Trips within the program include: the sanctuary to Zeus, the site of the ancient Olympic games at Olympia, sanctuary to Athena, patron goddess of Athens which includes the Parthenon, Mycenaean palaces, sites of early hospitals and much more. Students will also have some afternoons available to travel on their own. Not only will students have the opportunity to travel and visit numerous historical sites, they will also have the opportunity to learn introductory basic Modern Greek (such as numbers, greetings, shopping expressions, basic needs).
The Caryatids on the Acropolis,
Athens, Greece.
Internationally known Greek archaeologist, art historian and professor of Classics, John H. Younger, leads the program. Professor Younger's experience includes ten previous trips to Greece in addition to being fluent in Modern Greek.
Students may enroll in Classics 570, Art History 505 or both. Either course satisfies KU's Literature and the Arts (HL) principle course requirements.
For more information about the program, contact Professor John Younger at jyounger@ku.edu or visit http://people.ku.edu/~jyounger/Greece/.
SEVEN THINGS I LEARNED IN EUROPE
By Dan Peters, Universiteit Maastricht in Maastricht, The Netherlands (ISEP)
1. Knowing a few words in a foreign language goes a long way. If you are making the effort to visit a new country,you might as well learn how to say "hello" and "thank you" in the local language. You will be surprised how many times you can use even the most basic words, and it's much less awkward than completing a transaction without words.
2. Missing a flight can be a good thing. Luckily, you can still get just about anywhere by train, and it can be fun spontaneously devising a "Plan B." Our missed flight from Brussels to Pisa turned into a whirlwind tour of Paris, eastern France, the Swiss Alps, and we still had just enough time to have dinner in Italy before catching our original return flight back.
3. Going out for a drink doesn't necessarily mean an alcoholic one. When my language teacher in Barcelona proposed that we go to a bar after our last class, I thought it might evolve into a crazy night of inebriation. Rather, we practiced our Spanish over cappuccino and orange juice. Bars in Europe often have an
extensive selection of non-alcoholic drinks and snacks, and "going out for a drink" at a bar or café is a popular pastime.
4. Hostels provide you with guaranteed friends in any city. Not only are hostels the cheapest way to stay, but they are also
Dan Peters in Luxembourg City. Contributed by Dan Peters.
full of other young tourists from around the world. This makes for a very social, vibrant atmosphere which is great for exchanging travel stories and e-mail addresses. I've learned a lot about the world from my conversations with fellow hostel-goers.
5. Be cautious when telling Europeans about
American culture or how things are done "back home." You may simply be trying to state a comparison, but your colleague may interpret your words differently. They may take offense or quickly become defensive about their own traditions. Americans are sometimes stereotyped as ignorant and prideful,but you don't have to be.
6. French fries are everywhere. You can eat them with shrimp in Spain or with schnitzel in Germany. In the Netherlands, they pass as a meal if you dip them in mayonnaise Europeans will ask you if we really call them "freedom fries" in the United States.
7. Make the most of your experience. Use common sense, but don't be afraid to take risks Try striking up conversations with shopkeepers and bartenders. Explore the back alleys and streets (with a friend, of course). Walk inside any shop, church, or park that looks interesting Europe is full of memorable experiences,but you may have to be a little more assertive or outgoing then normal to make them happen.
JAYHAWKS ABROAD
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