Students planning to go on the India and Malaysia Study Abroad trips were left disappointed after finding out both trips were canceled for the fall of 2019, including Sophomore Hailey Concepcion.

Concepcion is a Political Science and Peace Studies major with a minor in Latin American, Latino/a, and Caribbean Studies (LALACS) and had looked forward to furthering her studies in India next semester.

“I love to travel, and I love how different the culture is and how it’d help me for my future,” Concepcion said.

After finding out about the cancelation, Concepcion had to decide on a different way to spend her semester.

“I was very disappointed, and my parents were pretty shocked… because I planned my four-year plan around it. I met with my advisor and reconfigured things,” Concepcion said.

In a country with over one billion people, students study issues of democracy, social change, human rights, environmental and economic justice, and religion through academic classes, travel to selected sites, and guest lectures.

“The theme was environmental sustainability and human rights, and I really want to go into human rights law eventually. So that fit quite perfectly with my Peace Studies minor at the time. I thought that’d connect really well,” Concepcion said.

“Once on-site, students will be in contact with people who work every day to improve living conditions in India… students are introduced to a topic through a series of class lectures, and follow through with the new knowledge by traveling to selected sites to learn directly about the subject from and with people who are actually being affected,” the trip description said.

“Examples of past sites include wildlife reserves, urban slums, medical facilities, a school for the children of temple prostitutes, and an indigenous village to learn about sustainable farming techniques,” the online description added.

The trip to India offered students the opportunity to live in Visthar and engage with local experts regarding sustainability in the country.  They would have been able to experience social and economic issues firsthand and reflect on those experiences.

The Malaysia program offered students the opportunity to study at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang, as well as participate in additional field trips and community service.

Both trips had a mid-semester break which allowed students to travel the country or to other areas in the region.

Concepcion said she found out about the cancelation on Valentine’s Day, saying she “hadn’t gotten any confirmation about the trip and went in to figure out where they were at.”

The program needed at least ten students to participate between Gustavus and its corresponding school, Concordia, Moorhead, but it had low enrollment; Gustavus only had two applicants while Concordia only had three.

“I am going to Prague to study in a Peace Studies program. I am very excited to have the opportunity,” Concepcion said.

There are many other trips offered for a study abroad opportunity and there will be a J-Term 2020 Study Away fair on March 19, 2019.