Are you dreaming of spending next January somewhere other than the sunny beaches of Saint Peter, Minnesota?
You may be in luck.
On Monday, March 12 from 3-5:30, the Center for International and Cultural Education is hosting a J-Term Study Away Fair outside of the cafeteria.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about all twelve of Gustavus’ faculty lead J-term study away trips with cookies, coffee and punch provided.
Trips next year take place in Las Vegas, Hawaii, London, Indonesia, China, Ecuador, Brazil, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, and Prague, so there are a bounty of different locations for every Gustie.
The topics of the study abroad courses also vary for different interests, from Arts and Performance to Olympic Quest and everything in between.
“Studying away is a valuable experience for students because it allows them to experience a different culture, explore issues that they are passionate about from a global perspective, and develop cross-cultural skills that will prepare them to succeed in an ever-globalizing job market. The world is a diverse, fascinating place, and students need to go out and experience it if they are going to be positioned to address our shared global challenges. It also doesn’t hurt, that studying away is fun,” Assistant Director of Study Away Bryan Messerly said.
This year, Junior Anna Neeser spent her J-Term studying astronomy of the southern skies in New Zealand and Australia.
“Our J-Term trip consisted of about 2 weeks in New Zealand and 2 weeks in Australia. We learned about the star constellations, how to calculate distance and speed of stars, and about the planets. We were able to travel to observatories, learn about how telescopes work, and observe stars. We also traveled and experienced the cultures of New Zealand and Australia,” Neeser said.
Although the course is not being offered next year, she strongly recommends studying away.
“I recommend others to study abroad! It was one of the best experiences of my life,” Neeser said.
Neeser had always wanted to travel, and through Gustavus she found the perfect opportunity.
“I knew I wanted to travel somewhere for a month and this was the perfect opportunity. I chose to take this trip through Gustavus because I was able to go with my peers. I was pleasantly surprised with how close every one of us on the trip became, and I feel like the friends I made on this trip I will have for a very long time,” Neeser said.
Senior Amanda Peck went on the Eat Italy! J-Term in January 2017, which will be offered again in 2019.
“The trip consisted of learning more about the Italian culture by going to various wineries, cheese factories and restaurants.
We learned how to make authentic Italian pizza, pasta, and learned all about how wine is made. We also visited famous sites such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Spanish steps, Colosseum, and Pompei,” Peck said.
Peck also liked the format of the J-Term class.
“I chose the J-term instead of a semester abroad because I liked the idea of having people I knew with me, and having a set itinerary to follow throughout my trip,” she said.
The faculty-led aspect of the J-Term trip is also a bonus opposed to doing a semester abroad or travelling on your own.
“J-Term is a great time for students to explore studying away because J-Term courses are led by Gustavus faculty, so students get the opportunity to experience new places with somebody who has expertise in the place they are traveling and experience in introducing students to travel abroad. It helps that everybody needs to earn two J-Term IEX credits, and a J-Term course abroad fulfills one of those credits,” Messerly said.
Individuals aren’t the only ones who get to benefit from their time abroad. It also creates a more wordly and aware campus.
“The benefit for the campus community is great, as well. Students return to campus with the knowledge and perspectives they gain about different cultures and how they approach different issues and share that in their classes on campus. In other cases, students and professors who travel abroad make friends and contacts with whom they may someday collaborate on research or other opportunities. All of these varied experiences make the scholarly and cultural life on campus richer,” Messerly said.
If you can’t make the J-Term Study Away Fair you can check Gustavus’ website or stop by the Center for International and Cultural Education for more information.