Study Abroad World

First stop on our itinerary was Green Hills Butterfly Farm. We spent a little over an hour there learning about the butterflies. The owners Tineke and Jan gave us an overview of the business of raising butterflies. Our tour began at the breeding facilities; followed by a walk through the butterfly flight area. The flight area was definitely the highlight of this tour.

Next stop on our itinerary was a visit to Big Rock Falls followed by lunch and swimming at Five Sisters Falls and Lodge. We all had an awesome time at Big Rock Falls! The ten minute hike to and from the falls was definitely worth it.

When we arrived at Five Sister’s Falls Lodge we were greeted by the manager. Nigel welcomed us and escorted our group to the dining for lunch. We were served a delicious meal with hibiscus juice (locally known as “Sorrel”) and enjoyed banana bread for dessert.

GLS Students and Culture Day!

Galen University is having its first ever Culture Day on Friday, April 4. Although the GLS students were unable to organize a group for the upcoming event, they have confirmed their support. In addition to sampling ethnic foods and drinks; they will have an opportunity to learn more about the diversity of The Belizean Culture. In addition, they will also have an opportunity to meet Belize’s Governor General His Excellency Sir Colville Young and his wife Lady Young.

Good bye for now!

- Rhondine

The GLS students on our Belize programs at Galen University are having an adventurous semester! To date we’ve done some exciting excursions such as an overnight trip to the Belize Zoo, “The Best Little Zoo in the World”.

The Belize Zoo visit was followed by an interesting cultural trip to one of Belize’s Mennonite Communities called “Spanish Lookout”, located in western Belize.

Our next update will include a trip to the Mountain Pine Ridge area in Belize and updates on the upcoming Culture Day Event.

Best wishes,
Rhondine

This past weekend, students in our Semester in Paris Spring 2008 programs spent three exciting and activity-packed days in France’s Côte d’Azur.

Our six students, accompanied by our Paris-based Program Coordinator, Karl Davis, left Paris on Saturday morning via TGV and arrived in Nice at around lunchtime after spending a handful of hours appreciating the countryside scenery at speeds of 330 kilometers per hour. Following a quick hotel check-in and some time to unpack and freshen up, the group headed to the city’s historical center where they satiated their appetites with a wide array of Nicoise delicacies such as Nicoise sandwiches, olive and mushroom focaccias, exotic pizzas and gelati. The group chose to enjoy their meals by the beach while basking in the Mediterranean sun.

The following morning, the group set off on an extensive walking tour of the city, starting on the seaside path of the “Promenade des Anglais” and on to the “Quai des Etats-Unis.” The students had the chance to get a first-hand look into the history, architecture and sites of the Côte d’Azur’s enchanting capital.

Following the tour, Karl arranged so that those students interested would be able to attend a special Easter Sunday mass in the Cathedral Sainte Réparté—Patron Saint of Nice—with a complete chorus and filled to the brim with attendees under its famous colorfully tiled dome.

After a small break for lunch, the group hiked up the path to the exhilarating chateau overlooking Nice and the stunning Baie des Anges with its turquoise water. The students were nearly speechless at the sheer beauty of the place. Later that evening, they all met at the beautiful seaside terrace of the Meridian Hotel to see the sun set and partake in a Provencal wine tasting.

Monday, after an early breakfast, the group participated in a spectacular fully-customized and guided trip of the Côte d’Azur. The group first visited the breathtaking medieval cliff-side village of Eze, followed by the beauty and decadence of Monte Carlo and the palace of Monaco, and finally the quaint artist haven of St Paul de Vence. This excursion was one of the highlights of the weekend and gave the students an unforgettable opportunity to discover another bit of the history and natural beauty of France and its environs.

The group boarded the 5:36 pm TGV Monday afternoon to be whisked back home to Paris concluding an eventful trip through southern France and Monaco.

More Paris updates coming soon!

- Mateo

Four Global Learning Semesters students studying at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus this Spring have founded the Gaia T.E.A.M., a society which focuses on helping the environment through actions such as recycling, maintaining green areas and installing a nature park at the University of Nicosia.

Jason Budahazy, Jacob Donahue-Grossman, Jon Schmidt and Anthony Atanasio, the executive chairmen of Gaia, came to Cyprus to study abroad in late January and immediately felt that an effort was needed in order to get more people in Cyprus involved in improving the environment. During the past 4 weeks they have been collecting recyclable items such as aluminum cans, bottles and paper from students and installing their own recycling containers in several areas around the University of Nicosia campus. They have also been attending several university events where they distributed leaflets about Gaia in order to increase awareness.

Today, the Gaia T.E.A.M. (The Environment Always Matters) held a presentation at the university’s main amphitheater where they described the society’s purpose and what they plan to do until the end of the semester. Several individuals from the university’s administration attended the presentation. including the Executive and Academic Deans, as well as Cypriot politicians such as the local Mayor and the Cypriot Commissioner for the Environment. The students’ passion for the environment was evident, their arguments were strong, their research was solid and at the end of the presentation they received a warm round of applause and congratulations from everyone. During the presentation a petition was passed around for the attendees to sign in support of the Talloires Declaration, a ten-point action plan for incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities. It has been signed by over 350 university presidents and chancellors in over 40 countries.

The Gaia T.E.A.M. is also constructing a website at www.GaiaTEAM.org.

The University of Nicosia administrators were very impressed with the Gaia T.E.A.M.’s eye-opening presentation and stated that they will hold a Senate meeting to discuss changes that need to be made regarding recycling and environmental preservation at the university.

Global Learning Semesters, in cooperation with the University of Nicosia Student Affairs Department, also committed to creating an internship program where GLS and U-Nic students can lead the Gaia T.E.A.M. in the semesters to come.

We would like to thank Anthony, Jon, Jacob and Jason for this wonderful initiative and for caring so much about Cyprus and its environment. Using a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, that Jason also used in his speech, “Be the change you want to see in the World”. Well done guys!