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| Articles
on Study Abroad Featured in Millsaps' Purple & White |
| Yucatan
Trippers Find Meaning from Daily Journey Entries, Field Work |
| This
past summer was one full of exciting travels for many Millsaps students.
Students and faculty alike spanned the globe in search of new knowledge
and enriching cultural experiences. One such study abroad program was
the Maya Culture and Ecology program in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
According to its syllabus, the program was designed to “train students
who are not necessarily science or anthropology majors, to become environmentally
and historically conscious citizens equipped to deal with the complex
nature of human, land use, and environmental issues in the 21st century.” Unlike
many international programs, the Maya Culture and Ecology program was
strictly a learning program, not a missionary program. The program lasted
from May 24 through June 5 and was run by Millsaps’ own Dr. Stan
Galicki and Dr. George Bey. Program participants spent time in numerous
cities throughout the Yucatan including Merida, the capitol of the Mexican
state of Yucatan, Valladolid, and Puerto Morelos. While in Merida, students
stayed in the Millsaps House, a dormitory-classroom facility developed
by Millsaps’ Else School of Management. “In Merida, it was
cool to see the effects of colonialism and the richness of history” comments
junior anthropology major Nancy Yates on her experience in Merida. Students
also spent time at the Helen Moyers Biocultural Reserve, a research center
operated by Millsaps College and its non-profit organization Kaxil Kiuic.
As typical of all Millsaps study abroad programs, participants in the
Maya Culture and Ecology program experienced a mixture of classroom and
experiential learning designed to aid |
students
in grasping the big picture. “It was very interesting to actually
see what we had talked about in class”, said Junior Megan Jumago
of the importance of field work throughout the trip. An average day
during the program consisted of an early rise, usually before 7am,
followed by a morning lecture and field trips. Most nights were spent
working and writing papers. Despite the early mornings and obligatory
papers, program participants remain enthusiastic about the trip. “I
definitely recommend the trip to everyone”, says Rikki Darcey
a senior Biology major from Lafayette LA., “Dr. Bey has a passion
for the Maya, and he really tried to instill this passion in us (the
students).” Throughout the trip, students got a chance to reflect
on their experiences through required journaling. “The journaling
brought a deeper meaning to the Mayan history”, said Yates, “it
offered a chance for us to be introspective.” Though students
seemed to enjoy every aspect of program, the unanimous favorite was
the snorkeling trip off the coast of Puerto Morelos. The Mayan ruins
in Puerto Morelos stand practically on the water, offering the students
a chance to view them from offshore, just as the Spanish Conquistadors
had centuries before them. Like many Millsaps Study Abroad program,
the Maya Culture and Ecology Program is open to students of all academic
interests.
by Cree Cantrell
P & W
Staff Writer
|
| Tanzania
Trip Proves Life-Changing |
Millsaps College
has always prided itself on its many study abroad programs. This summer,
a new program will be added to the already diverse mix of study abroad
programs. Under the supervision of Dr. Julian Murchison of the Millsaps
Sociology- Anthropology department, Millsaps students will spend a month
in Tanzania this summer. “This program has really evolved over
the last five years”, comments Dr. Murchison, “Millsaps has
a real commitment to international studies and has built up a lot of
credibility.” Murchison, who spent a year in Tanzania as an undergraduate,
is eager to pass on the experience to Millsaps Students. “Personally,
studying abroad was the reason for my career choice”, says Murchison
of his college days.
The program is titled “An Ethnographic Vista on Tanzanian Life and
Culture”. The program seeks to understand the unique culture of Tanzania.
Activities will range from being paired with advanced secondary Tanzanian
students to a scavenger hunt in the local marketplace. Each exercise will
be a hands on learning experience geared toward surviving in an unfamiliar
culture. This survival experience will lead to a better understanding of
the economic, religious, and social inter workings of Tanzanian culture.
The students will spend time in Dar es Salaam, the capitol and largest
city in Tanzania, studying the politics, economy, society of Tanzania’s
urban life. Students will also explore Tanzania’s tourism industry
on the island of Zanzibar. “Students will ask the question ‘What
is |
uniquely
Tanzanian in this urban environment?’” says Murchison of
the urban aspect of the program. The study abroad program will also
spend two weeks in southern Tanzania, an area that is widely rural
and dominated by agriculture. Students will compare this rural culture
to that on coast of Tanzania and take note of how the development in
the south takes on a distinct Tanzanian flavor.
The program, worth four credit hours, is set to depart in either May
or June of this summer. All students are welcome to participate, but
the program is recommended for students who have completed a core 6 class,
intro to anthropology, or a political science class. A 2 hour course
entitled “Survivor Swahili” is being developed in preparation
for the program. Cost for the program is $3,495, and it includes tuition
and fees. Airfare is not included. For more information on this exciting
new program please attend the informative meeting on Tuesday November
7 in the Sociology-Anthropology department on the third floor on Sullivan-Harrell
Hall or contact Dr. Julian Murchison.
by Ace Madjilesi
P & W
Copy Editor
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EXPLORE AFRICA
Travel to East Africa and study life, history, economics and culture in Tanzania. |
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