In the heart of what should be an ice-cold winter in the D.C. area, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences offers students multiple ways to skip town and study in a number of beautiful international destinations.
The Center for Global Education lists a number of study abroad trips for the winter break this year, lasting each about two weeks in the beginning of January. Of this selection, 15 trips this winter feature a member of the college faculty and count for credit in college-based courses. The deadline to apply for January’s trips is Friday, Oct. 7.
Hung Nguyen, faculty member in the Department of Public and International Affairs, will co-direct a trip to Vietnam from January 2-17, 2012.
Students will explore Vietnamese culture, society, politics, economics and foreign policy. The tour group will visit important destinations such as Hanoi, the capital city, Ho Chi Minh City, an economic hub, and the Mekong Delta. Professor Ta Minh Tuan of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam will accompany the group throughout the whole tour.
"I have conducted two Vietnam study tours before and this looks like the best,” Nguyen said. “It’s a great learning experience and a wonderful trip you won't forget."
Charlotte Rogers, who teaches Spanish in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, will lead a group to Cuba from January 3-17, 2012.
Mason students will get to experience parts of Cuban culture that have previously been withheld from the U.S. public, due to the recent easing of travel restrictions to the country.
Students will study Cuban history, politics, economics and art – including visits to museums, conversations with writers, artists and filmmakers, and participation in dance, art and writing workshops.
“I look forward to leading the Modern and Classical Languages department's first study trip to Cuba since 2000,” Rogers said.
Irina Aervitz, faculty member in the Global Affairs program, will lead a trip to Switzerland from January 4-18, 2012.
Her study group will visit a number of prominent international organizations, including the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the European Court of Human Rights and other organizations in Geneva and Strasbourg, France.
“The final result is an in-depth knowledge of the structure, workings, and objectives of international organizations,” Aervitz said. “For students interested in a career in diplomacy, international relations, conflict resolution or development, the program offers an invaluable experience and knowledge that they can easily apply to their professional goals.”
More college faculty members are leading trips to other countries this winter. Archaeologist and Department of Sociology and Anthropology faculty member Alex Benitez is leading a trip to study empires of the Inca and Spanish in Peru. Arabic professor Ghassan Husseinali is leading an intensive Arabic language study program to the University of Jordan. Sumaiya Hamdani, faculty member in the Department of History and Art History and an expert on Middle Eastern and Islamic history, is leading a trip to study pre- and post-revolutionary Egypt.
Ecuador, London, Greece, Cambodia and Ireland are five more countries on the college’s itinerary. The deadline to apply for these programs is Friday, Oct. 7.
Safe travels!