Category: Study Abroad
Do Not Leave Only Your Footprints
While visiting the Machalilla National Park on Isla De La Plata, our guide gave us one piece of advice: leave only your footprints. This is a saying I have seen posted on various occasions. I’ve seen it in parks, on beaches, and while taking many vacations. It is a creative way to remind people that … Continue reading Do Not Leave Only Your Footprints
Bittersweet Celebration of our Time in Vietnam
It was a bittersweet departure today. We are incredibly proud of the American and Vietnamese students who not only worked hard to bridge cultural differences but to embrace and accept them. The students sang all night and the faculty watched with great joy. We could not have imagined a better end to our Vietnamese experience. … Continue reading Bittersweet Celebration of our Time in Vietnam
The results are in! Student presentations in Vietnam
After two weeks of rigorous study the students presented their final group projects. The topics included a plethora of issues from dental care to water quality to environmental protection to educational reform to government structures. The students were well prepared and handled difficult questions with ease. The professors were very impressed!
You truly are what you eat!!!!!!
What you are buying at your local market may not be as fresh as you might think it is! Fruit that is grown here in Ecuador ripens naturally on its tree, bush or vine. Much of the fresh fruit we see at our local markets are shipped from Ecuador; though they are picked unripe and … Continue reading You truly are what you eat!!!!!!
What’s Necessary for the Necessary Room in Ecuador
Every day is a learning experience! One of the first dramatically different cultural experiences we encountered in Ecuador was the process of using a public restroom. It typically affects the girls more than the guys. We made a stop on the first day at Itchimbia Park to look at the valley that is the center … Continue reading What’s Necessary for the Necessary Room in Ecuador
Happy Homes at the Orphanage
We had the amazing pleasure of meeting beautiful Vietnamese children at an orphanage here. The system is more beneficial to children then the one we have in the United States. The orphanage is a village with 15 homes. Each home has one mother and nine children. The children live there as a family unit. They … Continue reading Happy Homes at the Orphanage
South Africa – The Final Countdown
Soon a group of SPC students will be taking off to start their educational adventure in South Africa. The students can look forward to visiting Robben Island, which has become a major symbol of South Africa’s political struggles – the great leader and statesman Nelson Mandela was imprisoned there for 18 years (1964-1982). They will also get to view … Continue reading South Africa – The Final Countdown
Vietnam in Transition
As an SPC student, I am honored to have a part of this experience with USF Tampa and USF St. Petersburg. Hanoi, Vietnam is a feast for the senses, hundreds of cars and motorbikes zooming by you driving fast and slow all at once. Our group of 14 students and 3 staff take adventures every … Continue reading Vietnam in Transition
The Beautiful Caves of Phong Na
Over the weekend we took a bus south to Phong Nha to travel to a beautiful area and explore caves. When we arrived I was surprised to find that the area, while remote, had many tourists from Europe and Australia. The area is know for its beautiful caves, specifically “Paradise Cave.” The Vietnamese are accustomed … Continue reading The Beautiful Caves of Phong Na