Global Education on Spring Break 2014

Friends Seminary is excited about this year's global education initiatives and the opportunities for students to develop their global competencies.
 

Jordan 

Students will visit sites and meet with communities throughout the country that illustrate the region’s diverse cultures and habitats. Students will enjoy a stay at King’s Academy, an innovative boarding school in central Jordan, where they will meet and collaborate with Jordanian peers. As their travels take them through the Jordan River Valley—under the expert leadership of Friends of the Earth Middle East—students will learn about the environmental crisis in the region as well as the collaborative efforts to combat it. The trip will conclude with an unforgettable two nights in the southern deserts, where students will camp with Bedouins and visit Petra and Wadi Rum under the guidance of local outfit Bedouin Discovery. Viewing the heart of the Middle East through an environmental lens will grant the students a unique and crucial perspective on the ongoing challenges in the region, and establishing ties with Jordanian communities and schools will leave the door open for future travel.

 

China 

Students will travel to Beijing, Suzhou and Shanghai, where they will immerse themselves in China’s rich and varied culture and history while spending time with students and faculty in three Chinese schools —Beijing No. 4, the Dandelion (pu-gong-ying) School in Beijing and Suzhou No. 2 High School. In the months leading up to the trip, students will work with students at Suzhou No. 2 around urban issues of mutual interest and concern. Students and faculty also will study and explore together in short monthly pre-trip sessions that prepares them to fully appreciate the experience overseas. The China Institute in New York City has helped develop an itinerary that includes significant time in such places as the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square in Beijing, the Great Wall north of Beijing, the Confucius Temple and Academy and the Humble Administrator’s Garden in Suzhou and the Bund and Shanghai Museum in Shanghai. 

 

Panama 

Students in the Environmental Science course have the opportunity to explore the varied ecosystems of Panama and work with scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. The field research abroad will integrate with classroom lab work at home. Envoys has helped friends design a trip that builds understanding of the complex balance between economic developments and environmental ecosystems. Students will develop a practical understanding of the scientific process while increasing awareness of indigenous cultures. There will be plenty of fun as well! Among other places, the group will visit the San Blas Islands of Panama’s northern Caribbean coast.

 

For more information about any of the above programs, contact Leitzel Schoen.