Turkey - Tuscany - Scotland

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Turkey - Yesterday & Today

May 24-June 7, 2008 ( SOLD OUT!)

• Join us in an escorted program to the
  "Cradle of Civilization."
  
  
• See up close the palaces where sultans once resided
  when you visit the Topkapi Palace and Beylerbeyi Palace in Istanbul, and see the modern day version of the age-old ritual of the “whirling dervishes” in Konya.
  
  
• Ancient history comes alive for you when you view the Hippodrome in Istanbul, the theatre of Aspendos in Perge, the Asclepion in Pergamum, and a more recent history will come alive in the World War I memorial in Anzac Bay.
  
  
• Experience the religious diversity of Turkey when you visit the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, and ancient Jewish synagogue in Sardis, the city of Perge where St. Paul is said to have preached his first sermon of love by the Romans.
  
  
• Experience and learn not only about Turkey's ancient traditions and culture, but also gain insights into the contemporary local customs and the current social, economic and political situation of Today's Turkey

UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

Historic Areas of Istanbul, Rock Sites of Cappadocia, Hierapolis - Pamukkale

People to People Experiences:

Meet the Turkish people as you enjoy a specially prepared dinner and lively conversation in their own homes.

Sample Lectures:

“Ottoman History,” “Women in Turkish History and Culture,” “The Hittites – Turkey’s Ancient World Power,” “The Life and Times of Ataturk,” “Turkey and The Nature of Culture.”

 

Tuscany – The Storm in the Glass

June 3 to June 18, 2008
3 units

An academic program sponsored by the School of Business and Economics,
 Wine Business Program and the School of Extended Education.

The benefit of the traditional winemaking style versus the advantages of the new international style is still a hotly debated topic in the cafes of Florence and the hill towns of Tuscany.  That is the storm in the glass.  Students will be able to both taste the result and observe the techniques that make the wines of Tuscany both special and controversial.

This two-week exploration of the Italian Wine Renaissance will be headquartered in Michelangelo’s home town of Florence, Italy.  Local faculty will present lectures on the Italian wine business and expert wine guides will lead tours of wineries in the Tuscan countryside.

A day-long excursion by chartered bus takes you to Siena and the vineyards of Montalcino, where the famous Brunello di Montalcino is produced.   A second excursion, also led by a local wine guide, may explore the Chianti Classico region – perhaps including tours of the wineries of Ruffino or San Gimignano.  Both traditional and modern wine practices will be explained and observed in person.

During the two-week stay, you will be able to explore the greatest Renaissance city in the world.  You will see the sculptures of Michelangelo in Florence and the paintings of Botticelli in the palace of the Medici family.  Guided tours of the Uffizi Museum, with its world famous collection of Renaissance art, and the Academia, home of Michelangelo’s “David”, are included.

Florence will be the home base for this trip and students will be housed in two star hotels.  Expert local faculty will present four half-day intensive courses on topics such as Italian Wine Marketing and Italian Winemaking Equipment. In addition to the 3 credit class, students have the option of completing an additional 1-unit independent study project under the supervision of course instructor Thomas Atkin, PhD.

Dr. Atkin will present lectures based on his research in International Wine Marketing and Supply Chain Management in the Wine Industry.

 

Scotland Rocks!

July 2-13 , 2008
3 units

The SSU “Origins of Geology” Program offers students a 12-day, intensive program in field geology.  The course is designed for the adult learner with an interest in earth science but with no formal geologic coursework or training.  Students will gain first-hand field experience introducing them to geologic mapping and the interpretation of geologic history.  The curriculum consists of a three-unit upper division geology course.  Students register through Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California, and may receive university credits.  Students and community members may take the course as graded or CR/NC.

Four days will be spent exploring the area in and around Edinburgh and will include Edinburgh’s volcanoes, the area around Dunbar, and St. Andrews and Siccar Point, the location of Hutton’s Unconformity.

The last eight days of the course will be spent exploring the Scottish Highlands.  The course will be based in Inverness, the scenic capital of the Highlands.  There will also be a two-night stay on the enchanting Isle of Skye.  Day trips to the northwest, north, and northeast will focus on the use of fundamental geologic principles to interpret the geological history of the Highlands.  This region is renowned for its spectacular scenery and varied landscapes.  We will study geologic mapping, structural geology, and landscape development, expanding on the tools we learned in Edinburgh.  There will also be some time for exploring a few castles and learning about Scottish archaeology.

This course will use the expertise of two outstanding local geologic guides, Angus Miller in Edinburgh and Stephen Cribb in Inverness, who have detailed knowledge of the history and culture of Scotland and provide access to some of the most wild and beautiful places in the country.  They also add a quintessential local flavor to the trip, enrich the intellectually stimulating environment, and bring humor and warmth.

FACULTY
Thomas Williams, M.S., P.G., has more than 25 years of professional and teaching experience and is an engineering geologist with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board in Santa Rosa.  He has taught earth sciences at seven Bay Area colleges including Sonoma State University, U.C. Berkeley Extension, Dominican University, and four community colleges.  He is an experienced field trip leader.  His most recent course for SSU Extended Education this past summer was a 6-day rafting and hiking trip into the Grand Canyon from Lees Ferry to Phantom Ranch. He traveled to Scotland in 2005 in preparation for this field course.

For more information, check the TraveLearn web site and/or contact Joni Boucher.

Do you have an idea for a trip? Please PROPOSE IT to us.