The trip will take place from December 29, 2010 to January 13, 2011 and will cost approximately $3,250 per student. This cost includes fees for air fare, hotel accommodations, travel in India, admissions fees, and some meals. The cost does not include MU tuition, ISIC cards, passports, travel insurance, and personal expenses. Dr. Schreiber and Dr. Witmer will be taking approximately 25 students on this trip, so space is limited.

The trip starts with three nights in New Delhi, which is India’s capital and home to 5000 years of rich history. Some activities offered in New Delhi visits to the lofty Red Fort, Humayuns Tomb, Jama Masjid, ChadiniChowk, QutabMinar, the Lotus Temple and the Laxminarayan Temple. Students are offered the opportunity to explore the Lodhi Gardens, the National Museum, the “Thieves Market” and more. Students will be able to see how the Indian people ring in the New Year in New Delhi.

Upon arrival in Agra on January 2 students are given the opportunity to enjoy a decorated Tonga ride through the city. Other places to visit in Agra are the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah, the Agra Fort, and Mathura. Students are also given the chance to visit what many believe to be India’s most popular attraction; the Taj Mahal.

The next three nights are spent in the “rose pink” city, of Jaipur. Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, and was painted entirely pink when the Prince of Wales and Edward VII visited on two separate occasions. Attractions in Jaipur are the City Palace, the Palace of Winds, Albert Hall, and the Jaigarh and Nahargarh Forts. There will also be local artists and teachers to meet.

Starting January 6, students will stay in Jodhpur for two nights exploring the 500-year-old city, which is also called the “Blue City.” Jodhpur is known for its people and sculptors. Students can also visit the Mehrangarh Fort, the Jaswant Thada and the Umaid Bhawan Museums while riding camels. Jodhpur also offers a glimpse into the hidden elements of desert life.

The second to last stop on the visit is Ranakpur and Kumbalgarh. These quaint twin cities are testaments to Rahasthan’s history. These towns are evidence of brilliant architectural genius with the Jain temple. The Jain temple has 29 halls and 1,444 unique pillars. Students can also take a day trip to the Kumbalgarh Fort.

The last stop of the trip is in Udaipur, which is positioned in the forested hilly region of the Aravalli Ranges. Udaipur has an impregnable citadel and an impressive royal lineage. The unique experience here is to go boating on Lake Picchola to Jagmandir.

To apply for this trip contact Dr. Lisa Schreiber of the Communication and Theatre Department at either (717) 872-2277 or lisa.schreiber@millersville.edu.

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Before the course, a five-day classroom component at Millersville University will survey a variety of mathematical ideas developed by non-European cultures. Students will fly into Cancun, Mexico, and then be bused to Playa Del Carmen May 22, 2010.

On the first day in Mexico, students will attend an orientation meeting and the first course lecture, titled “2012- The End of Time?” On May 23, 2010, students will attend lectures on Mayan history, numbers, and calendars. Students will spend the night in Playa Del Carmen at Hotel Hacienda Caribe, which is located one block from the beach in the downtown area.

Next, students will take a tour through Cobá and Chichen Itza, where they will be lectured on Mayan Astronomy and Geometry from May 24, 2010 until May 25, 2010. While in Chichen Itza, students will get an opportunity to swimming at Cenote Ik’il. In Chichen Itza, students will be lodged at Villas Arqueologicas, a former Club Med facility inside the ruins of Chichen Itza.

Then students will tour the ruins at Ek Balam, where they will be lectured at the “White Reading House” Temple. On May 27, 2010, students will return to Playa Del Carmen for a final lecture and closing ceremonies. Students will check out and be transported back to Cancun for flights back to the USA.

After the course, there will be a final three-hour meeting at Millersville to report on student projects.

The course costs $1100 ($200 extra for single lodging). There is a $200 deposit due upon registration. Course costs include: lodging, breakfasts and two lunches, final dinner, ground transportation, entrance fees, guiding, lectures and course resource packet. The total balance is due 30 days before the course commences.

The cost does not include: Airfare to and from Cancun, travel insurance, two lunches in Playa and one in Valladolid, and dinners. However, the ruins are beautiful, and the course comes with high recommendation.

Proceeds from MEC Tours are the center’s primary source of research funding. As such, a portion of the tour costs are tax deductible. MEC will provide participants with receipts and proper documentation regarding the center’s 501(c)(3) non-profit status for your records.

Students can register for the course at http://www.mayaexploration.com/study_register.php

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In order to study abroad, you must take a suggested minimum of 12 credits a semester with the international institution of your choice. Studying abroad waives the perspectives requirement. When you return to Millersville your courses will transfer as if you took them at Millersville. More details about credits and courses can be discussed with your advisor. If you’re worried about money, consider your options. If you are registered for more than six credits and you are eligible for financial aid, then you can choose the study abroad program when filing your FAFSA.

It is very expensive to travel, but after tuition costs are covered, you just need to save up extra money for spending while you are there. More information about financial aid and scholarships can be found at the Financial Aid Office. You need to have completed 24 credits, maintained a 2.0 grade average, and completed the advanced approval process through the Office of Global Education and Partnerships.

There are different scholarships available to students and graduate students that plan to study abroad for up to a year. Specific Japan and Germany scholarship programs targeted for students that wish to study abroad and with the possibility of an internship. There are certain MU courses abroad programs that are more organized in ways of finances and specific courses such as Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, Belfast Northern Ireland, and the London Theatre Tour. These programs are short up to two week programs that take place over the summer for as little as $2,000 not including the Millersville tuition cost for a three credit course.

This is a great way to experience the study abroad program in a short period of time. These programs also include Millersville professors who accompany the groups. These programs include airfare, accommodations, some meals, some traveling, etc. Each of these programs offers two or more courses where you are only required to register for one to suit your major or minor requirements. These summer abroad programs arrange different courses for graduate and undergraduate students at different times during the summer.

The summer abroad programs simply require that you attend a meeting or two prior to the trip and conduct a research paper at the end of the trip to explain your experiences and discoveries in the course of your choice. A passport is necessary for your traveling and can take up to three months to apply and receive but lasts up to 10 years so is well worth the money and application process.

If you are a language major this is also a great opportunity because they have specific courses in your language that you can take abroad in order to better understand the culture and language.

The following websites can be helpful in regards to studying abroad:

http://www.millersville.edu/~globaled/index.php

http://www.millersville.edu/~finaid/

http://www.rotary.org/

http://www.studyabroadfunding.org/

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 Adam Shickling, a junior, studied abroad in London his sophomore year from September 2008 to December 2008. “It was an amazing experience. Studying abroad is the best decision I’ve ever made,” Shickling said.

     Shickling was introduced to the Study Abroad program from family who had previously gone through the experience, and he knew that this was something he would want to do. “I knew Millersville had a great studying abroad program, and that is a major reason why I chose to come here,” he said.

     Not wanting to deal with a language barrier, Shickling juggled between studying in either Australia or London, finally settling on London because of its close proximity to other countries, “which increased my traveling options,” he said. Also, Shickling had visited London in high school and he wanted to experience more of the city.

     Before leaving for London Shicklin was “anxious to see the living quarters and see how my classes would be structured.” 

     However, his anxieties were eased when he met other Millersville students, and got settled into his daily routine. “The flight over was a great chance for us to get know each other and we were all very good friends from there on,” he said.

     Shickling stayed in an apartment complex built for international students, and shared a room with a Millersville student. He was able to make friends with students from Colorado, Minnesota, and Texas. Schickling still remains in touch with the Millersville students he studied with, as well as the friends he made from other parts of the U.S.    

     Studying abroad is a great opportunity to gain experience outside of your culture, and delve into a lifestyle completely unlike one’s own. For Shickling, he realized how similar our country is to other European nations. “In London, I cannot recall any serious cultural barriers I had to overcome,” he said. “Politically, European countries are much more liberal than the U.S. so you need to keep that in mind when talking politics with Europeans, and trust me this will be one of their favorite conversations.”

     Shickling had a good experience in Europe, and found that most people love talking to Americans, and were willing to help them overcome any language barriers. “As soon as they discover you are American they want to talk about politics and at that time, Barack Obama,” he said.

      Classes continue just as they would in the states, and they are much like a regular semester of college. Shickling only took 12 credits to help lighten his workload: A history class, a film class, a government and an economics class. “Education in the U.K. is a lot different than in the U.S.” Shickling said. “There’s more of a focus on personal responsibility and few professors grade attendance. U.K. classes also tend to be more writing-oriented than exam-oriented. For example, I didn’t have a single exam while studying abroad but had seven papers to write.”

     Studying abroad also provided an education outside of the classroom. “Traveling puts intense pressure on expanding your independence, sometimes you’re going to be walking around a foreign city alone and you need to know how to protect yourself and get around safely.     

     Shickling’s study abroad experience is one that he will never forget; there were many sites that he was able to see, such as the Tower Bridge in London, Heidelberg Castle in Germany, Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. One of his favorite memories happened in the Netherlands, “A bunch of us rented bicycles on day in the Netherlands. It was amazing riding past windmills and over canals,” he said.

     Shickling still misses the history and the nightlife of London. “It was really something to walk past castles and bridges older than the United States on Your way to class,” he said.

     All of the excitement, schoolwork, and traveling kept him busy, so he never had time to get homesick or think about home. However, he was able to stay connected to his friends and family by buying a prepaid cellphone.

“It only cost a couple cents a minute to call the U.S.,” he said. “A lot of my friends used Skype to keep in contact with their families.”

     One problem that he did run into was the five-hour time difference between London and the East Coast.

     Returning to the states was a strange experience for Shickling, but it only took him a few weeks to get back into his old routine. His experience was a great one, and he would advise students to “absolutely do it.”

     For more information about the Study Abroad program, contact Stacey Bainbridge at globaledga@millersville.edu, or stop by the Cumberland House. Applications to study abroad for summer 2010, or fall 2010 are due by February 19 at 4:30 p.m.

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