Matt & Eric | Benin

Matt Dooper and Eric Schlidt are senior UW students who traveled to Benin West Africa during winter break of 2012-13 as part of a Faculty Led Program. Matt and Eric enjoyed their time in Benin and have several recommendations for others looking to visit the area.

BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN BENIN 

Matt suggests visiting Songhai, a self-sustaining city in Porto-Novo Benin’s capital. According to Matt:

“Songhai’s claim to fame was that nothing goes to waste- and truly, nothing did.  They used special plants native to Benin to purify water coming from the septic system, which was then used to drink, process foods, water other plants, and assist in the production of agricultural machines and ceramics. In addition, all animal waste and compost was used as fertilizer for their gardens and fields. They also build their own agricultural machinery that would be sold to help other developing farmers in order to promote the ideals of further self-sustainability. Beyond selling the equipment, Songhai offered extended courses to educate young farmers how to manage a farm. The over-arching goal of Songhai was to promote independence in agriculture and a “live off of the land” type of lifestyle. We were lucky enough to be able to enjoy a few exquisite meals, both produced and cooked, at Songhai along with the eco-tour.  With the meals, all-natural fruit beverages produced on location were available that were equally incredible!”

Eric suggests visiting Benin’s annual International Voodoo Festival in Quidah. According to Eric:

“Voodoo was born in Benin, and remains the official religion of the country.  Unfortunately, due to misrepresentation in movies and general bad press, the religion has been misconstrued.  In America, it is extremely misunderstood, but this course, in addition to attending this festival, enlightened me to the true principals of Voodoo.  On the contrary to the “Black magic,” that usually represents Voodoo, practitioners are not interested in harming anyone or anything, only self-improvement and the practice of kindness.  The voodoo festival took many questions I had about voodoo and provided a great firsthand experience of a religion and culture that I would never have been a part of otherwise. “

At the festival, the group of UW students had a chance to participate in traditional dances. According to Eric:

“The dancing was incredible. Although we were drenched in sweat and working on sunburns, their routines kept us entertained all throughout the show. They knew a plethora of intricate dances and many of them played instruments and drums at the same time. After trying to master these instruments for two weeks (and failing), I was amazed that in the heat and pressure from crowd didn’t distract them, and that the performers could perform at such a great level.”

GREATEST CHALLENGES IN BENIN 

Although Matt and Eric never felt in danger during their time in Benin, they did encounter several challenges, specifically climate and language. The boys said, “It was very hot and, unfortunately, air conditioning is a rarity.  We sweat constantly.” Additionally, although the group studied French during the trip, they were never fully able to communicate with the locals. According to Eric, “ it would have been extremely rewarding to have been able to chat with the local people.”

Another challenge was the group's minority status. Matt said, “we definitely stood out, but luckily the majority of the population was extremely friendly and courteous to us.” Witnessing poverty also challenged the group’s notion of privilege. As Eric stated, “Beyond those more superficial burdens, it was difficult to observe a nation that essentially lives at or below what is considered the poverty line in America.  It begs the question of why we deserve the luxuries we have, and is conducive to overall appreciation to the lifestyles we are granted. “ Matt continued saying, “With all things considered, the trip was very easy on us, but it was hard to see some of the socioeconomic situations present in Benin.  The lesson we learned was to not abuse or overlook any of our luxuries, be it hot showers, cold drinking water or infinite educational and career opportunities, and to ultimately be thankful.”

What the boys took for granted the most, however, was the U.S. school system. Eric said:

"Education is not a right in Benin, it is a privilege.  The subsequent fallout is a populous of children ecstatic and driven to learn.  We were able to observe the classroom setting of the elementary age group, and although they were loud and energetic, they were absolutely focused, as opposed to a country like America where students begin to resent school attendance at an early age.  That alone definitely makes one, if not forces, to be more appreciative of the opportunities available.” 

The group had an excellent opportunity to study Benin’s education system during the trip. In addition to observing classes, they also spoke with Peace Corps education volunteers and education-base philanthropists in the country.

The group spent the bulk of their time at the Centre International d’Art et de Musique de Ouidah (CIAMO) in the city of Ouidah, Benin, which focuses on the training of arts and music primary teachers. During their time at CIAMO, the group participated in music, dance, art, and French classes taught by locals! Matt found the French lessons particularly rewarding, he said:

 “It was profoundly entertaining to be able to apply the French phrases, words, and bargaining skills we learned in class.  By the end of the trip, each of us could effectively bargain and shop in the local markets with the vendors, which was not only exciting for us, but entertaining for said vendors.   That in itself was the most rewarding activity of the trip to me.  In addition, this basic task gave me further incentive to learn a foreign language in order to travel independently to a country in which I don’t speak the native tongue.”

Eric particularly enjoyed sampling a new cuisine  He said:

 “ I found the food to be a completely refreshing and amazing experience. We were constantly sampling various foods that I would have never had the opportunity to try had I not been there. I especially enjoyed the fried plantains, which I (as well as everyone) ate whenever possible. While plantains are available here, nothing compares to the freshness of them while in Benin. Experiencing the local dish of pate was likewise a new experience. It can be eaten with your hands  and can be paired with anything. The fresh fruit was abundant there and that was something I appreciated greatly because it is so difficult to get in Laramie.”

RESEARCH ON BENINESE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

In addition to learning about Benin’s education system, each student in the course chose a topic for independent research. As aspiring physicians, Matt and Eric chose to study Benin’s health care system. Because common Beninese diseases, like malaria and tuberculosis, are well studied, Eric and Matt chose to study the infrastructure of the health care system. As Eric stated, “The presence of disease in a tropical environment is to be expected.  However, what we didn’t expect was the exodus of physicians, and the ripple effect that this had throughout the country.  Thus, we chose to delve into this topic as our scope of research.”

To gain a firsthand experience about the health care system in Benin, Eric and Matt interviewed Dr. Rufin Kpadonou. Rufin Kpadonou, M.D., occupational health/tropical Medicine & Parasitology,  a doctor for the Peace Corp at the head office in Cotonou, Benin.  Eric and Matt’s research findings are summarized below.

As a physician born, raised, and educated in Benin and still practicing in Benin, Dr. Rufin Kapadonou is adept at seeing the issues surrounding health care in his native country. He listed the main diseases affecting Benin as malaria- an infectious disease characterized by severe fever and headache and its spread through mosquitoes, and tuberculosis- which presents symptoms of intense coughing and fever. Beyond these two diseases, he stated that the migration of doctors from Benin is paramount to the issues surrounding Benin.  Health care is not great in Benin, or Sub-Saharan West Africa in general, but before it can improve, physicians and facilities need to be present.  This is the reasoning behind our topic of study.

To begin, doctors are leaving their native African countries for several reasons. One, they wish to improve their education and learn more about their field. The better educational opportunities are not found in developing countries like Benin; they are found in North America and Europe.  This phenomenon has been occurring since the advent of the first medical professional. Historically, however, once the physician has learned the new methods and perfected them, they return to their home (Eastwood, 2006). But, this is not the case today, as increasing amounts of doctors are leaving and working in other countries that offer greater compensation and perhaps better living conditions. For instance, this is heavily documented where 515 physicians working in the United States and Canada are from Ghana alone. This might not seem so shocking a number in terms of the massive number of physicians working in the US, but when there are only 1600 total physicians practicing in Ghana, it becomes quite statistically significant (Hagopian, 2005).

The effects of these doctors leaving are not readily noticed in the countries in which the emigrated physician work, but are heavily noticed in the countries from which they depart (Hagopian, 2004). This is an issue that must be addressed in the countries where those doctors are working. The effect of those doctors leaving in their native countries is harshly negative. The overall health care system is put into jeopardy with fewer doctors practicing. With lower numbers practicing, it becomes increasingly difficult for people to access care and see doctors when necessary (Hagopian, 2005). Because of this lack of care, people must travel further to see a doctor, or recruit foreign doctors, deepening the strain on these health care systems.

The emigration of physicians not only affects the health care in Benin and Sub-Saharan West Africa, but the economies of those countries as well.  Losing physicians results in fewer clinics and health care facilities, which require nurses, technicians, secretaries custodial faculties, etcetera.  The UN Conference on Trade and Development estimates that the loss of one health care professional is equivalent to approximately $184,000/year in potential revenues.  With as many migrating physicians and health care professionals as there are, the total number of lost profits can become astronomical.  Consequently, with physicians leaving, Africa must bring in a health force externally.  As an example, Ghana brings in a large population of Cuban health care professionals, which require travel expenses as well as translators; an extremely inefficient and not self-sustaining system (Eastwood 2005).

A problem definitely exists which is what to do about the problem.  As one of the primary destinations of migrating African health care workers, the United Kingdom has proposed a solution in preventing practices in UK from recruiting African physicians.  In addition, they have proposed to limit visas to foreign medical students to the time that they are in training, which would force said physicians to return to their native countries after they are finished with their training. Similar proposals have been made in France as well, which is another leading recruiter of French-African physicians (Eastwood, 2005).

Another scheme, introduced in Ghana, is for the government to subsidize the financial burdens of a physician studying in a developed country.  The deal is that those physicians will then return to Ghana after their training is completed to begin practicing (Eastwood 2005).  As a side note, Wyoming has enacted similar programs,  WWAMI and WICHE, to try to entice doctors to return to Wyoming.  These programs offer increased acceptance rates and decreased tuition, as long as health care professionals who completed their undergraduate work at the University of Wyoming return to practice in Wyoming for three years. 

Along a similar school of thought, we believe a possible solution might lie in allowing medical students from the US (or other countries) to work off some/all of their student debt as volunteers in Africa, assisting in clinics and hospitals.  The United States recently enacted a similar program known as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which is a part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, allowing college graduates to work in full-time public service positions (usually low income) and receive assistance in loan repayment.  However, stipulations do exist and this is not available to medical school graduates in the United States, it may be something that could work where medical school tuition rates are not as high.  We realize underlying economic issues would be present, as those debts still need to be paid, but this could be a potential benefit to African health care.  Although Doctors Without Borders does exist, the incentive to alleviate student debt does not.

In conclusion, any solution will be extremely complicated and will require each country to make its own personal decision to retain its physicians. While countries such as the United Kingdom and France can write proposals to regulate the issue, in the end the physicians must want to stay in their home countries or their governments must entice them to do so.  If this can’t happen, health care in Africa will continue to struggle. We believe that initiating programs to incentivize physicians to stay would be highly beneficial and work well to retain physicians.

 Eastwood, JB., Conroy, RE., Naicker, S., PA West, Tutt, RC., Plange-Rhule, J. 2005 Loss of health professionals from sub-Saharan Africa: the pivotal role of the UK. The Lancet, 365(9474). 1893-1900. Retrieved from

Hagopian, A., Ofosu, A., Fatusi, A., Biritwum, R., Essel, A., Hart, L., & Watts, C. (2005). The flight of physicians from west africa: Views of african physicians and implications for policy. Social Science & Medicine, 61(8), 1750-1760. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.03.027

Hagopian, A., Thompson, M., Fordyce, M., Johnson, K., & Hart, L. (2004). The migration of physicians from sub-saharan africa to the united states of america: measures of the african brain drain. Human Resources for Health, 2(17), doi: 10.1186/1478-4491-2-17

CONTACT ERIC AND MATT
Overall, Eric said that, “Benin is a great place to visit,” and Matt said that he will, “remember the experience in Benin for the rest of his life.” If you are interested in traveling to Benin, please feel free to contact Eric at eschlid1@uwyo.edu!

Heidi | New Zealand

Heidi Meador is a UW Master’s student who travelled to New Zealand over winter break as part of a Faculty-Led Program. Heidi was one of several UW students to earn academic credit by participating in the trip. During their time in New Zealand, the Heidi and the other students got a chance to study New Zealand’s biodiversity. In addition, the students had plenty of downtime to explore New Zealand’s many sights.

Reflecting on the course, Heidi said, “It offered an amazing opportunity to explore the vast biodiversity of New Zealand, as well as an unforgettable experience." One of Heidi’s favorite experiences of the trip was climbing Mount Taranaki, one of New Zealand’s volcanos! To reach the top, the group climbed 131 stories to a view that was, “absolutely amazing.”

The group also visited several beaches and had a special New Year’s Eve beach celebration, which was very memorable for Heidi, in her words: “we went swimming in the ocean on New Year's Eve, and watched fireworks from the water.  It was an amazing New Years !”

If you’re interested in traveling to New Zealand, or participating in a Faculty Led Program, please feel free to contact Heidi at hmeador@uwyo.edu. 

Mariah | Honduras

Mariah Price is a junior UW student who travelled to Honduras during the summer of 2012 as part of a Medical Brigade Faculty-Led Program. During the trip, a group of University of Wyoming students earned academic credit while working at a medical clinic in the rural community of Agua Salada.

Reflecting on the trip Mariah said, “It was a great way to give back. I loved helping teach the children at the schools about healthy living and English.” The trip also provided an excellent opportunity for Mariah to improve her Spanish because she acted as the Spanish/English translator for the group!

Considering Spanish, Mariah said, “I would recommend this trip for those wanting to work on their Spanish skills, or just utilize them in general. I really progressed in the short time. There were also some medical terms that I did not understand at first; yet, I quickly learned the medical terms through immersion.”

Mariah will enjoy wonderful memories of her trip in Honduras for years to come; especially poignant are her memories of the local people. She said, “One of my favorite memories is our last night in Agua Salada. The community threw us a party, we attended a service at the church, enjoyed a delicious cake, and even had a dance with all of the local people.”

Mariah says she would recommend the trip to anyone! She says, “It was very beautiful and the people were great. I will never forget the short time I spend in Honduras.”

If you are interested in traveling to Honduras or participating in a Faculty-Led Program, please feel free to contact Mariah at mprice8@uwyo.edu.    

Jessi | Israel

Jessi Donaghe is a UW senior who traveled to Israel during the summer of 2012 as part of a Faculty-Led Program. During her Faculty-LedProgram, a group of students, led by a UW faculty member, earned academic credit while traveling throughout Israel studying “Religions of the Middle East.” Jessi learned about Judaism, Islam, and Christianity while visiting historic sacred sites and meeting with leaders in cities like Galilee and Jerusalem.

The group stayed in hostels during most of the three-week course; Jessi really enjoyed the experience. One of her favorite parts of the trip was visiting Hezekiah’s Tunnel, a tunnel under the City of David, which is mentioned in the Bible (2 Kings 20:20). Another highlight of Jessi’s trip was travelling to Egypt and climbing Mount Sinai. She reflected on the experience saying, “Now I can say I had breakfast where Moses was said to have gotten the Ten Commandments. That is an amazing thing to be able to say.”      
        

Jessi’s greatest challenge during the trip was finding her way around Israel. She admitted that she got lost in a busy city market. However, she was able to find her way after asking for directions. Jessi recommends that UW student’s pre-designate meeting places when wondering in a new city!

If you are interested in traveling to Israel, studying religion, or participating in a Faculty-Led program, feel free to contact Jessi at jdonaghe@uwyo.edu. 

Mary | Honduras

Mary Beth Bender is a UW Master’s student who traveled to Honduras in the Summer of 2012. As a nursing student, Mary visited Honduras to participate in a Faculty-LedProgram.  Students in the program earned academic credit by working at a clinic in Agua Salada, Honduras.

Reflecting on the trip, Mary said: “The entire experience was wonderful… meeting people who have so little, but are so deeply appreciative of the healthcare we were able to provide was incredible.” During the group’s last night in Agua Salada, the village had a church service and party in  honor of the UW volunteers. About this Mary says, “They brought cake and soda, and set up a stereo system to play music so we could all dance.  The people of the village apologized that they could not give more to show their appreciation, but we were all deeply humbled and honored by all they had done for us.”

Mary’s biggest challenge during her trip was the language barrier. She says, “Providing healthcare to people in a remote village in Honduras, with limited medical supplies and a language barrier, was an enormous challenge.  However, our team of a nurse midwife, physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacy student, dental hygienist, translators and so many other wonderful team members worked amazingly well together, problem-solved together, and provided the best care possible with the resources we had available.”

Overall, the program was a great experience for Mary who says she would like to return as soon as possible.

If you’re interested in traveling to Honduras or participating in a Faculty-Led Program, feel free to contact  Mary at mfontana@uwyo.edu   

Interested in finding out more about the trip? Check out the group's website. 

Anna | Kenya

Anna is a UW sophomore who traveled to Kenya the summer after her freshman year.  Anna was enrolled in a Faculty-Led Program during which she earned credit by participating in an African safari.

She says that visiting Kenya was a “lifelong wish,” and she thoroughly enjoyed the safari in Maasi Mara. Her group saw lions and “many other amazing animals.” Anna was mesmerized by the sight of “truly wild” animals. She describes it as follows, “They were truly wild, not in a zoo with fences. It was something that words can hardly describe.”

Anna’s trip was quite the adventure. At several points, the group’s safari van got stuck in the mud. She says, “It was scary because we were in the middle of nowhere, with no one else around, but we all just worked together and eventually got the van unstuck and found our way back.”

Anna reflected on the trip saying, “I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see this amazing country.”

If you are planning to participate in a Faculty-Led Program, or travel to Kenya, feel free to contact Anna at aedwar14@uwyo.edu   

Daniel | Kenya

Daniel Greenwood is a UW student who travelled to Kenya in the Summer of 2012 as part of a Faculty-Led Program. The focus of Daniel’s Faculty-Led course was African wildlife. As such, the group spent their time at the Mpala Research Centre in Nanyuki, Kenya.

A highlight of Daniel’s trip was his visit to the Ol PejetaWildlife Conservancy. The conservancy breeds black rhino’s and Daniel had the opportunity to view and feed several rhinos. Reflecting on the experience he says, “it was awe inspiring to be in the presence of such a threatened animal.”

While in Nanyki, Daniel lived in a two-man wall tent along the Ewaso N'giro (River Camp). He said the tent had “nice beds” and he would recommend the living accommodations to other UW students who will be living in Kenya.

One of Daniel’s greatest challenges, while living in Kenya, was adjusting to the food. The group was fed “very graciously,” but found some of the food (especially the meat) to be unusual. Ultimately, Daniel learned to see eating in a foreign county as a valuable new experience and he started to try everything he was served. This was one of many circumstances during which he realized that, “many problems can be overcome with a little open-mindedness.”     
          

Daniel’s favorite memory from his time in Kenya was a trip through the conservancy. During the ATV trip, the group’s vehicle got stuck in the mud and they had to finish the trip on foot. The group embraced the experience. Daniel describes it saying, “we danced and sang with the gracious people in the village (that our vehicle got stuck in)…I was not expecting the cross-cultural experience, but it was a pleasant surprise.”

If you’re thinking of travelling to Kenya, or participating in a Faculty-Led Program, feel free to contact Daniel at dgreenw2@uwyo.edu.                 

Kari | Peru

Kari Fictum is a UW senior who traveled to Peru in the summer of 2012. Kari visited Peru for a UW Archeology Field School, a Faculty-Led program. This is the same program that Jazlynn, another featured study abroad student, attended. Check out Jazlyn’s blog for specific details about the archaeological excavations.

Kari really enjoyed the field school and highly suggests that US students, “check out all of the different (faculty-led) course offerings.” Kari also wanted to remind US students that, “you don't have to be a student in a particular department to enjoy an international experience that department may be offering.”   
      

When Kari was not in field school, her program offered optional trips to see local historical and ritual sites. Kari says she would, “highly recommend courses that also offer some additional opportunities to experience the local culture and important sites during ‘down time’, especially because trips are led by knowledgeable instructors who may be able to gain special access or discounts to some of these sites.”

Kari enjoyed the faculty-led program because such programs give students “a far different perspective than the average tourist.” However, one down side  is that many students are not proficient in the host-country language.  Kari said this was a challenge. In such cases she suggests travelling in a group with a competent language speaker and bringing a pocket dictionary.  She also recommends, “paying close attention to the way that fluent speakers communicate with the locals so that you can learn basic communication skills, should you not have them with you in a future situation.”

One of Kari’s favorite memories was getting to know the other UW students who went on the faculty-led program. She said, “we were lucky enough to have a relatively small group of students so we relied on each other a lot and became fast friends.  I have a lot of great memories of experiencing the trials and triumphs of living in a foreign place and working through a six week field school with some really great people who were also experiencing this for the first time.”    

       

Travelling abroad can seem risky, but the rewards are well worth it.  Take it from Kari who said,  “many people are timid about travelling and living in a foreign country because they may not be going with people they know well, because of the remoteness of the location, or because the country may be in an unstable area of world. However you’ll make great friends during your time there and the instructors have your comfort and safety in mind as they plan the course and during your entire time in country. You are going to gain some great experiences if you can muster up the courage to go outside of your comfort zone!”

If you’re interested in traveling to Peru or participating in a Faculty-Led Program, feel free to contact Kari at kfictum@uwyo.edu. 

Kelsy | Turkey

Kelsy Werries is a UW senior who traveled to Turkey during the Summer of 2012 as part of a Faculty-Led Program. The group traveled to 7 cites, and Kelsy quickly fell in love with the culture.  
      

Kelsy nostalgically remembers her first night in Turkey. Thinking back she said, “That first night eating dinner and listening to the call to prayer will forever be ingrained in my brain. Everything was new, the sounds, smells, and tastes; every sense was alert and engaged. That evening was truly surreal and I will never forget that moment or that feeling.”

Kelsy also looks back fondly on the group’s trip to Istanbul. Istanbul was “ very exhilarating and exciting.” She quickly fell in love with Istanbul’s “beautiful colors and textures that make up the giant maze of the city.” If you have a chance to visit Istanbul, Kelsy suggests visiting the Yerebatan Sarayi (an underground cistern) and the Grand Bazaar, she says these places will “enchant you.”

Although Kelsy felt safe during the most of the trip, she did feel unsafe one night in Goluck, a small mountain town. Most of the town’s hotel’s and businesses were not yet open for the season. Late in the evening, when Sarah and her roommate were in bed, two men (whom the girls had met earlier), knocked on their door. The girls opened the door and were surprised when the men asked them suggestive questions. Kelsy described opening the door as, “a brief lapse of judgment” and suggests that you do not invite foreign guests in to your personal space late in the evening (even if they are friends).

Kelsy highly suggests that UW students visit Turkey. Sarah said, “The country is bursting with history and culture. I enjoyed every moment of my time and will never forget it.”

If you’re interested in travelling to Turkey, or participating in a Faculty-Led Program, feel free to contact Kelsy at kwerries@uwyo.edu. 

Sarah | Germany

Sarah Armel is a UW senior who traveled to Germany during the summer after her junior year as part of a Faculty-Led program. Sarah and the other UW students stayed in hotels and hostels, and Sarah recommends these accommodations to other UW students.

During most of the trip the group studied Germany history, with a focus on the Second World War and the Holocaust. They concluded their trip with a two-night stay in the city of Hamburg where they attended the German Cup soccer championships. Sarah said, “It was an amazing experience to watch the game with a whole crowd of Germans, and the best part was that Germany won the game.”  Sarah suggests that any UW students who travel to Germany make a stop at one of Hamburg’s fresh fish markets. Although Sarah doesn't eat fish in the US, she found German fish to be quite tasty.

The greatest challenge that Sarah encountered during her trip were travel delays. Unfortunately, her flight out of Denver was delayed and she missed her connecting flight to Frankfurt, Germany. Because of the delays, Sarah, who spoke little German, had to travel by train across Germany and find her way to the group’s hotel. Sarah’s cell phone was not functional in Germany, so she could not call a cab. Luckily, as Sarah was attempting to walk to her hotel she encountered two college-age girls who spoke English and were able to call a taxi for her and help her find her way. Sarah is very grateful for these girls, without them she is not sure that she would have found her way.

Reflecting on her experience in Germany Sarah says, “Anytime that you have the opportunity to travel, you should take it…. The world has a lot to offer and you should take advantage of every opportunity to see it.”

If you are interested in traveling to Germany or completing a Faculty-Led program, feel free to contact Sarah at sarmel@uwyo.edu. 

Garrett | Kenya

Garrett Point is a UW senior who traveled to Kenya during the summer of 2012 as part of a Faculty-Led Program.

The group of UW students worked at the Mpala Research Centre in Nanyuki, Kenya; and considered it a great experience. During most of the trip Garrett worked with African wildlife, and he says, “it doesn’t get any better than that.”

During the day, the group conducted research and during the night they loaded in land cruisers and drove around locating animals with spot lights. Reflecting on this experience, Garrett said, “nothing can describe the feeling of seeing a leopard, hippo, hyena, or elephant, for the first time in the wild.”

Garrett also spent time in Nairobi, a large urban center in East Africa. Some areas of Nairobi seemed dangerous, and Garrett recommends that using “the buddy system” whenever you are in a foreign city.  

If you’re interested in travelling to Kenya, or participating in a faculty-led program, feel free to contact Garrett at gpoint@uwyo.edu.         

Beth | Turkey

Beth is a UW graduate student, who traveled to Turkey during the summer after her senior year. Beth travelled to Turkey as part of a Faculty-Led Program that focused on drawing and cultural study.

Beth’s faculty-led group visited places like, the HiahSophia, a converted mosque that now acts as a museum, and the city of Istanbul, which, according to Beth, featured many “cultural jewels.” The group stayed at hotels and bed and breakfasts. While this was enjoyable short term, Beth would not recommend staying at such establishments for more than a week.

Visiting large cities with high crime rates was a new experience for Beth, and she had to learn quickly to distance herself from strangers.  According to Beth, in Istanbul, “it is considered promiscuous for an American woman to smile at a man she does not know.” While this was a big departure from friendly Wyoming life, Beth was happy to learn how to function in large cities. 

Beth’s favorite memory from her trip was an outing to a small farm, where the group sketched buildings. While the group was sketching, children came out of their houses and started making their own drawings. She really enjoyed getting to know the small children, who were eager to play with the UW students.

Beth describes her trip to Turkey as, “one of the best decisions I had made for myself.” Reflecting back she said, “I am so glad I chose to invest in this type of education… It has helped me come to term with what I want to do with my education and where I want to go as an artist and professional.”

If you are interested in travelling to Turkey or participating in a faculty-led program, feel free to contact Beth at ecochra1@uwyo.edu. 

Jazlynn | Peru

Jazlynn Hall is a sophomore UW student who travelled to Peru in summer of 2012. As part of the faculty-led program, Jazlynn took an archaeology class at UW then completed an archaeological field program with a UW faculty member in Peru.

During the field school, Jazlynn, and the other UW students, lived in a suburb called Banos del Inca, named for the town’s hot springs. She enjoyed living in Banos del Inca very much. During the field school, she excavated pottery pieces, cultural leavings, and to her surprise… human remains (that had not been touched in hundreds of years)!   Jazlynn called the field school a “fantastic experience.” Following the field school, she traveled to a tourist surf town called Huanchaco.

Jazlynn did not know Spanish when she left for Peru; said that not knowing the language made communication very difficult. If you are in this situation, Jazlynn recommends learning the names for basic foods first, then picking up small phrases that will allow you to interact with locals. With limited Spanish skills, Jazlynn learned to rely on body language and gestures, which she found very helpful! Although nonverbal communication proved useful, Jazlynn would not suggest going to a country without learning the language basics.

If you’re thinking of participating in a faculty-led program, or travelling to Peru, feel free to contact Jazlynn at Jhall35@uwyo.edu.        

Marti | England & Italy

Marti Brown is a senior UW student who traveled to England & Italy during the Summer of 2012 as part of a Faculty-Led Program.

Marti in front of Old Vic (London)

During the trip, Marti was able to earn academic credit while learning about Shakespeare. Marti was immersed in Shakespeare’s surroundings and got to see where he grew up and where he eventually wrote poetry and plays.  She spent most of the trip reading plays, seeing plays, and reviewing plays.  
         

She stayed in bed and breakfasts and hotels during the trip and would recommend that other UW students do the same. Marti says her favorite memory from the trip was “writing my love's initials in Juliet's alley in Verona, Italy.”

Her advice to other UW students who are studying abroad is to “experience all of the country's cultural foods!”    
          

If you’re considering travelling to England or Italy, or if you’re looking into a faculty-led program, feel free to contact Marti at mbrown58@uwyo.edu.