Study in China?

The U.S. Department of State is leading an initiative to increase the number of U.S. students studying in China. The 100,000 Strong home page cites, “The need for Americans to gain greater exposure to and understanding of China is clear: there is perhaps no more important or complex relationship in the world than that between the United States and China in terms of securing global peace and security.” The site also discusses funding initiatives in progress to meet these goals. So, assuming funding mechanisms were in place, would you be interested in studying in China? For how long: a summer, a semester, a year? And if not China, then where?

Tell us what you think.

To read more, click on http://www.state.gov/p/eap/regional/100000_strong/index.htm

Foreign language training: importance and benefits

Many colleges and universities around the world require foreign language training as part of the curriculum, but why? In a recent article from GlobalSecurity.org, language and cultural training are praised for their role in “the nation’s economic, diplomatic and security interests.” What other specific benefits does foreign language training generate? And which languages should students be learning?

 Tell us what you think!

 To read the complete article from GlobalSecurity.org, visit:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2011/08/mil-110823-afps04.htm

Sports and solidarity

A recent Philstar.com article opens by discussing the combination of patriotism and sports seen during a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying round. In some nations, avid fans declare that soccer is king. In other countries it’s rugby, American football or another sport. Regardless of the nation or the sport,  there’s something about a team and the solidarity supporting them that brings communities together. Which sport in your community seems to bring everyone together? And in what ways?

 

To read the complete article from Philstar.com, visit: http://www.philstar.com/sportsarticle.aspx?articleid=712762&publicationsubcategoryid=69

Drunken Driving

The Detroit Free Press recently published an article discussing the varying penalties for drunken driving across counties in Michigan. Penalties for the crime range broadly from probation to serving jail time. Some argue that this variation in consequences is unfair and perpetuates the crime. Of course, drunken driving is not a problem faced only by Michigan residents or U.S. citizens. In fact, DUI.com explains that the United States has learned much about handling this crime from other countries.

So, what do you think: Should penalties for drunken driving be fixed, determined by the judge or determined some other way?

To read the complete article from the Detroit Free Press, visit
http://www.freep.com/article/20110724/NEWS06/107240496/Arrest-location-could-determine-outcome-drunken-driving-penalty

To read more about DUI facts in other countries, visit:
http://www.dui.com/dui-library/foreign/countries-dui-laws

Summer Blockbusters

Many blockbuster films, including the latest Harry Potter, Transformers, and Pirates of the Caribbean have provided millions with refuge from the hot sun this summer. Which have been your favorites and why?

The meaning of freedom

Communities across the United States are already aglow with pre-holiday fireworks. These pyrotechnics are one of the many ways that mark the celebration of the upcoming Independence Day. As you prepare for this celebration of freedom, it begs the question: What does freedom mean to you?

Healthy Habits

With the onset of summer, you may be trying to make a few healthy changes. An article by Care2 make a difference recently offered some easy tips from around the globe to do just that. Tips included eating in more often and making nuts a part of your diet. What healthy habits have you observed in your experiences around the world?

To read the complete article from Care2 make a difference, visit: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/13-healthy-diet-habits-from-around-the-world.html

Summer plans and fuel costs

With college and high school semesters coming to an end, summer plans are in the making. Maybe you’re planning a trip to a neighboring state, across the country or into neighboring Canada. The Online Journal reported that the price of gas is expected to reach about $5 per gallon this summer. The time-honored tradition of road trips isn’t quite the low-cost option that it used to be. This raises the question, has the increasing price of gas affected your summer plans?

To read the Online Journal’s article, visit http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_9564.shtml

SC4 Service Learning Abroad in Guatemala

SC4 Professor Kraig Archer and International Programs Coordinator Angel Chirco are traveling to Guatemala with 4 students for a Service Learning Abroad course. The 1 credit course focuses on sustainable development that requires grassroots participation. The SC4 group leaves on Monday, May 23, and will share their experience by contributing to this blog.

Click on the “Comments” link below to read blog posts from the SC4 group.

SC4 group completes French Travel Study tour

SC4 English and French Professor Jim Frank and 11 SC4 students were in Paris from May 9 through 17 for an educational study abroad.

Frank reported on their experiences during the trip. Here is his final report:

Well, we have finished our second French Travel Study tour of Paris. The 2011 edition has been completed and everyone has returned home. We had a great time.

On Thursday, May 12, we traveled to Chartres to visit the cathedral and the medieval city center. The weather was spectacular. We had lots of sun and perfect temperatures. We made the short walk from the train station to the cathedral. Chartres cathedral is one of the best known in Europe. It has two distinct towers that demonstrate the important differences in gothic and romanesco architecture.

We were able to walk up to the top of the gothic tower and see how the cathedral towers over the farmland of that region of France. The city has been a crossroads for more than 1,000 years, and the cathedral must have been an impressive sight for medieval traders. Inside the cathedral the stained-glass windows above the entrance are a particular shade of blue that has come to be known as Chartres blue. Unfortunately, the church is undergoing renovations and we were not able to see them. Another notable feature is the labyrinth design set in stone near the entrance.

We explored the church for a couple of hours and then hunted for a café for lunch. About 2 p.m. we found one in Place Marceau. In the bright sun, we cooked and ate lunch. Some us got a little sunburned sitting in the square, but the weather and food were so good, even the ground horse-meat ber, that we were loathe to seek shade.

We poked around for another hour and returned to Paris.

That night we toured the district north of Les Halles, which was formerly the main market of Paris but is undergoing renovations and is closed. We walked through the pedestrian streets and ended up near Rue Montorgueil. Some of the group visited a Thai restaurant and the rest of us had dinner at the Comptoir francais, one of the better-known traditional French restaurants in Paris. We had an excellent meal, including snails.

Later that night, another group of us headed out to the Seine and waited for the Eiffel Tower to do its shimmering at midnight.

We had a fine day and finished up after midnight once more.

Visit SC4’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/followSC4 to see photos from the trip.