Many students who don’t know what to do with the cold winter month they get off from classes have found that the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in conjunction with the Study Abroad Office offers them with a life-changing opportunity. No longer will students whose course load is too regimented or inflexible have to listen on as other students regale them with tales of summers, semesters and years spent exploring the culture and diversity of another country.

For two and a half to three weeks this winter break, these students will have the opportunity to experience the sights and sounds that will earn them their own stories. After sending two groups on winter breaks last year to Paris and Nicaragua, the study abroad office decided to hold the Global Cities program for the first time this year, said Dale Gardner, a study abroad employee who helps coordinate the winter abroad programs.

“They will have the opportunity to go on a non-traditional trip and learn things they can’t possibly learn in a classroom,” said Kevin Hauswirth, junior in LAS and student employee in the study abroad office.

Students will also be able to earn three credit hours while studying in one of seven different cities on four continents. Every program gives credit for LAS199: Diversity and Integration in the Global City.

Students who applied had the opportunity to choose among studying in: Accra, Ghana; Ouidah, Benin; Barcelona, Spain; Bombay, India; London, United Kingdom; Morelia, Mexico; Vienna, Austria; and Singapore. The program offers subjects such as art history, Spanish, history, German, sociology, African studies and gender/women’s studies.

The LAS Courses Abroad Web site describes the experience as allowing students to “learn how immigration, culture and religion influence ideas about the world.” It also promotes the fact that students can learn how globalization has been shaping civilizations throughout history.

Sarah Dailey, senior in LAS, applied to both the Singapore and India programs. She spent a year in France and said she wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to have another study abroad experience before she graduates.

“A big advantage of these programs is that they are to places I wouldn’t normally go; the idea of going to a place like Singapore for an entire semester is a little overwhelming,” Dailey said.

Many of the programs boast that they offer opportunities to engage in discussions with local experts, students, scholars, artists and activists.

Students dissuaded from studying abroad because of the cost may find the $1,900 price of the winter break trips more affordable. Airfare, excursions, local transportation, room and some meals are all included. The only additional costs students will have to pay are for books, some meals and their own personal expenses.

“These programs are excellent bargains, the whole trip to Singapore costs approximately as much as a plane ticket to Europe,” Dailey said.

University professors who travel with the students teach all the classes.

“Every professor teaching the class has study abroad experience and a vast knowledge of the specific region,” Gardner said. A linguist, a historian, a sociologist and an art historian are included on the staff.

Winter study abroad programs originally targeted freshmen to give them a taste of studying abroad, which may lead to them pursuing additional study abroad opportunities in the future, Gardner said. Fifty-four of the 160 total students that applied were freshman.

But there are some disadvantages to studying abroad over the winter as opposed to the other longer programs

“The students won’t get an opportunity to be immersed in another language,” Gardner said.

“Since they’re traveling in a group, they won’t get to see as much of the culture,” said Julia Moye, senior in engineering and student employee at the study abroad office.

The application deadline was Sept. 22. Gardner said some of the cities have filled, but the study abroad office is still taking applications. There are open spots in Morelia, Mexico, and interested students are encouraged to turn their application in as soon as possible. Gardner said that he can’t make any promises that students can still be admitted into any of the other locations.

Students attending these programs may not miss out on the work and free time from classes that other University students may be looking forward to, but they will have the opportunity to experience the unique culture of another city.

“If their parents are paying, I can’t think of a better Christmas present,” Hauswirth said.

Anyone who would like more information on these winter abroad programs is encouraged to visit the Web site at:

http://www.las.uiuc.edu/coursesabroad/winter.html