If you
are looking for a chance for some outdoor adventure mixed with close
encounters with different cultures and honing your leadership and
organizational skills while you are at it, then Appalachian State
University’s upcoming New Zealand expedition is for you.
Outdoor Programs plans to continue their goal of education through
the outdoors by offering a three-week trip to the South Island of
New Zealand this upcoming May 13-Jun. 5.
“It’s a university effort,” said Dr. Gregory S. Blimling,
vice chancellor for Student Development. Blimling said the trip
is being collaborated by Outdoor Programs, International Studies
and Interdisciplinary Studies as well as other academic areas.
Blimling traveled to New Zealand last year along with Rich Campbell,
coordinator for Outdoor Programs, Dr. Marvin T.Williamsen, associate
vice chancellor for International Programs, and Nancy W. Wells,
assistant program director for International Programs, to create
contacts for the May 2003 trip, Campbell said.
Campbell said this is the first international trip in the Outdoor
Program’s almost 30-year history.
“The core of our programs will always be taking students out
into the local areas,” Campbell said.
Campbell, who will be attending the trip as a guide, said many students
desire to travel beyond the local area once they have completed
many of the local activities offered by Outdoor Programs. Campbell
said the next step would be to take adventure education to an international
setting.
Adventure Education Specialist Andrew Miller, who will be participating
in the New Zealand trip, said the trip will begin at Christchurch
and continue on a two-day Waikawa Marae, meeting place of the Maori,
visit.
“It’s designed to be more of a back-country experience,”
Miller said.
The expedition will proceed with four days of sea kayaking in Abel
Tasman National Park and an eight-day traverse of the Tasman Mountains
in Kahurangi National Park, where scenes from the movie “Lord
of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings” were filmed.
“Participants will have a real sense of wilderness and ruggedness,”
Miller said.
The trip will continue with a brief farm stay with Kiwi family farmers.
“It will be a wonderful educational opportunity for [participants],”
Blimling said. “Not only will they learn a lot about New Zealand,
but also about themselves.”
Students who plan to participate in the program will take one or
both of two classes being offered for the spring semester. Cultures
and Landscapes: An Expeditionary Study of New Zealand’s South
Island will be offered though the Interdisciplinary Studies program.
The Recreation Management program will offer Expeditioning in New
Zealand.
Miller said these classes would prepare students for the trip as
well as supply them with three hours of credit per class.
Information sessions will be held Nov. 4, 7 and 13 at 5 p.m. in
Outdoor Programs in Broome-Kirk Gym.
The cost of the program is $3,100, which includes airfare, all ground
transportation, entry fees, permits, insurance, instruction, technical
equipment rentals, camping equipment, cultural immersion fees and
most food.
A $300 non-refundable deposit is included in the $3100 and is due
before the end of the fall semester.
The trip is open to 14-16 interested faculty, staff or students
on a first come first serve basis. |
