Sophie Kirpan's photos on CRC

Experiential education goes beyond formal fieldwork as demonstrated by CRC student Julie as she delves into Turkish culture by partaking in the morning ritual of buying pretzel bread from a vendor before hurrying off to language class. Image captured by Sophie Kirpan on March 19th, 2010 during the Turkey portion of CRC.
Who says college is all academics? CRC students let their taste buds experience Turkish culture during a visit to a women's community cooperative NGO in Ankara. The menu? Couscous, vegetables, stuffed bread with potato, cheese and spinach, tea, and the best part - homemade baklava! Image captured by Sophie Kirpan on March 18th during the Turkey potion of CRC.
Studying in India often entails dressing like the locals. As Molly follows suit she grasps the entire experience from fabric to fashion by trying on a slew of shawls at a market while the vendor watches on. Image captured by Sophie Kirpan on March 9th, 2010 during the India portion of CRC.
Bethany and her CRC classmates partake in a puja (prayer ceremony) led by local priest and guru at a once-every-twelve-year festival in Haridwar, India. Image captured by Sophie Kirpan on March 4th, 2010 during the India portion of CRC

Carly Hosford Israel's photos from Costa Rica

Student Sarah Iskander leans how the BriBri process their corn.

A group of Costa Rica Center Freshman spent the weekend at the New Dawn Center in San Isidro Costa Rica.

This is on an organic farm that Global College students visited in the Buenos Aires region of Costa Rica.

Global College student Vicki Lau assists Gisele a girl from La Carpio with her understanding on the English alphabet.

Sophie Kirpan's photos on CRC

Molly sits at the site of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the most important site in the Sikh religion.
Image captured by Sophie Kirpan on January 20th, 2010 on the India portion of CRC.

Julie gathers with a local family in Varanasi for an afternoon of sharing tea and drawing henna designs.
Image captured by Sophie Kirpan on February 11th, 2010 on the India portion of CRC

Students on CRC had the opportunity to attend a once-every-twelve-year Kumbha Mela festival in Haridwar, India. Students attended lectures and visited gathering sites of many religious devotees, including this man dressed in pink. Image captured by Sophie Kirpan on February 2nd, 2010 on the India portion of CRC.

CRC students participate in a puja (prayer ceremony) preformed by a local priest at a festival in Haridwar, India.
Image captured by Sophie Kirpan on February 4th, 2010 on the India portion of CRC.

Sandra Martin's photos from India

Sunset on the Lake— Udaipur's Lake Palace is famously beautiful, but the buildings on the shore are just as stunning, glowing yellow as the sun sets.

Sun Drying— Long plain white sheets are washed and then dried in the sun by being hung several meters off the ground at the Sakshi block printing factory in Sanganer, a town outside of Jaipur in the northern state of Rajasthan. There are many textile businesses here, but few remain chemical free and traditional like this one.

Making Breakfast Chapatis— My host mother for two days in the desert village Keeta makes breakfast in her kitchen for me and her children. Afterwards she goes to the front room of the small house where she teaches preschool to many kids including her own daughter.

A Bit of Everything— Indian Cuisine Elective instructor Naveen Shah tastes the dishes the class prepared for the final test, which involved planning and cooking an entire meal, and then eating it!

Dean Glass and the VPAA at the India Center

Micah Ginnis' photos from Japan, India and Nepal

"Message of Love" Sunrise viewed from Yagaji-jima, Okinawa, Japan at the Message of Love festival on 7/7/07.

"Bauls of Bengal" A group of Bauls perform in a rural village in northern West Bengal, India.

"Swayambhu" At the top of the Swayambhu Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal.

"Last day in Hampi" A monkey comes to watch the sunset over Hampi, India from high up above.

Carly Hosford Israel's photos from Costa Rica

This photo to me demonstrates the diversity within the Global College classroom.


This photo was taken in Sarapiqui as the effects of the bananas were unveiled to students.

This photo was taken in Boruca at the water fall, both the lighting and the formation of the rocks were inspiring.

This photo was taken on the trip to Sarapiqui while students were shown what existed pre-banana plantations.

Susan E Smith's photos from Admissions Team Week in NYC, Aug 09

Sophie Kirpan's photos in Thailand on CRC

CRC students Bethany and Tessa receive instruction and a laugh from a Thai host mother while making traditional desserts. The menu? Sticky coconut rice with banana and black beans wrapped in banana leaves.
Image captured by Sophie Kirpan November 14th, 2009 on CRC, Thailand.

Students Bethany and James participate in a special ceremony performed in Chiang Mai, the host city during the Thailand portion of CRC.
Image captured by Sophie Kirpan on November 19th, 2009 on CRC, Thailand

In preparation of a massive festival in the month of November, colorful lanterns were strung in the plaza of the Three Kings Monument in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Image captured by Sophie Kirpan on October 28th, 2009 on CRC, Thailand


Students prepare for 6 am morning meditation led by Chai the monk while attending a five-day Buddhist meditation retreat in rural Thailand.
Image captured by Sophie Kirpan on November 6th, 2009 on CRC, Thailand

Carly Hosford Israel's photos from Panama

Carly says "The global issue for these photos is the exploitation of indigenous people through tourism. That is not to say that this past trip to Panama provided this experience, but rather that it taught me the alternatives to this problem. These photos to me symbolize the most important aspect of tourism being positive human connections. Ultimately, these connections could lead to an un-diversified monoculture of assimilation, but if people constantly lived with this fear there would be not travel industry."

Melannie Levine's photos in Thailand on CRC

"10,000 Monks Charity Event" Chiang Mai, Thailand

What happens when you have 10,000 monks collecting alms, people donating food, and the Thai military present to lend a hand? A HUGE charity event for the monks in southern Thailand. The issue of human rights has existed as long as humans have been around and it affects people in every part of the world. Southern Thailand has a large number of Muslims who do not want to change their ways from being practicing Muslims and, yet, the Thai government says they must if they are going to reside in Thailand. Military action has been brought against the Muslims so some Muslims have started to fight back by hurting and killing monks living near them. The quantity of the food being collected on this day alone will not rid the world of lack of human rights or even Thailand of lack of human rights, but every mouthful counts to lending a hand to those in need.



"Dragons are Extinct" Golden Triangle, Thailand

Although we should have been remorseful knowing that dragons and serpents of this size no longer exist, we could not help but take advantage of such an opportunity to get about half our class on the back of this creature.



"Boundaries" Golden Triangle, Thailand

What do you see? I see trees, water, buildings, land, sky, and clouds. Others see three countries (Burma, Laos, and Thailand), three sets of laws, three living conditions. One's way of life (from birth to death) is completely determined by the human invention of borders and boundaries.



"A Religious Peace" Plikweewek Buddhist Retreat outing near the Burmese border in Thailand

Peace has been sought after for thousands of years. Five of our CRC peers have incorporated what we have learned throughout the semester of comparing several religions, and taken a stand on their version of peace.

Elsa Little's photos on CRC

"Stop Child Trafficking"
This mural was painted on the wall of an elementary school for children at high risk of being trafficked into child labor or sex work.


"March of the Monks"
The soldiers pay respect to the 10,000 Monks that gather in procession to collect alms (mostly food donations) to help feed other monastics in the South.


"Golden Triangle"
A peaceful view of Burma (to the left) and Laos (to the right), leaves the military violence on the border unnoticed.

Larissa Fardelos' photos in Taiwan and Thailand on CRC

Julie Virgin plays with some young girls during a visit to a rural school in Northern Thailand.


The students return to their rooms next to the lotus pond after a morning of teaching English to novice monks in a nearby high school during the meditation retreat. Service learning was incorporated into the meditation retreat, along with lectures on Theravada Buddhism and lessons in mud hut building, rice harvesting, monk etiquette and such.


Matching in white meditation outfits in front of the large Buddha statue recently erected near the monastery where the CRC students had a Theravada Buddhist meditation retreat in Northern Thailand.


CRC students greeting the approaching typhoon off the coast of Taiwan.

Brianna Deutsch's photos from Thailand on CRC

Brianna's photos were taken while on a CRC trip to a Buddhist monastery in northern Thailand. Students spoke with the head of a Burmese refugee camp and visited a school for Burmese refugees. They were also able to teach English to novice monks, many of whom were Burmese orphans. The situation in Burma causes many ethnic minorities to flee into Thailand, particularly those in the Shan State of Burma. In some cases, once they reach Thailand they are forbidden to leave the refugee camp, or their family has been killed trying to cross the border. They face a hard life, yet are still full of hope and joy.