EUROPE FROM EAST TO WEST

International travel is a very enlightening experience and an indispensable component of education for college students. Travel introduces the students to a broad spectrum of cultural experiences. Today one can not be a full person without this kind of experience. Opportunities and the financial means for such travel may seem less accessible for those less affluent students attending smaller universities and community colleges. However, these problems can usually be overcome with proper advance planning and careful choice of travel routes and scheduling. The "Field Studies in Geology" trips organized at Virginia Western community College expand each student's horizon, encourage cultural understanding, and provide hands-on learning experience. I take 10-15 students each year to different parts of Europe. This year the countries included Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Austria, Netherlands and Belgium. The trip includes a vigorous geology program and visits to important historical and cultural sites. The highlights of the trip I led this year were to visit the Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest where the students could interact with Hungarian students and discuss environmental issues. We visited the famous karst areas in Hungary and Slovakia, had the chance to learn about the geology of the Alps and the Carpathians, also took a tour to the world famous delta project in the Netherlands. As my own travel agent I search for economical airfares, transportation, travel insurance, and accommodations so these trips are very inexpensive compared to similar trips organized by educational tour companies. I understand that my approach involves much more work than is typical of "package" tours, however I can organize the trip the way I believe the students can gain the most knowledge about geology as well as culture and history of other countries of the world. Most of all I truly enjoy watching my students grow through my trips. In my presentation I plan to share my experiences and give ideas about international travel.