Office of Global Programs Newsletter – Winter 2023

ELLIE KAYNOR: STONEHENGE

OGP PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS

Winter 2023

Presented by the Stan and Karen Johnson Office of Global Programs

Welcome Welcome to the newest edition of Going Global, the quarterly newsletter that provides readers with information and reflections on the international experiences of GCC students.

Director: Mrs. Jennifer Gilliliand Field Director: Dr. Erik Bardy Global Programs Coordinator: Mrs. Rachel Anderson Global Programs Assistant: Mrs. Patti Bardy Student Advisors: Madeline Warburton, Hannah Evans, Tessa Nave, Elsie Park, Abi Collier

Appalachia Service Project Spring Break 2024 A travel course for 1 credit Social Work 290 Exploring Rural Poverty

Teams info session 11 am Mon Dec 11 https://forms.office.com/r/FrXeBKxDeX

Questions?

Vassar-BushVG@gcc.edu

Christmas in

Scandinavia Sweden Christmas begins on December 13, St. Lucia Day, which honors the third century martyr who brought food to persecuted Christians. They decorate their Christmas trees with flowers. The celebrations accumulate when Tomte, a Swedish folklore gnome, the Swedish version of Santa Claus, comes and offers gifts.

Denmark Christmas officially begins on December 23, usually celebrated with traditional cinnamon rice pudding. Meals are elaborate affairs that bring friends and families together. Children will leave rice pudding or porridge on Christmas Eve to placate the mischievous elves that love to play pranks on the kids.

by Madeline Warburton From Trip Savvy

Finland Christmas is a big affair in Finland. They wish each other “Merry Christmas” weeks leading up to Christmas and nearly two weeks afterwards. Most Finns attend mass and go to the sauna to purify themselves.

Norway You will hear the bells ring at 5 pm on Christmas Eve in Norway. There is a sumptuous meal that night, usually of pork ribs or a cod dish. The Norwegians celebrate the “Yule Goat” which comes from Norse mythology of leading Thor through the night sky. It is often represented as an ornament and is seen to protect the house during Yuletide and good luck for the new year.

Iceland There are 13 Icelandic Santas, called “Yuletide Lads,” which are different characters with varying roles. Children place their shoes by the window on December 12 in hopes of receiving a gift from one of the Yuletide Lads. If they have been bad, they will get a potato in their shoe.

THE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION INSTITUTE

GIAN MARIO PORCHEDDU Gian Mario Porcheddu is a conservator with the Centro di Conservazione Archeologica (CCA) located in Rome and the on-site conservator with Archaeological Conservation Institute (ACI).

The CCA is a private firm in the field of conservation, archaeology, and monument preservation. It receives public commission from universities and organizations to work on projects in the Mediterranean region. They work mainly with sculptures, frescoes, and mosaics.

“I came into the conservation world by accident,” Porcheddu said with a smile. He was a communications and journalism major in the political science department in college. “I was studying the relationship between people and museums and how museums should be structured and how to transfer information.” This opened him up to the world of conservation and archaeology. He had the opportunity to intern with CCA in 2008 and after the three-month internship, he was asked to stay on and work full time. “Things evolved and I found myself working in the field.”

Recently, Porcheddu completed a conservation project for the Lebanese conservators from the superintendency of Beirut. Currently, Porcheddu is working on two projects.

One is the Corinth Frescoes in Greece. The team receives trays upon trays worth of fresco fragments and in the lab, they begin to reconstruct the fresco, piece by piece like a large puzzle. Porcheddu explained it is a recent practice to gather and collect the fragments and they aspire to be more careful than their former counterparts. The conservators refer to the journals the archaeologists record of their findings and where the fragments were found to offer a larger scope of understanding of where and what the fresco is. Documentation is critical to conservation, Porcheddu explained.

“The two things that are important to conservation is documentation and that everything we do can be reversible.” After assembling the fragments together, the conservators must treat the pieces in such a way that can be reversible years down the road if need be.

“In case we did something wrong, conservators down the road should be able fix it. Future archaeologists should be able to dismantle the project and put it together again the right way.” Conservation is the preservation of the past and preparation for the future.

After cleaning and gluing the mosaic pieces together, they are treated to ward off biological deterioration and are displayed in a museum. Preservation is not only for the aesthetics, but the object itself. The other project he is currently working on is the Baptistry of St. John in Florence. The team works from morning to late afternoon, working on the mosaic scaffolding of the dome of the building. Just like preservation of a piece is a long and thorough process, so is the journey of becoming a conservator.

“A career in archaeology is a long process. The ACI program is a push to help students. To expose them to the understanding of cultural heritage and conservation.” The four-week program allows the students hands-on experience, while also learning the basic theories of conservation. This exposes them to the vast world of conservation and archeology and whether it would be a good choice for them. Porcheddu humbly calls himself “a teacher of the field” where he coordinates and assists the group of students.

Porcheddu explains that conservation is not just a career, but a “vocational cause.” Passion and dedication are infused into conservation to preserve the past with a delicate touch so future generations can appreciate their beauty and artistic mastery. Gian Mario Porcheddu came to Grove City College recently for a talk on his project of the Corinth Frescoes and had a good turn out of people.

If you are interested in attending the summer program at ACI, email Dr. Mark Graham.

Travel Course in Japan

By Tessa Nave

It can be frightening to take a step into a culture very different from your own. When I was considering my options for study abroad, I had to choose between what was comfortable and familiar, and what was adventurous and new. Choosing to leap headfirst into an adventure ended up being one of the best choices I ever made.

Traveling on a faculty led course, I had the opportunity to be immersed in the city life of Tokyo, experience traditional Japanese culture in Kyoto, visit the memorials of Hiroshima, and pet friendly wild deer on Miyajima Island.

During the trip, my group traveled by airplane, bus, taxi, subway, train, bullet train, switchback train, cable car, incline, ferry, and my personal favorite… pirate ship!

My group visited the TeamLab exhibit in Tokyo, which is a sensory art installation. We took off our shoes at the door and made our way through a set of incredible and immersive rooms. Some had floors of water that we waded through as hundreds of koi fish were projected onto its surface. There was a room of mirrors and a dark room whose floor was a giant bean bag!

While in Kyoto, I had the opportunity to take part in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony and dress in a yukata (a kimonolike robe worn in the summer). We made matcha, had tea snacks, and made friends with our teacher who led us through the process.

We traveled to several shrines and historical sites, exploring the stunning grounds and the surrounding towns. We also got a look into the life of Japanese families throughout history when we visited a set of historical houses.

My experience in Japan was hands down the most incredible I’ve ever had. I learned and experienced so much over a few weeks, and traveled with an amazing group of people.

When you explore something new and exciting, it changes your perspective and opens doors for you that you may have never considered. I will always recommend this course to anyone who is looking for incredible culture, history, food, and adventure.

inclu

ding

Education Travel Course May Intersession 2024 (5/19-5/29)

Just added!

EDUC 488

ISSUES IN EDUCATION

EDUC 324

3 CREDITS | $5,577

3 CREDITS | $5,577

MORE INFO:

TEACHING ELEMENTARY SOCIAL SCIENCES

FACULTY: DR. DREVES DR. CULBERTSON QUESTIONS? DREVESSM@GCC.EDU

EDUC 387

FIELD EXPERIENCE

1 CREDIT | $4,895

VISIT FROM UCU

MR. SOLOMON KASULE KIBIRIGE is the head of the department of social work and social administration at Uganda Christian University. He visited Grove City College on November 13 for a talk on “A Christian Response to Social Problems in Uganda.” He came to the Office of Global Programs, along with his colleague Mark Bartels, to discuss their program with Jennifer Gilliland, the director of the Office of Global Programs.

There are currently two GCC students studying in Uganda for the fall 2023 semester. This university is especially popular for social work students working on their senior practicum. For this, students have hands on opportunities to take the theories they have learned in class and apply them to real world situations. Their conversation touched on the topic of safety and the strict safety protocols that the university faculty adhere to.

Students are offered the choice to either live in a dorm on campus or live in a homestay. Regardless of their housing choice, they are required to have two homestay experiences, one in the urban area and one in the rural area. This offers the students an opportunity to integrate into the Ugandan culture and spend time with a Ugandan family. Most of the homestay connections are made through church connections. Eighty percent of the Ugandan population are Christians, which is a higher percentage than the United States.

Uganda Christian University is like GCC with its adherence to Christian values and morals. Even though it is a welcoming environment, there is still culture shock for American students coming to Uganda. A huge difference between the two cultures is that Uganda is a relational society while the United States is very time oriented. This is often difficult for American students to adapt to when scheduling and time are more loosely looked at compared to Americans. It is also a culture shock when they come back to the United States and need to get readjusted to cultural norms in the states. Uganda Christian University offers seminars, orientations, and debriefs to help prepare students for living in Uganda.

If you are interested in learning more about Uganda Christian University, stop

by SHAL 319 to get more information or schedule an appointment.

THE LITERATURE, MUSIC & ART OF

Greece & Italy M A Y

2 0 2 4

WITH DR. LORETTO AND DR. MUNSON IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FOOTSTEP MINISTRIES HUMA 301

CIV ARTS

ENGL 302

CLASSICAL LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION

WRIT 390

THE ART OF TRAVEL WRITING

QUESTIONS? About the courses: lorettoaj@gcc.edu About signing up: bardypj@gcc.edu or stop by SHAL 319 See also

BRITAIN & IRELAND: Where History and Imagination Meet May 2024 intersession

Questions? about the courses: PotterEA@gcc.edu

about signing up: BardyPJ@gcc.edu or stop by SHAL 319 (the one with the flags)

HUMA 200 Western Civ (Baker) HUMA 202 Civ Lit (Potter) ENGL 390 Modern to Contemp Irish & British Drama (Craig) WRIT 390 The Art of Travel Writing (Craig)

Details here:

HAZELNUTALMOND ZIMTSTERNE 1-1/2 cups unblanched almonds 3/4 cup hazelnuts 2 large egg whites, room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg confectioner’s sugar; optional

1. Toast almonds and hazelnuts; cool completely. Place nuts in a food processor; cover and process until finely ground.

2. In a large bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form.

Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Combine the nut mixture, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; fold into egg whites. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2 in. star-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on parchmentlined baking sheets.

4. Bake 325 degrees until edges are lightly browned, 9-11 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. If desired, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

From Taste of Home