Next up on Dr. Lee Stoner’s travels was Porto in Portugal. This time Lee and fiancé Krystina were accompanied by Lee’s little niece Chelsey, age 5, and Chelsey’s dad, David. Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, is one of Europes oldest settlements. Not surprisingly, Porto (aka Oporto) was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Lee…
Continue readingRugby has long been New Zealand’s national game with many New Zealanders saying it is an integral part of the country’s culture. During the rugby season most Saturdays involve playing for or cheering on the local team followed by watching a Super 15 or ITM Cup game in the evening with ‘mates’ and if the All Blacks, New Zealand’s national…
Continue readingThis past winter our Director of Academic Affairs, Dr. Lee Stoner, and his fiancé, Krystina, based themselves out of West Sussex, England. Each weekend took the two in a new direction, including road trips across 3 out 4 British countries (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland), Southern Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Turkey. Each destination left a lasting impression. England was a must…
Continue readingHave your travels around the South Pacific spurred your interest in indigenous rights? If so, you will be interested to learn of the ANTaR (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliations) initiative and website. ANTaR is dedicated to the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This year ANTaR are launching a campaign to strengthen Aboriginal communities and decrease rates…
Continue readingOur Director of Academic Affairs, Dr. Lee Stoner, has recently come across an interesting read – “A Traveller’s History of New Zealand and the South Pacific” by John Chambers. This book gives a condensed overview of life in the South Pacific, starting with Polynesian colonization, then progressing to European colonization and the ramifications of this cultural exchange. Focus then shifts…
Continue readingNew Zealand is a country of breathtaking scenery and rich culture. In three weeks, I traveled all around the South Island visiting places that were all so dramatically different allowing us to truly experience New Zealand. I hiked the base of the tallest mountain in Australasia, learned Maori tribal dances, hiked a glacier and ate a Fergburger in Queenstown. While it…
Continue readingWhat use does an Olympic Park have after the Olympics are over? Does it just become overgrown with weeds and seldom used again? Well, in the case of Sydney Olympic Park, the Sydney 2000 Olympics was just a catalyst for the “largest land remediation project in the Southern Hemisphere,” according to the Sydney Olympic Park Authority. Our Sydney program students…
Continue readingIt’s cold (or actually freezing) in much of the U.S. right now. So, why not day dream of being somewhere warmer? These kayaks in Fiji definitely have your name all over them and are just waiting to be drug into the water for use! Apply for the Fiji program at one of our partner institutions to have the chance to…
Continue readingAntarctica truly is a dramatic and pristine environment unlike any other landscape on earth. I spent days sailing in open ocean before discovering land like an early explorer. I heard gentoo penguins as they inspected my campsite and massive whales as they surfaced alongside my zodiac. I enjoyed the Drake Lake and survived the Drake Shake. Each daily expedition provided…
Continue readingSituated along Calabazas Creek, pictured below, in Glen Ella, California is a boutique retreat that relaxes guests to the max. Think luxurious beds, pictured right; Smart car-sized soaking tubs and guest services fit for celebs. So where is this luxurious accommodation? In the heart of Sonoma and Napa wine country is the Gagie House, which is ranked as one of…
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