Global May Session 2013 - Barcelona, Spain
May 6-13, 2013
Spain is a vibrant country that combines the spirit of its various rulers over the centuries, from the Phoenicians and Romans, to the Moors and Christians. Its rich history is complimented by an expansive landscape of mountains, deserts and glorious beaches. From the world-class museums, cathedrals, parks, pedestrian malls, to the food that brings people together, Spanish culture is defined by a deep passion for life that is contagious.
The trip offers travelers an opportunity to see first-hand how Spanish culture and civilization have evolved from pre-Roman times to its present, modern society.
The major highlights of the trip are Gaudi’s architectural masterpiece, The Cathedral of La Sagrada Familia, the ultimate modernista building, Casa Mila, known as “the most famous apartment-house complex in Spain, another Gauida design, the Parc Guell, containing a mosaic pagoda, a lizard fountain and an array of Doric Columns.
Our trip continues to the Gothic Quarter, parts of which have survived from the Middle Ages, Museo Picasso which contains nearly 2,500 of his paintings, engravings and drawings. We will have a chance to relax in the Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona’s most formal and historic park which also housed the 1887-88 World’s Fair. The park contains the Arc de Triomf which serves as the event’s grandiose main entrance.
We will visit the Poble Espanyol, a re-created Spanish village which was built for the 1929 World’s Fair, and features various regional architectural styles. There are a total of 115 life-size reproductions of buildings and monuments which are combined with numerous outdoor cafes and shops which sell crafts and souvenir items from all of the provinces. There are also many artists at work printing fabrics, weaving and blowing glass.
One of our visits will be to the Fundacio Joan Miro which contains a collection of over 10,000 works of the Catalan surrealist. Later we continue to the Parc de Joan Miro, dedicated to the famous artist, which contains the Miro sculpture Woman and Bird. We will take a guided tour of El Palau de la Musica Catalana, which is, for many, the most outstanding contribution of the modernista movement. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.
Our trip includes daily breakfast, several dinners together, as well as free time for shopping and personal exploration.
Past Trips:
From the Coliseum to the Catacombs: Imperial and Early Christian Rome- 2012
This course explored archaeological sites, art, and artifacts associated with Christianity in Rome from the Augustan period through the early fifth century, A.D., and the theological claims asserted therein, and compare and contrasted them with the theological and dynastic claims of the Imperial structures, art, and artifacts of the era.
The Art, Archeology and Theatres of Northern Greece- 2011
This cultural and historical immersion trip exposed students to the Ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Sephardic Jewish art, theaters and archeological sites of Northern Greece. Students visited one of the breathtaking Sporades islands off the eastern shore of mainland Greece.
Guinness and Galway, Yeats and U2, Parnell and the Great Blasket: Ireland - 2010
Students experienced the urban and rural, literary and visual landscapes of Ireland. Starting in Dublin and then heading west to the Aran Islands, Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, and the Dingle Peninsula, students were immersed in travel-writing, film, literature, and culture. Participants examined a variety of representations of Ireland and re-told its stories through various media. Students earned 3 credits in English or New Media.