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Having a strong and open community among students is of the utmost importance in Global College. To best ensure a comfortable transition into each country, students are strongly encouraged to participate in all orientation activities in order build friendships among one another, so that they may have a supportive community with which to share their experiences. During this orientation period, students meet the Centers faculty and staff, and take local trips within the area they are living to become better acquainted with the culture they will be immersed in. Orientation schedules, activities, and fieldtrips differ slightly from Center to Center, please see the descriptions below for more details.
Costa Rica Center students meet at a two-day orientation held in New York City before they fly to Costa Rica together. During the first week of the semester, students are introduced to the academic program and their new cultural setting through several sessions and one or two short fieldtrips. Students are instructed about health and safety issues and other practical matters. During this week students meet their academic advisor, start to formulate the subjects they wish to study, and are placed into a corresponding Spanish language level. Students meet as a group in Hangzhou for a one-week fall semester orientation that includes a range of activities designed to help students settle into their new life in China. Early in the week the first community meeting is held so that students can discuss logistical and academic plans. Students are encouraged to organize a Hangzhou Scavenger Hunt, an experiential way to orient new students to the cultural heritage of Hangzhou. Orientation is held during the first week of the semester at the India Center. During this time, students are introduced to the culture and customs of the South Asian region in general, with particular focus on India and Bangalore City. Group activities, short trips around the city, and discussion sessions on health and safety are arranged. In addition, students meet their faculty advisors and begin the process of outlining a personal study plan. The orientation program includes a week of daily meetings with the faculty and staff to introduce the academic program, life in Kyoto, dorm life and center usage. During this week students are interviewed to determine their Japanese language ability by teachers from the Japanese language program. In addition, students spend most afternoons of the orientation week finding their way around Kyoto on the “Unguided Tour of Kyoto”. This tour is divided into four routes and 42 sites which bring students to the major sections of the city via Kyoto’s well developed public transportation system. Each route is selected to help students acclimate to life in Kyoto. Routes involve stops in economically priced Japanese restaurants, coffee houses and cafes, temples, the handicraft center, museums, the Imperial Palace, a castle, a martial arts center and other Kyoto hot spots. Students are provided with the appropriate bus and train passes to cover all transportation costs. In addition, we provide our students with a detailed orientation entitled “How to Live Cheaply in Kyoto”. Contrary to the popular belief that it is impossible to live on a modest income in Japan, our students find that the room and board stipend provides more than enough money for them to live if they follow some simple guidelines which they learn during this orientation.We’re currently in the process of updating our website!!! Please contact globalcollege@liu.edu for further information about our South Africa Center that will be opening in Spring 2008. Comparative Religion and Culture Program An initial orientation to CRC as a whole is provided at the beginning of the program. Students meet to acquaint themselves with the staff and other students as they discuss trip safety and logistics, and review the CRC program schedule. Specific, local orientations are also provided upon arrival in each country. An initial orientation to the program is provided in New York City, prior to the group’s departure. Students meet to acquaint themselves with the staff and other students as they discuss trip safety and logistics, and review the CRC program schedule. Specific, local orientations are provided upon arrival in each country.
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