Welcome to The Netherlands Trip, Winter Term 2004

Discover Yourself - that was the advertisement on campus for this winter term travel option.  The six students who went on this trip experienced  a culture with more personal freedoms than they were used to in the United States (Indiana).  They heard what others thought about US policies, especially after the War in Iraq, from artwork and from personal encounters. They saw themselves and their culture with new eyes, understanding more about what is possible, not just about what is.  We were accompanied by Professor Dedaimia Whitney and her husband, Gerry Fenner.  One student commented to me, "They are the coolest older people I have ever met."  For me, the trip was an invaluable experience in entering into the world of the students, letting them have the freedom to explore, to be, and to become.  It was a privilege to be part of their lives.

The primary goal was for all of us, but especially the students, to have a life adventure and learn about the interrelationships between self, freedom, and culture.

We explored life span development using the wonderful work of George and Gesela O'Neil from their book, "The Human Life."  The students learned that developmental stages do not stop once you are an adult, there is always being and becoming. 

We discussed the role of culture in shaping who we are, reading parts of Edward T. Hall's book, "Beyond Culture".  We talked about the role of uncertainty and how humans build models to understand the world.  Many times, these models only give us the illusion of control; we are actually determined by them when we are unaware of their influences. 

We watched "The Matrix", and talked about how each of us makes choices in life.

One of the many group discussions that stands out resulted from the following question:

 Is there a difference between creating and learning?

What do you think?