Move beyond the tourist façade of Puerto Rico to study how history, culture and identity are intertwined in the production of popular culture, identity and a sense of place. Students will hear from Puerto Rican artists, musicians, community organizers and historians. Perfect for students from any major interested in the processes of globalization and change.
After a week on campus, getting to know your fellow travelers, the faculty and learning a lot about Puerto Rico’s history, culture and arts, we will travel together from Charlotte to San Juan. Once there, activities have been arranged to reinforce the readings allowing you to visualize, experience, question and absorb all the earlier learning. We will be exploring Old San Juan and areas surrounding the capital, and be doing things like:
- Night kayaking in a Bioluminescent Bay,
- Meeting with and hearing from musicians, from folk music to hip hop.
- Exploring the island’s cuisine, and getting a cooking lesson from a local Chef
- Walking through neighborhoods whose buildings are covered with incredible murals and street art
- Holding discussions in the former home of the first elected Governor of Puerto Rico, providing insights to the important works of his time in office.
Excursions and schedules may need to be adjusted due to weather, availability, or travel restrictions.
HOUSING AND MEALS: Dormitory housing and a meal plan are included in the program fee for the week at Clemson. While in Puerto Rico, the full group, including the professor and staff mentor, will be staying in furnished apartments on the campus of Interamerican University. Meal vouchers for breakfast and lunch will be provided for use in the campus cafeteria. A group dinner will be offered on the first and final nights. You will have the opportunity to explore local restaurants for dinner with classmates on the other nights. Or, if you prefer, you can prepare a simple meal in your campus apartment.
TRANSPORTATION: Global start programs all include group airfare. The students will be traveling as a group, accompanied by the faculty member, and or staff mentor to the destination. A Clemson bus has been arranged to take students from Campus to the departing airport. For the return, students have the option of working directly with the travel agent to redirect (at their own expense) their return ticket to their home destination. If the student returns with the group to the original airport, transportation has been arranged from that airport back to the Clemson campus. The Spain and Italy group will be departing and arriving through the Atlanta airport. The Puerto Rico group will be using the Charlotte airport.
Program Leadership:
SHARON NAGY, Ph.D. / Lead faculty
Sharon Nagy, Ph.D. is a professor of Cultural Anthropology, serves as Clemson’s Associate Provost for Global Engagement and is the primary administrator for the Global Start portfolio. Both her life and career have been flavored and focused on the movement of people around the globe. Not only has she lived in nine countries on four continents, but her anthropological research focuses the lives of South Asian migrants in the global cities of the Middle East. As a faculty member, she trusts in the power of informed and intentional travel to open minds and instill new knowledge and awareness in the traveler. She has been designing, leading and building study abroad programs for over 15 years and has traveled with over 150 students. These are, she claims “among the best courses and students I’ve taught over my career. Join this program and I promise we will learn much from each other.”
JOSE CARLOS ARROYO, Ph.D. / Faculty
TBA
MAGGIE GUERRA-AYALA / Staff Mentor
Maggie Guerra-Ayala was born in Guatemala and is a former diplomat. She served her country for almost 12 years in different positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters for 5 years, and she served abroad for 6 years in different countries including Argentina and Washington D.C. She joined Clemson University 4 years ago and currently seerves as Program Operations Coordinator at the Pam Hendrix Center for Education Abroad. Maggie specializes in Exchange programs and agreements, global partnerships, and multilateral international negotiation. She speaks 5 languages, is a certified translator, and has study, trained and lived in Guatemala, Mexico, Italy, Argentina, and the USA.