Semester at sea program makes coursework a literal jungle

Hiking though the jungle, meeting local people and spending leisure time aboard a cruise ship are all part of the three-credit Humanities 241 course, “Introduction to Latin American Culture and Civilization,” offered at Piedmont Virginia Community College this winter, which includes a trip through the Amazon River.

The adventure will begin on Dec. 22 in Nassau, Bahamas, and students will return on Jan. 12, having stopped at many ports along the way.

Taught by Assistant Professor Jorge Grajales-Diaz, the HUM 241 course will consist of lectures, PowerPoint presentations and class discussions based on experiences with local people and places, as well as the assigned reading.

This may sound like a heavy load, however, Grajales-Diaz said, “I’m not going to be too strict.”

Interested students are urged to begin the sign up process as soon as possible, as the deadline is Nov. 1. The trip costs a minimum of $1,499, with airfare and class tuition not included.

For more information, contact Grajales-Diaz via email at jgrajalesdiaz@pvcc.edu or visit the Admissions & Advising Center. Enrollment in the HUM 241 course is required.

Registration for the voyage portion of the course can be done by contacting Julian Carta at jcarta@ise.virginia.edu.

A PDF document containing more information is available on the PVCC website.