INST 235: Section 1

Paris in Focus: Community-building International Spring Break

2 hours weekly, time to be determined, 1st half of Spring Semester

This class revolves around a Spring Break experiences for six students in a large apartment in Paris with Brad and Carol Brown. (Caveat: This apartment only has Queen-sized beds...we will all be sharing.)  We will practice "slow food" living on site, shopping for our food in local markets and preparing our dinners together in the evenings.  In addition, each student is expected to design and perform a small independent research project that takes advantage of some characertistic of the overseas site.  Students will present their findings (informally) during the community dinners in our apartment.

Before Spring Break we will set learning goals for our trip that will lead to enjoyable discoveries once on-site without proving to be a burden or "work."  We will learn how to "journal," which for many people has proven to be a great way to record visits abroad.  We will plan and schedule a mix of group and individual activities.  We will also learn about cooking in community.

1 credit hour, credit/no credit.  Enrollment limited to 6 IRC students.

INST 235: Section 2

Leadership and Sustainable Life - IRC International Travel and Learn

2 hours weekly, time to be determined, 1st half of Spring Semester

This class revolves around a Spring Break experience for five students at the Virgin Islands Sustainable Farm Institute in St. Croix.  http://www.visfi.org/

We will explore personal mastery as it relates to leaderhip.  Creating the mindstyle of a reflective leader includes practice.  Each day we will experience a daily practice of relaxation, minfulness, or yoga.  In addition, we will participate in an earth skills training with international teachers.  Each student is expected to keep a travel journal.  Before we travel we will meet for pre trip classes. We will set learning goals for our experience, learn how to keep a travel journal, and discuss with a local sustainability experty what is happening at UVa and in the Charlottesville community.

1 credit hour, credit/no credit. Enrollment limited to 5 IRC students.

INST 235:  Section 3

Life and Chicken - Community building in Greece

2 hours weekly, time to be determined, 1st half of Spring Semester

This class revolves around a Spring Break experience for five students at a family farm in Thessaloniki, Greece.

We will explore local historic sites, farms and markets,  and meet with several community members interested in the slow food movement.  Much of our evening will be spent cooking, eating in community and savoring the relationships we develop with Greek friends and  their environment.  Meals will be prepared with local, fresh and seasonal foods. Students will be involved in active discussions, required to keep a reflective journal and participate in all required activities.

1 credit hour, credit/no credit.  Enrollment limited to 5 IRC students.