theLAKER | 7 The pair were also impressed by their companions. “The students – they were the best,” Jim says. “They were so smart, they were so dedicated, they were so diligent. They were so studious. I said, ‘Guys, you are always writing in your journals!’” Jim and Kathy admit to slacking off a bit in their daily entries. This was a graded class, after all. In down times, Jim laughs, he preferred a nap. “They knew we were the old couple. A couple of them were very attentive to us, if we needed something. There were a lot of comments about ‘How can you still be in love after all this time?’” “What I tell anybody,” Kathy says, “is before you get married, talk about your divorce. Talk about the fact that there isn’t going to be one. Marriage is not always fun. You got to work at it.” “We just came from that era in the 70s,” Jim adds. “We didn't each have a lot. You get together and you kind of make do with what you do have. Life goes on, and you just work it out together.” –Lenore Friend Learning at its best The 2024 South Africa travel course had a few raise-thehair-on-your-neck moments. John Bateman, associate professor, recalls an encounter with cape buffalos that seemed to emerge from nowhere. “It’s sunset, and we’re trying to get back to the camp, and the next thing we know we’re part of this herd,” he said. They waited, unnerved, while the buffalo – one of Africa’s “big five” animals – milled around their truck before moving on. Such immersive experiences make travel courses unlike any other. “These are life-changing trips,” John said. Professor Maura Sullivan said exposure to a new environment crystallizes the knowledge and skills developed in coursework. “It takes students just a little outside of their comfort zone, and that is where the magic happens,” she said. “It is learning at its best.” Not all teachable moments are awe-inspiring. “I teach environmental science, and I talk about air pollution that comes from coal-burning power plants. But we don’t have that here in New York,” John explained. South Africa generates 85 percent of its electricity with coal. “We’re driving outside of Johannesburg, and you can see these power plants, and everyone says, ‘My head hurts. I don’t feel well.’ I said, ‘Look on the horizon, right on the skyline, you see this gray cloud. This is smog. You’re breathing in sulfuric and nitric acid.’” Travel is also tiring. Students are often ready to head home, though that didn’t happen last summer. “For me, just being on the continent, it was incredible. That’s where humankind came out of. It was so grounding,” John said. “I never heard people complain about having to get up at 4:30 in the morning or about the food. Everyone was so absolutely thrilled to be there.” On the final day, John said, students responded to news their flight was canceled with mock disappointment: “Oh, darn, we have to stay another day in Africa!” Lee Gutteridge, author of six natural history books, explains tracks to the FLCC travel course participants in summer 2024. He and Kersey Lawrence, the first woman in the world to earn the title of senior tracker, provided expert guidance. The next Africa trip The next South Africa trip is already on the books for July 6-18, 2026. The 3-credit course is Conservation 215: Unique Ecological Communities, South Africa Tracking and Field Ecology. Course activities include field lectures, wildlife drives, mapping and documentation, and field journaling. Students must be prepared for strenuous physical activities in areas with dangerous animals. Students pay all travel fees, plus course tuition, currently $672. The Emil Muller Foundation provided a $17,000 grant to defray students’ expenses in 2024, making the trip possible for several participants. The College plans to seek funding to assist with the 2026 trip as well. To ask questions or express interest, email to Maura.Sullivan@flcc.edu or John.Bateman@flcc.edu.
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