and choose from approximately 12 courses offered by Loyola University Chicago, such as Culture and Politics of Development in Contemporary Vietnam, Modern Vietnamese History, and Humans and the Environment in Contemporary Vietnam. Every student is paired with an English-speaking Vietnamese OU partner/guide and re- sides in a dormitory set in District 10, a lively area with shops and restaurants. But it’s the program-sponsored
field trips in and around the country that are often the most memorable. “I loved our excursion to Cambodia and getting to see the ancient city of Angkor, as well as kayaking in the stunningly beautiful waters of Ha Long Bay, rock climbing in the little mountain town of Da Lat, and hiking in Sa Pa,” says Loyola senior Cate Walters, an international studies major who attended the Vietnam Center during the fall semester of her junior year. “My experience was incredible for many reasons—new friendships, fascinating classes, delicious food, and amazing trips.” Walters says the experience taught
her how large and diverse the world is. “There are so many different cultures, traditions, and experiences outside our own little bubbles,” she says. “Living in Vietnam taught me how to go with the flow and try new things. It also gave me the opportunity to volunteer with more vulnerable popu- lations outside of Ho Chi Minh City.” The study abroad program in Viet-
nam began as a summer session and expanded to a fall or spring semester option in 2010. Kelly Heath, associ- ate director of Loyola’s study abroad program, says that a semester in Viet- nam helps students grow personally, spiritually, and professionally. “Students learn a lot about
Vietnamese culture, language, his- tory, and current events through the program,” she says. “And they get a chance to get out of their comfort zone, live somewhere new and chal- lenging, and learn how to adapt to a new lifestyle.” L
LEARN MORE
LUC.edu/studyabroad/vietnam
Members of the Loyola men’s soccer team visited Peru this spring as part of their international service-learning class. CENTER FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Solidarity through soccer
Using the universal language of sports, Loyola students help build community in Peru
On a rainy March afternoon, Loyola sopho- more Elliot Collier stood in the center of an outdoor concrete court in the mountain town of Andahuaylil- las, Peru, kicking around a ball with fellow members of the Loyola men’s soccer team. Slowly, children from the surrounding area heard the familiar sounds and started to join in. As the day went on more children arrived, and eventually some adults from the com- munity gathered to watch—or even join the game. Despite the language barrier, Collier says the Ramblers quickly bonded with their new Peruvian friends. “The language of soccer speaks louder than any other language in the world,” he says. The experience was just one of the highlights of
this year’s spring break experience for players on the men’s soccer team. Through a collaboration between athletics, the Center for Experiential Learning, and campus ministry, the team participated in a 10-day im- mersion trip to Peru. The trip was part of the interna- tional service-learning course, a class offered through the Center for Experiential Learning that focuses on service and community development. While traveling through Peru, the students were
immersed in a developing country where they were able to explore the use of sports—particularly soccer, or fútbol, as the Peruvians call it—as a means of youth and community development. The Loyola students worked with a local nongovernmental organization in Lima, the Martin Luther King Association at El Agusti- no, where former gang members are working to rejoin their communities and workforce thanks in large part
to rehabilitation efforts through soccer. Upon return- ing to Chicago the students continued to explore similar issues with local nonprofit organizations. Senior Ryan Howe was impressed with the MLK
Association’s ability to mix the fun of soccer with edu- cational outreach efforts to youth living in poverty. “No matter what games that they are playing, they are always looking to incorporate an educational lesson into it,” Howe says of the organization. “It was great to see the kids engaged and eager to play, and to listen to what the instructors had to offer.” Another stop on the trip was the city of Cuzco,
where the Ramblers visited a Fe y Alegría school. Founded by the Jesuits, the Fe y Alegría network of schools has a mission of creating educational op- portunities for children living in impoverished rural areas and helping them prepare for successful careers. The school in Cuzco teaches more than 600 students, ranging from preschoolers to teenagers. For students like Collier, the trip was an eye-open-
ing experience that provided a different perspective on the daily struggles experienced by people in other parts of the world. “Peru has shown me that I have a lot to be thankful
for and take a lot of things for granted,” he says. “I can say that we have definitely been taken out of our comfort zone. We have been tested in ways we could never have been back in Chicago.”
READ MORE STUDENT STORIES FROM PERU
loyolaramblers.com/sports/m-soccer
SPRING 2016 31
PERU PHOTO: COURTESY LOYOLA ATHLETICS
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