Lifelong Learning Thursday

LEARNING LATER, LIVING GREATER:

The Secret for Making the Most of Your After-50 Years.

Lifelong Learning in Your Later Years…

A Health Club for Your Mind, Body, and Spirit!

Last week we took a brief look at the history of educational travel. Today, let’s look at program format, and bring together some miscellaneous thoughts about educational travel.

Most educational travel programs offer the participant a combination of lectures, field trips and free time. Here’s a quick overview of a typical international program.

In the morning, you might listen to a lecture by a well-known expert in a particular field (for example, the building of the castles of Germany.) Then you might view a slide show while listening to an audio presentation on the history of the castle inhabitants.

After lunch you would visit one of those castles with your group, armed with what you had learned in the morning and escorted by a competent and knowledgeable guide.

Later, you might eat dinner with a local family whose ancestors were directly affected by the daily activities at the castle.

Finally, you would slip into bed having experienced a day full of learning, exploring, and personal growth. You don’t get this type of satisfaction sitting on a beach soaking up the sun.

Each day’s format would roughly follow this outline of lectures, field trips, cultural interaction, and reflection. Each day would be full of activities guaranteed to simulate your mind, body and spirit, keeping you challenged while still having fun.

Here are some miscellaneous thoughts about educational travel:

• Traveling by yourself is easier on an educational travel program because you’ll be in the company of like-minded adults.
• If you prefer, there are organizations that will match you with a traveling companion.
• Regardless of physical capability, special interest or budgetary challenge, there are plenty of exciting travel options for you to consider.
• The travel industry is aware of the growing interest in travel for enrichment and more and more tour operators are gearing their offerings in this direction.
• There are service/educational travel programs that offer the opportunity to give of your skills and experience by volunteering in a new location.
• Educational travel gives you the opportunity to learn all about a new location, with all its foibles, allowing you to appreciate what you already have.

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

Samuel Johnson said, “All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it.”

For more information on Learning Later, Living Greater visit www.learninglater.com

You can purchase Learning Later, Living Greater at www.amazon.com

Till Next Time…

Nancy Merz Nordstrom is Director of the Lifelong Learning Department at Computer School for Seniors (www.cs4seniors.com)