Students are expanding their horizons as they venture off into new territories over midterm break as part of the College’s Be World Ready program.
Groups of students and faculty left Canada on February 24 on International Field Studies to destinations throughout Central and South America to learn about different cultures and to apply their skills over the course of the week to help in community build projects. They return on March 3 and 4.
For some, this may be their first time flying or setting foot in a country outside of Canada.
Students will get their hands dirty and make positive contributions to rural communities, working in hotter climates building infrastructure or soaking up the knowledge imparted by locals. They’ll also have to adapt being in an entirely new environment and appreciating a way of life where luxuries of North American living may not be present.
In addition to making an impact on the communities they directly work in over the week, NC students will develop a better understanding of global matters and gain a broader range of transferable skills so that they become world-ready and work-ready.
“World-ready graduates bring a valuable set of skills to employers that will continue to be a key differentiator in the workplace,” said Sean Coote, director of NC’s international division.
NCSAC executive vice-president Aman Arora is one of the students taking part in this year’s travels. He decided to go to Peru and explore the Andean mountains.
“I am planning to take a lot of pictures, capture every memory I spend there, and bring a lot of experience back and share it with my fellow members,” he said. ”I also intend to use my experience as a credit towards my education and, being a business student, it will be a huge add up.”
Below are where students from NC are leaving their marks this midterm break:
Costa Rica
Travelling to one of the greenest countries on the planet, students of the Ecosystem Restoration and Environmental Management program are working on a sustainable and self-sufficient eco lodge. Contributing to an offsetting program, students calculate the carbon footprint of their travel and offset them in a habitat rehabilitation project.
Los Cacaos
The focal point of this program is the construction of a steel-framed greenhouse. The Dominican Republic province relies on coffee as a primary source of income but an infection has damaged the crops and other products are needed to develop the economy, such as produce and greenhouses. In addition to helping with construction, students will engage in the province’s rural community, fair-trade production and sustainable growing methods.
Peru
Students go off the beaten path for an authentic backpacking experience through Peru’s Urubamba Valley, taking them off the grid to explore caves filled with ancient paintings and hidden lakes of the Andean mountains.The trip, in partnership with Operation Groundswell, incorporates project Kausay Punku, an initiative that involves students working on a family farm to harvest traditional medicines after distilling plants into essential oils.
Nicaragua
In addition to International Field Studies experiences this midterm break,, a group of students from the School of Justice and Fitness Studies has embarked on a trip to Nicaragua in support of a Me to We community build initiative. This was also supported by the College’s Be World Ready program. View: Me to We: Nicaragua-bound students ready passports for life-changing experience
