Welcome to the Knowledge Exchange Institute’s (KEI) February 2004 on-line newsletter!  (for students, current KEI participants abroad, program alumni, and others with an interest in studying abroad).

In this month’s issue: 

Featured Programs: Educational Travel in Summer 2004

New Program in Australia: Environmental and Ecological Studies (in Tasmania)

Funding Available for Undergraduates Studying in China

Internship Options in New York City & Overseas

In Our Words: KEI Staff Share Their Top Memories from Abroad

Featured Programs: Educational Travel in Summer 2004
Do you have the unquenchable urge to travel this summer, but need those extra credits to stay on track and graduate on time? KEI offers educational travel program where you can earn college credit while taking courses abroad -- on-the-road, from university professors, and in the English language. You'll make new friends, experience fascinating new cultures, and gain valuable credits toward your undergraduate (or graduate) degree.  Following are our educational travel programs being offered this summer (from 4 to 12 weeks in length):
·                     Spanish on the Road in Mexico  
·                     European Capitals (visiting 11 European cities)  
·                     Discover Spain and Portugal
·                     Spanish for Business & Technology (2-months in Mexico City and Madrid, taught in Spanish)  
·                     African Safari in Kenya

The application deadline for Summer 2004 KEI programs is March 20. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, and scholarships are available. Alternatively, if you prefer to go abroad this summer to one location, KEI offers discipline-specific summer programs in Brussels, Venice, Beijing, Mexico City, Nairobi, and Moscow.

New Program in Australia: Environmental and Ecological Studies 
This new program is being offered starting Fall 2004. Students can take courses in zoology, botany, ecology, marine biology, environment, geology, conservation, agricultural studies, biodiversity, horticulture, wildlife management, biosynthesis, plant science, aquaculture, ore deposit science, Antarctic climate, geography, mineral exploration, forestry, and others. Tasmania (Australia's island state) is truly a one-of-a-kind destination. It has flora and fauna found nowhere else on earth, the cleanest air on the planet, and one-fifth of the island is designated as a World Heritage Area --  in short, a perfect place for environmental studies! The host institution, the University of Tasmania (UTAS), is located in the rich and lively cultural capital of Hobart. This is a place where you can integrate with real Australians (not tourists), and select discipline-specific classes from a wide range of English-taught courses offerings, and participate in an internship. KEI offers 3 other programs at UTAS, one of the oldest and most respected universities in all of Australia: (1) Visual and Performing Arts, (2) Australia Studies and Humanities, and (3) Science, Math, and Engineering. See here for more information:  www.KnowledgeExchange.org

Funding Available for Undergraduates Studying in Asia
Funding is available through the Freeman-Asia Award Program, launched in 2000 with the support of the Freeman Foundation, in order to give more American undergraduate students the financial means to study abroad. If you are considering applying to the KEI Beijing Program next year, you should apply for this scholarship. The application deadline for Fall 2004 semester is April 2, 2004.  See here for full information (including full eligibility criteria and the on-line application): http://www.iie.org/programs/freeman-asia/

Internship Options in New York City (Summer 2004)
KEI's NYC Internship Program allows students to gain practical experience while earning academic credit -- in New York! Students can earn 6 credits for  a 2-month internship. KEI currently has numerous internship positions available in the a wide variety of companies, including: the Social Science Research Council; CBS News; the Museum of Modern Art; the Central Park Zoo; Legal Aid Society; MetLife; Human Rights Watch; and other positions in publishing, business, art/design, PR/marketing, non-profits/NGOs, government, and finance. The minimum time commitment is 2 months. The program also includes professional visits to local businesses, government agencies, NGOs, as well as cultural excursions/events in the New York City area. The program includes internship placement, academic credit, housing, orientation, and more. The application deadline is March 1.

Alternatively, if you'd like to intern overseas this summer or fall, we can place you in a field of your choosing in Nairobi, Moscow, Mexico City, Barcelona, or Brussels. Minimum time commitment is 2 months. See here for further information: www.KnowledgeExchange.org


In Our Words: KEI Staff Share Their Top Travel Memories
KEI staff in our New York City headquarters have studied, worked, and traveled abroad in numerous countries.  We thought we'd share with you our thoughts about some of our favorite places:

* Alex:  I studied abroad in Australia twice -- during my junior year/spring semester in 1998, and again for a graduate degree in 2002.  I love Australia for many reasons:  it's so far from home (USA) but yet it feels easy and familiar – but different enough to enjoy countless new experiences. It has both Asian and European influences, as well as it's own rich cultural charms. I'm planning to go back again to "Oz" later this year.

* Jennifer:  One of my all-time favorite travels abroad was to Kenya, where I took a 2-week safari in 1987.  Though I wouldn't necessarily call myself an "animal lover," it was stunned to see so many magnificent animals in the wild (my favorite being the cheetah).  The Kenyans were so friendly and full of life, and loved sharing their intricate knowledge of all the flora and fauna in their game parks.  For me, this was a truly unforgettable trip.

* Eduard:  My favorite place? Russia. I was born in the former Soviet Union in the 1960s, but moved to the USA when I was in grade school. Although I love traveling to new countries, I go back to Moscow as often as I can. The people (Muscovites) are friendly, and the country is booming – it's exciting because of all the transitions in both society and culture.  I never get tired of visiting Moscow's Red Square, and go to the beautiful ballet every time I return.

* David:  I have had the opportunity to travel to many cities throughout Europe, but by far Venice was one of my favorites and the experiences I had while living there are some of my most memorable.  I studied abroad there in 2001, at the KEI Host Institution in Venice, and lived right in the city center. Venice is like no other city on earth, and living there is a much more enriching experience than just visiting. The life and heart of Venice is in many ways more influenced by its own history than by anything else in Italy.  

* Kathie:  After college, I taught English in the Czech Republic, and during that time I had the chance to travel throughout Europe. One of my most memorable trips was to Brussels, the beautiful capital of Belgium. Market Place (the gothic town square) was amazingly beautiful and the restaurants were some of the most impressive I dined in during my travels. Just by taking a stroll down one of the winding roads off Market Place you can find some of the best French cuisine in the world. If you like the old classicism of Europe plus the busy bustle of Europe's political center, Brussels is the place for you.