Our online session is designed to connect students with their teachers and classmates, and to help prepare students for their term abroad. Students have access to the course website, where reading lists will be posted and are required to complete all prep work prior to departure to ensure they are ready to hit the ground running overseas.

Our study abroad expedition to Asia commences in Toronto, where teachers and students get to know each other and settle into the rhythm of the program. Here, we conduct activities and complete foundational course material before setting off for Venice.

Is there a city that evokes a greater sense of beauty or mystery, than Venice? The audacity of the city’s founders to build their palaces on water is matched today by its opulence, as cruise ships and luxury yachts bring the world’s wealthiest to its famous canals. We begin our exploration of the political systems and cultures of the world here in what was the longest lasting republic in history, as students dive into the complexities between the powerful and the powerless. We investigate the role of the Doges, the Great Council and the secretive guilds that traded wealth and influence for absolute obedience to the Republic.

Perhaps the world’s most important city thus far in the 21st century, Beijing sets the stage for an analysis of Graham Allison’s Destined for War, as students grapple with the problem of whether a rising power can peacefully coexist with an established one. The horrific extremes of Mao’s China lay far in the past as we explore how a one-party system of government can balance absolute control with modernization in this increasingly interconnected world. As students explore the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the hutongs of Beijing, they experience firsthand the complex history and modern contradictions of China, and its influence on global affairs.

While most visitors confine themselves to Beijing, our exploration of China’s rich culture takes us off the beaten path and into the interior of Hunan Province—the birthplace of Chairman Mao and home to some of the most spectacular natural wonders in the world. Our stay here allows students to focus on academics as we consider the role of human rights in modern political systems, explore unique Chinese cuisine and visit the ancient town of Fenghuang—a maze of alleys, temples and waterfront homes built on stilts.

Our incredible journey takes us over the Sea of Japan to the unique city of Hiroshima. Here students investigate how Japan transformed itself from an aggressive imperial power to one of the staunchest proponents of peace, and a key ally of the western world. At the beautiful Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum, students reflect on the resilience of Japanese culture and the adaptability of its political systems and engage in dialogues on perspectives of war, memory, and the ever evolving process of international relations. An hour train ride from Hiroshima, students learn about the unique cultural heritage of the Japanese in Miyajima at the Itsukushima Shrine, which transports them back in time to the famous Torii Gates.

The tranquillity of our stay beneath the peak of Mount Fuji provides students time to split their time engaged in outdoor activities and small group master classes as they develop and complete their research papers.

As far from Venice, physically as it is culturally, the incomparable capital of Tokyo is the final destination of our incredible odyssey. Here, students are surrounded by the modern elements of Japanese culture: neon-lit streets, towering skyscrapers, high-fashion, and anime. Over meals of Japanese BBQ and bowls of shabu shabu, students reflect on their epic journey across the East in preparation for their final exams, after which they bid a fond farewell from atop the Tokyo Tower.

Departure From Tokyo Airport Day 50