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In this issue:
Eye On: Krakow
Your European History course covers a thousand years from the Dark Ages to the fall of Communism; shouldn't your class trip do the same?
Despite the lack of an independent state for the Poles in many of the last centuries, Krakow has always been a center of Polish arts and culture. The struggles of these proud people, as well as others from this part of the world, can be read in the history of Krakow. From medieval times to the Soviet occupation, this cultural center has witnessed a changing world and recorded it in her collective history. Here are just some of the many places of interest that call Krakow home.
Wawel Hill – Though archeologists place development of this area to the 4th century, one of its oldest structures is the Wawel Castle, built in 1038 AD and standing today as a magnificent example of medieval architecture. At the beginning of the 16th century, a Tuscan architect began the construction of Wawel Cathedral in close proximity to the castle. This church served as the coronation place of Polish monarchs for decades and put Krakow on the map as a major player in the Catholic Church.
Cloth Hall – As trade with the East grew during the 1400's, Sukiennice, or Cloth Hall, served as a center for commerce and a symbol of the upcoming Renaissance. Persian spice traders negotiated with French merchants and Dutch bankers right here in Krakow. Indian travelers returned to their land with western goods, and the opening of far cultures helped to ignite the European Renaissance. Today merchants still sell goods at the tables in this market, and visitors from around the world peruse them with equal interest.
Kazimiez – Beginning in the 15th century, this neighborhood became a refuge for Jewish Poles wishing to avoid pograms in other parts of Krakow. The Kazimiez survives today as a magnificent web of narrow streets and small shops where Jewish culture still flourishes. The Oscar-winning movie, "Schindler's List," was filmed here, and the Jewish Cultural Festival draws visitors from around the region. Boutique shops, cafes and clubs now find their home in this charming neighborhood.
The Museum of Independence – This museum exhibits relicts and artifacts of the Polish people's movement to create a state of their own. From fighting the Hapsburg's Austrian Empire to Russian Soviet influence, the Poles had long been a people without a state. Even though this museum focuses on the Polish fight for independence, the discussion of stateless ethnic groups can be expanded back in the classroom on a global scale.
Auschwitz – "Work will make you free" was the message the prisoners of Auschwitz read as they entered the World War II-era concentration camp. This somber site, 25 miles west of Krakow, served first as a work camp for imprisoned Jews and other Nazi undesirables, and then as the place of death for over 1 million of these same prisoners. Any historical trip to southern Poland wouldn't be complete without visiting this significant place of human history.
Today, Krakow still serves as a center for Polish culture. Historical places dot this city of 850,000, and travelers move just as easily from century-to-century as they do from block-to-block. There are not many places in Europe that exist today, which offer the diversity in art, history and modern culture as Krakow does. With a city like this, it's no wonder the Poles have felt a sense of national pride, even when lacking an actual nation.
Contact Alessandra Taddeucci to find out how you can organize an extraordinary educational opportunity to Krakow for your students.
CQ Capers
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Visit NoCookieCutterTours.com and submit your unique travel photo today.
DEADLINE: APRIL 30, 2007
What are you waiting for?
Teachers Talk
Kim Martin Long
 Kim Martin Long, Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, organized an early 2007 trip to France with Culture Quest for two dozen of her students. Here's what she had to say about her experience traveling with us:
March 17, 2007
Dear Barbara,
Everything was near-perfect for the Paris trip! The weather was 100% perfect -- the first time I've gone when it was actually spring-like. Not a cloud in the sky for all 5 days! I finally got to sit at sidewalk cafes and walk in the gardens.
The ONLY problems were very, very small ones. We did have a couple pick pocketed, and I have a gripe or two with two restaurants (but nothing major). All in all, everything went better than I could have hoped!
I do want to get started on next year's trip whenever you can get to it. I'm thinking London, March 7-12, 2008 with airfare, lodging, two dinners, breakfasts, 4-day tube pass, tickets to the London Eye, Thames Cruise, and a double-decker hop-on hop-off tour. There's no rush, of course. Get to it when you can!
Thanks for everything regarding the Paris trip. It was truly magnificent.
Sincerely,
Kim Martin Long
Interim Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences
Shippensburg University
Travel Tidbits
Historic Sites: As Old as the Hills
 The oldest buildings in America aren't found in the original thirteen colonies, but in the middle of the New Mexico desert. Pueblo de Taos was built by a Northern Tiwa tribe between 1000 – 1450 AD as multileveled adobe buildings that have been continuously occupied for 1000 years. But you might actually consider these structures modern when compared to relics left by older civilizations. Take a look at some of the world's oldest historic sites:
Anu Ziggurat of Uruk, Iraq
The ancient Sumerian city of Uruk in Mesopotamia (present day Iraq) was one of the first cities in the world and part of the earliest civilization on the planet. Built around 3000 BC, the Ziggurat was a stepped pyramid with ramps and staircases leading to its flat top used as a home for the city's god.  The Giza Pyramid Complex, Egypt
This necropolis on the outskirts of Cairo is one of the most recognizable places in the world. Three main pyramids, multiple satellite pyramids, walkways and the Sphinx are all there. Built by the Egyptians around 2500 BC as monuments to their pharaohs and gods, the pyramids stand as testimony to the intrinsic ingenuity of man. Stonehenge, England
This prehistoric site was constructed between 2500 – 2000 BC on windswept Salisbury Plain. The English have always hypothesized the purpose of this structure, calling it everything from a tool of Merlin to a Roman Temple. Today, some archeologists think natives built it as a type of calendar to mark the solstices. Whatever its original usage, Stonehenge is a must see for any visitor to the British Isles. Erlitou Palace, China
Discovered in 1959 in the Henan province, the remains of this palace shed new light on pre-dynastic China. The city-palace was built around 1800 BC by the Erlitou civilization and served as a model for later Chinese capitals. Today, just the foundation of the palace exists, but thanks to constant archeological study, a clearer picture of this ancient people continues to emerge. Palace of Knossos, Crete
The Palace of Knossos served as the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan civilization. Built in 1700 BC on the Mediterranean island of Crete, it contains a labyrinth of hallways and rooms reputed to hold the mythical Minotaur. The palace was technologically advanced for its time with olive oil lamps, fresh air ducts, three separate water systems and translucent panels to enclose open rooms in the winter. Parthenon, Greece
The Parthenon in Athens was built atop the Acropolis by the ancient Greek civilizations in the 5th century BC as a temple to their matron god, Athena. It has survived Roman conquest, a Turkish invasion, the French army and a Venetian bombardment to showcase the glory of this ancient empire for thousands of years after its fall. Persepolis, Iran
This ancient city, founded in 518 BC, served as the cultural and political capital for the Persian people. Its name actually derives from Greek, meaning "the City of the Persians." The largest and most complicated building in Persepolis was Audience Hall or Apadana, containing 36 columns and accessible by two large staircases. Any visitor could spend days wondering the streets and ruins of this desert city. 
Pantheon, Italy
Originally built during the reign of Emperor Hadrian around 125 AD, the Pantheon stood as a temple to the seven deities of the seven planets of the Roman religion but was eventually converted into a Christian church. The Syrian architect, Apollodorus of Damascus, created the giant dome of the Pantheon with a round opening at its pinnacle, which lets both light and rain into the main chamber. The structure is so awe-inspiring that Michelangelo believed it was built by angels, not by men. Hagia Sophia, Turkey
Built in Constantinople (now Istanbul) in the year 532 AD as a cathedral of the Byzantine Empire, the Hagia Sophia is one of the most beautiful places of worship in the world. Latin for "The Church of the Holy Wisdom of God," the Hagia Sophia was converted to an Islamic mosque in 1453 by the Turks, an act that was seen as a low point in Christianity by the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Hagia Sophia is now a museum for people of all religions to experience. Pyramid of the Magician, Mexico
Standing at 115 feet, the Pyramid of the Magician is the tallest structure in the ancient city of Uxmal, believed to be the largest metropolis on the Yucatan Peninsula during the Mayan civilization. The pyramid was built between 700 – 910 AD, during the height of Mayan art and culture, and was situated so that the western stairway faces the sunset during the summer solstice.
Contact CQ to help you organize a student tour to many of these amazing places.
Multicultural Corner
Art-Based Student Volunteer Opportunities
Are your students looking for a different and enriching summer experience in Latin America? Maybe the Art of Community Service, sponsored by the Multicultural Youth eXchange, is the ticket.
The Art of Community Service is a unique art-based residency program that pairs American high school students with their foreign peers as they develop and execute a community art project like a sculpture garden.
The ACS program is focused on self-expression and cross-cultural interaction - not individual artist skill - and its goal is to demonstrate the powerful effect that collaboration has in forging friendships and advancing social change.
For the past two summers, MYX accompanied American students to the remote Costa Rican island of Chira where they worked closely with local teens to create a large-scale mural at the island's main port (2005) and construct a library for one of the island's three schools (2006).
The library project was especially beneficial to Chiran students. Using wood and other natural objects found on the island, American and Costa Rican students constructed new bookshelves, re-painted worn out furniture and created an indoor mural, transforming a once neglected and characterless concrete room into a cheery and inviting study center.
Now in its third season, MYX will return to Chira to construct an outdoor community space, and it will also make its maiden voyage to Ambato, Ecuador, an Andean community two hours south of Quito. Here, American and Ecuadorian students will work on an outdoor mural at Cristobal Colon Elementary School, transforming a dull concrete space into a colorful playground.
MYX's ACS program is designed for students finishing grades 8-12. No art experience or Spanish language skills are required although Spanish proficiency is preferred. Each trip can accommodate a maximum of 15 students, and registration is first-come, first-served.
For more information, click here.
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Spring 2007