Community members invited to join MC faculty, students on tour of Vietnam

July 31, 2002

Two Maryville College professors and select students will tour Vietnam in January 2003, and they have eight spots open for community members who would like to join them.

Dr. Kathie Shiba and Dr. Terry Bunde are offering the trip as part of College's "J-Term," which is a three-week period that offers students opportunities for experiential learning and travel.

The group will depart Jan. 5 and return Jan. 19. During those days, students, faculty and community members will tour Hanoi, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. Touring museums, temples, pagodas and visiting various villages, Shiba said she hopes students and other travelers will learn about the history, culture and psychology of Vietnam.

"Do you enjoy adventure, trying new things, listening to wonderful music, eating delicious foods (for example, fruits that we have not tasted or seen here in the U.S.) and experiencing other cultures? If your answer is yes, I invite you to join Terry and me on this great trip to the other side of the world!" Shiba said in her invitation to people in the community. "I guarantee that you will not regret it! And I truly believe that you will fall in love with Vietnam, as I have!"

Shiba has made two trips to Vietnam: One in 1999, when she and her husband traveled to the country to adopt their son; another in 2001, when she traveled to attend a seminar sponsored by the Council on International Educational Exchange Faculty. During the 2001 trip, Shiba made contacts with people who have helped her organize the trip, logistically.

Total cost of the trip is $2,600, which includes airfare from Knoxville, ground and in-country travel, entrance fees and hotel rooms. Breakfasts and lunches and three dinners are also included in the fee. Participants need to have a current passport and obtain visa and travel insurance.

Interested persons are asked to contact Bunde at 981-8279 before Aug. 5. A nonrefundable payment of $1,800 is due by Aug. 13. For further information, visit Dr. Shiba's web site.

Maryville College is ideally situated in Maryville, Tenn., between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Knoxville, the state‘s third largest city. Founded in 1819, it is the 12th oldest institution of higher learning in the South and maintains an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Known for its academic rigor and its focus on the liberal arts, Maryville is where students come to stretch their minds, stretch themselves and learn how to make a difference in the world. Total enrollment for the fall 2012 semester was 1,093.