Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Program description

Ghana is a beautiful country, rich in history and culture. One of the world’s largest producers of cocoa, Ghana is a modern African country where English is the official language. We will arrive and tour Accra, Ghana’s capital, and the W.E.B. Dubois Center. We will then visit the coastal sites of Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, embarkation points for the slave trade. We travel to Kumasi and will experience Ghana and the Kingdom of Ashanti through a cultural immersion program that combines visits to historical sites, exploring nature, sounds and tastes from the gateway to Africa and center of the World. From visits to museums, experiencing a traditional naming ceremony, learning some native Twi language, cooking Asante traditional cuisine, listening to drum performances, traveling the Asante Historical Trail, and relaxing at a resort on Lake Bosomtwe, you will have an extraordinarily enjoyable time learning about the rich Asante and Ghanaian culture.

Duration: 10 days
Activity Level: Mild to Moderate

Trip Leader

Professor Jack Harris has taught at Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWS) since 1974. He is a sociologist and an expert on community development, social entrepreneurship, leadership, and business process re-engineering. Jack has vast international travel leadership experience and especially enjoys traveling and sharing the sociological perspective with alumni, parents, and friends of HWS.

Jack directed semester-long student off-campus programs in Saigon and Hanoi, Vietnam, Galway, Ireland, and Rome, Italy. He led two short-term social entrepreneurship programs in Piedras Gordas, Panama, and Nkontomrie, Ghana, both of which included homestays with village families and immersion in each community. He led two short-term programs about socialism and social change in Berlin, Germany, and Havana, Cuba. He guided four faculty and two alumni group tours to Vietnam, and one alumni group tour to Calabria and Sicily. He directed the ASIANetwork-Mellon Foundation grant study tour for U.S. scholars of Asian Studies. He has published on Vietnamese masculinity and gender roles, Vietnamese cuisine, and is a co-author of the forthcoming book, The Sixth Level, about women and leadership.

Cost

Trip Cost without Airfare: $3,500

Deposit: $500 per person (non-refundable unless we are able to find a replacement for you.)

Approximate Cost of Airfare: $1,800 (Round Trip)

Final Payment Date: June 15, 2024. Final payments are non-refundable.

Cancellation Date: July 4, 2024. Final payments are non-refundable. However, should cancellation be necessary within the 90-day window prior to program start date, 50% of the total program cost (less unrecoverable direct program costs) will be refunded to you.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

• 10 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 10 dinners
• hotel accommodations
• tour guides
• Local transportation
• Excursions

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

• Airfare (International flight to and from Ghana)
• Visa - all travelers are required to have a single-entry tourist visit
• Medical and travel insurance
• Immunizations
• Any meals not stated above