MAYMESTER GREECE
May 11-27, 2006

For 17 days Coastal professors will lead a trip to Greece and the islands of the Aegean in May 2006. Transported back in time to the paths of Aristotle, Plato, Socrates and countless other philosophers, statesmen, artists, poets and playwrights, students will be immersed in the late Bronze Age cradle of Western Civilization.

The trip begins in Athens with the Acropolis, the National Archaeological Museum, and various other impressive ruins of once-great monuments; we will also visit Corinth and Delphi on a private bus. We then fly to the island of Crete, visit the ancient palace at Knossos and experience the Minoan civilization, famous for its legendary minotaur and labyrinth. From there we set sail for the islands of Mikonos, Santorini and Rhodes. On those islands will explore the recent excavations at Akrotiri, catch some rays on the spectacular white-washed beaches, meander through quaint villages and walk among the Classical and Crusader ruins. Our final stop before returning to Athens is the port of Ephesus with its well-preserved Hellenistic ruins and early Christian basilicas.

The trip will offer four distinct courses of study: Art History (ARTH 499), English literature and drama (ENGL 488/588), Art Education (ARTE 499/599), and Photography (ARTS 362). Leading the trip will be Professors Arne Flaten, Susan Slavik, Paul Olsen and Carol Osborne. A maximum of two courses can be taken for credit, for a total of six credits.

For more information contact Professor Susan Slavik (843) 349-2735 or Professor Arne Flaten (843) 234-3463. Use group coordinator number: 53813426

The price of the trip is expected to be $3,765, not including tuition, if deposits are made by February 16th. This includes all plane travel, lodging in 3-4 star hotels, private air-conditioned busses, all boat travel on cruiseliners, all breakfasts, several dinners, entrance fees for archaeological sites and museums. If the trip seems expensive, just look below at all you get...

ITINERARY:
Day 1: Flight to Greece
Your trip begins with an overnight flight to Athens..

Day 2: Arrival in Greece
Explore Athens on your own (we will return for several days at the end of the trip)

Overnight in Athens

Day 3: Transfer to Mykonos
A ferry takes you to Mykonos, known for its picturesque windmills and the winding streets that once sheltered pirates. Get to know your fellow travelers at tonight’s included dinner.

Overnight in Mykonos (dinner included)

Day 4: Free Time in Mykonos or Optional Delos
This morning, you might opt for an excursion to nearby Delos, once a worship center for the cult of Apollo. Later, spend the afternoon on the Mykonos beaches.

Optional Excursion to Delos
Journey by boat to the island of Delos, rich with mythological history and once one of Greece's most sacred spots. On your guided tour of the island's ancient city, recall the bustling port of 2,000 years ago, when this was an important center for trade in silk, spices and slaves. Excavation began in the late 19th century; ruins you can now explore include the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Sacred Cave, the Lion Terrace, and the House of Dionysos, in which is a breathtaking mosaic of the god Dionysos.

Overnight in Mykonos

Day 5: Mykonos Sightseeing
View Mykonos’ churches, whitewashed houses and idyllic neighborhoods as your Tour Director leads today’s informal sightseeing tour of the island. Then board Louis Cruise Lines’ Perla for this evening’s departure.

Overnight on cruise ship (dinner included)

Day 6: Patmos and Kusadasi
Your first port of call is Patmos, in the Dodecanese Island group, where you'll spend a relaxing morning. This afternoon, cruise onward to the Turkish seaport of Kusadasi, a premier resort on the country's western coast, with a bustling harbor lined with inviting cafés. From here, opt for an excursion to the ruins of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved cities from ancient times.

Optional Excursion to Ephesus
Explore Ephesus, the best-preserved classical city on the Aegean and perhaps the best place anywhere to experience what life may have been like in a major Roman metropolis. Discover the elaborate Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and the Great Theatre, which is still in use today.

Overnight on cruise ship (lunch and dinner included)

Day 7: Rhodes
Journey to Rhodes, once the domain of the Knights of St. John. Its irresistible combination of beautiful beaches and rich history has lured travelers the world over.

Overnight on cruise ship (lunch and dinner included)

Day 8: Heraklion and Santorini
Spend a free morning in the port of Heraklion. Choose to visit the hilltop Old Town or the Archaeological Museum. You'll have free time this afternoon on Santorini.

Overnight in Santorini (lunch included)

Day 9: Guided Sightseeing of Santorini
See the sights of Santorini during your guided tour. Visit the well-preserved ruins of Akrotiri, a Minoan colony buried in volcanic ash 3,600 years ago. This evening, consider an optional dinner and wine-tasting event.

Optional Greek Wine Tasting and Dinner
While on the resort island of Santorini, attend a tasting at a local winery to sample the excellent white wine for which this region is known. The island’s volcanic soil provides rich and fertile ground for harvesting grapes; learn about the local wine-making process as you taste the results. The excursion also includes dinner at the winery.

Overnight in Santorini

Day 10: Free Time in Santorini
Enjoy a free day to relax or sightsee on the island of Santorini, an island of black sand beaches and cliff-lined shores.

Overnight in Santorini

Day 11: Transfer to Heraklion
From Santorini, take a ferry to the island of Crete, where Greece's earliest known civilization thrived in 2000 B.C. Land in the seaport of Heraklion.

Overnight in Crete (dinner included)

Day 12: Guided Sightseeing of Heraklion
Today's guided tour of Heraklion includes a visit to the ancient royal complex of Knossos, ruled over by the wealthy King Minos.

Overnight in Crete

Day 13: Optional Excursion to Rethymnon and Hania
Travel to Réthymnon, where your Tour Direcctor leads you through the historical Old Town, boasting many relics from Venetian and Turkish rule. View the town’s 16th-century fortress, said to be the largest Venetian castle ever built, and pass the Rimondi Fountain as well as the Nerandzes Mosque. Then continue on to Haniá. Crete’s most unspoiled and traditional town includes a charming harborfront and lighthouse. Lunch is included.

Overnight in Crete

Day 14: Transfer to Athens
Fly this morning to from Heraklion to Athens. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Overnight in Athens (dinner included)

Day 15: Guided Sightseeing of Athens
See the ruins of the ancient Acropolis during your tour of Athens; you'll also visit the Acropolis Museum, which still houses some of the original Caryatid statues. This afternoon, opt for an excursion to nearby Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon.

Optional Excursion to Cape Sounion
At the southern tip of the Attic Peninsula, view one of the most imposing sights in the ancient world. High above the sparkling Aegean, the 5th century B.C. Temple of Poseidon, one of Greece’s most evocative ruins, dominates the landscape. Sixteen elegant Doric pillars remain, and from this lofty cliffside location, you can see five Aegean islands on a clear day.

Overnight in Athens

Day 16: Optional Excursion to Delphi
Journey through the vineyards and orchards of Greece to the slopes of Mt. Parnassus and the town of Delphi, home of the mystical oracle. On a guided tour, visit the Temple of Apollo, where, according to legend, the god Apollo once communicated with mortals. Greece’s ancient military leaders customarily left gifts here in hopes of good fortune in battle.

Optional Ancient Greek Evening
This unique dinner event takes you far back in history—more than 2,100 years, to the era when the Romans sacked Corinth. Savor a meal carefully prepared to re-create the food, wine and aura of that earlier day. As you eat, waiters costumed in togas explain the dishes and their history. Dishes you’ll sample include seafood, spinach, octopus, mussels and squid—and be prepared to eat with your fingers, as forks were not considered an appropriate dining accessory in those days!

Overnight Athens

Day 17: Departure
Your Tour Director will escort you to the airport in Athens for your return flight home.

YOUR PROFESSORS:

Assistant Professor Arne Flaten is an art historian specializing in the Italian Renaissance, though he also teaches Ancient, Medieval, and Baroque art and architecture. He received his Ph.D. from Indiana University-Bloomington in 2001 where he was a Fulbright scholar and a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery in Washington. Dr. Flaten has recieved various national grants and fellowships and has lectured at national and international conferences (including Cambridge University and Florence, Italy). His publications include numerous articles, essays, catalogues, and book reviews; his book on portrait medals is expected in 2006, and he is editing a book on Studies in Renaissance Art and Culture. Flaten has lived much of his life in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and he received an Outstanding Teacher Award while he was Visiting Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech in 2003.

Professor Paul Olsen received his MFA from the University of Miami, Florida in Graphic Design and Photography in 1989. He has worked professionally as a designer and photographer, owned his own design and photography firm and his photographs have been exhibited locally, regionally and nationally. This summer, two of his computer generated photographic collages were made part of the permanent collection of the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago, IL. He will be teaching the digital photography course.

Assistant Professor Susan Slavik completed her Ph.D. at Florida State University, and was awarded a Getty Center for Education in the Arts Doctoral Fellowship in 1992. She also received Florida Institute for Art Education fellowships in 1989, 1990, and 1991. Susan served as the Director of the Curriculum Leadership in the Arts Summer Institute at Coastal Carolina University from 2000—2003, Visual Arts Coordinator of the Summer Arts Academy in 2002 and 2003, and University Supervisor for graduate and undergraduate Art Education students since 1998. Professor Slavik was honored by the South Carolina Art Education Association when she received the Outstanding Performance in Higher Education Award in 2001 and when she was selected as the Higher Education Division Teacher of the Year in 2005. The Greek Islands Maymester 2006 trip marks the 4th travel/study program that Dr. Slavik has led.

Assistant Professor Carol Osborne graduated from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill with an M.A.T. in English Education, and in 1998 she earned both an M.A. and a Ph.D. in English at the University of Virginia. As an assistant professor in the English Department of Murray State University, Dr. Osborne taught humanities, contemporary literature, and English education classes while also serving as Director of the Humanities Program for the university. She came to Coastal Carolina University in 2002 to work with the newly formed M.A.T. Program in the College of Education and now teaches courses in English Methods, Diversity, and Literacy, and occasionally teaches in the English Department. Her publications include articles on contemporary literature and popular culture in Signs: Journal of Women in Culture, Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, LIT: Literature, Interpretation, Theory, and Popular Culture Review. Her work in pedagogy appears in the Kentucky English Bulletin and theTeacher Education Journal of South Carolina.