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THE
SPIRITUALITY AND THE ARTS CONFERENCE AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF
DIVINITY (WASHINGTON, DC USA)
When you think of performing arts, pictures of dancers and musicians come to mind. If you add spirituality, your imagination broadens to all types of ways to interpret the arts-from drama, poetry, spoken word, writing, painting, drawing, or photography, to name a few. The Spirituality and The Arts Conference April 2006 at Howard University's School of Divinity was designed to lead participants into an awareness of how the arts can be used as a means of self-discovery, path to healing and mode of ministry. In the discovery process, the arts could be used as a means to expand upon current or untapped talents that could allow the attendee to further develop spiritual calling, discernment and vocation. Creative outlets have always provided an outlet for emotional and physical healing. People around the globe are profoundly affected by the artistic expressions and countless lives have been changed by ministry. Howard University's School of Divinity provided the perfect environment to house this type of event. Surrounded by nature on every side, the school spoke serenity and quite reflection. On the registration level, there was an outside verandah where one could steal away for meditation or prayer after attending one of many workshops being offered. “Since its inception in 1867, the Howard University School of Divinity [HUSD] is one of the oldest fully accredited (1940) theological schools affiliated with the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. It is the only African-American theological school connected to a comprehensive category I research institution. HUSD has earned eminence for producing scholarly pastors and religious leaders who are consistently at the forefront of global societal change.” In line with HUSD, Howard University has a companion chapel on the main campus. “Since its inception in 1894, inside the walls of Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel, men and women of all ages and backgrounds have been inspired, enlightened, and comforted. The Chapel has been the setting for prophetic preaching, glorious music, and perceptive scholarly discourse; for quiet prayer and heartfelt reflection for marriages, funerals, and other rituals of the human condition. It has served both as a hub of the University's religious activities and as a vital resource for the wider community. Its reach is not only University-wide, but also national and global. "The Spiritual and Ethical Dimensions of Leadership Initiative (SEDL) was formed as a partnership between Howard University and the Lilly Endowment, Inc. to engage students and the broader Howard University (HU) community to explore the meeting place of spirituality, ethics and call. SEDL (1) assists students in examining how faith commitments relate to vocational choices; (2) creates opportunities for the consideration of ministry as a possible vocation; and (3) enhances the capacity of the schools faculty and staff to teach and mentor students effectively in this arena.”. Some of the general sessions included "Spirituality & Art...Making the Connection" by Ms. Kiembe Eichelberger and "Discover Your Call" by Ms. Audrey Hector just to name a few. After the initial sessions, there were a list of workshops to choose from "Dancing Your Theology" by Min. Faye Chandler, Writing-"Your Life in Review" by Audrey Hector in addition to Crafts, Drama, Make-Up Artistry, Music, and Visual Arts. Ms. Tracy Hunter, Graduate Assistant, had the awesome task of heading up this inspirational conference along with the assistance of her Mom, Deborah Bozeman. Ms. Hunter is a second year student at the Howard University School of Divinity. She currently serves as a Graduate Assistant for Dr. Bernard Richardson, Dean of the historic Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel. Tracy is a 2004 graduate of Howard University School of Business with a B.A. degree in Business Management. Tracy is also a 2004 Ministry Fellow with The Fund for Theological Education. As a ministry fellow, Tracy spent the summer of 2005 exploring writing for ministry – both as ministry to self and ministry to others. I was able to catch up with Tracy Hunter (TH) to get an interview about the conference. ICC: "What is your role with the Spirituality and the Arts Conference?" TH: "As for my role, I wore all hats: I did all of the planning coordinating, contacting/securing speakers, etc. The idea came from my experiences last summer exploring writing for ministry. Doing that opened me up to want to explore other areas of the arts for ministry. In the fall, I wrote a full project proposal which was accepted by the Spiritual & Ethical Dimensions of Leadership Mini Grant Committee this past January." ICC: "What is the purpose of the Spirituality and the Arts Conference?" TH: "The often overlooked interplay between spirituality and art can be a powerful vehicle for empowerment and transformation, particularly, in terms of spiritual calling, discernment and vocation. The Spirituality & The Arts Conference is designed to lead participants into an awareness of how the arts can be used as a means of self-discovery, path to healing, and mode of ministry." ICC: "How does the conference prepare and encourage participants to incorporate the arts in their churches?" TH: "Professionals in the areas of dance, music, drama, poetry, spoken word, writing, painting, drawing, photography, and other artistic/creative expression teach participants to tap into the wealth of creativity and spirituality that lie deep within. Workshops are instrumental in introducing participants to new ways of expressing that which is difficult to communicate in mere words. That which the participant learns at the conference can be easily integrated into church worship and liturgy. The most difficult thing would be convincing church leadership that the arts in all form are valid forms of worship even in the formal worship experience. Here are some of the facilitators that brought a wide variety of gifts and well rounded backgrounds.
ICC: "Can you tell us about some of your upcoming events?" TH:" Although this was the first conference, we are looking to incorporate Spirituality and The Arts in Howard University Religious Emphasis Week 2007. Planning for this event will begin this summer." ICC: "You mentioned that the conference gives participants an increased awareness and understanding of how the arts can be used as a source of self-healing. How is this accomplished?" TH: "People often engage their artistic self with little regard to how connected their artistic self is to their spiritual self. Participants will be able to explore various artistic expressions in order to experience another perspective on how to define self, know who they are and know what they are like. An understanding in these areas can result in greater self-insight, increase awareness of discontinuities within self, and a willingness to face past experiences that inhibit self-expression. Such self-revelation can stimulate both empowerment and transformation." ICC: "How can this conference influence and/or benefit the church?" TH: "Spirituality and The Arts offers participants the opportunity to use their God-given artistic gifts and talents to worship and bring glory to God. A statement by Jani Maleh-Hayes expresses this best: “All art is spiritual, and all spirituality is art. If we, as artists, see art in everything, we look beyond the surface, we feel the spirit, and feel the need to communicate that spirit in whatever way we can.” The church will be “freed” to “communicate the spirit.” ICC: "We would like to thank Tracy Hunter for the interview." As I participated in the "Dancing Your Theology" by Min. Faye Chandler's workshop, myself along with some of the other participants, Rev. Fay Acker and Audrey Hector not only were enlightened by learning about the theme but participated in various forms of Liturgical Dance using a wide variety of props (cloth, eagles wings, batons, etc.). Having danced most of my life in companies or specialized workshop format, it brought back memories of my first liturgical experience at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC some time ago. The whole experience was quite liberating. Min. Chandler gave us so much inspiration during her presentation and continuos opportunities to share our personal testimonies that everyone participated on some level in learning the choreography. Since writing has become one of my other passions, I decided to participate in "Your Life in Review" by Audrey Hector. Not only did we get to work on expressing ourselves through the written word but we worked diligently on creating a scrap book that reflected our various personalities and current walk in life. Ms. Hector shared not only her talent but herself throughout the workshop with testimonials and published work. The resource material alone opened each of us to what could be accessible to reaching our various writing objectives. Each of the participants were given a writing task that forced us to search deep within our soul and consciousness. We had to write a letter/Poem to someone describing what God had done for us and how to encourage them as if this was our final day on the earth. I can only say that all of us were deeply moved by each shared piece. By the end of the conference, quiet reflection was the uppermost thought in my mind. I would like to thank Dr. Bernard Richardson, Dean of the historic Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel, Dr. Bertram Melbourne, Dean of Howard University School of Divinity, and Ms. Tracy Hunter, Graduate Assistant and CO-Writer for this article, and all those involved for offering their students and the community the opportunity to experience The Spirituality and The Arts Conference 2006. For more information or questions on upcoming events, please contact
Summary: In this report, Dr. P. Bai Akridge, President of WorldWise Services, Inc., a Maryland-based international learning and workforce development consultancy, shares his observations from participating in a week-long study tour of Spanish language schools in Madrid and Valencia, Spain. The tour was sponsored by the Spanish Trade Commission (ICEX), EduEspana (a Spanish Government-sponsored non-profit dedicated to the promotion of Spanish language and culture worldwide), and a group of Spanish language schools in Spain. Dr. Akridge can be reached at the following contacts: pbai@starpower.net Tel. 301-442-6732 Fax. 240-266-0699. A Ride Into The Future
After flying through the night, with a stopover in London, I arrived about an hour late at Madrid's Barajas Airport. Patiently waiting with my name card in hand was Isolina, an energetic twenty-something, who had been dispatched to drive me to my hotel in downtown Madrid. During our ride I had a fascinating conversation--in English--about her life, travels and interests. I learned that she was a college graduate, from a small town in Galicia in the northwest of Spain. I discovered that in her short life she had already traveled to virtually every corner of the globe, including North and South America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Needless to say, she also had traveled throughout Europe. Earlier this year she took a five-month vacation in the U.S., during which she drove completely across the country, from California to Boston, all by herself. I learned too that she spoke at least five languages, including Gallego, Spanish, English, German, Swedish and Danish. THIS was my limo driver??? In a prophetic way, Isolina was a great introduction both to the world wise personality required to negotiate the 21st Century, and to the international meeting to promote Spanish language study in Spain, in which I had come to participate. The Business of Spanish Teaching and learning Spanish is a big business in the U.S. and globally. The importance of Spanish has been demonstrated in the 2000 U.S. Census, in which Latinos emerged for the first time as the largest minority group. The importance of Spanish can also be seen in the position Spain holds as the number 2 study abroad destination for U.S. college students; the U.K. is the top choice. No place is there a greater realization of the importance of Spanish language study as a business, than in Spain. With one of the strongest economies in the European Union (EU), and a colonial legacy stretching from the Americas to the Philippines in Asia and Equatorial Guinea in Africa, Spain is moving aggressively to promote and standardize the business of teaching and learning Spanish worldwide. As president of WorldWise Services, Inc., a U.S.-based consultancy that promotes global learning and workforce development, I was fortunate to learn first-hand about how the Government of Spain and the Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language (TSFL) industry in Spain are collaborating to promote the study of Spanish. During December 11-19, 2004, I participated in a trade mission co-sponsored by the Spanish Trade Commission (ICEX), EduEspana (a Spanish Government-sponsored non-profit dedicated to the promotion of Spanish language and culture worldwide), and a group of TSFL schools (public and private) based in Spain. I was part of a group of 10 representatives of U.S. organizations involved in teaching and learning Spanish as a foreign language; including university study abroad programs, agents for TSFL schools, and consultants like myself. We were selected by the Spanish sponsors to participate in an all expenses paid study tour. During the week we held one-on-one interviews with over 20 of the largest and most reputable TSFL schools in Spain, and visited the offices of several of these organizations in Madrid and Valencia. The objective of this Spanish Government-industry collaborative was to enable us to learn first-hand about selected TSFL schools, so that we could return to the U.S. as agents and promoters of these programs (i.e. send more U.S. students to Spain). The TSFL schools that co-sponsored and participated in the program included:
The first day was devoted to individual interviews with representatives of the institutions listed above. During the remainder of the week we visited several schools in Madrid and Valencia. In Madrid we visited Don Quijote, ENFOREX, International House Madrid, and Alcalingua at the University of Alcala. In Valencia, on Spain's east coast, we visited three private TSFL schools: Institute of Spanish Studies(ISS), Advisors for International Programs in Spain (AIP), and Campus Lenguajes. These encounters provided invaluable information about the diversity and capabilities of a significant segment of the Spanish TSFL market. By visiting these schools we were able to see and assess their physical facilities, talk to the staff and administrators, and in the case of Don Quijote, even sit in on a class, based on our level of proficiency in Spanish. Another important benefit of these visits was the opportunity to learn about the differences between non-university or private TSFL schools and those run by universities. One important distinction between these two types of schools has to do with accreditation. The private schools compete for accreditation by the European Union (EQUAL), and Spanish national authorities (DELE and CEELE). The university-based programs typically do not compete for such accreditation. While the university TSFL schools do not generally compete for accreditation, they do provide transferable academic credit toward degree programs at the American student's home college or university. This credit transfer arrangement is coordinated in advance with the student's home institution and must satisfy its academic standards. The coordination of credit transfer is done most easily between two higher education institutions. One example is the agreement between the University of Alcala's Alcalingua, and the University of Maryland College Park. While credit transfers may be easiest between universities, some private TSFL schools also provide transfer credits for their American students. For example, ISS offers academic credit through Longwood University in Virginia. The future of the TSFL industry in Spain appears to be bright. Tourism, of which TSFL is a subsector, is a major foreign exchange earner for Spain; in 2003 it accounted for $42B in receipts and over 50 million international arrivals. As an international tourist destination, Spain is second only to France; the U.S. ranks third (Source: World Tourist Organization data for 2003). As noted earlier, Spain is second only to the U.K. as the most popular destination for U.S. students studying abroad. With the growing popularity of Hispanic cultures in the U.S., it is likely that the market for Spain's TSFL schools in the U.S. will expand in the future. The Advantage of Flexibility During our visits I observed another key trend that will shape the future growth of the private and university-based TSFL schools in Spain--flexibility. Students are demanding greater flexibility in when and where they can study Spanish abroad. This same demand for flexibility is driving the rapid growth of online learning programs and forcing traditional brick and mortar colleges and universities to adopt virtual learning methods in order to avoid declines in enrollments, revenues and programs. In Spain's TSFL industry this demand for flexibility is manifested in students' desires to take courses that are shorter (weeks, not semesters) and in multiple locations throughout Spain. Such flexibility today is most often offered by private TSFL schools, rather than university-based programs; the latter schools tend to reflect the semester and summer-long constraints of academic institutions. Private schools typically employ the use of agents or brokers in the marketing and selling of courses, which greatly expands their reach and involvement with customers who demand shorter courses year round. Degree seeking students as well as professionals increasingly are opting for Spanish language training programs in attractive foreign venues, and ones that equip them with proficiency, within the time frame of vacations and summers, not semesters. The TSFL schools with multiple locations, alternative living arrangements (e.g. homestays or apartments), and shorter courses offered throughout the year, are likely to capture the largest share of the expanding market. It is too early to tell which institutions will be the winners in Spain's expanding TSFL market. What is evident from my visit, though, is that the TSFL schools--both private and university-based--are responding to the evolving market. This can be seen in the University of Alcala's Alcalingua, which offers traditional semester and academic yearlong programs, as well as one-week and tailored programs. It can be seen in the efforts of schools like ISS and AIP to develop agreements with U.S. agents and brokers to expand their net for foreign students. It can be seen too in AIP's recent tie-up with Eurocentres, a Swiss language training firm with 30 schools worldwide; this partnership is designed to give AIP exposure and access to more students around the world, many of whom seek more flexible courses and exotic locations. What does this mean for the U.S. college and university language study programs and the agents and brokers who send students to study Spanish in Spain? It means that they will have to adapt to students' demands by working with those Spanish TSFL schools which offer the most flexible programs. More Than A Business I am very thankful for the opportunity to participate in this trade mission. I learned quite a lot about the business of teaching Spanish as a foreign language in Spain, and the opportunities for a firm like WorldWise to enter this expanding market as an agent that sends U.S. students to TSFL schools in Spain. The Government of Spain and EduEspana are to be commended for their foresight, leadership and investment in promoting not just the business of Spanish, but also their culture and heritage. We in the U.S. can learn much from their example. At the end of the day, though, the promotion of foreign language study and international travel is more than just a business. It is also about Isolina, that bright, multilingual globetrotter in whose limo I began my trip to Spain. It is about creating more American Isolinas who enjoy studying foreign languages, and love traveling abroad, meeting new and different people and understanding other cultures. For all of our influence in the world--and it is enormous--U.S. citizens remain most ignorant about other languages, cultures and people. In the globalized world of today and tomorrow, this is not a good thing. In fact, it never has been. If those of us who participated in this trade mission can assist more Americans to learn more about other people and the world by studying Spanish in Spain, we will do more than just good business.
The fifth annual ICEF (International
Conferences, Exhibitions and Fairs) Americas Workshop took place in Miami,
Florida USA at the Fountainebleau Hilton Resort and Towers on Miami Beach
at the beginning of
During the last 11 years,
such events have taken place in Barcelona, Berlin, Beijing, Budapest, Frankfurt,
Geneva, The Hague, Honolulu, Kiev, Kuala Lumpur, Leipzig, Lisbon, London,
Maastricht, Miami, Milan, Minsk, Moscow, Prague, St. Petersburg, Sao Paulo,
Seoul, Singapore, Stockholm and Warsaw.
This year ICEF decided to
expand their educational adviser/agent attendees of the America's workshop
to include countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East in addition to Latin
America. This opened up the
International Connections Consulting (ICC) was one of few American educational advising companies invited to participate in the conference this year. ICC's President, Tasha Lewis, felt privileged to be given the opportunity to be involved in it this year. The workshop provides an ideal opportunity to bring together educational advisers, referral agents and travel agents together with educational institutions from all over the world. ICEF acts as a facilitator for this event. They screen all of the participators for quality control. For two days, meetings are set up before and during the conference over the course of the conference. Agent/Advisor can meet with a large variety of schools for 20 minute intervals. Introductions are made and from there you can continue communicating with the new contact. This year ICEF made various changes to better facilitate the conference participants (detailed conference information in all formats-computer, fax,mail,etc., seating arrangements to better facilitate meetings, links between agents and educators on the Internet Course Finder web site). Some of the schools that Ms. Lewis met with were Dr. Mauro Cavagnaro of Istituo Europeo Di Design in Italy, Mr. Olivier Chicheportiche of Edufrance Agency in France, Jan Keppie of Australian International College of Language in Australia, Johnny Gonzalez of Universidad del Pacifico in Ecuador, Kay Anderson of Brandon College in the USA, Stan F. Pickett of American Language Academy in the USA, John Pammer of Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute in Canada, and Carmen Maria Garcia Cuevas of Enforex in Spain, just to name a few. In addition to the meetings,
the conference offered additional activities for attendees such as an evening
lawn party and welcome reception. Since the site is located at a
resort, the attendees are given many other opportunities to relax and enjoy
the facility after the conference or make additional meetings outside the
workshop meetings. Ms. Lewis is always on the lookout for new
programs to offer her clients. The event offered her another opportunity
to meet with the owners, directors, etc of some of the best educational
institutions in the world. The schools offer a wide variety of programs
and activities
While Ms. Lewis met with
the schools, she thought about what programs she would like to take in
her small amount of spare time. Since she teaches a foreign language
program for young people in addition
Mrs. Rebecca Stromeyer (RS) and Mr. Karl J. Badde (KB), both Directors of ICEF, were interviewed by ICC's President, Tasha Lewis, about the Americas Workshop. ICC: "Can you tell us something about the Americas Workshop?" KB:
"A number of educational fairs around the world grew out of the desire
of schools around the world wanting to meet with students in other
countries. These institutions needed an intermediary between
ICC: "Can you tell us about some of your upcoming events?" RS: DISTANCE LEARNING
RS: "We are always looking for ways to improve our products and expand. If your company is not looking for ways to improve or innovate, you can stagnate in the industry. Competition is healthy." ICC: "I
can understand what you mean. In one of our previous issues of the
ICC Newsletter, we featured an article on "ICC Spread the Word Campaign."
The article talked about getting all of our clients (businesses, organizations,
schools, teachers, and vacationers) to get involved in spreading the word
about the benefits of using our services (Free Educational Advising, Global
Event Calendar, Resource Directory-scholarships,etc., Newsletter, Promotion
Flyers, Book Section, etc.) to enhance their
ICC: "What advice can you give to future Educational Advisers/Referral Agents?" RS: "We try to invite new advisers/agents each year to expand the outreach and variety. We are also working more closely with Agent Associations. This year, the Brazilian Agents'Association BELTA participated actively in the workshop with the majority of its members. They gave an intensive seminar on Belta's activities and also invited all participants to a reception offered by Belta." ICC: "After attending my first ICEF workshop in 1997, I decided to expand from being a public relations consultant for one school to an educational adviser who works with various schools worldwide. The workshop helped me to see the bigger picture." ICC: "Do you offer workshops or information to prospective advisers/agents?" RS: "On registration day of all our workshops we always offer seminars for newcomers in the field with guidelines that are important to any potential advisor. We also send out extensive material and information prior to a workshop. ICC: "I would like to thank Mrs. Rebecca Stromeyer and Mr. Karl J. Badde for the interview." International Connections Consulting's President, Tasha Lewis, would like to thank Mrs. Rebecca Stromeyer, Director, Mr. Karl J. Badde, Director, Ms. Imke Schmid, Project Coordinator, Vanessa Taatum, Project Coordinator, Tiffany Egler, Project Coordinator, and all the staff at ICEF for providing an above average workshop and the information for the article as well as for their hospitality during my stay at the Fountainebleau Hilton Resort and Towers. If you would like more information regarding the ICEF Workshops, you can contact them at
The goal of the workshop is to bring together schools in Spain and agents and educational advisors from around the world providing an opportunity for the latter to familiarize themselves with the schools and Spain. International Connections Consulting's President, Tasha Lewis, was one of seven Americans selected to participate in this conference. Ms. Lewis felt honored and privilege to be one of the select few to be invited to participate in this pioneer event. The 1st FEDELE (Federacion de Escuelas de Espanol para Extranjeros/Federation of Spanish Schools for Foreigners) annual meeting took place in Estepona (Malaga) Spain at the Hotel Atalaya Park. This event was made possible by Turespana, through its Tourism Offices abroad: The Tourism Department in Andalusia (Turismo Andaluz, S.A.), The Tourist Board of the Costa del Sol, Cadiz, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, The Town Halls of Malaga and Benalmadena, and Iberia Airlines. The workshop took place from the 12th to the 17th of October 1999. It was the first time that they were able to gather an excellent representation of Spanish Language Schools, well-known for their professionality and high-quality standard of services. The agents and educational advisors would have the opportunity to meet the schools educators from different parts of Spain, mainly from Andalusia, Aragon, the Bosque Country, Catalonia, Castilla y Leon, Madrid and Valencia. During the first two days, school representatives met with agents/educational advisors based on preset schedules with some modifications allowed if vacancies or schedule conflicts occur. This process was conducted from 9am to 7pm with breakfast, prior to meetings, and a lunch break during the sessions. To some who are not familiar with this type of conference it might be a bit exhausting; however, ICC's President had participated in several meetings in the past that followed this pattern. Ms. Lewis felt that the meetings and the overall process was handled in a professional and mutually beneficial fashion. If an agent or school had to travel all over Spain to institute such meetings, the cost would be quite substantial and time consuming. Additionally, since she speaks Spanish fluently, she felt like the entire process was like a week long course of conversational Spanish from the different regions of Spain. This only emphasized the importance of learning Spanish and about the Spanish culture in order to do business in Spain or anywhere that requires speaking Spanish. The location for the meeting was the Hotel Atalaya Park (a four star hotel and resort). Their host Turespana had spared no expense to accommodate the schools and agents at a place where they would feel welcome and comfortable throughout the conference. They took care of all of the details for the agents and schools in order to allow them to focus on the business at hand. All of the participants were given a sample of the Spanish culture in terms of the lunch (late afternoon) and dinner (late evening) schedules. The facility was truly impeccable and provided everything that was needed to accommodate the workshop. After the meetings, the next two days were dedicated to allowing the agents/educational advisors to visit some of the schools located near the hotel in Andalucia. At each school, they were given a tour of the facility after a welcome breakfast in which they met with city officials and some of the currently enrolled students. Some people say that a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case, a visit was worth a thousand words. Ms. Lewis, like many of the other conference attendees, can not begin to tell you what a difference visiting the schools made on her impression of the facility. The brochures that she received during the meetings or having viewed the web sites previously gave her an idea; however, the real thing, in some instances, gave her the motivation that she or one of her colleagues would need to sell their product, school. Some of the schools that Ms. Lewis met with were the following:
Mr. Juan M Diez Fernandez (JMDF), Collaborator and a member of the board of trustees Costa Del Sol, was on hand to give Ms. Lewis an interview regarding the FEDELE Conference. ICC: "What's your role with the FEDELE Conference?" JMDF: "I'm the collaborator and a member of the board of trustees for the promotion of the Costa del Sol. This organization is very well known throughout the world. It is responsible for making this event a reality. This event has been made possible thanks to the efforts of Turespana, through its Tourism Offices abroad (The Tourism Department in Andalusia (Turismo Andaluz, S.A.), The Tourist Board of the Costa del Sol, Cadiz, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, The Town Halls of Malaga and Benalmadena and in addition to all of the local diplomats and authorities in each town. All the entities dedicated their time and energy to this efforts. The FEDELE conference provided an opportunity for me to get to know the quality schools and agents, who will assist the schools in bringing students and tourist to Spain." ICC: "Please Explain to me what is FEDELE." JMDF:
"FEDELE is the Federacion De Escuelas De Espanol Para Extranjeros (Federation
of Spanish Schools for Foreigners) in Spain. This event is a great
offer for distinctive communities in different regions of Spain.
Each community has its own province. There are a wide selection of
schools who teach Spanish to foreigners. Each school operates
individually. It is very costly to obtain students by utilizing outside
forces. Therefore, FEDELE, which is the first event of this type,
provides a great opportunity to group all of the schools together in one
conference that facilitates connections between the schools and
ICC: "You indicated that this is the first FEDELE meeting." JMDF: "This is the first international meeting of the FEDELE. The schools have met independently on various occasions before; however, this is the first time they have met as a group." ICC: "After this event, other entities who hold meetings similar to this type maybe be a little concerned about the Spanish schools, who participated in their events previously, continuing to participate in their conferences." JMDF: "I think FEDELE is an excellent idea for both parties (schools and agents). I believe the results from the meetings will be positive. I have a good impression of this event. It is the first time I have been to an event like this where I have seen so much interest in doing business. Normally, the workshops that I have attended in the past have been for a few hours in the morning or afternoon. During the first two days, there are a series of intense meetings for two mornings and two evenings." ICC: "The good thing about the workshop is that in addition to two days of meetings there are opportunities to visit several of the schools and tourist sites along with numerous organized activities that include the schools and agents. This allows them an opportunity to really get to know the schools management staff." JMDF: "That is the second part of the conference that allows the agents to get to know Spain and the other cities where some of the schools are located. Mainly to discover that Spain has a lot more to offer than the Bullfight, Flamenco or sun. Spain is full of history and culture that dates back to the fifth century A.D. So, in addition to coming to Spain to study, it offers so much more for students and tourist." ICC: "I would like to thank Mr. Juan M. Diez Fernandez for the interview and his hospitality." In addition to all of the meetings, our host arranged several visits to some of the schools in the nearby cities of Almunecar, Benalmadena, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga, Nerja and Seville. In each location, we visited a school or some of the local tourist attractions. We were greeted with open arms, breakfast, lunch or dinner (depending on the time of day). Some of the attendees were local diplomats like the mayor of the town or other local authorities. Picasso's house and the Botanical Gardens were some of the attractions we visited in Malaga. At the Botanical Gardens, we had lunch in a gazebo type house surrounded by a spectacular garden and the sound of birds chirping as we were served a delicious lunch. The hospitality that we received was impeccable and spared no details. All of the schools that Ms. Lewis visited offered something unique for ICC's clients. Whether your interested in an elegant upscale school or a quiet quaint school, there was something for everyone to meet your taste or budget. Additionally, the representatives of each school expressed nothing but positive and considerate thoughts about their colleagues. This gave us the feeling that all of schools were harmonious and confident with the products they offered. This event could serve as a model for other conferences of this nature. Even the overnight accommodations in whichever respective city chosen was four star. Our host spared no expense to give all of the participants a taste of the "real" Spain and what it had to offer. Ms. Lewis recalls two particular memorable visits that helped to give her group the jolt they needed to continue their journey to Granada. One was their visit to Nerja. After visiting the Escuela De Idiomas Nerja which was located in a quaint building that provided a wonderful atmosphere for learning, our group went to Hispanica Colegio Internacional De Estudios Practicos de Lengua y Cultural Espanolas. Not only was the school exquisite inside and out, it overlooked the ocean with seven distinct terraces. After giving us a tour, Mr. Enrique Caro Bernal, Director, entertained us by singing two Spanish songs. This was just what our group needed to motivate us to make our final visit to Instituto Mediterraneo Sol and dinner engagement in Almunecar where the Mayor, Antonio Manuel Rebollo Martinez, along with several other colleagues had been awaiting our visit most of the day. This fact alone made us feel like special guest. There are so many other memorable visits that they will be covered in the article on "Schools in Spain" including Ms. Lewis's perception of the school. Ms. Lewis would like to thank all of the schools that she met with and the ones that she didn't for their hospitality and kindness throughout her stay in Spain. She will include a brief description and more details about all of the other schools that she visited in the article on "Schools in Spain" in order to avoid repetition to our readers. International Connections Consulting would also like to thank the following:
The fourth annual ICEF (International
Conferences, Exhibitions and Fairs) Americas Workshop took place in Miami,
Florida USA at the Fountainebleau Hilton Resort and Towers on Miami Beach
at the end of February. With offices in Beijing, Berlin, Bonn Canberra,
Leuven, London, Madrid, Prague and Seoul, ICEF organizes conferences, seminars,
workshops, exhibitions and fairs that deal with Online Learning,
During the last ten years, such events have taken place in Barcelona, Berlin, Beijing, Budapest, Frankfurt, Geneva, The Hague, Honolulu, Kiev, Kuala Lumpur, Lisbon, London, Maastricht, Miami, Milan, Minsk, Moscow, Prague, St. Petersburg, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Singapore, Stockholm and Warsaw. Participants include private and state-run educational institutions of all levels, educational advisers and referral agencies, professional associations, governmental bodies, international publishing companies, producers of educational equipment, companies and professionals involved in translation and interpretation as well as suppliers and manufacturers of broadcasting technology, communications technology, computing technology, multimedia and software providers. This year ICEF decided to
expand their educational adviser/agent attendees of the America's workshop
to include countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East in addition to Latin
America. This opened up the appeal of their workshops to the large number
of schools who ordinarily wouldn't have participated. This was also
an added benefit for the agents because they could foster partnerships
with some foreign educational advisors who offer similar or complementary
services. These types of events always serve numerous
International Connections Consulting (ICC) was the only American educational advising company invited to participate in the conference this year. ICC's President, Tasha Lewis, felt privileged to be given the opportunity to be involved in it this year. The workshop provides an ideal opportunity to bring together educational advisers, referral agents and travel agents together with educational institutions from all over the world. ICEF acts as a facilitator for this event. They screen all of the participators for quality control. For two days, meetings are set up before and during the conference over the course of the conference. Agent/Advisor can meet with a large variety of schools for 20 minute intervals. Introductions are made and from there you can continue communicating with the new contact. Some of the schools that Ms. Lewis met with were Russell Pynt of Chalmers Business College in Australia, Claude-Marc Kaminsky of Ecole des Roches in France, Tiziana Di Dedda of DILIT International House in Italy, Dr. Paul J. N. Steyn of University of South Africa in South Africa, Simon Craft of The Swiss Hotel Management School in Switzerland, Janet Turner of Dudley College in the United Kingdom, Declan Murphy of Yamasa Institute in Japan, Ian Joseph of Home Language International, just to name a few. In addition to the meetings, the conference offered additional activities for attendees such as an evening lawn party and welcome reception. Since the site is located at a resort, the attendees are given many other opportunities to relax and enjoy the facility after the conference or make additional meetings outside the workshop meetings. Ms. Lewis is always on the lookout for new programs to offer her clients. The event offered her another opportunity to meet with the owners, directors, etc of some of the best educational institutions in the world. The schools offer a wide variety of programs and activities for everyone. Not just students but whether you are a businessman, senior citizen, teacher, or on vacation, there is something for you. Whatever your fancy, skiing in the Alps, snorkeling and surfing in Hawaii, learning about wine in France, or studying Japanese in Japan, there is a program for you. While Ms. Lewis met with the schools, she thought about what programs she would like to take in her small amount of spare time. Since she teaches part time at one of the universities in the Washington, DC USA Metro area and a foreign language program for young people in addition to her educational advising business, she is always on the lookout for programs of study for herself to enhance her businesses and update her skills. Mrs. Rebecca Stromeyer (RS) and Mr. Karl J. Badde (KB), both Directors of ICEF, were on hand to talk to ICC's President, Tasha Lewis, about the Americas Workshop. ICC: "Can you tell us something about the Americas Workshop?" KB: "A number of educational fairs around the world grew out of the desire of schools around the world wanting to meet with students in other countries. These institutions needed an intermediary between themselves and the students. This new market developed into workshops for schools to meet with advisers/agents from particular regions. The invitees (advisers/agents) are by invitation only. Their accommodation, food and in some cases their flights are paid for. The institutions that participate in the workshops pay the advisers/agents fees. The advisers/agents are required to participate in a specified number of meetings. By participating in the ICEF conferences, schools save a tremendous amount of time and money by being able to meet with a large number and variety of agents for two days. The institutions can make contacts with between 40-80 agents from various countries. The overall concept of the workshops has been successful from the start. We now hold 7 conferences covering the globe. The Americas Workshop is specifically for the Americas (North and South America). This year we invited agents from 50-60 other countries to come to North America because this is such a large market." ICC: "Can you tell us a little bit about the Distance Learning portion of the conference?" RS: "The Distance Learning is a similar concept as the Americas Workshop. The sellers are Distance Learning providers, Technology, Software Companies, Content providers and Publishers. The buyers or brokers are the agents. This section is about establishing partnerships between providers of education between different countries. As well as partnerships between Technology companies, universities, and publishers. KB: "In this instance, the brokers/agents could be universities or publishers who would like to link up with institutions who provide the technology or software to Distance Learning providers to give it to their students or advisers/agents. Distance Learning is especially important to Third World countries." RS: "Universities are also able to work with companies who can assist them with developing Distance Learning software for their students." KB: "Most of the brokers at the Americas workshop are from Latin America. The providers come from 6 to 7 different countries. Products in the English Language are especially popular in Africa." RS: "The main theme within the Distance Learning is partnership formation for the following areas: Software Companies and universities: Universities and developers. Adapting software/hardware: Technology: CD Rom: Publishing." ICC: "Can you tell us about some of your upcoming events?" RS: DISTANCE LEARNINGKB: "Overall, ICEF is in the business of Marketing Education."ONLINE EDUCA MADRID ICC: "Can you talk about what ICEF is doing to keep pace with competition/ or keep up with the Global Marketplace." RS: "We are always looking for ways to improve our products and expand. If your company is not looking for ways to improve or innovate, you can stagnate in the industry. Competition is healthy." ICC: "I can understand what you mean. In the February issue of the ICC Newsletter, we featured an article on "ICC Spread the Word Campaign." The article talked about getting all of our clients (businesses, organizations, schools, teachers, and vacationers) to get involved in spreading the word about the benefits of using our services (Free Educational Advising, Global Event Calendar, Resource Directory, Newsletter, Promotion Flyers, Book Section, etc.) to enhance their businesses by keeping informed with what conferences, competitors, and other countries are doing to keep up with the Global Marketplace. "Survival of the fittest" and being most prepared is the key." ICC: "What advice can you give to future Educational Advisers/Referral Agents?" RS: "We try to invite new advisers/agents each year to expand the outreach and variety." ICC: "After attending my first ICEF workshop in 1997, I decided to expand from being a public relations consultant for one school to an educational adviser who works with various schools worldwide. The workshop helped me to see the bigger picture." ICC: "Do you offer workshops or information to prospective advisers/agents?" RS: "We have a workshop on becoming an Educational Adviser. We supply the material and information to potential advisers." ICC: "I would like to thank Mrs. Rebecca Stromeyer and Mr. Karl J. Badde for the interview. International Connections Consulting's President, Tasha Lewis, would like to thank Mrs. Rebecca Stromeyer, Director, Mr. Karl J. Badde, Director, Ms. Imke Schmid, Project Coordinator, Tiffany Egler, Project Coordinator and all the staff at ICEF for providing an above average workshop and the information for the article as well as for their hospitality during my stay at the Fountainebleau Hotel. If you would like more information regarding the ICEF Workshops, you can contact them at Bonn Office:
Each year International Connections Consulting (ICC) tries to participate in conferences and workshops that bring together educational advisers with various institutions (businesses, schools, organizations). During these events, ICC develops new clients and contacts to enhance the current list of programs offered on their website. In Miami, Florida USA, the third annual ICEF Americas Workshop took place at the Fountainbleau Hilton and Resort on Miami Beach. Tasha Lewis, President of International Connections Consulting, was invited to participate in the conference. Ms. Lewis has attended the last two conferences and was delighted to be given the opportunity to be involved in it this year. The workshop provides an ideal opportunity to bring together educational advisers, referral agents and travel agents together with educational institutions from all over the world. ICEF acts as a facilitator for this event. They screen all of the participates for quality control. For two days, meetings are set up before and during the conference over the course of the conference. Agent/Advisor can meet with a large variety of schools for 20 minute intervals. Introductions are made and from there you can continue communicating with the new contact. During her first workshop, Ms. Lewis was a bit overwhelmed and amazed by the numerous possibilities that the event offered. If she had to fly around the world and meet with all of the schools at her company's expense, she would spend a fortune. This offered her an opportunity to establish invaluable contacts with many institutions. Once she had attended the conference, she became an expert at navigating the meetings and developing and maintaining contact. In fact, she was able to meet with several clients from the previous year and interview Mr. Ian Joseph, President and CEO for Home Language International, who's organization will be featured in the April issue of the ICC newsletter. Furthermore, Tasha Lewis
was able to get a glimpse of a big growth area, Distance Learning.
This workshop had a special focus on Distance Education programs offered
around the world in addition to the regular focus of the Americas Workshop.
Some of the schools that Ms. Lewis met with were Declan Murphy of Yamasa
Institute in Japan, Cesar Rennert of Rennert Bilingual, Jean-Francois Vouilloux
of France Langue, Ian Josephs of Home Language International, Drexel University,
and Peter Hsu and Susan McCurdy of Information Technology Institute,
and Peter Bemski of Action English just
In addition to the meetings, the conference offered additional activities for attendees such as an evening lawn party and welcome reception. Since the site is located at a resort, the attendees are given many other opportunities to relax and enjoy the facility after the conference or make additional meetings outside the workshop meetings. Ms. Lewis had nothing but
positive things to say about the conference. She recognized the long
term value in participating in the Americas Workshop. Since she is
always on the lookout for new programs to offer her clients, the event
offered her another opportunity to meet with the owners, directors, etc
of some of the best educational institutions in the world. The schools
offer a wide variety of programs and activities for everyone.
Not just students but whether your a businessman, senior citizen, teacher,
or
While Ms. Lewis met with the schools, she thought about what programs she would like to take in her small amount of spare time. Since she teaches at a couple of colleges in the Washington, DC USA Metro area and a foreign language program for young people in addition to her educational advising business, she is always on the lookout for programs of study for herself. International Connections Consulting (ICC) would like to thank the staff of ICEF for providing an above average workshop. If you would like more information regarding the ICEF Workshops, you can contact them at ICEF, Hofgarten 18, 53113 Bonn, Germany, phone 49-228-201-190, fax 49-228-211-944, web site http://www.icef.com.
Hostelling International's Ninth Annual International Travel Day The Ninth Annual International Travel Day (ITD) was held on February 13, 1999 at the Washington , DC Convention Center in Washington, DC USA . ITD is an event that brings together people throughout the community who share a passion for traveling to and exploring other countries. It is produced by Hostelling International, a non-profit membership organization that celebrates a spirit of openness by promoting international understanding through travel. It was sponsored by Rail Europe Group and includes a wide array of activities and exhibits geared toward the curious armchair traveler and the veteran voyager alike. Formerly "American Youth Hostels" in the United States, Hostelling International consists of a worldwide federation of 70 countries and 5,000 hostels. It all began in 1909 as a network of way stations for young Bavarian hikers. With the spread of this new movement, their mission became more than just a network of inexpensive lodging but a promotion of global awareness and understanding through travel and cultural exchange. Hostelling International embraces and welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds including families and seniors. ITD is recognized as the Mid Atlantic region's premier travel expo. Each ITD has attracted thousands of attendees, hundreds of volunteers, and dozens of commercial and nonprofit exhibitors as well as providing valuable travel advice from distinguished authors, inside information on over 50 countries, and numerous workshops and activities that give the attendees a wide selection of culture, entertainment, and more. Some of the presentations and topics for the 1999 edition of ITD included: The Practical Nomad: How To Travel Around The World, presented by Edward Hasbrouck; Air Courier Bargains, presented by Kelly Monaghan; Multicultural Tourism and the Importance of Language Learning, presented by Pamela Thomas, Editor of Pathfinders Magazine, and Tasha Lewis, President of International Connections Consulting; Becoming A Cultural Explorer, presented by Jeannette Belliveau; Five Millennia In 55-Minutes-How To See Europe's Greatest Art Without Ruining A Perfectly Good Vacation, presented by Gene Openshaw; The Art of Traveling Well and several other exciting topics. Tasha Lewis, President of International Connections Consulting (ICC), was on the panel for one of the presentations entitled "Multicultural Tourism and the Importance of Language Learning" along with Pamela Thomas, Editor of Pathfinders Magazine, a magazine dedicated to Travel for the African American community. Ms. Lewis spoke about the importance of doing your "research" or "homework" before planning any trip outside or even within the USA to better understand the new culture or country. Be it taking language course, meeting with a travel planner, or visiting an organization like Hostelling International, anyone desiring to have a successful trip should be prepared for the unexpected. For instance, Hostelling
International provides pre-departure services to inexperienced and experienced
travelers alike. They offer Budget Travel Workshops, International
Resource Center, and Travelers' Circle (a weekly discussion group) which
encourages you to share your travel dreams and make them into a reality.
At their travel store, Hostelling International Travel, they offer great
airline specials, rail passes,
Furthermore, Ms. Lewis encouraged the attendees to feel free to utilize ICCs services to assist them with their future travel needs by utilizing the many services her company offers such as Free Educational/Travel Advising, Global Event Calendar, Resource Directory (business, organizations, schools), a monthly newsletter that features many of the schools, businesses, and organizations that ICC works with worldwide to give potential students and vacationers an opportunity to read in-depth about what the schools offer. Pamela Thomas spoke about her magazine and the importance of a travel magazine dedicated to the minority community. Throughout her presentation, she highlighted the various multicultural differences that are sometimes overlooked by many of the popular travel magazines. Ms. Thomas utilized a wide array of illustrative examples along with the exceptional quality of the Pathfinder Magazine itself. In addition to all of the many presentations and workshops, International Travel Day offered a diverse group of entertainers including the Mystic Warriors, contemporary and traditional music of the Andes; the Skys Gathering, music of the Highlands; the Gypsy Strings, Eastern European Music; and Malika and Harem of the Queen, Middle Eastern music and belly dancing. There was even a Silent Auction that offered the attendees an opportunity to bid on Railpasses, Round trip tickets from Malaysia Airlines, Deluxe accommodations at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel, a 7 course dinner at Marrakesh Moroccan restaurant in Washington, DC which just happens to be one of the favorite restaurants of ICC's President Tasha Lewis, Meditation lessons at the Shambhala Meditation Center and the list goes on. Peter LeBlanc, Program Director at Hostelling International-Seattle, was on hand for an interview. He told ICC "that the purpose of ITD was to increase information exchange; increase exposure for Hostelling International; and to increase the number of volunteers." He said "their goal was to encourage people to volunteer for their event and in the long term come back and continue their volunteer work with Hostelling International." Mr. Leblanc indicated that there would be another International Travel Day event in Seattle in October 1999. For details, you can visit their web site http://www.hiseattle.org or call at 206-382-0067. The next Travel Day in Washington, DC will take place in February 2000. Overall, ITD seemed to offer something for everyone no matter what your interest in travel may be. We encourage anyone interested in gaining a greater understanding of the world and its people to contact Hostelling International-AYH at Potomac Area Council, 1108 K Street NW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20005-4010, Phone 202-783-0717, Fax 202-783-3148. We would like to thank Keith Berner, Executive Director-Potomac Area Council of Hostelling International-AYH, Amy Fisher, Program Director-Hostelling International-Washington, DC, Peter LeBlanc, Program Director-Hostelling International-Seattle for inviting ICC to be a part of this event and for providing the information for this article.
TASHA LEWIS AND STUDY ABROAD PANEL CONSULT AT FOREIGN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE Whether you're a foreign language teacher, a student who wants to study abroad, or an educational advisor who wants to send some of your students abroad, you obviously are interested in the opportunities that are available for studying in another country. Whether it is because you recognize the importance of visiting a country that speaks the language that you are learning or teaching, or you know the value of being exposed to other cultures, or any myriad of compelling reasons, you are interested in foreign study. As excited as you are, you undoubtedly havequestions that must be answered regarding procedures, language requirements, opportunities before embarking on your journey. The Foreign Language Association of Virginia (FLAVA) along with the Greater Washington Association of Teachers of Foreign Languages (GWATFL)hosted the first annual joint conference: "Bringing the World into ourClassrooms," on November 6th and 7th, 1998 at the Fairview Marriot in Falls Church, Virginia. The conference was open to teachers of alllevels of foreign language instruction. According to Lynn McGovern-Waite, president of FLAVA, the goal of the conference was to "offer each participant an opportunity for professional growth and fornetworking with colleagues." And according to one of the study abroadpanelists, Tasha Lewis, it was quite successful. The presenters on the Study Abroad panel included Tasha Lewis, President of International Connections Consulting, Starlett Craig, Director of Pre-College Enrichment Programs at Clemson University, Shawn Grant, Coordinator of Minority Student Recruitment at Messiah College, Barbara Rondeau, Training Specialist at Prince George's Community College, Dr. Brett Mills, Dean of Institutional Advancement at LaSalle University, and Christian de Poly, Director at France Langue. Although the latter two mentioned were not able to participate, Tasha Lewis, Starlett Craig, Shawn Grant, and Barbara Rondeau were able to impart some very useful information and advice. Starlett Craig, with her background as Director for Pre-College Enrichment Programs at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, including coordinator for travel-study tours for pre-college students, aswell as her prior positions as a foreign student advisor, a study abroadadvisor, a consultant for the Council of International Educational Exchange, and a member of the Scholarship Review Committee for the American Institute for Foreign Studies, made her an awesome resource fora number of the foreign language teachers in attendance who had questionsregarding study abroad opportunities for high school students as well as the language proficiency requirements for various universities and programs. As coordinator of Minority Student Recruitment for Messiah College, just south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Shawn Grant provided an interestingperspective on the travel opportunities that Messiah offers students who wish to travel almost anywhere in the world including England, Ecuador,Costa Rica, Spain, Tibet, Malaysia, France, Singapore, and Egypt. As Grant said, "You name it our students have been there." For students,teachers, or advisors interested in any of those countries, Grant's relaying of student's past experiences, particularly in regards to some of the options available for accommodation, was very insightful. Barbara Rondeau, with her
vast experience administering and delivering training
programs in foreign language
In terms of resources, scholarships, and short term study programs, Tasha Lewis, of International Connections Consulting, was able to helpsome of the audience members as she referred them to her website, www.intlconnections.com, as well as noted further research that she will perform to assist with their needs. With such diverse backgrounds, the four presenters were able to impart some very useful information that have and will continue to help teachers, students, and advisors, as they begin to gain some resolve in regards to the ins and outs of studying and traveling abroad. What impressed me most about the study abroad panel was the fact that one of the presenters participated via telephone speakerphone. This meantthat when a question was asked and the panelist was not able to verifythe information off of the top of her head, she was able to do some quick research and then simply jump back into the conversation with the correctinformation. Thus, the emphasis at this panel was placed on accessing the information and getting the answers. With such a savy way ofconferencing and the diversity of panelists and the information presented, I am sure the audience appreciated all that was offered. For further information, or if you have questions about studying/traveling abroad and you would like to contact any of the panelists, please e-mail Tasha Lewis, tLewis@intlconnections.com or write to International Connections Consulting, P.O. Box 8384, Silver Spring, MD 20907. E-Mail International Connections
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