Announcement: Last chance for Gustavus flagship study away program in Malaysia

September 30 is the final application deadline to participate in the 2018 spring semester program in Malaysia. goo.gl/Y8kfmP

Facts about the program:

• One of the lowest-cost semester study away programs. The total tuition and fees on your student account will be LESS than the usual total of tuition plus room and board. The other costs are airfare (about $1000 right now) and personal expenses, and so the overall total is barely above the normal tuition/room/board you pay on campus.
• Meets a lot of requirements: either the SOSCI, GLOBL, and NASP requirements for students in the Liberal Arts Perspective curriculum or, for those in the Three Crowns curriculum group, the "Individual and Society" and "Natural World" requirements.
• Malaysia is super-diverse! Meet people of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and other ethnic backgrounds who identify as Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, Taoists, and more.
• Study in English alongside other Gusties in courses designed for Gusties.
• Learn from Malaysian and other local experts (e.g., the Islam unit in the religions course is taught by the expert on Islam), while enjoying the oversight of Professor Mike Hvidsten (Math and Computer Science).
• Live in Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in student residence halls. Your roommate will be a Gustie, but your floor mates will be students in the regular university degree programs, mainly from Malaysia.
• The architecture is jaw-dropping amazing with influences from many cultures and religions. Some of the world's most beautiful churches/temples/mosques are in Malaysia.
• Eat unbelievably delicious, fresh foods for very little. A typical meal from a street vendor will cost you $1.25 to $2.00 in the equivalent US money. If you like veggies and/or seafood, you will be very, very happy.
• Learn about the diversity of Malaysia in the "Living Diversity" and "Religious Experiences of Malaysia" courses.
• Learn about the incredible biodiversity in the "Tropical Ecology" course, which includes hands-on fieldwork with sea turtles, synchronously lighting fireflies, mangroves, coral reefs, and more!
• In the language course, learn a basic functional level of the Bahasa Malay language to help you get more out the experience.
• Enjoy a one-week spring break either by relaxing in Georgetown (kick back, save money, swim in local pools/beaches) or traveling to other parts of Malaysia or nearby countries like Vietnam, China, Cambodia, India, Singapore, or Sri Lanka. Travel within Asia can be very cheap (e.g., round-trip flights under $100).
• Most importantly, expand your horizons and intercultural learning in a part of the world seldom visited by US students. (The Gustavus program there is extremely unique!)