What Have You Learned?

Now that the class is winding down, take a moment or two to reflect on what was learned in this course? Is there an area of the world that you now find more interesting? If so, why is it interesting to you?

Lastly- what do you think should have been discussed further? Was there something that should have been given more depth? Perhaps there was an area of the world that we needn't have discussed at all?

In either event, I hope you learned new things from taking the course and above all, your sense of curiosity about world geography has been sparked.

All postings to this blog must be done by Wed., Feb. 14th at 2:30 PM.

Videos

One of the great things about a geography course is that it enables us to watch many videos. Doing so is probably much more effective than giving a lecture or doing a Power Point presentation.

I'm not sure whether or not you noticed, but I tried to show a variety of videos presented by a variety of people from different demographic backgrounds. Not only did this provide more insight into the areas we studied, but I hoped that the different people doing the traveling would provide you with a host of different perspectives.

On that note, of all the videos you saw in this course, which do you feel was the most memorable? Why do you feel that way? Conversely, which video was the least memorable and why?

I look forward to your responses.

See you in cyberspace!

Australia

This week we will talk about Australia- another fascinating part of the world. Many people aspire to go there but few do, mainly because it is so far away. If you live on the East Coast of the United States you must first fly to Los Angeles or San Francisco and then board another flight for 14 hours.

I've been fortunate to visit Australia 4 times with another visit planned for this July. I have a good friend who lives there so when I am there I get an inside perspective of this beautiful country.

I will talk more about the country and its people in class, but until then, what are your thoughts and perceptions of this country? What have you heard about it's people and culture? Would you want to go there? If so, where would you like to visit? Many people can only get to Sydney or the Barrier Reef when they are there but the country is rich with incredible cities and sites such as Melbourne, Perth, Darwin, Alice Springs, and the Kimberly.

I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts.

Africa & the Middle East

When we began this course, many of you wrote that you were most looking forward to our discussion of Africa and the Middle East. For this week's blog, tell me why you feel this way? What intrigues you about this part of the world?

Also- on a side note- are any of you interested in travel to the Middle East despite it being such a dangerous part of the world? If so, discuss why you would do so.

The deadline for posting to this in Thursday, Jan. 25th by 2:30 PM.

Fascinating Places

What is the most fascinating place you have ever seen? It could be something you saw in the United States as well as a site you visited out of the country.

In my case, I would say that the Grand Canyon is the most spectacular site I have visited. If you ever have a chance, try and get there. In fact, I have found that Northern Arizona itself is quite spectacular. The mountain cities of Sedona and Flagstaff are quite beautiful and are certainly a contrast to the desert cities of Phoenix and Tucson.

Internationally, without a doubt, the Great Barrier Reef in Northern Australia is the most amazing site I have seen. I went snorkeling there many years ago. It's unbelievable! I've also snorkeled in the Caribbean, the U.S. and Mexico but they don't compare to the Great Barrier Reef.

Runners-up would include some of the magnificent waterfalls in Iceland (because you can get very close to them) as well as Uluru (Ayer's Rock) in Central Australia. Both are really once-in-a lifetime experiences. In the U.S. I've also enjoyed the beaches of San Diego and San Francisco. And of course, standing in New York City's Time Square at night is something not to be missed.

Food

If you were to travel the world and visit countries with a completely different culture from your own, would you be the type of person who would try and eat the local cuisine or would you feel better sticking with food you know? In other words, would you be anxious to try new and exotic foods, or would you be in search of the local McDonald's?

In my case, I'd like to think I'm adventurous but it's not often the case. When we travel to the Dominican Republic, I have a hard time eating goat (a local delicacy). In Australia, I usually stay away from the exotic fish species that find their way on many local menus. Interestingly enough, my wife tends to be more adventurous and is rarely afraid to "eat like the locals." In retrospect, I guess I'm just another wimpy American tourist.

Europe

We will be learning about Europe for the next several weeks. Based on what you already know about that continent, what country, cities, and places sound exciting to you? In other words, if you could go and spend some time there, what would interest you and why do you feel that way?

On a personal note, my wife and I went to Iceland a few years ago and found that to be a most extraordinary place. The culture and topography alone made it a once in a lifetime experience. We would certainly love to go back, however, there are so many exciting places in Europe we would still want to see.