Hiram College

In my personal journey, I find that there is nothing like learning from experience, and that while my lessons as an individual are essential, the pursuit of knowledge with a like-minded group is accelerated and enriched by the unique understanding, passion, and creative mind of each individual participating. The Biomes of the World Program embodies a hands-on (or, more appropriately, every sense on) intensive group learning experience. As we traveled from country to country, culture to culture, and ecosystem to ecosystem, we observed, smelled, felt, heard, and tasted our surroundings. We considered past, present, and future, and discussed what isolated and big picture patterns we observed. The trip was a wonderful exploration of diversity, both in the natural world and the cultures found within, and I also found unexpected and delightful similarities in the whole.

I highly recommend this unique study abroad program. It is a grand adventure with excellent leadership, and it is impossible not to be engaged in the present and working as a team throughout. Every single day brought new experiences--riding a camel up to the pyramids, scuba diving in the Maldives, listening to an Indian girl's stories, trying not to get my lunch stolen by a monkey...Several years later, I am still seeing how this expansive program has affected who I am and the decisions I make.

If you want to see the integral connections between nature and society and are willing to explore ideas of how we can harness these connections for the future, join Denny on this adventure. I participated in the very first Biomes expedition and have continued to benefit from the perspectives I gained. I don't feel that I can put into words the value of such an eye-opening experience as I prepared to leave college and pursue a career. I can tell you that I continue to reference the experience in professional conversations 7 years later and still think of those months as some of the most formative days of my life. Many study abroad opportunities will give you this feeling, but traveling with Denny and the Hiram team requires such attention and care to be taken by each member of the group that I can assure you that every meal, bus ride, lecture, and impromptu detour will bring your travel group closer together. If you can, choose Hiram.

The Biomes of the World program brings you on a new adventure every day, takes you to a new country every week, and throws a new continent at you every month. Waking up at sunrise for class is surprisingly pleasant when you do it on a beach in Thailand, and the lessons you just learned being applied that afternoon when you head out to go scuba diving. With seasoned leadership we were guided around the globe while still being afforded the freedom to experience the world our own way.