Alumni and Friends Cross-Cultural Tours
We are getting rave reviews about our Alumni and Friends Cross Cultural Trips! Reasonably priced with an EMU flair, these trips promise to be "life changing" in many ways. You won't find this kind of a trip with your typical travel agent.
All proceeds from these trips go directly to current EMU students in need of financial support on their Intercultural semester. Your participation in these trips helps EMU students have life-changing educational experiences with EMU professors.
Open to alumni, current and former parents and friends of EMU. Plan now to take one of our upcoming trips:
Cuba: March 2025
Cuba is a country like no other - World Heritage sites, beautiful beaches, old cars and resilient, friendly people. It is a country with model healthcare and education programs, a plan to confront climate change and one of the world’s leading biotechnological industries. Yet, many U.S. citizens have not had the chance to visit Cuba due to the 62-year-old US blockade which is causing economic hardship in Cuba and restricts travel to the island. Fortunately, activities of educational institutions are still permitted, which makes this 4th EMU Alumni and Friends trip to Cuba possible. During the 10 days in Cuba, you will have the opportunity to experience a mini-cross culture with time spent in Havana and in the countryside. There will be lectures by Cuban experts, visits with organizations and individuals, a home stay, and several group reflection times. Most of all, you will experience Cuba’s rich heritage of music, dance, art, food, and warm hospitality. Email alumni@emu.edu to be added to a list of interested people.
Leader(s): Elaine and Nathan Zook Barge, veteran Guatemala/Cuba cross-cultural leaders.
COST: $2800 plus airfare and visa. (Payments are $500 deposit, July 1, 2024 $1,150, Nov. 1, 2024, $1,150.) A single-occupant fee TBD based on the availability of rooms.
DATES: March 12 – 22, 2025
On the Face of the Deep: October 2025
Leaders: Janet and Linford Stutzman
With Special Guests: Cantore, men’s a Cappella singing group
Description: This special Mediterranean voyage is one that Janet and I, after sailing the
Mediterranean for 20 years, have been dreaming of sharing with EMU Alumni and Friends
for some time. It is special in many ways. First, this tour, for the first time in
5,000 years of Mediterranean sailing history, will include performances in appropriate
locations of 10 originalsea shanties performed by Cantore. These shanty texts were
written by Linford with the music
composed by Cantore who will also perform all of these shanties on the tour. The shanties
are
the voices of the mostly pagan seafarers in the biblical stories whose voices are
seldom heard.
Second, the itinerary includes some of the most beautiful islands of Greek history
and the
biblical stories in Scripture. The route will follow the downwind sailing routes of
Acts, connecting
with the sites of the sea stories in Scripture, parts of all Paul’s sea voyages, and
include time on
Patmos of John’s vision. Two beautiful gulets are being reserved to accommodate up
to 60
guests. Relaxing aboard, visiting the amazing ports and islands of the Mediterranean,
enjoying
the presentations, concerts and good company, and learning about the sea and its people
in
history and the Bible will be part of the experience.
Dates: October 3 – 13, 2025
Itinerary: Beginning In Turkey, Kusadasi (port) Ephesus (archeological site), the Greek islands of Samos, Patmos, Kos, and Rhodes, back in Turkey the ports of Fethiye, and Antalya, and the archeological site of Perge.
Costs: From arrival at the meeting place in Izmir, Turkey to leaving the hotel in Antalya,
Turkey
is projected at this time to be $5,500 per person. (Payments are: Deposit $500, Sept. 1, 2024, $2,500, March 1, 2025.) A single supplement of $1,250 (due March 1, 2025) will be required for those traveling or rooming alone. This payment will cover all accommodation on land with breakfast, lunch, and dinner,
all meals, water and coffee/tea on the gulet, and all tips including for the gulet
crew. Only extra beverages and purchases will be your personal expenses on the trip.
International Flights: Guests will book their own multi-city flights arriving in Izmir and departing from Antalya. Connections are usually through Istanbul. Guests have the option to arrive earlier and/or stay longer for independent travel if desired.
NOTE: Additional information about the details of the program and itinerary, as well as all of the information needed to purchase airfare, and plan for the trip, will be sent out as soon as everything is finalized.
Links to Gulets: The plans include these two gulets that you can view on the following website: Admiral Yacht
Europe-Radical Reformation @500: Gender & Class
May 18-30, 2025; optional additional travel May 31-June 4, 2025 Trip Full. Wait list available.
2025 marks the 500th anniversary of the start of Anabaptism in Switzerland. You have
heard of Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz, but what about Ursula Jost or Helena von Freyberg?
How did women and peasants contribute to the Anabaptist movement? This tour will trace
the origins and spread of Anabaptism in the context of the broader Reformation, with
a special focus on how often overlooked history-makers--women and peasants--informed
and nurtured the sixteenth-century Anabaptist movement. Tour members will participate
in the special Anabaptism 500 day in Zurich, May 29, where EMU's Chamber Singers will
be performing.
The bus tour will include a 12-night trip through Austria, Switzerland and Germany
with an optional five-day extension to Münster and the Netherlands. We will spend time in the cities of Vienna, Zurich, Bern, Innsbruck,
and Amsterdam but also visit a number of small towns, hofs, and castles where Anabaptism
flourished in spite of strong opposition. In addition to Anabaptist-related sites,
there will be opportunities to see top tourist destinations and do some bicycle rides
and gentle mountain hiking.
Leaders: Dr. Mary Sprunger and Dr. Kimberly Schmidt are scholars and teachers of Reformation
and Mennonite History, Women's History and Social History. Schmidt has led two previous
Reformation History tours with EMU. Both historians have lived in Europe, speak local
languages, and are experienced tour leaders. Further in-put will include European
scholars who are working to uncover and preserve Anabaptist Women's & Social History.
Important Note: This is primarily a bus tour but there will be many days when walking is required,
especially through museums, old town centers, churches, and to remote Anabaptist worship
sites. Additionally, participants must be able to carry their own luggage up a flight
of stairs. Please be mindful of this reality. This tour is currently full. If you are intereseted please email office@tourmagination.com to be added to the wait list.
Email alumni@emu.edu to be added to a list of interested people.
