NORTH AMERICA
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06/19/2021 to 06/25/2021
Arrive in Knoxville by your own arrangement. Our group will meet at an airport hotel.
KnoxvilleCradled between the Tennessee River and the Great Smoky Mountains, Knoxville is a lovely city that has a rich history and culture. Settled in 1786, overtime the city has become known for its warm southern hospitality and surrounding natural beauty.
Your personal tour directorOur 24-hour Tour Director will meet us at the airport hotel and remain with us until our final airport departure.
The Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee provide a special location to study the physical and cultural traits that make the Appalachians unique. Stretching from New York to Alabama, the Appalachians encompass a wide variety of historical influences. Likewise, there is a stunning biodiversity to explore.
Great Smoky MountainsOur base for the next five nights will be in the Great Smoky Mountains, where breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided on site. Accommodations will be in a bunkhouse or dorm.
OrientationWe will participate in an orientation session, covering Health and Safety aspects of the week ahead.
ExcursionToday we will have a private coach and driver to accompany us for our half-day excursion outside the city.
Daily reflection and group discussion
On every evening of the program, we will set time aside to update our Reflection Journal and share thoughts and impressions that have come to the fore in the course of the day.
"We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience" - John Dewey
Learn to use a map and compass to navigate on and off-trail. We will work in groups to practice on our orienteering course and may put the skills to use later in the week.
Poetic encountersVisit several outdoor spaces around the campus, read poems and excerpts from place-based authors, examining our relationship to place. You also write your own poetry or reflections on your experiences of place.
StorytellingGather around the camp fire to hear local storytellers share stories of Appalachian and Cherokee traditions.
Daily reflection and group discussionTonight, discuss how literature mediates and influences our understanding of place.
Visit one of the iconic sites in the Smokies and explore regional cultural history through investigation of historic homesites at Cades Cove.
Learn about bearsTonight, learn more about black bears and bear management.
Daily reflection and group discussionHow has the park historically balanced the values of protecting biodiversity, preserving wilderness, interpreting cultural history, and providing services for 12 million visitors? What values should the park prioritize in the future?
How do humans depend on plants for survival? Explore this question through the lens of regional cultural history and local knowledge of ecosystems. Some options for this class include: edible and medicinal plant identification, salve making, use of traditional tools to cut and split wood, spoon carving, fire building, cordage making, etc.
Forest night walkTonight, we will take a guided, short evening walk to experience the nocturnal forest.
Daily reflection and group discussionHow much did early settlers depend on the resources of the land? How much do we still depend on the land?
Take an all day backcountry and wilderness hike.
Campfire musicGather around the camp fire as local musicians share the cultural heritage of the Southern Appalachians through music.
Final reflection and discussion sessionThis evening we make the final entries in our Reflection Journal and share some of the most significant observations and perspectives that have taken shape in the course of our travel experience and how these may be most relevant for us all as we return home. How have your perceptions of the Appalachians shifted?
Enjoy our last morning together as we prepare to depart.
DepartureOur rewarding and enjoyable tour comes to an end as our Tour Director accompanies us to the airport on our final day.
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